so, this is an unusual post I’ll admit. In fact none of the words below this introduction are my own. They were sent to me without notation and it took me a while to find their original author. I did by posting it to which a friend responded. Thank-you Kate Evans for solving the mystery. And thank you Heather Farrell for writing them. A link to her facebook page Women in the Scriptures (a marvelous site which I highly recommend) is below.
The message was originally shared by my friend Suzanne, and I was moved by their message. They spoke to my heart, and I have always, always, always believed them.
“… Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:38-42)
God loves His children. All of them. None more or less than any other. But to men and women He has given distinct roles, evidenced by their very natures, and their natural inclinations. There is no need to put one gender down to lift the other up, although many have felt the need to do so. Both are equal to our Heavenly Father, in their different roles. Of this I am confident, and constantly validated.
In the church I belong to, the “Priesthood” is given to men. I’ve heard some (both men and women) outside the church who have a problem with that. For some reason they feel the need to defend Latter-day Saint women as if somehow we’ve been shortchanged. Not the case. And though I thank you for your care and well meaning intention, I don’t feel threatened by this difference. Not at all. In fact, I am completely content in my standing before God. I feel loved and valued. I serve my congregation in meaningful ways, never in a lesser way than my husband, sons or any other ‘male’ in it, notwithstanding the fact that I do not hold the Priesthood, which means that I will not ever hold some offices within my church. Totally okay with that too, as there are also many roles within the church that men will never hold. We’re back to that ‘difference’ in our roles again.
Some of this is a conversation for another time, but for now, may I share my testimony that GOD SPEAKS TO WOMEN.
Enjoy Heather’s words below.
I have updated this information since my original post.
God Comes to Women
“Have you ever noticed how in the scriptures, men are always going up into the mountains to commune with God?
Yet in the scriptures we hardly ever hear of women going to the mountains.
But we know why—right?
Because the women were too busy keeping life going; they couldn’t abandon babies, meals, homes, fires, gardens, and a thousand responsibilities to make the climb into the mountains!
I was complaining about this to a friend the other day, saying that as a modern woman I feel like I’m never “free” enough from my responsibilities, never in a quiet enough space I want with God.
Her response floored me. “That is why God comes to women.” she said “Men have to climb the mountain to meet God, but God comes to women wherever they are.”
I have been pondering on her words for weeks and have searched my scriptures to see that what she said is true. God does indeed come to women – where they are, when they are doing their ordinary, every day work. He meets them at the wells where they draw water for their families, in their homes, in their kitchens, in their gardens. He comes to them as they sit beside sickbeds, as they give birth, care for the elderly, and perform necessary mourning and burial rites.
“Even at the empty tomb, who were the first to witness Christ’s resurrection, were only there because they were doing the womanly chore of properly preparing Christ’s body for burial.
In this seemingly mundane and ordinary task, these women found themselves face to face with divinity.
So if – like me – you ever start to bemoan the fact that you don’t have as much time to spend in the mountains with God as you would like, remember: God comes to women.
He knows where we are and the burdens we carry. He sees us, and if we open our eyes and our hearts, we will see Him, even in the most ordinary places and in the most ordinary things.
He lives.
– Heather Farrell
Originally posted in Heather’s facebook page Women in the Scriptures.
link inserted
Warmly,
Cindy Suelzle