Teaching a Ladies Bible Study now for nearly 15 years has taught me a lot about myself and other women. I cannot count the times I've heard other women say, "I wasn't raised in a Christian home..."I feel left out when around other women talking about their Christian home raising..."Their experiences with God makes me feel that I'm not good enough"..."I feel like an outsider"..."I just don't fit in". There was another gal I know that wasn't raised in a Christian home either. Her name was Ruth....
What I have admired about Ruth the most has been the fact that she was from a godless society and wasn't raised to follow the one true God and yet she overcame the obstacles in her life. We don't really know what convinced her to choose the Almighty God's ways. However, if you read the book of Ruth I think you will find evidence that she did...DESPITE her upbringing.
Listen to my heart...NOT all women have had the blessed opportunity to be raised in a Christian home. BUT, that doesn't mean that you can't live for CHRIST! That doesn't mean that YOU don't fit in. That simply means that YOU my friend have an awesome opportunity to minister to so many other women that are just like you...have come from the same type of home life that you have come from and YOU can make a difference in the lives around you! Don't let SATAN steel the joy of sisterhood within the body of Christ or anywhere else for that matter! YOU DO FIT IN AND YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! RUTH DID!
Ruth could have so easily just settled for "feeling sorry" for herself...thinking she was a nobody....and giving up. The odds were against her that is for sure. Ladies, If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)
Listen, we all are different whether it be in race, age, upbringing, and etc. That is how God created us to be...like no one else! But....we all are the same in God's eyes....regardless of whether you have been a Christian for a very long time or you just accepted Christ today! He loves you so very much!
Now I just need to take the paper off the candy for a minute! QUIT feeling sorry for yourself! QUIT allowing Satan to steel your joy for the Lord by making you feel that you don't fit in! QUIT making excuses not to be involved with other sisters in the Lord at your church! Get involved...share your life story with another....MAKE YOURSELF FIT IN!
You might just be surprised how YOU can make a difference for the Kingdom of God! See I know first hand what I am talking about here....I was once YOU!
Hugs and blessings, Cindy
