I Am Not An Independent Woman - A Letter From An Independent Woman

My Dearest,

If you've read my blog, you know that one of my missions is to help women get inspiration from other women so that they may find & do what they love. Encouraging & motivating my sisters is something I take very seriously & hold dear to my heart. I want women to realize their strength, worth, & place in the world (no, it's not in the kitchen - unless you want to be a chef, then you go, girl). I have become sucked into this dream of becoming a self-made, independent woman. Truth is, if I was anywhere near becoming that person, my life would undeniably suck.

As hard as I tried to be, I am not an independent woman, & I can thank God for that. I am not self-made, I am made after His own image. I depend on God for my every breath. If I was independent, I would do whatever wanted. If I did whatever I wanted, the consequences would consume me until I would inevitably implode. My life has been shaped by my Creator, & He has molded me an amazing life. "But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ...," (Galatians 6:14, ESV). Nothing that I have is because of my own doing. Anything good about my person is because He has made me this way, not because I am responsible for any of it. If I was self-made, I don't think I would even want to know me. But His grace has saved me & turned me into someone worthy of love.

Don't get me wrong, I 100% believe that women (& everyone for that matter) should find their own voice & use it for good in the world. I think it's important to strip yourself away from the idea society wants you to become. Find your own dream, don't force yourself into one that somebody else wants for you. Be your own person with your own thoughts & views. But we are not really our own. He has bought us with His blood & we are His children. So do all these things, but in light of who He is & who He has made you to be. Be your own person apart from everyone else & in part with the dreams He put into your heart. Live out the destiny that God has planned for you.

I am not an independent woman, & that is okay with me. Humans are not made to do life alone. We need each other in every moment. I depend on so many people, & life is good that way. It is time to lay our pride down & notice just how much we rely on other people. We are dependent on those around us & that is what builds community. If we were all independent women & men, we wouldn't even talk to each other.

Pursue your dreams, pursue happiness, but do not do so at the cost of leaving people who matter behind. Be dependent, but stand up for yourself when you need to. Don't try to be self-made, because you aren't, & you never will be. Find out who you are from Truth. This doesn't make you weak, it makes you smart, which in the end makes you strong.

Love,

A not so independent woman