{Today's article is from the heart of my daughter-in-law, Rachael Lee Clarkson.}
"Who can find a virtuous and capable woman? She is more precious than rubies." -Proverbs 31:10
Praying for many years, that God would bless my children with equal soul-mates, those who would love God with all of their hearts, but also, those who would desire to live a purposeful life for His kingdom and His purposes. The last place on earth I ever thought my son would find such a woman--one whose passion for Christ matched his, was in Hollywood. But God is so much bigger than our own perspectives and ideas.
You can't imagine how deeply grateful I am and standing in awe, that He gave me such a daughter-in-law as lovely Rachael. Her passion to redeem the darkness of her world for Him inspires me to be faithful. The zest with which she reads the Word of God, books that inspire, and gives out of a rich soul is such an example to me. So, her life encourages me to keep praying, keep trusting, keep sowing seeds of faithfulness and faith, because she is a picture to me of his willingness to do above and beyond all I could ask! Here is an article that has been bubbling up in her heart. Rachael has an active ministry to young women to call them to their true roles as beloved women because they are His!
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Rachael Clarkson
Just the other night, as my husband of one week and I were scrolling through Netflix, searching for the perfect show to watch, we entered into a long discussion that distracted us from our show-decision-making. As I looked at all of these fun, entertaining shows that entertain us, we began to realize that almost none of the shows revolved around a main character with heroic qualities--a noble character, a "good guy", someone who was capable of doing the right thing in the face of trials and difficulty.
Even more unsettling, I struggled to come up with any strong female lead actresses I had seen recently who were heroic, brave, and made the tough choices. Women who are excellent role models, courageous, and lovely all at the same time. Those are the kinds of women I want to see, I strive to be, and frankly don't see enough of on the big screen or small screen these days.
Many of the strong female leads I see nowadays gain much of their status and power through sexuality, lies, and manipulation. Young women need to understand that their meaning and worth is not found in sex. We are not more valued by sex, (in fact, it creates the opposite effect). Culture tells us that sex makes women more free, but the more we focus on creating our identities in our sex lives, the more we become slaves to exactly what this culture is trying to do: put you in a box.
As women, we should feel powerful, strong, and worth enough on our own so that we wouldn't need our leading ladies to take off their clothing in order to grab our attention. I live and work in Hollywood, and I fully understand how ratings work, but I'm speaking woman to woman here. How can we become heroic? How can we fulfill our God given purpose? What does it look like when women are brave?
This question made me wonder, and when I googled "heroic women", the only images I saw where super heroes and completely fictional characters. I came to realize that being a heroic woman in today's culture seemed like an absolute myth and fairytale to most.
You don't need super powers, super strength, or a cape to become a heroic woman. Being a woman of influence does not mean being perfect. It simply requires faith, courage, honesty, confidence, and a pure heart. Young women need to understand that there is value in what is lovely, classy, beautiful, and pure.
{Books} One of my favorite books of all time is "A Wrinkle In Time", where Meg is a relatable young girl who struggles with insecurities. When I was younger, I loved reading and connecting to her character as she was so authentic--Meg felt ugly sometimes, strange, and like she didn't quite fit in with her family. She goes on to do amazing things filled with bravery, courage, and even finds her own self respect.
{Film} Many of my readers know I adore Audrey Hepburn. She was a true leading lady who defined true beauty (through laughter, smiles, composure and class) and carried herself with strength and dignity. After her acting career ended in the mid 1960s, Audrey used her platform and influence by devoting the remaining period of her life to humanitarian work with UNICEF.
{Scripture} Esther is one of my very favorite women of influence. Her courage to fight for what she believed in preserved her nation and changed countless lives. She risked her life to listen to and serve God. This woman is such a beautiful picture of faithfulness.
As women of influence, we must never stop seeking to know heroic women who can inspire us. Who are you watching? Perhaps the even better question is: who is your daughter watching? Who is inspiring your daughter? And who are these people encouraging your little girl to grow up to become?
Every girl always has her eyes peeled and ears listening for the role models who may impact her life. Make sure that you are filling you and your children's minds, hearts, and souls with stories of heroic men and women. Whether it is through literature, film, television, scripture, or stories in history, start a discussion in your home today about how your children can have influence in their generation. Ask questions like:
What story will you tell? What nation will you preserve? What will you overcome? What quest will you conquer? What hero will you become?
Rachael's book Identity Girls is a resource for girls who are hoping to overcome obstacles and insecurities in order to become women of influence. Click here to snag your copy of this 30 day devotional (and consider going through it with your daughter with a cup of tea once a week!).
{You can find more from Rachael Lee Clarkson by clicking here to view her blog for young women.}
