An article written by Daniel Sheard in Israel, My Glory, March-May/1988, entitled "Who Can Find A Virtuous Woman?" gives God's picture of Wisdom. He writes: Men, I am sorry. God did not personify wisdom by applauding the virtues of a man. This is not to say that He could not; God can do anything. But He did so by picturing wisdom through the finest qualities of womanhood, and there is something uniquely appropriate in this analogy.  The Book of Proverbs praises the supreme value of an excellent wife by alluding to her as wisdom itself, a priceless gem. "Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies: (Prov. 31:10; cp. Prov. 3:15, 8:3). God did not conclude this, the most famous book on wisdom ever written, with a platitude that is difficult to grasp. He gave a flesh and blood picture of true excellence and did so by describing the ideal wife. 
  
I appreciate this perspective of a virtuous woman. It's a good view and one that we should take note of. We tend to be down on ourselves so much. When I teach on a virtuous woman, most women think they'll never attain unto what is laid down in Scripture. To me, it's like the Christian walk. If we look at those around us, we'll tend to get discouraged. We're all at a different level. Just like children, you wouldn't expect your 6 yr. old to do what a 15 yr. old is doing. It's the same with you. God sees you right where you are and that's where you need to get up and get going from. When more light is given, more is required.  We don't get in bad shape over night, so we shouldn't expect to fix everything overnight.

Definition of Virtuousness: goodness, righteous, purity. A conforming to standards of what is right and just and to approved codes of behavior; goodness implies inherent qualities of kindness, benevolence, and generosity. 
The virtuous woman is a woman of strength; though the weaker vessel, she is yet made strong by wisdom and grace and fear of God. Perhaps one reason for the rarity of a virtuous woman is that she is seldom sought. Too often the search is made for accomplishments and external qualities rather than for godly internal worth.

In the book, Me? Obey Him? pg 12-21 by Elizabeth Hanford Rice we read, " If the Lord Jesus Christ, God Himself, submitted to the authority of the Father, it is no shame or dishonor for a woman to be under authority. A woman is subject to her husband, but she can still go directly to God to ask anything she needs or desires and get it as quickly as if she were a man. God hears the prayers of a godly woman as quickly as he hears the prayers of a godly man." I Cor. 11:7-12 says...You are a representation of your husband. During the time when I was so depressed, I would go to church and look like the unhappiest person there. I didn't want to be there. I felt no good. Then one day when my husband was preaching, he made the statement that a woman is a representation of her husband. If she looks down, sad, mad, angry, happy, you name it, it is a reflection on her husband. That sentence jumped out at me. I knew that my husband loved me, he was good to me, and here I was telling all the world what a miserable husband I had. It was enough to bring me out of my present condition. God made the man to be the achiever, the doer, to provide for the home and protect it, to be high priest and intercessor for the home. God made the woman to be keeper of the home, to make a haven within its walls, a retreat from the stress of battle, the nourisher of the children. Make your home a haven. About 13 yrs. into the ministry my husband had to take on a job. He had a horrible boss and had a stressful day, everyday. He would step inside the door of the house, sit down, and say, "Oh how wonderful to be home. Peace and contentment." Does your husband feel that way. Or is your home a place of turmoil and discontentment? What kind of a home do you make for your family?

A woman is different from a man! A woman is different in her body, in her interests, in her thinking, in her abilities: not inferior-- different. A woman can choose nearly any occupation she likes. But I deny that she will find fulfillment that will surpass that which a godly Christian woman finds who, secure in the knowledge of her womanhood and its rightness, builds a home for her husband and children! Her confidence in her ability to be a help, meet for her husband's needs comes as she finds her place in the order of authority. WOMAN'S NATURE REQUIRES OBEDIENCE I Timothy 2:12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over a man,. Eve's sin was because she was deceived. Adam's was not. He knew the consequences of eating the forbidden fruit. She did not. Women are more often led into spiritual error than men. It might be because of her emotions. But, she doesn't have to be led in error. That is the reason God commanded her not to usurp authority over the man, so she can be protected from false doctrine. Submission to our husbands gives us an umbrella or protection. When a wife rejects her God-given authority, she leaves herself open to false teaching. When a woman takes the spiritual leadership of the home, it always leads to tragedy. My mother was an excellent example to me in her submission to my father. Submitting has not been a struggle for me. I enjoy not having the responsibility of answering to God for decisions. The thing I answer to God for is whether I submitted to my head and supported him. You don't always have to agree with them. There have been times I didn't agree with my husband, but then that's where prayer comes in. I gave it to God and left it at that. It's our nature to want to manipulate and control to get what we want. We can't do that. Sometimes God will use a mistake to teach a lesson that wouldn't otherwise be learned. We need to keep our hands off.

The following are some examples of those who chose their own way instead of trusting God. We need to take heed to keep from making the same mistakes.

1. Sarah- Gives Hagar to Abram to help God out. Arab-Jew conflict still going on today Gen. 16
2. Rebekah- I'll cook the venison for your father- we'll deceive him so you can get the blessing. She     was never able to see Jacob alive again. Gen. 27
3. Solomon- Let his many wives take the spiritual leadership of the home. They turned away his     heart after other gods. I Kings. 11
Proverbs reveals the wisdom Solomon gained about strange women. We would do well to take heed to his instruction. God expects a woman to obey her husband. The husband-wife relationship pictures the holy, sweet relationship between Christ and His bride, the Church, and also because we are commanded in Scripture to obey. Eph. 5:22-24 The Lord intends for marriage to be as delightful, as sweet and intimate and tender as the relationship He wants us to experience with Him. The virtuous woman is faithful to her husband. A virtuous woman is one who is pure, who abstains from a sexual relationship other than with her husband, a woman who is not suggestive; she is free from obscenity and indecency; she is modest, pure and decent. How do you dress? Are you modest? What is modest? Properly, restrained by a sense of propriety; hence, not forward or bold; not presumptuous or arrogant; not boastful. (Webster's 1828) Be careful about how you dress. Dress to glorify the Lord not to draw attention from the eyes of men. When you get ready to go out, ask yourself these questions.

1. Is my garment too tight- does it draw attention to the wrong areas? What about the weight of the     material, is it too thin?
2. Is it too short- when I sit, am I covered properly- check your legs.
3. Am I pleasing in my husband's eyes? We'll study more about all this in the lesson on beauty.

Strive to be God's woman. In no other book in the Bible besides Proverbs do we find so many references to loose women and grim warnings against any association with them. Of 28 references to "woman" in Proverbs,  19 of those references are bad. Women in this day and age are sacrificing their femininity and nobility and are striving to be more like men. Let's be Christian women who want to keep ourselves unspotted from the world and glorify God by our lives. We cannot reach that goal of excellence without the Lord Jesus Christ and the strength he offers. We must know Christ personally to draw upon this strength. Only then can we work towards the goal of being God's virtuous woman. Sharon Rhoades says in her book, Pattern From Proverbs 31, A virtuous woman is a complete, happy, fulfilled woman when she has the characteristics of the Proverbs lady. She is the personification of all the virutes and strengths of character demonstrated throughout the book of Proverbs. She is definitely a pattern to follow.

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                                             A Woman of Trust
                                              Proverbs 31:11,12

The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She  will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

A woman who loves God in a righteous way expressing warmth and true affection is a desirable wife. She will develop these characteristics as found in Galatians 5:22,23.  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 

The following material was taken from an article by Melanie Graeber entitled,  WHAT I WOULD TELL A YOUNG WIFE published in "Joyful Woman" March/April 1988. 

1. In order for a marriage to survive it has to based on divine love.  Human love, based on emotions, is nice, but it isn't enough to weather the storms a marriage endures over the years. Human love could fail.  By allowing the Holy Spirit to control you, you can love your husband     with the kind of love described in I Corinthians 13.  This love is longsuffering, kind, and totally void of envy and selfishness.  

2. Realize that God's love is sacrificial.  The world looks upon love as something you receive.  God,     however, looks upon it as something you give. John 3:16 tells me that God so loved the world     that He gave His only begotten Son.  Real love gave and kept on giving, regardless of what it     received in return.  This love was an action based upon a commitment that said, "I will love you     for better or for worse, in sickness and in health.  Regardless of how you feel about me, I will     love you."  The most important lesson to learn is forgiveness.  It is the key that will keep your     heart open to love.  Learn to take Ephesians 4:32 to heart and live in that verse every day of     your married life-- to be kind to your husband, tenderhearted, forgiving him, even as God for     Christ's sake has forgiven you.  To refuse to forgive, regardless of the offense, is to kill the love     and allow bitterness to take root in your heart.  Find out that the more you forgive, and the     higher the price of that forgiveness, the deeper your love will grow.  When you think of what it     cost Christ to forgive you, somehow the price of forgiving your husband seems small in     comparison.

3. Good marriages just don't happen.  They take work.  Prov. 14:1 Every wise woman buildeth her     house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.  Just as you need to work on your     relationship with the Lord each day in order to keep it growing, you have to work on the     marriage relationship as well.  You need to do things that will make it grow and keep the love     alive.

4. God ordained marriage in the first place.  It is His desire that your marriage becomes all He     intended it to be.  If you live your life according to His Word and based on your  relationship on     His principles, God will honor you for it.

Simply stated, a goal to be trustworthy might be expressed like this: "By God's grace, I purpose to do and be everything--large or small-- that I am counted upon to do and be."  We know that every good gift is from God, but one of the best and rarest gifts of all is a prudent wife. (Prov. 19:14)  House and riches [are] the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife [is] from the LORD.   Definition of prudent:  wise, judicious, wisely cautious in practical affairs, sagacious, (quick of thought) discreet, circumspect, using care and caution and good judgment as well as wisdom in looking ahead.

A man is indeed blessed if he can trust his wife to be honest, discreet, free from covetousness, and dependable in her domain. Being the woman her husband can trust is one of the jobs of "wifing".  It requires constant effort, but it reaps great rewards in appreciation and love.  A man needs to be able to trust his wife to be dependable in her domain.  To be dependable in the area of her domestic responsibilities requires discipline and diligence, the ability to follow a set of priorities, and genuine concern for the comfort and welfare of the family. It seems that more and more women are more interested in acquiring things for themselves than the welfare of the family. Daycares packed with little children are the result of this goal of women. God help these poor children who are constantly shifted from one babysitter, to another, to daycare. They've already got two strikes against them before they hardly get started out in the world.

She is honest.  Honesty with one's self, with God, and with all those whose lives our lives touch, is essential and basic to trustworthiness.  It is hardest to be honest with ourselves. It is not easy to cultivate a heart of meticulous honesty.  We must recognize the need for it, and have the desire, and then ask God to give us "an honest and good heart." We must be willing to scrutinize carefully all our attitudes and actions to determine if we are being honest--with ourselves, with God, and with others. It's a temptaion to try to make ourselves look better when telling something. Whether it be one more than what actually was done, or an inch longer than we did, or a little bigger than it really was. The natural thing for us to do is to push it a little. Guard yourselves against this. Purpose in your heart to be honest in every word and deed. Set a good example for those children.

Discreet- Her husband should be able to share confidences with her in the comfortable assurance that he can safely trust her "faithful spirit" to conceal these matters.  A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter. (Proverbs 11:13)  A discreet spirit is especially needful in the wife of a church officer. Ladies, guard your mouth. I learned the hard way. A moral wrong was done in our church at one point and circumstances dictated that we keep it simple. I made just a passing statement to a friend of mine who in turn put some other things together and it revealed the incident and I was put in a horrible position. I learned immediately the importance of a closed mouth. Don't get caught in the trap. I took a verse and quoted it every time I had the impulse to gossip. Yes, gossip. The verse had the words, Psalms 141:3 Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. It helped me gain a victory.  We need to be one who can be trusted to keep confidences. It is an invaluable help to the husband. Another thing you need to be is a sincerely interested listener. When you listen to someone, give them your full attention. Don't be thinking ahead of what you're going to say. You can always tell when someone isn't really giving you their full attention. Don't be more interested in what you can say, but rather what you can hear. The combination of sincere interest and trustworthiness is vital.

A man should be able to trust his wife to be free from covetousness.  Picture a wife who is never content with what her husband can give her and constantly lets him know how inadequately he provides.  She is like the one in Ecc. 5:10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this [is] also vanity. The person greedy of gain can only bring trouble to his household, but "Godliness with contentment is great gain"  I Tim. 6:6.  Contentment is not that I have what I want, but that I want what I have.

Finally, a man needs to be able to trust his wife to be dependable in her domain.  To be dependable in the area of her domestic responsibilities requires discipline and diligence, the  ability to follow a set of priorities, and a genuine concern for the comfort and welfare of the family.

Always guard your reputation for integrity, honesty and trustworthiness.  Riches are uncertain, but no one can rob you of your good name.  As God-fearing women we owe trustworthiness not only to our nearest and dearest, but to all those with whom we have to do.

Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.  Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so [let] the wives [be] to their own husbands in every thing.  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (Ephesians 5:21-25). To many women, the idea of submission sounds degrading.  There are both practical and theological reasons behind the concept of submission.  First, there is creation.  Adam was created first, Eve came second and she was the help.  Second, there is the Fall.  Eve was deceived, Adam was not.  Because of this, Adam was to rule over Eve. Gen. 3:16    Another reason for following the Biblical principles for headship is because it works!  To be submissive to her husband does not mean a wife gives up her right to think or to be an individual or become less of a person.   The key to submission is that the Bible tells a wife to be submissive; therefore she must do it. Setting boundaries for your children allows them to feel secure in knowing what they can and can't do. It's the same when we submit to God's authority, you will feel secure. Before she is willing to be subject to her husband, she must be willing to be submissive to the Lord.  A wife is doing her husband the greatest good when she allows him to be head of the home.   Submission is defined as "yielding, surrendering, giving way to."  Jesus Christ is our example of perfect submission and total dependence on God. SUBMISSION IS AN ATTITUDE BEFORE IT IS AN ACT.  To submit to God is more than to simply obey.  It is to abide in Him, to rest in Him, to lean on Him, to trust Him, to adhere to Him, and to abandon oneself to Him.  This is submission-- complete confidence that God's plan for us is the very best thing that could happen to us.

Be careful about those whom God has put in authority over you. Again, watch your attitude.  Faultfinders and backbiters will soon be found outside the service of God.  Are you a trouble maker in church?  Do you find fault with how things are run?  Do you rebel in your own way against the authority established?  Do you realize that your rebellion will cause someone else to rebel?  Do you give a particular situation to God and let him deal with it?  The same goes for the home.  Do you criticize your husband in front of the children? Don't do it. You are teaching them to do the same thing when they grow up. They'll start in the home. I can't ever remember my mother criticizing my father in front of us. If they had a disagreement, we never knew about it. Learn to voice your concern alone with your husband. Teach your children to respect their dad, build him up, not cut him down. The greatest tool for when something is done that you may not like and you want to rise up and rebel,  is prayer. It works. Commit something to God and let him do the rest. Do right-- even if you don't like something-- but beware your attitude-- remember submission is an attitude before it is an act. Again, your attitude will rub off on your children and next thing you know, they'll be acting the same way. Have you ever watched a little girl play doll and some of the things she says and does. Quite revealing!!

When recognizing and repenting of rebellion against God-appointed authority, attitudes will change.  Submission is an attitude of the heart.  It is a willingness to obey God.  The highest respect anyone can give God is to obey Him.  When you do this, you will find that coming into an attitude of submission produces freedom. Women are expected to live in a manner that is above reproach so dishonor and criticism will not be brought on the Word of God. When one is loyal to Christ in daily living and obedient through submission to those in authority, no one will suffer because of a lack of faithfulness.  Be sure to teach your children respect for God-given authority.

A good verse for starting out each day with the right kind of attitude. Memorize:  Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. (Psalms 51:10) 

WAYS TO HELP YOUR PASTOR  AND THOSE IN AUTHORITY IN YOUR CHURCH 
1. PRAY  Pray for your pastor and his family. I am a pastor's wife. I know how vital prayer is!
2. SUBMIT  Acknowledge your pastor as the spiritual leader of the  congregation. 
3. GET BUSY  Do something in your church. Oh how much I appreciate those who come and want to do something to help out. One lady bought me a microwave because she said my time was valuable and she wanted to help me save some time. I would have never thought of something like that.
4. BE HONEST  Encourage him by telling him if the sermons are a blessing or help to you. 
5. BE PATIENT  Be patient with your pastor.  He has a big job and  lots of problems to deal with    everyday.  Don't be one of them.

Application: 
Can others really count on me?  On a scale of 1 to 10 (1-can never be counted on; 10- can always be counted on) where would I rank?  If under 10, what am I going to do about it?
Is this the desire of my heart:  By God's grace, I purpose to do and be everything- large or small -that I am counted upon to do and be?
Do I really trust God?  Thinking back over the past 24 hours, was there a time when I was not trusting God?  A time when I really was?  

Prayer: "Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, O, for grace to trust Him more."       

This lesson describes the Proverbs lady as a woman who is not only the wife of a man of rank, but a wise, useful, and godly matron in her domestic responsibilities. It is a woman professing godliness, adorned "with good works" (I Timothy 2:10).

The following is a sketch of a very lazy woman taken from A Woman That Feareth the Lord by Emalyn Spencer:

"She loves to sleep! Too bad that sometimes this habit keeps her from going to the grocery store when she should, or cooking a good meal for her family (20: 13). She doesn't work very hard in her house, but spends much time talking on the telephone-her family is deprived of care and comfort due to her neglect (14:23). She has good intentions, but something always prevents her from carrying them out. For instance, today she was going to clean out some closets, but there was a lion in the street (26:13). She might make some cookies, but then she would just have to go to the trouble of eating them (26:15). O, well, a little nap would be nice, and as she drops off to sleep she thinks of all the things she wishes she had, and can't understand why she never has anything (13:4). O, the bed is so comfortable-she is fastened to it as a door is to its hinges (26:14). When she finally does rouse from sleep she occupies herself with vain pursuits, such as TV soap operas or trashy reading material (28:19). She gets dressed, goes to the store and hunts up a roast. But when she gets home it's too late to cook it (12:27), so she serves peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for supper. She is a sore trial and a great irritation to those who depend on her (10:26). She makes such slow progress in anything she does that it's as though she were making her way through a thick hedge of thorns (15: 19). What a wasteful way of life! (18:9). When will she wake up to reality (6:9)? Friends, in love, have tried to help her (27:6; Gal. 6:1) and reason with her about the foolishness of her ways. But nobody can tell her anything-she is smarter than all of them put together (26:16; 26:12). Actually, she is so lacking in wisdom that the lowly any could be her teacher (6:6-11)."

This may seem a little to the extreme, but it does help to teach two great object lessons on diligence and slothfulness in the book of Proverbs. The lesson of the ant (Proverbs 6:6-11; 30:24) and the field of the slothful (24:30-34). The sluggard is instructed to go to the ant, consider her ways and be wise, which implies that he is lacking in wisdom. It is explicitly stated that the slothful owner of the field is a person without understanding. anyone who ignores the warnings, instructions, and commandments of God is foolish.

It is evident that the Proverbs woman is dedicated to the welfare of her household. God does not unreasonably expect more from us that he has given us the ability and strength to do. Verse 13 says she "worketh willingly with her hands". Working willingly is a mental attitude. It is being pleased with housework, having a desire to do it and taking delight in doing it-- all for the purpose of glorifying God. No one expects a woman to like everything she has to do-- dusting, ironing, washing the dishes, matching socks, (I sometimes think the washing machine eats socks the way they turn up missing.) picking up toys. However, God does expect Christian women to do these things willingly as unto him. When you do these things with a willing spirit, your example will be an reflection on your children; their approach to life. This will carry over into their walk with the Lord and how they will respond when he tells them to do something. I like the verse in Colossians 3.17 which says "and whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord, Jesus giving thanks to God and the Father by him." Let's look at some areas of our lives in which this might hold true.

Taken from the book Beautiful for Thee, Sword of the Lord.

I. Three Kinds of Values
        A. Immediate
              1. food, sleep, physical things
        B. Intermediate
              1. values that prepare us for something better
                   a. sewing
                   b. canning
        C. Ultimate (eternal)
                 1. Raising your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord
              2. Your relationship to Jesus Christ
                  John 2:17; Mark 8:35; Phil. 3:7,8.14

If you keep your eternal values in front of you, then little things that bother you day by day won't be such a big deal. Let's look at examples of women who lost eternal values and those who had eternal values.

Eve: Wanted to be smart- She allowed herself to be lured by the immediate: Good for food, pleasant to the eyes, and a desire to be wise. Genesis 3:6

Sarah: God needed help with the promised son- Her faith became weak. God sure was taking a long time with this promised son and she thought He could use some help. Boy, what a mess we have today because of that mistake. Genesis 16:1-2

Orpah: She would rather be with her pagan family then start over in a new country and new opportunities. Ruth 1:14-15

Sapphira: Sold land and gave money, but she was not concerned about pleasing God but impressing people. Lied. Acts 5:7-10

Martha: She was cumbered about with much service rather than hearing what the Lord had to say. Luke 10:40. I have to be careful in this area. We find ourselves so busy doing what we think is service for the Lord that we forget to sit and hear what he has to say to us.

Had Eternal Values:

Ruth: She gave up home and family for something better. God blessed her with a child in the line of Jesus. Ruth 4:13, 17-22

Hannah: She gave up joys of motherhood and lent her boy to the Lord. God blessed her for it. I Samuel 1:26-28 My daughter lives in Washington state-1200 miles away. I don't get to see our granddaughter very much. People say to me, "How do you stand it?" I stand it because I would rather have them 1200 miles away serving the Lord than living next door breaking my heart. Maybe that's how it was for Hannah.

Queen Esther: She could have stayed quiet about being a Jew, but she put her life on the line for her people. Obtained favor of the king. God blessed her also. Esther 4:13-17; 9.

I. Values cannot be chosen on the basis of what other people think      
        A. Base it on what God expects of you. He is the one you are accountable to Rms. 14:12
        B. You won't live by the right values and priorities if you don't plan
           1. Your love relationship with the Lord
           2. Your devotion to your husband
              3. Your love relationship with your children
           4. Your devotion to your home
           5. Your devotion to Christian service
     C. Values must always be linked to the priorities God has already given us
           1. You are a woman, everything you do will be based on the fact that you are one.
           2. If you're married, it will have an affect as a wife
           3. If you have children, it will effect them
           4. It will effect the clothes you wear
           5. It will effect submission
      D. List things you most want to do with your life--goals
           1. Soul winner
           2. Have a hunger for the Lord Jesus and the word of God
           3. Be good influence in lives you touch
           4. Help husband
                a. prayer, love, attention
           5. Children
                a. develop good character, love for God, others in need, eternal values
           6. Deep and genuine love for other people
           7. Accept myself as God made me
           8. Use time to its fullest
           9. Prayer
         10. Be abreast of what's going on in the world
         11. Apply word of God and use it in my life
         12. Use gifts God has given me in service for him
         13. Strong sensitivity to sin and practice of heart searching Psalms 51:10
         14. Have a joy and expectation in seeing my Saviour

These don't necessarily go in this order but they can give you an idea of goals needed in our lives. Make everyday count for the Lord. No values must distract from the responsibility God has already placed in your life. None of these important things should be excluded from a healthy, balanced Christian life; but each must learn its place. If your love relationship to your husband and children and your duties at home and church have become too numerous for you to have a quiet time with the Lord, then you have your priorities wrong. If you have so much work to do in the church that your home is in a constant chaotic condition, then you have not put your home in its proper position. Periodically give yourself a priorities test. Make sure they are in proper order.

Maybe you can see already that you are in trouble in this area of priorities. If so, start at the top and begin to organize your life as it should be. Concentrate on the relationship with the Lord. Begin to love your husband as you should. Accept him exactly as he is today and learn not to focus on his faults. Praise him. Support what he says and does. Even if he is wrong, he is to be right in your eyes. If he is right in your eyes, you'll teach your children to love and support their dad no matter what. Give him room to make mistakes without your chiding, reproof, or a triumphant, "I told you so."

In verse 15 it says "she riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens." The Proverbs woman shuns slothfulness. None of us wants to admit to being slothful, but most of us succumb to the temptation to be lazy at times, and especially if laziness is wearing one of its disguises such as these:

Procrastination - Characterized by hundreds of good intentions, but always gets put off. Rationalization - Talking ourselves out of doing hard things.
No time - We never have time to do what we don't want to do, although we waste much time on unprofitable activities.
That is not my gift- I don't do that particular thing well. Most of us who use this excuse are still wondering what our gifts are.

How to conquer slothfulness
1. Have a physical exam to rule out physical causes.
2. Check your habits of eating, sleep, and exercise.
3. Take spiritual inventory- Are you growing as a Christian.
4. Confess and repent of slothfulness (Ps. 139:23,24)
5. Apply the practice of diligence (Ecc. 9:10a)

We can easily get in the habit of staying in bed until the last possible moment. For some, it's hard to take when you hear of an early riser who delights in getting up with the sun. The Bible gives many examples of early risers. The following are a few of them:

Abraham- rose early to stand before the Lord- Gen. 19:27
Jacob- rose early to worship the Lord- Gen. 28:18
Moses- rose early to give God's message to Pharaoh- Exodus 8:20
Moses- rose early to build an altar to God- Exodus 24:4
Joshua- rose early to lead Israel over Jordan- Joshua 3:1
Joshua- rose early to capture Jericho- Joshua 6:12
Gideon- rose early to examine the fleece- Judges 6:36-38
Hannah- rose early to worship God- I Samuel 1:9
Samuel- rose early to meet Saul- I Samuel 15:12
David- rose early to do as his father asked him- I Samuel 17:20
Job- rose early to offer sacrifices for his children- Job 1:5
Virtuous woman- rose early to care for her household- Proverbs 31:15
Jesus- rose early to go to a solitary place to pray- Mark 1:35
Mary Magdalene- Mary- rose early to go to the sepulchre - Mark 16:1,2
All the people- rose early to go hear Jesus- Luke 21:38

The energetic woman loves her house-hold better than her ease or pleasure. You can't stay up late and expect to get anything accomplished the next day. Be sure to be there for your family in the morning when each goes there separate way, whether to school or work. (Ladies, be sure you look half-way decent when telling your husband goodbye. He may be working with a lot of lovely ladies).

Be careful about boredom. There are some things you can do so as not to fall prey to it.
1. Visiting homes
2. Learn a craft
3. Baby sit for a mother to give her a break
4. Cook for a sick person
5. Use your own imagination

The Proverbs woman has free rein to buy and sell. Her husband has complete confidence in her. She is not an impulse buyer. A good rule of thumb that we used to use with our kids was to make them wait a week when they wanted to buy something. If at the end of that week they still wanted it, then we would consider letting them get it. (This was using their money). Before you buy something, take into consideration all the facts concerned with that purchase. Make sure it won't be a hardship on the rest of the family.

The Proverbs woman used a spinning wheel in her day. We don't have to do that today, but there are many other time-consuming jobs that we do need to work on. Teaching and training our children in the ways of the Lord. I am a firm believer in home schooling. I see the school system out there as the lion's den just waiting to consume our children. Don't forget that you only have approximately 18 years with your children. Then they are out in the world starting to establish lives of their own. Do your best. Church work is also a time consuming job. Do it well. Keep your priorities right. Work on friendships. So few people today have any real friends. I thank God for the friends he has given me and especially for the one or two that have stuck with me through thick or thin. They have helped me through rough times and I have been able to do the same for them. However, the most demanding, with the greatest rewards, is that of working on the marriage. The marriage is "till death do us part." Children and friends may come and go, but your mate is for a lifetime. Your marriage deserves prime time and effort. One day the children will be gone. If you haven't worked at keeping a closeness with your husband, all of a sudden, you'll be living with a man you don't know.

Should you work?

You need to know God's will about this. Philippians 2:13 says "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." So, first, is it God's will for you to work? Your most important job is your home, your husband and your children. Verse 11 says "the heart of her husband doth safely trust in her." This means that our home, our family must be most important. When we are considering God's will about working, we need to find out, can we have our priorities right? If you are married, have children, and your husband is able to work, then I believe it is your responsibility to stay in the home and take care of the children. God wants you to raise those children, not the daycare center or the baby sitter. There have been times when we couldn't make ends meet. I could have gone out and worked, but I have children still in the home and my job was here. When we needed things, we got down on our knees in the living room and asked God to supply. He met the need and taught our children faith by learning to trust God instead of "mom". Now I know this is rough for some ladies to take. It is something we have stood very firm on over the years, and God hasn't failed us. When we got married, my husband and decided that when I had children, then I wouldn't work anymore. That's exactly what we did too! The longer we're in the ministry, the more we see the pitfalls of a woman working and the conflict it causes in the home. The following are some negative and some positive views of working outside the home.

Negative:

1. A working woman tends to get her eyes off the Lord and on the world. They have earnings     rather than eternity in mind.

2. When they have children, it is hard to give yourself fully to your employer when the children     were left upset or sick. Sometimes you have to leave work early because of sickness.

3. It's easy to develop an unhealthy relationship with other men on the job.

4. There is constant emotional and physical stress under which she must live.

5. Sometimes a working mother can be a threat to her husband's confidence.

6. Spiritual life can become anemic.

7. You tend to hear "his" money and "her" money. If I make it, why shouldn't I spend it the way I     want to?

8. It causes a woman to get her fulfillment on the job instead of the home. This is bad, in that it     tears down a relationship between the husband and wife instead of building it up. My security is     in the Lord, but also built around my husband too.

Positive-

If you don't have a husband and are a single parent, then having to work is necessary most of the time. If you don't have children, then sometimes the wife chooses to work. In those cases, I can say there are some good points.

1. It helps some women to be more organized because they know what is required of them for each     day.

2. They make the children be more responsible for helping out in the home, because they are not     able to do it all. (I knew one single mom who had to work and her children did an excellent job     of helping out in the home with the cooking and cleaning.) It helps to make for a feeling of family     unity.

3. It helps to develop compassion and understanding for others. It helps to be more understanding     of what the husband has to face every day.

If you, as a single mom or a lady with no children, do choose to work outside the home you need to be careful that you schedule your time so that you can do your work well on the job. Be loving, gracious wives to your husbands; train your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; keep a clean house; serve the Lord faithfully in all areas of your responsibility; and in general be all God wants you to be. This is a big order, but we serve a living and true God who is able to help us do all things "through Christ which strengtheneth me." Phil. 4:13. No matter whether we work outside the home or in the home, be sure that the time you give your children and husband is quality time, not so much quantity time. I learned this when I had Amy as a baby and it was 6 years since I had had Matthew. I learned that my time with her was more important than whether the house was in the greatest of shape, the dishes done, or the toys picked up. Give them five minutes when they want to show you something and it will be of much more value than if you try to put then off and then get irritable because they keep wanting your attention. The issue of working is difficult. Each woman and her family must face it alone. Circumstances, personalities and compulsions must be prayerfully considered. God has a perfect plan for each woman who seeks it.

Psalms 32:8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

Mother-

Mother is a woman
Who never does complain
Although I know at sometimes
She wants to go insane.

Mother is a woman
Who handles things with care
And when you really need her
It seems she's always there.

Mother is a woman
Who fell in love with dad
And is never disappointed
With the man she has

Mother is a woman
Who loves her children dear
And is always by their side
At the sight of every tear

Mother is a woman
Who cannot be replaced
And the reason why she's mother
Is only by God's grace.

A keen observation from the eyes of a 12 year old.
Amy Ruth Rowley 3/4/93

                                                     Woman of Beauty
                                         Proverbs 31: 17,23,25

She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. Her husband is known in
the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

The aura of loveliness that surrounds a godly woman is due in part to an attractive physical exterior. Real beauty originates inside us; we can only enhance what is already present by attention to our physical appearance. Surface beauty is vain and has no real importance or lasting value. Prov. 31:30 says, Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. The opposite is found in I Peter 3:3,4 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, No amount of attention to details of dress can compensate for lack of inner grace. We all know that inner grace starts with the day a person accepts Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation,.

In our Proverbs study of the virtuous woman let's observe some areas of physical concern: health, appearance.

HEALTH- Nearly all women desire to be pretty and attractive. Most worry about any possible threat to their health or outward beauty. There are those, however, who are too lazy to make any improvements in this area or even maintain what there is to start with.

We have all been to school and know the general rules for good health. We know that a proper diet, adequate rest, along with exercise and cleanliness are essential to the best interest of our body's health. Many illnesses are caused or aggravated by our own foolishness or neglect. Commitment and discipline are required to establish the habits necessary to maintain good health. The Proverb's woman puts her whole soul into her work as she girds her loins with strength- she is ready to do any work suitable to her. She realizes she must be healthy in order to perform all the strenuous duties she does competently. Therefore, she watches her diet and gets plenty of good exercise. The Proverb's woman didn't have physical fitness classes or exercising devices. She walked many miles a day seeking material needed to make her fabrics, she tended her fields; and buying the food for her household required a trip to the merchant's ship. You can't function to your full capacity if you don't take care of your body. To have this kind of physical strength, women must keep their bodies in good physical condition- inside and out. Vitality catches the eye, lethargy repels the eye. To be attractive, a woman must look alive, feel alive and act alive-- for life attracts life.

VITALITY-ENTHUSIASM FOR LIFE
LETHARGY-DULLNESS, PASSIVENESS (APATHY)

What about the physical condition? You've probably tried crash diets and failed. These failures discourage you and cause you to hate yourself and despair. The devil is delighted to watch this happen. He doesn't want you to take care of your body. We need to remember that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. I Corinthians 6:19,20. 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. You are not your own. You don't do what you think is right; you do what God wants because your body belongs to God. He bought and paid for you with His own precious blood. We are borrowing these bodies for awhile, and God expects us to take care of them. He has even given us the Holy Spirit to live inside our bodies. How important it is to take care of the body we are borrowing from Him! Eating right and not eating at the wrong times are as important in caring for our bodies as other matters such as not smoking, drinking, or not walking in front of fast moving cars. Anything that jeopardizes the length of our lives or threatens to hurt our bodies ought to be a concern to us.

The following are verses to use when you are waging a battle of self-control and resisting temptations:
Philippians 4:12,13
I Corinthians 6:19,20
Proverbs 23:21
James 1:12; 4:7
Hebrews 4:15
I Peter 5:8

Don't just learn them, engraft them. Make them a part of you. When the trial or temptation comes, if you've engrafted them, it will be the first thing you think of. It does work.

I've tried many different ways to maintain proper physical condition. No matter what approach you take, it is work and discipline. I read a book that has changed my way of thinking about diets and exercise and I would recommend it to you to read. It gives a feasible approach to maintaining your body and health. I actually feel like I can do it and benefit from this program. The book provides the essential key to lifetime health and fitness. Fit or Fat? by Covert Bailey You can get it at any library. Another book I've read that has been of great benefit to me is The Carbohydrate Addict's Diet by Rachel Keller. (I found them both at the library.) It gives a good insight into the overbalance of carbohydrates in the American diet. Interesting reading. Maintain good health when you are young, because when you get older, it's harder to get back again.

A good balanced diet is very important to inward and outward beauty. Remember, everything that goes inside shows on the outside- and not necessarily in weight only. Our body is a trust from God. Consider what Psalms 139:14 has to say to us. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. It is just a reminder of our responsibility for the well-being of this exquisitely complex machine we call our body.

APPEARANCE- A Christian woman's appearance should be a credit to the Lord at all times, and her dress should be suitable to her position in life. It is possible to pay too little, as well as too much attention to this area of our lives. A Christian woman should be lovely inwardly and outwardly. Too many times a lady can be lovely outwardly, but repulsive by that which comes from the inside. As the saying goes, "What you eat is what you are" so, what you eat spiritually is what you are. Ephesians 4: 17-32 is an excellent passage about the heart and what really goes on in peoples lives in the area of spiritual health. This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. 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 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Let's guard our hearts from the craftiness of the devil. He will deceive you into thinking you are beautiful when in fact, you are not because of the wickedness of your heart. Inner beauty enhances outer beauty. The key to real beauty is a balance between the inward and the outward. I Sam. 16:7 for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. If a woman possesses the virtuous inner qualities that come from God, man will see the shinning reflection of God in her.

We should all give some time and thought to determine if we are inclined either to the extreme of being too much or too little concerned with our clothing. A pleasing appearance does not depend so much on how much we spend, but on how we spend it, and then on good grooming. No matter how attractive our clothing, or how well-groomed we are, we can lose the testimony of a pleasing appearance by posture that is unattractive and communicates carelessness, indifference, discouragement, or lack of confidence. Walking straight and confidently helps people feel like you can handle the situation. Practice walking with a book on your head, stand with your stomach tucked in. Don't put your nose in the air, it looks snobbish, but don't look downward either as it relays to others sadness and helplessness. If you're tall, don't slouch, it will only ruin your appearance. Shorter people tend to walk too fast to be feminine. If you have problems in this area, work on them.

Be careful when you sit down. Make sure you are properly covered and nothing private is revealed. I've seen many women who don't know how to sit properly. My mother taught us girls at a young age to always check ourselves when we sat down. Two girls in our church in Chicago had a buddy system where they kept tabs on each other. Every once in a while I would catch them "high-signing" one another about something. Practice graceful habits and learn to do them properly and with ease. Looking at some areas concerning outward beauty-

1. clean skin
2. sensible makeup
3. eyes- Luke 11:34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy     whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.
4. lips
5. hair
6. hands
7. mouth
8. clothing- dress so you are up-to-date, but not outlandish learn to sew-it helps avoid extremes.

Be careful about the way you dress. A woman is not excited by what she sees. She responds to touch. A man responds to what he sees. A woman should not dress in a way to cause a man to lust after her. If you do, you are to blame for his thoughts and actions. Prov. 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Clothing can betray your spiritual condition. If you are in doubt about what you are wearing, ask your husband, your father, your brother, a man knows. Have a full length mirror so that you can see yourself before you leave the house. Don't dress suggestive. Be care about what kind of "body language" you are communicating. How a woman dresses and conducts herself will also determine the character of her performance. Without saying a word we relay messages by the movements and position of our body. Teach your daughters to be very careful. I teach my girls there is proper way to walk, don't emphaze body movement, be careful when you bend over, make sure your're covered, watch slits in dresses, tightness in the wrong areas. You better teach them, because if you don't, they'll learn the wrong way just being out in the world. I want my girls to be as clean as possible for the man God has for them. Pure in thought and body. Prov. 6:13 He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers. Here is someone relaying a message without speaking a word. There is much value in this idea, for we do communicate by the very attitude of our body. A man may expect a woman to sell what she advertises. If she does not want to be propositioned, then she should not advertise.

The clothing you wear can affect how you feel. Little girls like to "dress up" in mommy's clothes because her dresses make them feel "pretty". There is a description in the Bible of a bride adorned for her husband. It adds a sense of importance to the lasting and far reaching consequences of that day. It's a special, very important time. As Christians, we have a responsibility to the world to bring honor to Christ in all we do. Carelessness about our person is no credit to Him; it is often an indication of laziness. An unkempt appearance can be a distraction or even an offense to others. To be neat and clean and well-dressed is one way we can be "teachers of good things" Titus 2:3 by our example. This is also an indication of faithfulness in all things I Tim. 3:11. We are ambassadors for Christ, and as his special messengers we must use every means to represent Him well. We have a duty to reflect the glory and beauty of God.

SPIRITUAL CLOTHING-There is a reference to spiritual clothing in verse 25- strength and honor. Our physical life demands on three things: to breathe, to eat, to exercise. These three things are also necessary to the spiritual life. To have spiritual strength, a Christian must read the Bible daily. There are many Christians who are defeated and live weak lives because they do not feed on the word of God. Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. It is necessary to read the Bible every day just as it is necessary to eat every day.

Exercise is a must to keep us physically strong. If one does not use the muscles of the body, they will soon degenerate. All of our body needs to be exercised in some way every day. The same is true with the Christian. What exercise is to the body, living for Jesus is to the spiritual life. Others should see by a woman's actions Christ living in her. The physical life requires three things: breathe (comes natural), eat (daily), exercise (use of body). The spiritual life also has these same needs. Prayer (should come naturally) read Bible (spiritual food daily), and exercise of his Word ( live for the Lord).

This completes the picture of a godly woman who is faithful in the spiritual realm as well as in the physical. Strength of soul results, as does strength of body, from exercise and proper nutrition. We exercise our souls in prayer and in sacrificial service to others; we feed spiritually on God's word; and as in the physical sphere, this system of order in exercise and diet must be of quantity and quality suitable to produce spiritual hardiness. A disciplined plan of daily Bible reading and prayer are needed for spiritual health. Stay in God's word, fellowship with other saints, preaching, teaching, are all things that will help maintain proper spiritual health.

Last, but not least, Prov. 31:23 tells us that the way a married woman looks, dresses, and acts can affect how other people feel about her husband. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. The idea is that because of his wife, the husband has risen to a place of prominence in the city. Prov. 12:4 A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones. A husband who has a wife who lives a chaste life, will show results in his work. A man needs a spiritually- minded wife who is able and willing to work with him. This is the kind of wife every Christian woman should strive to be. Because she is a good homemaker, her husband can go to work without worrying and is able to fulfill his obligations. Behind every successful man is a diligent woman. One of the most important areas of his life is his responsibility to the Lord. In some areas of Christian service, it is almost impossible for the man to function as he should without a spiritually-minded wife who is able to willingly work with him. Titus 2:4,5 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. As a pastor's wife, it is vitally important that I back my husband in prayer and encouragement. How I dress, talk, look and act play a vital part in his success as a pastor.

Others will be able to see in the virtuous woman an inner strength; the ability to handle changes due to circumstances which easily shatter and bring ruin to a household that is not built on a strong foundation. We have been in the ministry for over 24 years. Over those years we have gone through some things that have made me wonder what God was doing. I knew during those times that I could trust God. He's never failed me and never will. I trust him! I used to say that I'm afraid to "quit" the ministry because I knew I'd be more miserable doing what I thought I'd like to do than doing what God wanted me to do. There is comfort and security in God's will. The virtuous woman will have a godly image and is consistent in her thoughts and actions. She has a proper mental outlook through trials and in disappointments. This strength comes from inside. She is able to incorporate by faith the promises of God in her life because she has hidden them in her heart.
Ps. 119:11 Regardless of a woman's income or circumstances, she can learn to dress herself in this strength and honor if her heart is actively tuned toward God. This strength is the inner steel that gives a woman character, regardless of her physical condition. It is flexibility that allows her to survive with ever-changing circumstances. It is the certainty that shapes her life and the lives of those around her.

Character in no way attacks femininity- it enhances it. Strength of character comes from waiting on the Lord through daily communication with Him. Isaiah 40:28-31 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Femininity is a woman's crowning glory in her attitude of honor, self-control, virtue, chastity, purity, a clean heart, sweetness, a gentle quiet spirit, and modesty.

She shall rejoice in time to come. Verse 25 refers to the future. She and her family are prepared for the future no matter what happens. Give your children back to the Lord. He is able to take better care of them than you ever could. When we worry and fret, we think we could do a better job of handling a situation than the Lord. Don't you think the keeper of your soul can take care of your children? Prov. 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it. If we diligently seek to direct our children in the way they should go, teaching them the principles found in the word of God, then when they go out into the world we can rely on the word of God and prayer to keep them. Encourage them to get in the Bible on their own; develop their own time of devotions. Don't expect your young child to learn to read their Bible on their own. You need to remind them and encourage them to read it. After awhile they will desire to do it on their own. When they go out into the world, they are going to need a strong foundation built on biblical principles. Trust God with their future. I know of mothers who are scared to death to even think about letting their children go. They want them right beside them all the time. One mother I know is afraid to even let the girl go to Bible school. She wants complete control over her. There's no trust. Trust your children. We started out giving our children full trust. My husband told them that we would trust them and if they broke that trust, then they would have to earn it. Our children have not broken that trust. One is now married and a mother herself, the other boy is a Marine. Still trusted by his parents. It gave them confidence knowing that mom and dad trusted them. Some parents have said to me that they can't trust their kids because they know how they were at that age. Your job is to train them. You may have not had that training, so don't expect your kids to be like you. Give them what you didn't get. It's then that we have to trust God to keep them. Don't worry. Again read Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. I came across an excellent book just a little over 2 years ago that is probably the best I've read on the subject. I have given out many of them since, to young and old alike. It is To Train up a Child by Mike and Debi Pearl. It will change your family and children's lives. (Address given at end of study.)

We all have many fears about the future, but let's not get our eyes off the souls of men who are dying and on their way to Hell. I used to lay awake at night thinking about all the "what if's" about my children. I would work myself into such a frenzy and cry over things that have never taken place. The Lord has helped me to -Proverbs 3:5,6- trust in Him and lean not to my own understanding. I need to remember that he is the one directing my path. I know the future looks pretty bleak, so we need to train and teach them while we can: Another reason why I am a strong advocate of home schooling. I need every minute I can get to prepare them for the onslaught of the devil out there in the world. There is so much against our children. Let's do all we can to fill them with the word of God and what's right.

What are your fears? If you have fears, they are not from God. Satan does his best to defeat and discourage Christians. Satan finds each woman's individual panic button and pushes as hard as he can. When he finds your fear, he will use it to damage your mental health, confidence, outward appearance, and victorious Christian living. Phil 4:8; James 3:17 are some ways to find out if a thought is from the Lord.

If it is from the Lord, it will always: be honest- not mixed up in any way pure- no ulterior motives kind and good- not destructive

If it is from the devil, it is probably: a lie- even a little white one a deception- the truth twisted very cleverly a destructive suggestion that will hurt.

The secret of victory is not found in struggling alone with fear but willingly letting Christ take that fear and leaving it with Him. You decide who controls your life. For some people, age is a big fear. "Age is a matter of attitude of mind and heart." By accepting the wrinkles, corns, backaches, gray hairs, and bifocals as God's gradual refining for Heaven, women will be able to gracefully walk along with strength and honor as God planned. To be truly beautiful, look into the face of the Lord Jesus, then reflect His love and compassion to a world that is dying. When we were at Bible school, there was a lady there who was a true picture of growing old beautifully. She has a glow that shines in her eyes. Everytime I see her, that shine is still there. One time I mentioned it to her and she said that "the light of the body is the eyes". If I get to be that old, I pray I can reflect the beauty of Jesus likes she does.

Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.
All His wonderful passion and purity;
O Thou Spirit divine,
All my nature refine,
Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me. -Albert Orsborm

To perceive means to know; to understand; to observe (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

This proverbs woman takes the time to check out her work and is careful to consider that her motivation is right, that she does her work all for the glory and honor of God and not out of selfishness. She makes sure that she knows her operations, understands what is going on, and observes her merchandise.

She runs her business on a balanced budget. We sure can't say that much for our government, can we? She gets good things, yet is careful not to buy something that would be a financial burden on the family. It would be better to make do or go without. She has learned how to make things with little or no value into something useful and of value.

Be careful ladies, that you do your work and duties as unto the Lord. I Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Don't be wasteful with the material possessions the Lord has given you. How you take care of the things that God has given you indicates what kind of a steward you are. A "steward" is a man employed in great families to manage the domestic concerns, superintend the other servants, collect the rents, or income, keep the accounts. See Gen.15:2; 43:19 As children of God, Christians are his agents and part of their calling lies in the management of his property.

Christians stewards must realize that they live, move, and have their being in Jesus Christ. I Corinthians 6:19-20 The whole of the Christian's life- personality, time, talent, influence, material substance, everything- must be dedicated to Christ. He is our perfect example. Romans 14:12 says: So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Phil. 2:5-9 says Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name. Christ in His stewardship demonstrated his perfection by making himself of no reputation by taking upon himself the form of a servant- he humbled himself. What an example Christ was to us in this way; the Son of God. We also see in John 6:38 that the supreme purpose of Christ life was to do the will of the Father. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. What is the supreme purpose of your life? Let's look at some areas of stewardship in our lives.

STEWARDSHIP OF A WOMAN'S BODY
I Cor. 6:19-20 We are a steward to God.
James 3:2-5 We are a steward over our tongue.
James 3:6 says that it can defile the whole body.
Matt.12:36 says we will give account of it at the judgment.
Prov. 4:23 We are a steward over our heart.
Jer. 17:9 says it is desperately wicked and deceitful above all things.
Ps. 139:23,24 Search me O God and know my heart, see if there be any wicked way in me.
Ps. 51:17 God requires from us a broken and contrite heart.
Contrite- Brokenhearted for sin; deeply affected with grief and sorrow for having offended God; humble; penitent;
I Pet. 1:13 We are steward of our mind
Phil 2:5-8 says we should have the mind of Christ
Isa.26:3 tells us we will have perfect peace if our minds are stayed on Him.
Phil. 4:6,7 the peace of God will keep our minds through Christ Jesus

STEWARDSHIP OF A WOMAN'S TIME Who controls your day- the time you have given to you for 24 hours? How do you spend these hours? Do you live them victoriously, having sweet fellowship with the Lord, or do you let the devil squander them away? You alone are the steward of your time. Avoid time wasters! I had a lady in our church who loved to have me go with her to do things. At first I would go, and then I realized that my time with her was adding up to 3 and 4 hours. Time I could have been doing something else. I graciously turned down time with her after that. She became a time waster. Not that what we did was wrong, I could just use the time in a better way. Be careful of situations like this.

Perhaps one of the hardest things to define is time. A well-known preacher once said, "The older I get the more I realize that perhaps the greatest gift I could give you is time. Actually, the only gift I can give you is my time. If I give you money, I give you the time it took me to earn that money. If I give you a gift, I give you the time it took me to earn the money with which I bought the gift. Perhaps, then it is true that time is the only thing that I can really give to you."
Col. 4:5 says we should redeem the time
Ps. 90:12 tells us to number our days and apply our hearts unto wisdom
Eph. 5:15,16 redeem the time for the days are evil
James 4:14 time is as a vapor,
Ps. 62:8 as stewards of time, we should trust in him at all times
Eph. 5:19-20 read it. If our attitude is right this is how we will be

STEWARDSHIP OF A WOMAN'S TALENTS AND GIFTS Just as the body has many parts and each is needed by the other, so the body of Christ has many parts and God has given each of us different abilities that are helpful in the function of his body. Every Christian possess both natural and spiritual gifts. All of us have some kind of natural gift (abilities or talents). Flower arranging, sewing, drawing, cooking, entertaining, musical. Colossians 3:17 says, And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father by him. Use your gifts for the Lord. Use them to be a blessing to someone else. Look around for some way that you can use your gift.

Christians also have a spiritual gift that God has given to them by the Holy Spirit when they got saved. These gifts enable Christians to minister to others in behalf of Jesus Christ. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. I Peter 4:10 tells us to use our gift to minister to other people. What is your spiritual gift? How can you use it to minister to others? Pray and ask God to show you first of all what it might be and then ask him to give you a way to be able to use it. Eight or nine years into the ministry, God gave me an older lady who I always thought of as a spiritual mom. She is one of the most gracious ladies I know. She has the gift of hospitality. You can come to her house at any time, and she was just the kindest hostess. I learned a lot from her example to me. She never thought of herself as I perceived her. Sometimes it takes someone pointing out to us a particular gift for us to even realize it. I don't like to put too much emphasis on this area, but I do feel that God has given us something that we can do to be an encouragement to others. If he impresses on your heart someone, then call them or send them a card, do something. I sent a card to someone one time just because the Lord laid them on my heart. This girl wrote back and told me she was so low that day and wondered if God really loved her. When my card came in the mail, it was just the thing she needed to bring her out of her despondency. Never ignore the leading of the Lord. It may be you the Lord is going to use to help someone along the way. I am amazed at how I've helped someone or done something that had unbelievable results. 20 years down the road, I'll have someone come up to me and tell of an incident that changed their life just because of something I did. And it really wasn't that much. Just something that showed someone else that you cared. I find that the small deeds have a much greater impact on lives than you'll ever realize.

STEWARDSHIP OF A WOMAN'S POSSESSIONS Prov. 3:9 Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. Malachi 3:8-10 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. Yes, they have in tithes and offerings.

What is a tithe? Heb.7:2 says Abraham gave a tenth. But that is only a good place to begin. That is the least amount. How much would you be willing to trust God with?. My dad taught me at an early age to give what's God's first and he'll take care of the rest of your needs. We were a large family and we were very poor, but when I look back on my life growing up, I don't remember the poverty, I remember the good times I had as a child, that mom and dad loved me, I loved going to church, and at an early age, I loved the Lord very much. Mom and Dad gave me that. We didn't grow up with lots of material possessions, but we were rich beyond compare with God's blessings in another realm. That's how it is with my life now. We've been through some pretty tight times, but we've never gone hungry, we've always paid the bills on time, we've always had a car that worked well, we've always been clothed adequately Just because we've never had thousands of dollars (let alone hundreds) in the bank doesn't mean we're not rich. I marvel at God's goodness to us and sometimes I become so overwhelmed with it, that I can't contain the feeling of joy that comes from within my soul. My oldest girl is an associate pastor's wife married to a great man. She loves the Lord so much and wants to live for him. They have a little girl who's a joy to our hearts. Our son-in-law loves God, believes the Bible is the word of God, is a good husband, and a great father. Our son is a Corporal in the Marines. He loves the Lord, goes to church and does what he can to help. He witnesses to those other military guys around him. He's not ashamed of the Lord. My older girl here at home loves God so much and it glows on her face. She's not ashamed to witness. She uses her talents for God that he's given her in the area of music. The youngest daughter wants to be a missionary to New Guinea when she finishes school. How can anyone not see the goodness of God. We've always loved to give. We started at 10% and went on from there. He has given back to us more than we could ever fathom. Not in material possessions so much, but in his goodness to us with our children and the lives that he's allowed us to minister too. When we went to Bible school, I always heard, "You can't out give God." I can say a hardy "Amen" to that.

HOW DOES STEWARDSHIP FIT INTO A WOMAN'S DAILY LIFE? You might want to establish a daily schedule. That's hard for me. I have never done it rigidly. I've basically worked around home-schooling. Some women need to have one. Keep appointments on a calendar. Tackle hard jobs early in the day when you are fresh and more energetic. Know what has to be done and how to do it. ATTITUDE IS HALF THE WORK! Sort your priorities. First things first. Your home is the most important social unit in society. You need to do everything, whether it be cooking, cleaning, washing dishes, clothes, or floors, helping your husband, or the children; everything should be done "as unto the Lord."

Money can be a means of exchange for the necessities of life, or it can be one's master, controlling the life. It is often a major cause in quarrels between couples. Some of the reasons for this is lack of training in how to spend money, easy credit, excessive spending for bigger and better.

WISE WAYS TO END MONEY WORRIES- Taken from notes during a Gothard Seminar
1. Be dedicated to Serving vs. Career
* serving- God's goals Matt. 6:33
* career - my goals ITim. 6:9-10

2. Be alert to Needs vs. Opportunities
* needs are God's concern (widows)
* opportunities- my advancement

3. Serve individuals, not programs
* individuals are key to future, security Phil.4:1
* programs bring division, conflicts, burnout

4. Look to God vs. Those you serve
* Be content with your wages Luke. 3:14
* Work diligently as unto God Col 3:23
* Expecting from others what only God can give is idolatry

5. Keep in Touch With Those you Serve
* Write, call visit, pray for their growth

6. Get Saleable Skills vs. Independence
* income frees to serve in love I Cor. 9:12
* key to income, buy at low, sell higher, gain Jms.4:13
* don't seek profit on friends

7. Learn to Live on Less vs. Extravagance
* sell unused things Mt. 6:19
* negotiate purchases, services, insurance

8. Learn to Abound and Suffer Need
* abound maintains discipline
* suffer need- learn humility of receiving

9. Report How Gifts Met Specific Needs-
This is an excellent way of showing your children how God provides and also a reminder to yourself of God's faithfulness when you may become discouraged.

10. Keep Accurate Accounts of Funds
* provide things honest in the sight of all men

HOW TO NEGOTIATE A PURCHASE
1. Reevaluate-do you need it?
2. Determine actual cost
3. Can I make it myself?
4. Can I find it used?
5. Buy another brand
6. Cut out the middle man
7. Limit offer of budget in cash
8. Wait until they need to sell it
9. Combine orders for bulk price
10. Barter for it
11. Negotiate through another
12. Become a distributor
Basic attitudes toward money and the things it can buy will determine how people live-- within a budget based on income, or constantly in debt. Often the amount of money is not the problem.

A woman can see that God really cares about her as an individual. He is concerned about how she uses her tongue, her heart-condition, her mind, body, gifts, and possessions. He has given her all these things. It saddens God's heart when she belittles herself complaining that she has no talent, that she is not creative, intelligent, or pretty. God made each woman the way she is and when she puts herself down, she is insulting God. She needs to accept her abilities and limitations as God's design for her. She has been created in his image. The light of a woman's life shines out to others as they see her and the world can tell if she is being a good steward of her time and talents. Matt. 5:16 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

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                                      WOMAN OF SERVICE
                                              Proverbs 31: 20

She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

This verse shows us that the virtuous woman doesn't wait for the poor and needy to come to her, but she goes to them. This verse illustrates an important aspect of her life. She is generous, merciful, and sensitive to the needs of others; a willing and cheerful giver of her wealth as well as of her time, thoughtfulness, and strength. She is never too busy with her own affairs to go to the aid of others.

Welfare programs and food stamps were not necessary in Bible times because people cared for and helped to meet the needs of each other. Proverbs 31:11,12 shows how she does good to her husband. Verses 15,21, and 27, are expressive of the good she does for her whole household, and vs. 20 shows her concern for the needs of the community. What a pattern of good works! Here we could find no better example of a person with a true servant's heart; one who is no "respecter of persons", but makes herself available whenever and wherever the need is.

We should also make ourselves available to the poor and needy. All of us have the responsibility, the means, and the opportunity to give and serve, no matter what our limitations may be. Sometimes we put off doing that good thing we know we ought to do in hopes that we might get out of it altogether. (Deut. 15:11) If we stop our ears to the cry of the poor, we can anticipate a time when we ourselves shall cry out for help but none will hear. (Prov. 21:13) God has freely given to us so we need to freely give ourselves. Matt 10:8b If we sew bountifully, we shall also reap bountifully. IICor. 9:6 If you have pity on the poor, then Prov. 19:17 says that he lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again. As a woman grows in thankfulness of what God has done in her life through Jesus Christ at Calvary, she will long to do His will and serve and please Him in every way she can. Every Christian woman has a definite place in serving.

Jesus is the Supreme example of a perfect servant. Mark 10:45 says that he came to minister and give his life a ransom for many. The more a woman yields her life to the Holy Spirit, the more love she will have for God; resulting in a growth of love and service. Following are some different kinds of giving:

PROPORTIONATE GIVING- What one gives in proportion to what one has is more important than the actual amount given.
SACRIFICIAL GIVING- Please note these words when thinking of sacrifice: good, seeketh, willingly, from afar, giveth to her maidens, stretcheth out, reacheth forth, looketh well. It is possible to give sacrificially from one's abundance.
WAYS OF GIVING (and service)- There are two kinds of giving implied. One is the giving of money or goods, and the other can be of our time and abilities and strength. A person needs two hands, a heart, a head, and a couple of feet to be useful in meeting some of those needs. Do you have the faith that a Christian should have? Faith is more than fellowship with God; one uses it to serve others also. True faith expresses itself in deeds. James 2:26 says that faith without works is dead. Be willing to serve others, but have the right attitude and motivation in doing so. Give yourself to some ministry--be busy doing what God wants you to do, and honor him through your ministry.

 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with  scarlet. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

Many persons would give great amounts of money for peace of mind, if such could be purchased. This peace of mind is described by an absence of guilt, fear, and envy, and is found in Christians who have learned to trust God. When we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour then we have "peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1). Once we come into this relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, then it is possible for us to have peace with ourselves and with our fellow man. God has bestowed his perfect love upon us so that we might be free from the kind of fear that has torment. (I John 4:18) He desires for us to have this peace, knowing our well-being depends upon it.

Fear provokes all of us on various occasions. It is a good and necessary emotion. Emotions cause us to be stirred up, which in turn allows us to deal with alarming situations. On the other hand, chronic fear that ranges from small or vague uneasiness to a full-fledged anxiety attack, is harmful and can produce actual physical illness. We had a man once who had anxiety attacks all the time. He was so bad that he couldn't even stay through a whole church service. He envied people who were able to just sit and enjoy the whole service. He came to my husband wanting some help. My husband started him out memorizing scripture. He told him to come back the next week with the first chapter of Philippians memorized. He did. He gave him the second chapter for the next week and continued on until he had memorized the whole book. Then he didn't stop there. He told him to meditate on it so that it became of part of his being. Whenever he would start to have an attack of anxiety then to quote scripture. He did what I talked about earlier, engrafted the word. It worked. This man became one of our best Sunday School teachers. He has absolutely no problems with anxiety anymore. Not because he paid thousands of dollars to see a shrink, but because he let the Word cleanse him and heal him of his fear.

We fear losing those things that contribute and strengthen our safety, comfort, or well-being, such as health, jobs, status, material possessions, and loved ones. These are our security blankets and any real or imagined threat to them will rob us of our peace of mind. This miserable kind of fear is a result of failing to trust God. You've forgot to take him at his word. Are you remembering to claim the promises. We are able to obtain this peace by adhering to conditions laid down in the Word of God. Prov. 3:1-2 peace is promised to the obedient Psalms 2512-13 if we fear God we are promised his guidance and peace of soul Prov. 29:25 fear of man bringeth a snare, but trust in God assures safety

Careful and thorough planning will eliminate much needless worry and anxiety. The Proverbs woman is busy planning for the future and taking care of her household for today. She doesn't have time to think about those things in the past. Like Paul, she forgets those things which are behind. She has too many things to do which take time and effort, energy and diligence. Why should she fall prey to the devil plaguing her with thoughts of past mistakes. She doesn't need to fear the future because she has made provision by diligently taking heed to her household and family. "She is not afraid of the snow..." She has been faithful in providing for the needs of her household. In providing for the needs of your home and children don't succumb to the temptation to over-do everything. Prov. 30:15: "There are three things that are never sati