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Dear Elizabeth and Mary,
My name is Sharon D____ and I have been saved for 5 years now. Before I met Jesus I was serving as an electronics tech in the Royal Australian Navy. I was a single mother of a 1 year old and had a great career.(by worldly standards). Two years ago, myself and my four year old daughter was married to a wonderful Christian man. At this stage I was out of the Navy but still working part time. When we were married, I quit work but continued to help my husband establish a home based business. The office was at home and I had the computer skills so it was so easy for me to work, and with our daughter off to school I didn't feel the need to stop working. 6 months ago Jack was born. I thought I could still work at home and look after a baby, after all they only eat and sleep. - was I wrong! When my daughter was little I had her in daycare, I also paid a lady to clean the house and we lived off restaurant food. I had no idea of the time that a baby takes as well as washing, and keeping house- let alone working as well. After talking with my God and my husband, and realising that I can't do everything, I conceeded to pull back from our business and do the housewife thing. That was about 3 months ago. I have always learned skills from courses and books. Mothering and housekeeping doesn't come with enclosed instructions and video taped lessons. But I did find that Jesus was always there to help me and listen to me. The more I pray and lean on Jesus, the more accomplished I feel as a homemaker and mother. I have learned that this is truly our calling as women. My marriage is closer, my children are more settled, my relationship with Jesus is deeper and my relationships with other women are deeper.
Sharon D., Australia
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Editor's Note: This brings up an important point. While the only Biblical place for a woman to work is at home or in a family run business under her husband, if the business is keeping her from doing the duties of a Proverbs 31/Titus2 wife and mother, then she should drop it. This is espebliplly possible when children are small and need more supervision and care, and in homeschooling kids. A mom can be "home" and still neglect her duties to her children and to her husband. Proverbs31:27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. If your home business is interfering with you looking well to the ways of your household, then you better talk to your husband about quitting it.
This also extends to the imagined importance of a woman's ministry. Many a missionary woman has decided that her part in the work was so important that she couldn't let her responsibility to her kids interfere with what she was supposedly "called" to do. This has happened with pastor's wives, and women that have "speaking" or singing ministries, as well. Later, they moan and groan about how their kids turn out, when they weren't there to give the kids the proper training they needed. An evangelist's, a pastor's, a missionary's, an elder's, etc. first responsibility is to see to it that his own children are saved and raised up ...in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4 How much more so the evangelist's, pastor's, etc. wife? Proverbs 31:11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. 12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. When a woman does not help her husband in the bringing up the kids like she should, she does spoil to that which is her husband's and she does evil to him. She is betraying the trust committed to her. [Some women will use their older children to raise their younger ones so that they have the "liberty" to be away from home either working, galavanting, or taking trips. It is hardly surprising when the older child becomes bitter and/or frustrated at being left to take care of their mother's trust while the mother goofs off.] Proverbs 31:26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. A mother who is not home with the kids or too busy will not be instilling wisdom and the law of kindness into her children.
So many women view the admonition for the women to be keepers at home as a burden too grievous to bear. Thank God for those who have found, like Sharon, that it is a light burden and that Jesus is in the yoke with them. Many Christian women look back on their working career and realize what an unbearable burden being in the work force was, and how much happier they are at rest in the place that God wants them to fill. Matthew 11: 28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
M. Van Nattan
When I was in my teens and early twenties, I was easily influenced by others' opinions (friends, family members, the media, etc.) about what I should do with my life. Even though I believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, I confess I did not use His Word as much as I should have, to find purpose and direction for my life. I always let the advice of well-meaning but misguided family members dictate what my goals should be.
I studied general business at a university in the San Francisco Bay Area. I graduated, but I didn't really know what I wanted to do with the degree, if anything. I bounced around from temp job to temp job, hoping to find something I wanted to stay with long-term. The longest job I had (and the only one I liked) lasted nearly two years, but ended as the result of a corporate takeover. I did not work for the two months immediately following, because my severance pay kept coming for those two months. During that time, my husband Robin and some members of his and my family put pressure on me to find another job. So I signed up with a temp agency who found me an assignment almost immediately. The Lord allowed me to stay in that assignment for almost 4 months, but topiano coversds the end I realized I wasn't happy. I thought my dissatisfaction was due to the specific job, but in hindsight I know that I was unhappy working. I was out of work for another month, but I wasn't able to enjoy it, again because of the pressure to find another job. My temp agency found me another assignment, and I was able to stand it for 3 months this time. During that 3 months, I began to get more and more depressed, I wasn't eating right, and I was tired all the time.
Looking back, I really can say that it was the Lord's way of telling me I shouldn't be working (at least not outside the home). The reason I say that is that after Robin and I returned from our vacation in Arizona in October, 1997, he put a little pressure on me to get a job, but not as much as before. Later, he told me that a voice inside of him (the Holy Spirit, no doubt) told him to give it a rest. So we had a long talk at dinner one night, and I told him I really wanted to be a Proverbs 31 wife. I believe the Lord has blessed us because of this decision. I now have more energy than I did when I was working. I can concentrate more on providing Robin with the care that I know God wants me to give him. I can now send him off to work with a good breakfast. And the Lord provides for all our needs. We have found a church where we are now active members who support the church with our time, talents, and finances. I thank God for giving me all those lousy jobs so I could finally hear what He was trying to tell me for so many months!
Michelle K.; Oakland, California
John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Psalm 86:11 Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
by Marsha
I made good money for years. When my job was eliminated and I struggled from job to job and we struggled money wise always. Never could pay our bills on time. Got deeper and deeper in debt. Never knew why. We have been saved 23 years as of now. I finally ended up working for my parents, which was a nightmare. So I was more miserable and we were more broke. I love my parents and respect them and they love me, but we are 3 strong headed people and can't work together. I am still a 3 year old in their eyes, and I was to give all to them, and they were to run me and our personal lives. The Holy Spirit really spoke to me on a retreat. But I didn't submit. I was afraid to let go of working. My parents sold their business and retired and, of course, I lost my job. That was August 94 and I have not worked since. I put out hundreds of resumes and [got] not 1 call. I prayed for a job and I git into the Bible and saw all the verses on women and realized I was sinning by working. The longer I was off work and not looking, our bills started getting paid off little by little. We made ends meet on 1 paycheck. Our freezer and cupboards are always full. We have all our needs(not wants) We are both happier than we have ever been the 23 years we have been married. I am in a woman's Bible study at church, take college courses through our church, and do VBS. Things I always missed out on before. I am so fulfilled and happy. And my husband is thrilled because he is getting real, full meals, not fast food. His house is clean and he is attended to. He gets to relax more. And I feel tons younger. It is so wonderful to see the light and accept it. Why are we women so pig headed?????
In Our Beloved Saviour's Name,
Marsha
[Editor's note: Good question, Marsha. :-) (Letter has been edited some.)]
Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Please send your testimony of how God delivered you from the work place.
background and graphics by mary vannattan
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