Being a woman in ministry is NOT for the faint of heart!

Before I start this post let me say:

I'm not writing this to gain sympathy. It's more to shine a bit of a spotlight on things as they are - not as they are perceived to be. 

Being a woman in ministry is hard (though it is easier today than it was 20, 30, 40, 50 years ago), and it is not for the faint of heart. 

This is a multi-faceted topic; one that a single blog post cannot do complete justice to, but the conversation needs to always be open. 

Women in ministry is a VERY controversail topic. It is one of those topics that people have DEFINITE opinions on, and are usually not able to - through lack of desire, cultural differences or upbringing - hear the other person's side of the issue. 

(Similar to issues of race: women (in general) in ministry are looked down on because of their gender as those of other races are looked down on because of their ethnicity. It's exceedingly frustrating to be held down over something you have NO control over. "Fun" fact the movement for women's rights was birth out abolitionism - because they are similar in nature.)

There are so many things we find ourselves, as women in ministry, having to stand against, and the continual surging of the battle can bring fatigue. So, you may ask, what are the things you have to stand against? Here are a few, though I'm sure my sisters in ministry could add to the list:

1) The perception that we are out to dominate men. While some may be, most aren't. When this topic is put to me (and believe me - it has been), I tell the questioner, "I just want to be obedient to the call God placed on my life - whatever that might look like." That is the absolute truth.

2) The thought that men and women shouldn't work together because it could cause the man to stumble. To this I must ask, "If I am being modest in my behavior and honoring to God with my words, why should I be set aside for the potential sin of another?" If proper boundaries are put into place (as they should always be), I should be able to walk fully in EVERY AREA God has called me into. 

3) The idea that women are just too emotional. We ARE emotional beings - I'll give you that. However, that is not necessarily wrong. If I get on the platform and cry over a tragedy or become angry over injustice is that wrong if it is handled well? I say, "No!" God made me the way I am, so that I can fulfill the call He has on my life. Should I let my emotions rule the day? Absolutely not! But neither should I ignore the fact that they exist.

There are many, many other arguments I've had to face as a woman in ministry. I've been called a lot of bad names, and even have friends and family members who refuse acknowledge that I am a pastor. These things, and many others, hurt my heart. Yet, I must persevere. His call is woven into the fabric of my being and I want to run my race - the race He gave me to run - with excellence, and not quit because I didn't like something someone said. 

While things are better than they were 40 years ago, we still have a long way to go. We must keep at it! As we journey together, please allow me to share some of the insights and experience I have gained while walking this road for the last 20 years:

1) I need my brothers in ministry to stand with me and for me. I would love to say I could do this alone, but I've learned I cannot. If my brothers, who believe that God divinely calls women into ministry, do not use their office and voice for their sisters, the voice of women in ministry will forever be muffled... and possibly even silenced.

So many of my sisters, who were called into ministry, have given up the fight. 

2) Our voices need to be heard. All a person has to do is sit in a room of men and women for a few minutes to realize the differences there. Women have something valuable to say. We see things from different angles than our brothers do. We can see where dominoes may fall (if knocked over). Our perspectives are beneficial. The request is simple: let us sit at the table with you and tell you what we see and what the LORD is telling us. If we "join forces", there are no limits to what God can accomplish in and through us. If our voices are excluded, a full 50% of God's kids are being ignored. A full 50%. 

3) We have know when to speak and when not to - this is tough. We have to let God fight for us, AND know when He expects us to pick up our swords. If you are a HIGH justice person, like me, you want to charge head-long into battle - defend yourself - demand equal treatment - show off your resume. But, more times than not, that does MUCH MORE harm than good. 

At the end of the day, it is HIS call on our lives. We have to trust Him with it; He knows what He wants to do with it. We have to know (and trust) that if He called us to it there is nothing on this earth that can keep it from happening if we are being obedient to Him. Trusting Him is a willful choice on our part. 

4) We have to guard our hearts. There are so many ways the enemy of our souls can attack us, if we aren't careful. It would be so easy to become: jaded, controlling, high-maintenance, self-consumed, irrational, mean-spirited, etc. WE HAVE TO GUARD OUR HEARTS. Be ever vigilant, dear ones  - your enemy is on the prowl seeking to devour you! 

5) We HAVE TO be in community with our sisters who are on the journey with us! We have to stand shoulder to shoulder with one another, and not compete against one another. We are each uniquely gifted and called! We need to be one another's cheering section! 

ALSO, We need to allow ourselves to be accountable to each other. That means, we have to be honest about where we are, trust one another with our whole selves and let our sisters speak the truth (in love) to us! In order for this (needed thing) to happen, we MUST BE trustworthy!

Dearest Sister-Warriors, keep your heart soft before the Father. Let yourself remain sensitive. I know things can be difficult and that the never-ending battle can make you tired, but please don't let that negatively impact you. Please keep putting one foot in front of the other. Please keep trusting Him with your call, and please keep walking with your other sisters.

As I said at the beginning, there is so much more to this topic, but we need to keep the conversation open.

Brothers and Sisters, We all need to be for one another. We need to pull together... have each other's backs... cheer one another on, and love each other well. All of this with the full understanding that God has placed unique and equal calls on each of our lives. Those calls needs to be celebrated and supported. 

Blessings, dear ones.