I was supposed to speak at our Local this past week but became sick the day of. In the message I had prepared, the Lord laid heavy on my heart the idea of the quiet life, especially as a woman. That we can bring anxieties upon ourselves when we don’t live the quiet lives God calls us to. Obviously what I was going to speak on was more than that, the fourth and final week of Letters to the Anxious Heart. But now that I didn’t get to speak and I had this blog also coming up, that meant I could narrow down on the part that was heaviest on my heart. A quiet life. So I open up LO’s website to see the flow of the other blogs and the first one I see is Raylee’s “To Lead a Quiet Life.”

Mind blown.

Jaw dropped.

Stopped in my tracks.

“Lord, what are you telling me??”

Is it a sign for me? Or is it a sign that this really needs to be talked about?

I hesitated writing about it because someone already did. But I realize my POV is completely different and having both would be beneficial for the women reading. Thinking maybe God put it on both of our hearts for a reason. That He is moving among this generation and calling us back to our roots.

May sound dramatic, but it’s so real.

Even still, I feel God speaking to me personally. To stick to my quiet life, not doing too much too fast. As I started to feel a little under the weather last week, I prayed that if it wasn’t meant to be for me to speak then I would be sick, but if it was meant to be then I wouldn’t be sick.

I got sick.

And then I recalled the message from church on Sunday and how the pastor challenged us with three things, the first being to “slow one decision down.” I remember thinking about the fact that I said yes to speak and wondered if that was the decision I needed to slow down… Everything seems to be falling into place the way the Lord needed it to. My own point, I needed to hear it. Be reminded of it.

A quiet life.

What does God say about a quiet life for a woman?

I’m glad you asked 🙂

1 Thessalonians 4:11

“To aspire to lead a quiet life, to attend to your own business, and to work with your hands, as we commanded you.”

1 Peter 3:1-6

“Let your beauty not be external — the braiding of hair and wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes — but the inner person of the heart, the lasting beauty of a gentle and tranquil spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.” 

1 Timothy 2:9-15

“Likewise the women are to dress in suitable apparel, with modesty and self-control. Their adornment must not be with braided hair and gold or pearls or expensive clothing, but with good deeds, as is proper for women who profess reverence for God. A woman must learn quietly with all submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man. She must remain quiet. For Adam was formed first and then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman, because she was fully deceived, fell into transgression. But she will be delivered through childbearing, if she continues in faith and love and holiness with self-control.”

Over the past few years, I have learned to appreciate the quiet life. I began to understand what the Lord meant, what He wanted for me. For us, as His daughters. Culture will try to tell you otherwise. That you don’t need a man, that you don’t need to have children, that you don’t need to make a home. That you do need to show off your body, that you do need to “follow your heart,” that you do need to have fun while you can.

But God calls us to a higher purpose. It’s literally what we are made for, it’s running through our veins. At least, I feel it anyways. The deepest desire of my being is to glorify God through marriage and a family. To be a submissive wife and present mother. To be a homemaker. Homesteader. Anyone else?? (I know sourdough is really trendy right now hahaha)

Obviously every woman’s life looks different, and that doesn’t make one better than the other. But it all starts with a quiet life.

The quiet life of a woman who fears the Lord. Who humbly serves Him, not for show. Not for applause. Not for the mainstream life or keeping up with the trends. Not trying to prove “women can do it too” but letting the men of God serve the way God intended them to, and the women of God to embrace their role in His Kingdom too. A life fully surrendered to God. Minding her own business. Working with her own hands. Whatever that may look like for you.

(Side note: Writing this, I understand some women aren’t in a relationship. Or some women can’t have children. But what I also know is our submission is to Christ first. The quiet life is for Christ first. Even still, I believe God doesn’t put desires in our hearts that He can’t fulfill in one way or the other.)

I’d say growing up I didn’t live a quiet life. All through high school I did the sports, joined the clubs and chased the 4.0. Won awards, desired to be homecoming queen, and all the silly things we care about at that age like social media too. I thought it all paid off when I signed to play softball after high school.

Even further, I don’t think “no” was even in my vocabulary when anyone asked me to do things. I was a people pleaser, not in a bad way, but it could very well be a draining way. It wasn’t until my sophomore year of college that a teammate (and sister in Christ) checked me. She taught me how to say “no” and I appreciate that more than she knows, to this day.

I still didn’t have it figured out then. Going on 12 years of playing softball, being on a team and always around friends — even living with them the last 2 of those 12 years. So once I walked away from that sport, the quiet drove me insane.

I moved back home and it was the hardest season of my life. Home didn’t feel like home.

New “home.” New job. New major. New school… bigger school. I walked to classes alone. I ate lunch alone. I did new things alone. It was depressing to say the least. I didn’t even feel like making new friends. The friends I already had at home were living a different life on a different schedule.

God slowed me down. He met me in the quiet. Looking back now, I can see that season as a turning point in my life. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. It drew me closer to Him. He literally felt like my best friend.

I realize none of those things I was chasing after even mattered in the grand scheme of things. What made it even better was not having social media. Not having to perform, not having to keep up with everyone or feel like I’m missing out. Plus, it shows you who your real friends are — and they’re right when they say, “quality over quantity.”

A quiet life.

Not everyone has to have access to you all the time. Not everyone has to know what you’re up to, what you’ve been doing or where you are. Stay humble and cherish the life God’s given you. Protect it. It’s not a show people need to watch, it’s not on display for people to “ooh” and “ahh” over.

It’s a gift. Steward it well.

Years later I can see the fruit of the quiet life He is calling me to. And sometimes I even feel guilty, like I should be doing more. But I have grown to love and appreciate my own home, my own relationship, my own family (and the future family I dream of). My responsibilities. I also recently heard multiple people talk about what our ministries are personally, and if you don’t start with your own family then how can you serve others?

Not every woman’s “quiet life” looks exactly like what I’m talking about, but I encourage you to not be afraid to be what a woman is truly meant to be. What a woman of God is defined as in the Scriptures, not by the culture we live in.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with being gentle, quiet and submissive. Actually, it’s everything right!

When we try to take control, be the boss, live up to the world’s standards or keep up with the men, we miss out on the beautiful things God has in store for us. The noise gets loud and we can’t hear Him clearly. We get exhausted, anxious and overwhelmed.

We were made for different reasons, why defy that?

I challenge you, sister, to embrace what a woman of God truly is. Whatever that may look like for you. But it starts with a quiet life.