I remember the little girl waiting outside my front door when I first moved into a new house when I was 5. She found out I was moving in next door to her and couldn’t wait to meet me. I was thrilled! An instant friend! We spent many hours together over the next few years. Until she decided to trade me in for someone newer to the neighborhood.
When I was a teenager a girl I had met in youth group called me and said she wanted to get to know me better. I was kind of shocked because I didn’t have many friends after moving to a new state a couple years before. But I welcomed her friendship and loved her deeply. That is until she abruptly let me know she couldn’t be my friend anymore because I was staying at the church her family was leaving.
Time went on and boys got in the way of friendships, or misunderstandings occurred. Some relationships ended because of circumstances like a move but others were blatant knife in the back attacks. Pair this with a people pleaser who didn’t trust much anymore and you end up with a wounded woman who is not willing to risk much in relationships with other women.
I honestly could go on and on and spill my guts about the woman wounds that I have had in my life but I will spare you all of the details. I read the book Women at War expecting that it to speak to me but not knowing the deep inner work that God was about to do in my heart. It was a tough and dirty, in the trenches kind of read but I can honestly say that I have come out of it with deep healing and a desire to love radically and to see other women set free from the war against one another.
In the midst of all of the painful relationships I have had in my life I have also had some truly beautiful female friendships that have allowed me to have a glimpse of the power of healthy female friendships. There is the friend I made when I was 8 who has kept up with me through the years and the miles and loves me through all that life brings. There are the 4 younger sisters I have who encourage me so much and we have so much fun together. There is the friend who served me during a difficult pregnancy and the loss of my newborn and continued to give of herself so selflessly. There are the more mature women who have counseled me and taught me biblical truth over the years. These relationships I treasure. These relationships are worth being healthy for.
As I read descriptions that Jan Greenwood shared in Women at War of the war raging between women and who our real enemy is I realized that there is a veil over so many of our eyes and we need this truth. We desperately needed Jan to share what she has learned with us so that we can become whole, walk in truth and love one another with boldness and determination.
A few of the chapters in the book brought tears and prayers. I had to put the book down at several points and just let God work. My closet floor was where I headed when I needed to deal with old wounds that were painful. The process is challenging but the victory that comes when God heals is so sweet.
I remember a very popular Bible study teacher saying once that she loved those of us participating in her study so much. This was on a DVD that I was watching and I remember thinking “No you don’t. How can you say that you love me? You don’t know me enough to know that you love me.” But I’ve found out that it is possible to love like she said she did and even without knowing me well. It is what the Holy Spirit does in our hearts when we yield to Him and allow Him to be fruitful in us. It’s easy to love when you are filled with God’s spirit…even when you don’t know the person well. God is love. He loves others and when we allow Him to heal our hearts and work in our lives it becomes easy to love women. Jan Greenwood exemplifies this with her life and this book. She has learned and shares with us all how to love like Jesus.
If you have followed along with us over all of these weeks of this study we just want to say a BIG Thank you! Even if you jumped in part of the way through or just caught a week or two, we appreciate you joining in the conversation and sharing your heart with us! You have been such a blessing to us!
If you missed any of the posts you can find them all here:
Introduction –The Beautiful Deep
Chapter 1 – The Beautiful Deep
Chapter 2 – Arabah Joy (& then comment here).
Chapter 3 – KristiGriem.com
Chapter 4 – Intentional Me
Chapter 5 – MandyScarr.com
Chapter 6 – Mama Hall
Chapter 7 – kjtanner.com
Chapter 8 – God & Boobs
Chapter 9 – I Am Now Found
Chapter 10 – Beautifully Chaotic
Chapter 11 – Jill Monaco‘s
Chapter 12 – A Life Surrendered
Conclusion – The Beautiful Deep
As we wrap up this book study I want to ask you what God has done in your heart as a result of reading Jan’s book? What has left the biggest mark on you and is impacting your life?
And by the way, I love YOU and Jan does too!
