A Woman Fashioned by God




From My Heart...

A Woman Fashioned by God…
by Jeanne Stone Helstrom



There are many books written, and Bible studies given on the “Proverbs 31 Woman.” There is so much wisdom and good advice given in the book of Proverbs, but I keep going back to chapter 31. I have prayed over the years, many, many times, for God to make me into this woman.



The exhortation begins like this: “A wife of noble character, who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.” The chapter goes on to say how hard she works for her family and her community, but this part is what I love, and it is my prayer every day: “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” (v. 25-30).



I know there are many days we do not FEEL like being this woman of noble character. We want someone else to be noble for us. There are times we feel like we have NO dignity – no one respects us, no one listens. Our strength has run very low. And we have moments when we long for wisdom from someone else, because we simply don’t KNOW what to do. We aren’t strong enough to be everything for everybody.



But then I remember ~ God made me like this! God made women in such a way that we can withstand the rigors and hardships of life. He made us to be the moms and the wives because we are strong, yet tender and gentle. But He also made us to need Him. And without Him, all of these responsibilities become too much for us, and sometimes the task is impossible.



I am so glad He made me a woman, and that He has told me He will always be there to help me through whatever my family and I must face each day. And the last verse (v. 31) of Proverbs 31 says “Give her the reward she has earned…” That will make it all worth it!



From my heart,
Jeanne Stone Helstrom
Excerpted from “Morning Celebrations”