Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Mar/88

Contributor - Mrs. Grace Steunenberg

Title - Women

Topic - Women

Earlier this year, the "Women's Morning Fellowship Group" of the Grace Community Church in Surrey, had the pleasure of hearing a special speaker- Mrs. Grace Steunenberg share on "Finding Fulfillment and Contentment in Being a Woman' Grace is from Surrey, B. C., mother of nine boys, grandmother of three, and has been a Christian wife and mother for 25 years. This is a condensed version of the valuable works she shared with the group. I hope that you will benefit in some way from this talk. - Babette

I realize that this is a varied group of women. Some of you are single women some by choice, some have been widowed. Others of you have little children Some are just starting families. Some are grandma's and struggle with the "empty nest". In all these situations, we need to find contentment and fulfillment. In order to find these things, we need a personal word from God - that's really what's important, and that's where you will also find contentment and fulfillment.

I would like to draw your attention to Titus 2:3 - 5.

Titus 2

3. Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good 4. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5. To be self-controlled and pure to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the Word of God

Many times the things in these verses are seen as small and insignificant things - left to be undone. The society we live in does not put much stock in these thing!, but these things need to be taken care or. They are not to be left undone - so no one will malign the Word of God! By simply being good housewives and good women - we can lift up the Word of God! So it is really very simple, isn't it? We do not need to look for a high and lofty ministry, but simply by being a good mom, a good wife, or a good young woman, we can lift up the Word of God.

Jeremiah 1:5 says something beautiful. It says: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born, I set you apart." Isn't that wonderful? God has a plan for each one of us. There is a purpose for each one of us. I would like to encourage you that if you have not found this purpose or place of fulfillment, ask the Lord to help you, because there is nothing as wonderful as knowing that you have a purpose and a plan for your life. That is where your peace, contentment and fulfillment comes from.

Now, you life may not always be easy. God did not promise that life would be easy, but when there is peace, you can surely tackle a lot of things. Several of my best girlfriends can vouch for this. They come from difficult backgrounds. One is a single girl - she has never been married. Another one is a widow. A third a divorced woman. And a fourth has had a long, difficult life with her husband. All of them can confess that there is contentment, fulfillment and peace in their lives by knowing they have a purpose.

At the church I attend, we have a women's group and we start the year with a testimony morning. There was one lady present who had a difficult relationship with her unsaved husband. She listened to all the different testimonies and then asked out loud, "Now which one do I pick? Who's testimony shall I strive to model after?" But then another lady came up to her and said, "Your life is unique. You need to hear the voice of God yourself for your own life."

How true! That is what I want to share with all of you. You need to learn to hear the voice of God for your own life.

Perhaps God has been speaking to you but you have not recognized it - like Samuel (I Samuel 3:1 - 10). Sometimes God calls our name loudly - once, twice, three times - but we simply do not recognize His voice. Maybe you have been too busy, maybe you thought He would speak in a different way to you. But just as Eli, the older man, encouraged and taught the young Samuel to hear the voice of God, so some of us as older women can teach the younger ones to hear the voice of God. Jesus says, "My sheep hear My voice." So if we do not hear God's voice, it is time for us to learn.

I remember back when I just began to hear God's voice, shortly after becoming a Christian. He used common everyday things to teach me. He will do the same for you. One day I was feeding one of my babies when the baby spit up all over me. it occurred to me that I should probably change and wash the baby before I fed him. Then I heard God speak to my heart that I, too, needed to be cleansed first, before I could be fed and filled by Him! This is something He has said again and again - practically every day of my life.

A few days after that first incident, God spoke to me again. I used to be quite a heavy smoker in my younger years. Someone asked me, "Well, why don't you quit?" I said, "I'll quit when the Lord tells me." Foy the next few days, I heard a voice "Heb je dat nodig?" (Do you need that?) I said to myself, "No, but I am waiting for the Lord to tell me!" This went on for a few days before I realized that it was the Lord asking me in the first place! See? Many times we will think that God only speaks in high and lofty ways - and not down where we live. So the next time I heard the voice, "Hebye dat nodig?" I answered Him and said, "No, I don't need them!" I threw them out and that was the end of the cigarettes. I am so glad I do not need them anymore because Jesus is sufficient for me!

Raising nine boys was not always easy. My husband has often asked me why I do not seem to complain or worry. But I do not have to complain and I do not have to worry. Why? Because His Grace is sufficient for me! Is Jesus not enough? Of course He is! This then, is finding fulfillment, peace, and contentment.

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