Greetings sisters!
I hope you're pressing onwards and upwards in the Lord! And abiding in the Saviour, bearing much fruit through Him for His glory!
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
John 15:8-10
Today, I wanted to share what my life is currently if it can encourage any sister in a similar life...or even if your life is different. God be glorified and His light shines through all of our lives wherever we are! He has us all in various and unique lives and obviously if anything was sinful we would have to change it or do our best to. But each of us sisters lives will be different of course and we want to glorify God and use each one to the fullest to do good works in.
There are many actions that are pleasing to the Lord including things like working hard at good things either to earn money or your keep or if a sister was married, to be an obedient wife keeping the home. We don't want to look past these duties to a life we don't have of what we might think is 'greater' like full time ministry in the gospel.
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
Ephesians 4:28
We know one aspect of feminism is to neglect the usual woman's duties of Titus 2 and Proverbs 31 types. That is also sinful. But we also don't want to fall into the other ditch of being cumbered about much serving like Martha, obsessing with things that do not matter to the neglect of things such as studying His Word, gospel ministry however you can do it, and edifying sisters if you have them in your life.
So on to explain what the Lord has for me at this time in my life which is all I have. The past is gone and the future is not guaranteed on this earth.
I serve my earthly family (at the parents place) in housework, cooking, and garden and animal work etc. I have been blessed to have a caravan/camper trailer to live in which gives me some extra separation and privacy as I am not spiritually united with them at all. It's just an extra blessing to be thankful for on top of food and raiment.
And then I quite regularly travel to my earthly sister who has four young children four and under to help with the house work and with them. This is a 3 hour drive so whether I go by bus or drive there are more opportunities for the gospel to go out on the way.
While all my earthly family would say they believe in Jesus it is evident by their fruit that they lack much and do no have the fruit of being born of God. So I am not spiritually connected with them in any way. I separated from their 'church gatherings' and bible studies and no longer eat meals with them (per 1 Corinthians 5:11 and others about separation). I keep my distance and live my life for the Lord, minding my own business in my work, and they do their things. Of course I need to communicate with them regarding my work and to respect my masters but there isn't fleshly closeness or any fellowship.
Thankfully they do not hinder my faith and are supportive of me for the most part. Otherwise it wouldn't be possible to work here and the Lord would provide some other situation for me. Maybe He will have something else for me one day but as we learn we sisters need to be focusing on today and the opportunities in front of us as that's all we have and all He has given us!
But sadly one of my family members has even taken to online writings against the true faith once delivered and against one of my brothers in Christ which I am united to and share the same beliefs with. So there is no unity of beliefs with them and with one acting as an active enemy of the gospel with the others on his side, I know it's the right thing to do to remain separated for this and other reasons of lack of fruit of holiness and obedience and other aspects of the gospel. We hope they repent and we are all there to help if they do one day.
The Lord has called me here as a servant...
Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.
Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.
Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.
1 Corinthians 7:20-24
I came to the Lord here and so because it doesn't cause me to sin and is a wiser situation than perhaps a woman being out in the world alone, which would be fine with wisdom if necessary and the Lord watching over...here I am.
He has me here to be a light and salt and obey Him in being a good servant and all other things! Every day can be a witness for Christ in all I do and don't do. And while I have shared much truth with my earthly family before and for the most part it would be casting pearls to try to speak with them in any depths unless there is repentance, I can do what is right in my own life and look to season my speech with salt and be ready to give an answer if it's from a genuine seeker and not someone who will trample it and speak evil of the brethren. While we can't fix everyone else's problems if they don't want any help we can shine our own lights and point to the Lord in them.
It is a situation that helps me see more deeply that I am not my own. It is one that involves a lot of flesh killing in many ways.
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
God be glorified...that should be what we live for sisters. We are nothing without Him anyway and without abiding in Christ we cannot do anything either.
We may want a different life at times sisters (all good of course) but guess what...each one will have much flesh to kill in it so we better just learn to grow and thrive right where the Lord has us unless He opens a door elsewhere! He knows where we need to be and what can stretch us and refine and purify us. God knows best! Let us be thankful and content in the life He has for us. Never content in sin but God knows our situations and if we are doing what we can in them.
In the world's eyes we will seem as fools and we have to rejoice in this! Praise God to know this precious truth! Yep we may feel lonely in the flesh but what does that matter because we have an eternal inheritance with the Father if we overcome!
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Romans 8:17-18
(What saints of old had to go through by faith! Encouraging examples for us and that we have it pretty good. Something to be thankful for and use wisely for the Lord.)
So moving on to what else I occupy in. The internet is a tool I can use for good in writing my blog here as well as communicating with sisters and sending out the gospel around the world. I appreciate being able to do this very much. All good things from the Lord. Sometimes I get to email with women to either help them in truth or contend for the faith once delivered. We have to just do our works unto the Lord and let Him deal with what people do with it.
I have my online biblical clothing store also that has it's times of being busy. That's a blessing to have to be able to help others who desire to dress biblical. We know not many want to but it's just a blessing to be able to try to help the few that do even if they aren't fully biblical in everything. God put humankind in such clothing from the beginning so it's a necessity and good to be worn even if the person isn't born of God (just as it's still right from the beginning for one man to marry one woman and to take dominion of the earth). My store can also be an outlet for sending out gospel cards along with orders too! Just be faithful in what little we can be...and that is faithful in much.
And when I can fit them in I am blessed with a few cleaning jobs in order to help support myself and my ministry and have a little stored up to give if anyone had true needs ever or for whatever the Lord has for my future. I appreciate the jobs out in the world too because it brings me into more contact with people who need the gospel.
So praise God for all the good things each of us can do wherever the Lord has called us! Let's look diligently to the work before us and be faithful in it all and learn and grow in each situation. There is no time for such things as entertainment, recreation, or hobbies for anyone seeking first God's kingdom and righteousness...let alone them being sinful in many ways.
He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
Luke 19:12-13
Occupy in good works till He comes!
You keep holding fast sisters wherever the Lord has you! No matter where we are we can be who the Lord wants us to be. Of course we forsake all sin in our own lives and do the best we can while living in this world to not get spotted by it as we sure can't escape it.
There may be times you have to do some things that you wouldn't if you were on your own. This would be small parts of your serving that are part of it. If you are a godly woman who has come to the Lord while being married to an unbeliever then there will be much to sort through as to what you will not do and what you will need to do. For example you will need to keep washing his clothes and cooking meals. The clothes would not be biblical and the meals may be expensive elaborate ones he wants you to cook. Food and raiment...everyone needs it so that's part of our duties but we would draw the line to not participate in things like pagan or false practices and direct sins...like if he wanted you to go watch a movie or decorate the house for Christmas, or turn on the TV or read worldly books to the grandchildren. And so in my serving too I must avoid all that is evil but there's always going to be those things that you have to do your best in while not sinning yourself.
And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Colossians 3:23
God knows it all and we must do our best in it all. We cannot avoid this evil world and just like when you shop in the stores you are paying/supporting the wicked but as Jesus said give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's.
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31
God be glorified and praised for ever and ever! Thrive and strive on wherever the Lord has you sisters! He is our strength and our help!
Love in Christ,
Sister Chayil
Find the gospel to eternal life explained here.
My biblical clothing shop here.