Excellent Giveaway! Don't miss it!

I had the blessed pleasure of meeting Mrs. Victoria Botkin at last year's Vision Forum father daugher retreat. I spoke with her for some time, and was blessed through her motherly disposition, encouragement, wisdom, and abiding humility. She is a very wise woman with a wealth of knowledge to bestow to other ladies.

It is for this reason that I am so thrilled to announce the upcoming Evenings with Victoria Botkin mentoring sessions. I would highly encourage you to sign up for this wonderful opportunity; you won't want to miss it!

The Botkins have generously offered free registration to 3 winners. Please go to the following places to check out these great giveaways:

Life in a Shoe

Joyfully at Home

Generation Cedar (formally Families Against Feminism)

Great Sale Over at Noble Rose Press!

My dear friends Breezy and Emily Rose are hosting a wonderful sale over at Noble Rose Press!

Now through February 28th, you can purchase each collection of paper dolls for only $9.95 each with free shipping! Or, you can purchase all three collections for just $25.95 (again, free shipping!).

Be sure to hop on over to Noble Rose Press; you won't want to miss out on this great opportunity!

The Biblical Case for Stay-at-home Daughterhood Part 7

During the past couple weeks, we have had the privilege of studying the accounts of various stay-at-home daughters as featured in the Holy Scriptures, including Rebekah, Zipporah, and Rachel. While there are many stay-at-home daughters mentioned in the Bible, I am aware of only one account in the entire Bible of a young woman who went out on her own, void of her father’s protection. This example is by no means a positive one, either. As a result of this daughter’s actions, shame and reproach came upon her family. Rather than serving as a polished cornerstone in her father’s home, she was a disgrace who brought disaster upon her entire family line, through the simple act of going off on her own, likely unbeknownst to her father. This example I speak of is that of Jacob and Leah’s daughter, Dinah, as recorded in Genesis 34.

Dinah's Disgrace

We read, in Genesis 34:1, “And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.” Interestingly, this venture of Dinah’s was likely not even a going out to live alone. She was probably not intending to begin a new life during her unmarried years, living on her own. Various commentators, as well as the great historian, Josephus, comment that Dinah’s reason for going out independently was most likely in order to visit the girls of the land with the intention of learning from and attending a feast or ball with them.

Not only did she leave the protection of her father’s home in order to go out on her own and pursue her own plans, she likely did so without her father’s knowledge or permission. If she had simply been openly communicating with her father as we see daughters doing in Numbers 30, this likely would not have happened. Oh the dangerous, destructive binds we can find ourselves in when we do not seek our father’s wise counsel, authority, and advice!


In verse one we read of Dinah’s leaving her father’s home. Trouble is by no means slow in arriving, for in the very next verse, we read that Shechem, the son of Hamor, “saw her, took her, and lay with her, and defiled her.” Some believe that Shechem raped Dinah, while there are others who claim that the relationship was a consensual one. I happen to think that in this context, the phrase "took her" may very well support the view held by those who believe it was rape. Either way, this was a terribly wicked act of sin-one that could have been avoided had Dinah remained at home or had the protection of her father or older brothers when she went on her venture. Sadly, however, she rejected the protection offered by her home and family, and the result was a tragic one. If this were the end of the story, it would be proof enough of the dire importance of daughters remaining under the protection of their fathers. Unfortunately, however, this is not where the story ends-it gets much, much worse.



Shechem desired to marry Dinah, and in the following verses, he appeals to his father as well as Dinah’s family, to allow him to wed her. In verses 14 through 24, we read that, because Shechem was outside the covenant community and not one of God’s chosen people, Dinah’s family would not give her to him unless he, too, were circumcised. Shechem and his people agreed to this condition and proceeded to be circumcised. Shechem was joyful, for he believed that Dinah’s brothers would hold up their end of the deal, and he would soon be married to Dinah. However, we discover in verses 13, 25, and following that all along, Jacob’s sons had had no intention whatever to give Dinah to Shechem as wife. Verses 25-30 add insult to injury and plunge Jacob’s family into an even deeper abyss of sadness and destruction. Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, slew with the sword Shechem, Hamor, and all the men of their land. They went on to spoil the entire city in vengeance and stole all their possessions-their money, children, wives, and animals-taking them, as it were, prisoner. Verse 30 of this chapter is just as tragic as the first two verses, if not more so: “And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, ‘Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.”


Genesis 34 is filled with one tragic event after another. Dinah is defiled and robbed of her virginity, Simeon and Levi murder countless men and take their possessions as plunder, and now Jacob’s entire family line is ruined, hated, and in danger of being completely destroyed. What could have possibly been the root of this mayhem and caused this distruction? The seemingly little act of Dinah, an unmarried young woman, leaving her father’s house, void of his protection, counsel, and leadership. Granted, Shechem is certainly to blame for sinning against Dinah; he was by no means a saint and was in dire need of self-control! Likewise, Simeon and Levi were to blame for the horrible ravaging they committed against Shechem and his land. However, it is highly unlikely that any of this would have occurred, had Dinah remained under the protection of her father, in the sphere God had so wisely and lovingly designed for her, rather than shunning it and going off on her own.




Consider the following words of Matthew Poole, a Puritan from the 17th century:

“From her father’s house into the city, out of curiosity, there being then, as Josephus reports, a great concourse of people to a feast. Thus she put herself out of her father’s protection, and merely out of a vain humour exposed both herself and others to temptation; which was the worse, because it was amongst them that had no fear of God to restrain them from the most enormous crimes. She was now fourteen or fifteen years old.”1

Likewise, consider these words from well-known Bible commentator Matthew Henry:

“Dinah was, for aught that appears, Jacob’s only daughter, and we may suppose her therefore the mother’s fondling and the darling of the family, and yet she proves neither a joy nor a credit to them; for those children seldom prove either the best or the happiest that are most indulged. She is reckoned now but fifteen or sixteen years of age when she here occasioned so much mischief. Observe, 1. Her vain curiosity, which exposed her. She went out, perhaps unknown to her father, but by the connivance of her mother, to see the daughters of the land (v. 1); probably it was at a ball, or on some public day. Being an only daughter, she thought herself solitary at home, having none of her own age and sex to converse with; and therefore she must needs go abroad to divert herself, to keep off melancholy, and to accomplish herself by conversation better than she could in her father’s tents. Note, It is a very good thing for children to love home; it is parents’ wisdom to make it easy to them, and children’s duty then to be easy in it. Her pretence was to see the daughters of the land, to see how they dressed, and how they danced, and what was fashionable among them. She went to see, yet that was not all, she went to be seen too; she went to see the daughters of the land, but, it may be, with some thoughts of the sons of the land too. Note, The pride and vanity of young people betray them into many snares. 2. The loss of her honour by this means (v. 2); Shechem, the prince of the country, but a slave to his own lusts, took her, and lay with her, it should seem, not so much by force as by surprise. Note, Great men think they may do any thing; and what more mischievous than untaught and ungoverned youth? See what came of Dinah’s gadding: young women must learn to be chaste, keepers at home; these properties are put together, Tit. 2:5, for those that are not keepers at home expose their chastity. Dinah went abroad to look about her; but, if she had looked about her as she ought, she would not have fallen into this snare. Note, The beginning of sin is as the letting forth of water. How great a matter does a little fire kindle!”2

“Dinah, when she went to see the daughters of the land, lost her chastity. Those whose home is their prison, it is to be feared, feel that their chastity is their fetters.”3

Behold all the disastrous consequences that can follow when daughters go against God’s all-wise, ordained design of stay-at-home daughterhood and forsake the protection of their fathers!

Deuteronomy 22:27-A Tragic Situation

 

The biography of Dinah is, sadly, so very similar to that of the young woman mentioned in Deuteronomy 22:27. This is a heart-breaking passage that causes me to praise the Lord for the protection which my parents’ home affords me. This verse states, “For he found her in the field, and the betrothed damsel cried, and there was none to save her.” In the two verses which proceed this one, a law is laid down by God as to how a man should be treated who comes across a maiden alone in a field and proceeds to rape her. Notice the condition of helplessness in verse 27-and there was none to save her. It should be crystal clear why God has commanded fathers to care for, lead, and protect their unmarried daughters in their homes until they give them in marriage. Our God is desiring to save these young women from the horrific situation in which young woman in verse 27 found herself. Yet, in our day, those both inside and outside the Church are ever so intent upon breaking down the foundations of stay-at-home daughterhood, in the hopes of destroying this beloved doctrine and preventing young ladies from following in the footsteps thereof. This is simply unthinkable at best and downright hateful at worst. May we in Christendom who have shunned this doctrine repent of our folly, and realize the guilt we have when we push young women from their protective homes and families out into a dog-eat-dog world!

 

And so it Continues to This Day....

 

The account of Dinah, as well as the one addressed in Deuteronomy 22, are by no means archaic. The problem of unprotected, independent women being harassed is even more common in our day, in a time when the majority of today’s women are away on a college campus or in the workplace. Likewise, I addressed, in a previous article, the account of a 15 year old girl who was raped and abused at a school dance, with no one stepping in to protect or defend her. Consider, for example, the following horrific  statistics:

 

• 
  
   A college survey conducted by the National Victim Center reported that one in four college women have been raped or suffered attempted rape (Bureau of Justice, 1992).4
• 
  
   Approximately 32% of college students are victims of domestic violence5
• 
  
  While in college, 50 - 75% of women are sexually harassed, and 20 to 30% of college women report being sexually harassed by a professor6
• 
  
   Fifteen percent of all female violent crimes were committed while the victim was working or on duty.7
• 
  
   Approximately 36,500 rapes and sexual assaults occur annually in the workplace. In 80 percent of these incidents, the victim was female.8
  

This is tragic! And yet, in our day, if you are an adult woman and not on a college campus or busying yourself in the workplace, you are viewed as old-fashioned, unfulfilled, and strange. Is it any wonder that, in Numbers 30, the Lord commands fathers to protect and lead their unmarried daughters at home until they give them in marriage?

In Conclusion

 

The Holy Scriptures are replete with accounts of stay-at-home daughters. Interestingly, there is precisely one account-only one!- in the Bible that I am aware of which speaks of a daughter going off on her own. This example is by no means a positive nor praiseworthy one. I believe that, through it, the Lord is issuing forth to us a grave warning of the destruction that can-and so often does-take place when unmarried young women are sent off to be on their own-be that at a college dorm or in one’s own dwelling place, pursuing a career in the workforce.

Prevailing among Christendom today is the idea that the Bible speaks not to the issue of where unmarried young women should live. Others believe that if it does speak to this issue, it is simply by way of suggestion or the issuance of a good idea, or perhaps through some archaic, done-away-with command. However, this is clearly not the case. The Scriptures provide us with example after example of stay-at-home daughters, verses pertaining to stay-at-home daughterhood, and commands addressing the issue of where unmarried daughters are to live. In addition, we are provided with only one example of a daughter who forsook the protection of her father. If the Lord were indifferent as to where an unmarried woman lives, then He would have provided for us in His Word positive, heart-warming, good examples of unmarried daughters leaving their families and living on their own. However, this is simply not what we find in the Scriptures-and I believe we know precisely why this is!






Footnotes


1. Matthew Poole, Matthew Poole’s Commentary on the Holy Bible Vol. 1 (Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 2008) pg. 77


2. Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible (Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1991) pg. 73


3. Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible (Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1991) pg. 2370


4. http://www.aaets.org/article135.htm


5. http://www.feministcampus.org/fmla/printable-materials/v-day05/violence_against_women.pdf


6. Ibid.


7. http://www.aflcio.org/issues/jobseconomy/women/violence.cfm


8. Ibid.

Prayer Request

Well, we're requesting prayer for my great-grandma and great uncle Glen in Indiana again! Some weeks ago, I asked for prayer for them. Mammy (my great-grandma) had fallen and was terribly week like she had been last winter. She was doing much better (and had been off the walker she had had to use since the fall), but then received some terrible news.


As some of you know, one of my great-grandmother's other sons, Leeland, (who was living in Florida) lost his job some months ago and went to live with them. Lately, he hadn't been feeling well (for example, he was nauseous practically all the time). He had really bad stomach pains at the beginning of the week and Glen took him to the ER. They've kept him there since then and have run various tests, some of which show that he very likely has liver, stomach, and colon cancer (and perhaps even others). The doctor is not very optimistic. As you can imagine, my great-grandma is blaming herself and is not doing well at all through all this.



Glen's pastor is meeting with Leeland today in about an hour. He is not saved. In fact, he claimed to be an atheist for some time, and only in the past couple years has come to believe that there is a God. He is the kind of person who feels invincible, however, and so therefore does not believe he has any need for God. Please pray that Leeland would actually listen to what the pastor has to say, and that the Lord would save him. His salvation has been a huge prayer request for some time now, and so we're very thankful that he will be meeting with the pastor today. Though we are all upset about his medical problems, if this is what the Lord uses to bring him to Himself, it will all be worth it.

 

Thank you all so much for your prayers!

Another Noble Rose Press Giveaway! :)

As many of you know, my dear friends Breezy and her sister Emily Rose Brookshire began their wonderful home business, Noble Rose Press, just last year. They have designed three collections of beautiful, historical paper dolls, in the hopes of encourging girls to love history and delight in Biblical womanhood. To view the dolls, please click here!

My dear friend Jasmine Baucham is currently hosting a giveaway for these dolls here, so be sure to check that out, as well!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Speaking of dear Breezy, she is currently working on a wonderful project which I have been meaning to share with you. As you know, Haiti was struck by a terrible earthquake (and multiple aftershocks) in January, killing countless men, women, and children, and leaving many others without food or shelter. Vision Forum sent a team down there to care for the needs of the survivers, both physical and spiritual. The team flew back home last night, but will be returning to Haiti next month. They are in need of donations, that they might serve the Haitians to the best of their ability. To meet this need, Breezy, who is a very talented artist, has begun work on a series of paintings which she will be selling in her Etsy shop; all proceeds will go to Vision Forum's ministry to Haiti, Rescue Haiti's Children. Please check out her work here, and consider making a purchase!

Thank you!

A Delightful Tea!

In May of '09, Daddy took us to a Chattanooga Lookouts (the local AA baseball team) game. One of which Mama and I didn't see much of the last half! :) This was because a sweet young woman named Rebekah had noticed that we were wearing skirts, and wanted to come to thank us for that. She said it was a great encouragement to her to see other ladies wearing modest skirts-at a baseball game no less! That is what began a long, wonderful conversation, a conversation which sparked a wonderful friendship. We have been so blessed and encouraged through knowing Rebekah and her mother, and are amazed that the Lord used a baseball game to bring us together. :) It's a neat little story!

Rebekah's birthday was February 4th, and a couple days prior, she held a wonderful tea party in honor of the special day. What a wonderful time we all had together!

Mrs. Snyder looks on as Rebekah opens her first gift!

The beautiful table and delicious food!

 Do you see that cup and saucer? Rebekah was so very kind in buying that set for me from a local tea room. I had been helping her edit a book she's working on, and this is what she gave me in return! I told her I wasn't expecting anything, but she insisted. :) I was blown away with the wonderful gift. I had been wanting a teacup and saucer from an actual tea room, but had just never purchased one. Our Lord works in mysterious ways! :)

Mama enjoys visiting with Rebekah's mom, Mrs. Grisso

This is the card from me! :)

Mrs. White, me, Rebekah, and Mama

One very special aspect of the tea was that those invited were not simply a group of girls of approximately the same age. It was so refreshing to see that there were older women at this tea, as well. So often today, younger girls and older women are segregated, unable to spend much time together. This really hinders Titus 2 ministry, and keeps young women from learning how to interact with and enjoy sweet Christian fellowship with older women, wives and mothers. I so enjoyed laughing with and learning from these older women during the most delightful tea. The presence of those sweet ladies there made the party even more delightful.

I would encourage you young women to search out the older ladies at your church or in your extended family, and begin to develop friendships with them. Seek their advice, heed their wise counsel, and simply enjoy the special, fun time of fellowship that you can have with these dear ladies. You won't regret it!

More Sweet Visitors! :)

Here is another little sparrow that appeared Saturday afternoon!

Isn't this precious? I thought this was the perfect shot! :) So wintery! And, with the red of the bushes, it looks a little Christmasy, too.

Here's a bonus picture for you:

Amazing, isn't it? I simply could not resist catching this on camera! Yet another example of our Lord's beautiful creativity!

It's That Time Again!

Well, it's Friday, and that means it's time for the next stay-at-home daughterhood article!


However, our study of Dinah will come next Friday instead. I've had to postpone this next article as a result of schedule changes that have occured. As I mentioned the other day, Daddy has had to work quite a bit more lately than is normal, causing him to be more worn out after a long day's work. Daddy tends to go over my articles on Fridays, but this Friday has been a little different.


Also, as I'm sure you can understand, my life itself has been even busier lately, as well. This is my senior year of homeschool highschool, I'm working on a book project, and researching for, writing, and re-writing an article a week is at times a daunting task! Therefore, the next article in the stay-at-home daughterhood article series will not be posted today, but rather next Friday, February 19th.


In the mean time however, I did want to provide you with a list of the current articles in this series, so that if you have missed one or more of the articles, you can read them as you prepare for the release of the next one!

Introduction to the Stay-at-home Daughterhood Article Series

Beginning at the Beginning: The Lord's Beautiful Plan, Design, and Purpose for Womanhood Part 1

Beginning at the Beginning: The Lord's Beautiful Plan, Design, and Purpose for Womanhood Part 2

Beginning at the Beginning: The Lord's Beautiful Plan, Design, and Purpose for Womanhood Part 3

Beginning at the Beginning: The Lord's Beautiful Plan, Design, and Purpose for Womanhood Part 4

The Biblical Case for Stay-at-home Daughterhood Part 1

The Biblical Case for Stay-at-home Daughterhood Part 2

The Biblical Case for Stay-at-home Daughterhood Part 3

The Biblical Case for Stay-at-home Daughterhood Part 4

The Biblical Case for Stay-at-home Daughterhood Part 5

The Biblical Case for Stay-at-home Daughterhood Part 6

May the Lord bless your time of reading!

Please return next week for an eye-opening study of Dinah from Genesis 34!

Precious Little Visitors!

Here in Tennessee, we have discovered lately that for some reason, the birds in our area are simply enthralled with the snow! :) When it begins to snow just a little, it seems that all the birds come out and begin pecking around for food, or simply enjoy the feeling of sitting out in the falling snow. They continue to have a joyous time the more it snows.

The Lord has blessed our area with another beautiful snow today, and we were blessed with two precious little visitors earlier this morning, when the snow first began to fall.

This little blue bird swept in for a landing on our back roof. He just sat up there, peering down at the ground for a few minutes, and then suddenly flew to the ground and captured some lunch!

One of the blessings of having a row of nice, thick trees in our backyard is the benefit of having many varying birds come in for some southern hospitality (and some good bird seed, too!). :)

I wish you could see the bird more closely, but this darling little sparrow arrived at the bird bath in our front yard. Sadly for him, most of the water therein was frozen. Needless to say, we've beheld many little birdies skating on our birdbath lately! ;) It's always so cute to see them walk across the surface, but it's also sad, as well, that they are unable to partake of the water.

As you can see, Piper enjoyed the birdie's visit, too!

To Spend Time with Siblings or not to Spend Time with Siblings....That is the Question!

Every day we are faced with choices-opportunities for us to either make decisions that will benefit ourselves and others and glorify God, or ones that we will later deeply regret.

A couple months ago, I was faced with just such a choice. Dinner and the dishes were completed and taken care of. All that was left was the folding and putting away of the freshly cleaned towels, after which I planned to call a dear friend of mine from church. I was just about finished with the folding and was preparing to put the laundry away when in came my brother, Andrew, asking if I would help him put together his train track. I was very surprised to receive this request. When was the last time he had asked me something like this? I was immediately convicted. I realized then and there that I obviously had not been spending the time that I should have with him. I would not have been so shocked by such a request from him had I regularly been there for him, helping him and spending value time with him.

Nevertheless, I'm ashamed to say that the selfish part of me did emerge-the part of me that wanted to do what I wanted when I had planned to do it. Thankfully, the Lord gave me the strength needed to resist the temptation to tell Andrew that I'd help him later. The truth was, helping my dear brother, who, in the blink of an eye, may not be all that interested in toy trains, was far more important than calling my dear friend that evening.

Do you know what I discovered through my obedience to Christ? I had been missing out on quite a lot of fun with my little brother! Andrew and I laughed and laughed.....and laughed some more as we attempted to put the track and train together and again when the train entertained us greatly with its antics of coming apart after it went around the track a couple times. Needless to say, we shared many laughs and a special brother sister moment that night that will never be forgotten. One thing's for sure-we never know what tomorrow may bring, but whatever it does bring, we will always have those special memories.

What would have happened, though, if I had not made the God-honoring choice that evening? I would have lost out on one of the most precious moments of my life. I would have lived with the guilt that pushing my brother away when he reached out to me for help would have brought me. Andrew will only be at this age for so long and one day in the not too far distant future he and I will likely be living in separate homes, caring for families of our own.

So, what about you? The ball's now in your court and there's a question you must ask yourself. Will you make the right choice today, or will you live with the remorse that bad decisions will leave you? Will you take that little sibling of yours by the hand and spend valuable time with him or her? Perhaps your situation is different. Perhaps you are the younger sibling. Will you reach out to that big brother or sister of yours? You won't regret it if you do! But you may very well regret it if you choose not to spend time making sweet memories with them. I think we too often put our friends ahead of our family. Friends are no doubt important, but God has blessed you with the family he's put you into and it's up to you to love them, encourage and support them, and build them up!

The choice is yours today. What will you decide?

*above photo of Andrew and I, Christmas morning 2007

The Biblical Case for Stay-at-home Daughterhood Part 6

Last time, we had the opportunity to study the life of Rebekah from Genesis 24. We discovered that not only was she a stay-at-home daughter, but she was also certainly deserving of the title “polished cornerstone”, due to her godly service and productivity in her father’s home. We studied Leviticus 22:13, as well, and learned that not only is stay-at-home daughterhood normative in the Scriptures, but God also outlined a system by which abandoned women who had lost their husbands would also be cared for and protected.



Today, we will study the lives of numerous other stay-at-home daughters. Before we do so, however, I want us to quickly learn from the lives of sisters-in-law Ruth and Orpah, whose stories also clearly outline the order described in Leviticus 22:13-the practice of divorced or widowed women returning to live with family members.

Ruth and Orpah

In Ruth 1:5, we read that both Ruth’s husband, as well as Orpah’s, died while they were living in Moab. In verse 8, their mother-in law, Naomi, admonishes them to, “Go, return each to her mother’s house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.” Noteworthy is the fact that, following the death of their husbands, Ruth and Orpah were told to return to live with their families. Why would this be if they had not been living there up until the time they married? If they had been on their own as daughters today are, then they would simply return to that lifestyle. Clearly, as in the examples given in Leviticus 22:13 and Genesis 38:11, daughters not only remained with their families until marriage, but they also returned to their family’s dwelling after the death of their husbands. At no time were they out on their own, independent from the protection, oversight, and provision of their parents.

This continuity in Scripture continues on through the account of Ruth and Orpah. In verse 15 of Ruth 1, we discover that Orpah has indeed chosen to return to her childhood home. Ruth, however, no longer desires the false gods of Moab and has no desire to return to her childhood home, for she now knew the one true God and desired to be with His people. So, what did she do? Did she decide to purchase her own dwelling, begin a career, and live on her own? By no means! Rather than going to live with her parents in the pagan city of Moab, she desired to follow her mother-in-law, Naomi, as she returned to the godly city of Bethlehem (verses 16-17), and to take up residence with her there. So, we see that neither Ruth nor Orpah lived a solitary life following the deaths of their husbands. Orpah went to her mother’s house, and Ruth went to live with her mother-in-law.


This account represents not only the existence of the deep love and care which the Lord has for women who have lost their husbands, but also makes clear the design of stay-at-home daughterhood which God has set forth. It is a beautiful illustration of the glories of God’s wisdom and grace in providing women with a safeguard and means of protection and care. As I’ve expressed before, what a loving and caring God we serve!




Now let us turn to a study of the lives of other stay-at-home daughters mentioned in the Bible!

Rachel

We are first introduced to Rachel in Genesis 29, when Jacob arrives at her father Laban’s home. Previously, in chapter 28, we read of Jacob leaving (again, sons leave, but daughters are given!) home to find a wife among the household of Bethuel. Genesis 29:9 makes it clear that Rachel is residing at home, caring daily for her father’s sheep. She, being a grown woman, not only lived at home with her father (verses 9, 12, and 19), but was also diligent in making him and his household productive and fruitful. She was under the care of her father, caring for his sheep, until the time of her marriage. Rachel, like Rebekah, was clearly a stay-at-home daughter who worked with a servant’s heart to further the assets and industry of her household. She, too, served as a polished cornerstone!

Leah

Next in our list of stay-at-home daughters mentioned in the Bible, we come to Rachel’s sister, Leah. Leah was older than Rachel, but due to the fact that she was yet unmarried, she was dwelling in her father’s house along with her younger sister (as is made clear by verse 23; note-by referencing this verse, I am intending to simply show the fact that Leah was at home with her father; I do not, however, approve of the sin that takes place in this verse!). We are not told very much regarding Leah’s day-to-day life in her father’s home, but it does become clear through the reading of Genesis 29 that she was provided for by her father both prior to her marriage and at the time of her union with Jacob (verse 24; please note, however, that I am by no means advocating Laban’s sin of fooling Jacob and allowing polygamy! While he is to be commended for providing for and caring for the needs of his unmarried daughters, he was definitely not perfect!). While the passage of Genesis 29 leaves a lot to be desired in the areas of purity and honesty, it does represent to us the fact that, Biblically, daughters were expected to remain at home until marriage, and fathers were to lead, protect, and provide for them until they married.

Zipporah and her Sisters

To complete today’s study of Biblical stay-at-home daughters, we will turn to Exodus and learn from Reuel’s (also known as Jethro) daughter and Moses’ future wife, Zipporah, and her sisters.

Exodus 2:16,18 reveal that Reuel, the priest of Midian, had seven daughters, all of whom were living under his roof and caring for his flock. Not one of these daughters was pining away in an ivory tower in her father’s home, wasting her time, just waiting for Prince Charming to come. Neither were they feeling sorry for themselves, that they were living at home with Reuel rather than “out in the world”. Likewise, not one daughter complained of drudgery. Rather, each one was actively serving her father and furthering the welfare of his household. Again, they were living examples of faithful, dutiful, polished cornerstones! In verse 21, Reuel gives (there’s that word give again!) his daughter Zipporah to Moses, and so the transition from a submissive and industrious daughter-at-home to the status of wife and homemaker, is a smooth one.

As an additional note, I want to mention the fact that Reuel’s protection and care for his daughter Zipporah did not completely end when he gave her to Moses. Yes, Zipporah now had a new head and a new provider, but when the time came for Moses to leave to fight against Amalek (Exodus 17), Moses sent his wife to her father’s home (Ex. 18:2) to be cared for there during his absence. Here is another example of Leviticus 22:13 in action-when a woman’s husband leaves for one reason or another, she is not left alone, but is rather cared for again by her family at home, just as she was prior to marriage. Another beautiful example of this is that of Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson and his wife Anna. Prior to marriage, Anna dwelt with her family in their homestead, Cottage Home.1 After they were married and the time came for Jackson to leave in order to fight in the War Between the States, Anna went to live with Mr. and Mrs. Page. Mr. Bill Potter, in his excellent work Beloved Bride, recounts what happened next, “In May [of 1861], pursuant to his [Thomas’] wishes, she closed up their Lexington home, sent the family servants to ‘good homes among the permanent residents,’ and moved back to Cottage Home in North Carolina.”2 While some might call this being treated like a doormat and child, I believe that Stonewall held in his heart such a tender, caring, protective love for his beloved wife, that he desired for her to be cared for and protected well while he was away. What a blessing this must have been, ladies! Just like Moses, Jackson did not want his wife to be alone worrying while he was away in the War. Rather, he wanted her to be surrounded with family and friends, and cared for lovingly during this difficult time while he was absent.

In Conclusion

And so concludes our study of stay-at-home daughters in the Bible! As you can see, not only was stay-at-home daughterhood commanded (Num. 30) and referred to (Ps. 45:10,13; 144:12, 1 Cor. 7:36-38), but the Lord also provided us with examples of women living at home until marriage.



As was evident through this study, great blessings are to be had when family dynamics are conducted in such a way as to have adult daughters remain at home until marriage. Just as the glories and blessings of this practice are both numerous and evident, however, so are the dire consequences which often follow an unmarried daughter’s departure from home. We will be addressing this next Friday, when we study the tragic account of Dinah.



*Please note that I am not saying above that a divorced or widowed woman is necessarily living in sin if she lives alone. More on that later, in an upcoming article!



Footnotes




1. Bill Potter, Beloved Bride: The Letters of Stonewall Jackson to His Wife, (The Vision Forum, Inc.) pg. 14



2. Ibid. pg. 41

A Whirlwind of Activities!

Just when one thinks that they know what the future week may hold, the complete unexpected occurs! :)


As you can tell from my most recent post before this one, I had every intention upon posting the next stay-at-home daughterhood article last Saturday. Well, needless to say, that did not happen. Much occured this past week, which I will share more on soon. However, I am currently working on that very article, and should be able to post it by no later than tomorrow. Daddy has had to work quite a bit more lately, so his schedule of when he's able to read over the articles has changed. Therefore, I should be able to post it sometime tonight perhaps, but if not, for sure by tomorrow.


Now that my picture procedure is up and running again, I can't wait to show you some pictures of our snow from last weekend. That will be coming soon (I have to save them to the computer first!), as will pictures from a delightful tea a friend of mine had Tuesday in honor of her birthday. Stay tuned! :)