“The fact that I am a woman doesn’t make me a different kind of Christian, but the fact that I am a Christian does make me a different kind of woman. For I have accepted God’s idea of me, and my whole life is an offering back to him of all that I am and all that he wants me to be” -Elisabeth Elliot

In a culture where it is increasingly difficult to define womanhood, it is increasingly important to know how the Creator of womanhood defines it. It is so easy to allow our identities to be defined by society. It invades our lives in every medium…tv, movies, magazines, books, social media. But even our society can’t agree on what it means to be a woman. There are varying messages floating around. One of the most pervasive messages I hear and see is “Do you.”

“Do you” is a simple way of saying be and do what feels good and right for you and I’ll be and do what feels good and right for me. The problem I see with this for the believing woman is that it goes against the gospel. I am not sent out into the world to “do me” but rather I am sent out into the world to be a reflection of Christ and do his work.

Society tells me it is ok to pridefully make my own path in the world. Christ tells me to humble myself and accept his grace and mercy, becoming a child and heir of God. Then I pick up my cross and follow him, dying to self every single day so that I look less like me and more like him.

Personally, I think Elisabeth Elliot was spot on…