From ladiesagainstfeminism.com

Biblical Womanhood and Christian Living
Women: Fearfully and Wonderfully Made!
By Doran Richards
Jun 6, 2008 - 3:27:16 PM

Women are "fearfully and wonderfully made." We don't usually hear these words from Psalm 139 applied to how women are made. But we are! Blessing God's Way wants to spark some conversation about how God has made us as women in regard to our cycles--mainly maidenhood (menarche/menstruation), maternity, and menopause. These cycles are a huge part of our lives as women, and the world has claimed these cycles to be theirs, calling them curses, diseases, and illnesses that need fixing. We know differently, Christian sisters!

Romans 12:2 states, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

Blessing God's Way may leave some Christian women bewildered because they are not sure there is even a problem in this area of our lives. But I assure you, there is. I have seen it over and over again as a birth assistant, doula, and student midwife. On the whole, women giving birth do not see it as a God-given event, cycle, and blessing, but instead tend to think they do not have to educate themselves on the process. They tend to believe that their bodies are not capable of having a baby without help (interventions/inductions/etc), and they are apt to agree with the secular world that pregnancy and childbirth are things to be endured, not embraced. There are always exceptions, but on the whole, this is what I see. How many horrible birth stories have you heard? How many women do not even talk about their births because they were traumatic?

Maidenhood

The Blessing God's Way ministry grew into other phases of women's lives when many of the same issues surfaced while teaching conferences to women about their childbirth and pregnancy years. How do we mentor one another in life? This is a lost art in some areas. How do we serve one another and use our gifts to help women in their cycles? How do we embrace what God has given us as good, rather than something to get rid of or fix? How do we teach the next generation that God's design for women is perfect? It doesn't matter where you birth, but what are you taking with you mentally, emotionally, physically? Do we see these phases of our lives as opportunities to be examples of Christlikeness? Oh, they can be!

I've created a curriculum called Maidens by His Design. It is one more tool that Blessing God's Way produced to teach young ladies (and their mothers!) that God made their bodies and designed them to work a certain way. It is okay for young girls to learn about their bodies, and it is actually a good step. It encourages them to take some time to see how awesome it is and how it is made to work to cleanse itself each month. It is an opportunity to teach them that even at that age we are to rely on God's mercy and strength, especially in that last phase of our cycle (the Luteal Phase) before our menstruation begins each month. It helps us see the need to delve a little deeper into God's word, be a little more focused on prayer and to love those around us. Here is a brief overview of Maidens by His Design:

As parents prepare their older children for adolescence, one important component of this parental teaching is a mother's instruction on her coming-of-age daughter about her cycle. Most parents simply give their children the biological "facts" about menstruation. But suppose you could introduce your daughter to this event in the context of God's beautiful design? Homeschooling mother, owner of Blessing God's Way, and doula/birth assistant Doran Richards has designed a thoughtful and modest course that mothers and daughters can attend together in order to learn about this cycle for their bodies, about proper nourishment during their cycle, about learning to cultivate a joyful spirit of prayer and anticipation during their cycle.

What is particularly unique about this course is Mrs. Richards' emphasis on the goodness and beauty of something that our culture thinks is merely a "pain in the neck" or an unfair burden on women: menstruation. She urges women to not give into these sad attitudes but to approach the onset of menstruation as an opportunity to get to know and understand your body and your health more deeply, and to give thanks to God for how you are made. Menstruation should not be seen as a curse or a burden, but as a season of life given to women by God our Father as a blessing.

Maternity

Shonda Parker said this in the foreword of my book, A Celebration of Pregnancy! :

We are the Body of Christ, and as such, we all are blessed when one more child is born to His covenant people -- through the gift of faith, one more Body part to do the work of discipling the nations, one more voice to be raised in praising the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, one more made in the image of God to glorify and enjoy Him forever. This is cause for celebration. This is reason for a Blessing God's Way.

This is what began my journey to change the tide for women as they approached the various phases of their lives and cycles. I knew that God wanted His name to be glorified, even in childbirth -- He wanted His name to be praised for the blessing of children. He wants His people to love and support one another, even in birth! I began Blessing God's Way for this reason -- to create a gathering, called "A Celebration of Pregnancy," for women that would show God's hand in even the smallest detail of pregnancy and childbirth. He created it; He sustains us through it; He calls children a blessing, not a burden. We are to trust in His design. We are to be Christ-focused throughout the pregnancy, and we are to give thanks to Him for all things by taking our thoughts captive and not having a spirit of fear. "Your hands have made me and fashioned me, and intricate unity" (Job 10:8). Wow! Yes, He has, and isn't that wonderful? We cannot have this mindset if we are not supported and have resources -- hence the birth of this ministry.

Menopause

How does menopause play into this picture of seeing God's blessing? This cycle is also viewed in our culture as something less than desirable. We are not sure what to expect as women. We are not educated while the process taking place. We do not have support systems and resources from a Christian perspective to help us embrace this phase biblically. This should not be so! With God's grace, Blessing God's Way will change this. We are working on a curriculum, to follow Maidens by His Design, which will take you through maternity and menopause cycles of life as well. We want women to know it is a blessing, God's way.

Consider these thoughts on menopause taken from my website :

The transition to menopause can be a time of reflection and inspiration. Although transitions of any kind can be inherently difficult, many women experience a newfound sense of freedom and anticipate personal growth.

Menopause is a time of great change -- it is the adolescence of older age but better than adolescence of youth, because menopausal women have confidence and experience. It is definitely a time of choice and should be about finding out what you really want. It is a time to take charge and shape the remaining chapters of your life.

As women, we have a great responsibility to learn about our bodies! They were created by God for many purposes. We truly are fearfully and wonderfully made in His image. Let us gather around and rejoice in it, support one another, teach and learn about it, share with others and be grateful for our each phase of life God has designed for us!

Upcoming Conference (July 2008)

Blessing God's Way is having another conference to spend time with women, explaining these wonderful phases to them. It will take place in Virginia , July 18 and 19, 2008. Further information can be found at www.blessingGodsway.com by clicking on the Fearfully & Wonderfully Made icon (you can also download a reproduceable flyer here ). Come if you can and learn with us. If you cannot make the conference in Virginia , consider having a conference in your area (I am happy to come if travel expenses are covered). Consider purchasing the material and tools to implement change from my website shop . We covet your prayers for our first mission trip to the Ukraine in October -- we will be teaching women there to embrace God's design for them.

I will leave you with this scripture to ponder from Colossians 2:8: "Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ."

Doran Richards is the wife of Daniel (15 years) and mother to Joshua (14), Emilyne (12), Isaac (8), Elizabeth (6) and Ezra (2) -- praying for more, as the LORD sees fit.