The real enemies of Womanhood

So lately (I wrote this post almost a year ago!) I've been reading books set in times and places where woman, and the societies they were a part of.  were totally convinced that woman were worthless.


Some good books. But I've found it a bit depressing.

I believe so much in woman, and so to read stories where having a baby girl born stillborn was considered a blessing, where daughters were looked at as burdens, where wives were abused as man's property. Their only worth? Producing sons (Hey! Bretzkes specialize in sons :) Even between woman, tradition dictated competitiveness instead of support and friendship. Overbearing mothers in law, spiteful concubines. It was so foreign from the world of woman,  sisters, and friends that I enjoy daily, woman who, honestly I could not survive without.


It all just hurt my heart.


I was talking through some of my feelings with one of my bestest friends, a friend who I connect with daily, whose thoughts and ideas have become intertwined so much with my own. Really I don't understand how I survived before we started our daily phone chats.


 She, like she always does, had some wise thoughts for me. 


 She said that she felt like that was one of Satan's greatest lies fo all time: the woman are worthless. She went on to say that one of the reasons so many amazing things can happen in our day, is because of the restoration of the empowerment of women. 


And then how sneaky of Satan, to come right back out a try reversing his tactic. 
Heavenly Father tells us the truth, "You are amzing, you can do anything!"
and Satan conters with the subtle lie "If you can do anything, why on earth would you stay home and raise kids?"


It is not the historical roles of womanhood that oppress women. It is sin. Unrighteousness in all it's forms is what brings degradation, inequality and misery. It always has and always will. 


Age-old challenges of womanhood, when meet with eternal principles (faith, hope, love) can be consecrated, hallowed, as can we. 


The answers do not lie is abandoning our God-given roles, or "matching" the immortality of conscienceless men. It's not aout men VS women, at all! 


It is men AND woman against evil, together. 


I'm amazed with the many good women (and men) who survived difficult eras, who did their best in the societies they lived. But I am so extremely grateful for the gospel culture in which I get to raise my family, with secure truths,  including an understanding of the eternal identities and worth of all of Gods children, His sons and His daughters.










“The world’s greatest champion of woman and womanhood is Jesus the Christ.”James E Talmage