True Woman 101: Week 3: Sugar & Spice

Welcome back for Week 3: Sugar & Spice in our discussion through the 8 week Bible Study in True Woman 101: Divine Design by Nancy Leigh Demoss & Mary Kassian. If you’ve missed out on previous weeks, you can find them here. We had a smaller group this week in our live discussion, but we enjoyed such sweet fellowship and encouragement, so feel free to tune in through our live audio recording.

Follow this link: True Woman 101: Week 3 Audio.

Here is the panel discussion for Week 3:

If you cannot view the video, click here.

Since my notes were covered thoroughly in the live discussion which you can listen to above, I will just copy a few notes and thoughts below.

This week, we took a closer look in how God created women to image how the church relates to Christ, with distinct qualities of softness, an ability to form deep relationship bonds, possessing a receptive, responsive spirit, creating a place to nurture life, and be a valuable helper to men. These qualities are at the core of what it means to walk according to God’s design for us as women.

Genesis 2:23 - In the Hebrew, we learn that the name for man is “ish”, which comes from the root meaning “strength”, while his name for woman is “ishshah”, which comes from the root meaning “soft”.

Our culture encourages women to be strong, aggressive, bold, loud, opinionated, stubborn, and independent. This is quite the opposite of God’s design. God  designed women to be soft, nurturers, comforters, gentle and meek in spirit and demeanor. This means we are soft towards, soft towards the Word, the Truth, towards our husbands, towards our children.

Genesis 2:18-20, 1 Cor 11:8-9

 By using the terms “for him” repeatedly in these phrases, we get a glimpse that God created us to be highly relationship beings. The woman is inherently relational. She was created “for someone” She is also the “glory of man” meaning that she is “one who shows the excellence of”. The creation of women fully confirmed the excellence of both male and female creations in the beginning.

 “Women being created ‘for’ man reminds us that the church-bride was created ‘for’ Jesus Christ. A woman’s pull toward romance and relationships is a picture of every person’s need to connect with Him.” (Psalms 42:1-2)

Titus 2:4-5, 1 Tim. 5:14, Prov. 31:27 – What is one of the top priorities of a godly woman as we see in these passages? The Lord created man out in the field that he would one day work, whereas the woman was created within the boundaries of the garden – the “home” where God had placed her husband. This is fascinating since Scripture indicates that managing the household is a woman’s distinct sphere of responsibility.

How can we as women look well to the ways of our household? 

Every women, young or old, single or married, is designed to be a nurturer. She is designed to offer a welcoming, hospitable nature in all she does. We can look well to the ways of our households by seeking to keep it running smoothly and organized. Cultivating it by seeking to make sure those in her care are well fed and thriving both physically, emotionally, and spiritually, as she is growing tender plants in the garden of her home. She seeks to make it a place of comfort, rest, and refreshment for her family and those who enter through her doors.

The mothering and nesting hormones that God created within women indicate that creating a place to beget and nurture life is at the core of what it means to be a woman.

How can married women welcome, beget, and nurture life? How can single women nurture life? 

I love how she emphasizes that creating a home is not just about checking off tasks on to do lists or filling a home with possessions, or healthy food preparation – it’s ultimately about people. That should be at the center of our attention. Are we truly aware of how the souls in our care are doing? It’s about creating an orderly, stable, and comforting environment where these souls can thrive, communicate, be discipled, and blossom. It’s about welcoming other in. It’s about community. That is what we are specifically equipped to do. We can create a place that beautifully foreshadows the welcome believers will receive in heave. A place that beckons them “home”.

“Men were created to reflect the strength, love and self-sacrifice of Christ. Women were created to reflect the responsiveness, grace, and beauty of the bride He would one day redeem.”

This week, we’ve considered several elements that are at the heart of what it means to be a woman:

• Softness
• Forming deep relational bonds
• Having a welcoming, responsive spirit
• Creating a place to beget and nurture life
• Being a helper

Which of these do you find the most challenging or difficult? What practical step will you take this week to grow in this area? 

Personally, I feel a great lack in the softness area, especially as it relates to addressing my children. So often my tone of voice is rude and negative, communicating to my children that they are more of a burden than a blessing. I may not yell but it is not particularly gracious either. I really want to grow in speaking more gracious, gentle, kind and tenderly towards my children, as I realize more that this is my design and purpose. These are the souls entrusted to my care to nurture and love. Lord, give me grace to practice greater “softness” in my communication.

What are your thoughts on the questions addressed above? How can we seek to manage our households well? How can we welcome, beget, and nurture life beyond just the bearing of children? 

For further study on this section, find inspiring audio clips, additional video clips, and articles at True Woman 101.