Portrait of the Ideal Virtuous Woman

The virtuous woman is an idealized woman, a composite of many capable women. After all, not all people have the same skills. Some women’s strengths are in music or art. Others may be in mathematics, teaching, or business. Some are better managers and organizers than others. While some women may excel at coming up with ideas, others may be more skilled at creating or producing what has been invented by someone else. No one excels at everything.

Some women work for several years after high school or college before marrying. Others, for one reason or another, do not marry at all. Does this mean that unmarried women cannot be Proverbs 31 women? No. Marriage and motherhood are not prerequisites for the successful Christian female’s life. The essential characteristics of the Proverbs 31 woman can be applied to the the single woman, too.

The model woman described in Proverbs is a portrait of ideal womanhood. The focus of this portrait is a woman’s relationship with God, not her specific abilities or marital status. The Proverbs 31 woman realizes that regardless of her natural talents or acquired skills, or all her accomplishments, her strength comes from God.

Who is a virtuous woman today? Proverbs 31 tells you that it is the woman who puts God first. The ideal woman of Proverbs 31 should encourage all women everywhere. Cultures change, but this woman’s God-inspired character still shines brightly across the centuries.

6 Ways to Praise God

Of course there are several ways to give the Almighty God praise and He is due all of our praise for all He has done and for who He is...
I love to refer to this beautiful psalm!

1 Praise the LORD.
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.

2 Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.

3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,

4 praise him with tambourine and dancing,
praise him with the strings and flute,

5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.

6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.

Psalm 150

Characteristics of a Virtuous Woman

The majority of Proverbs 31 describes a virtuous woman who leads her home with integrity, discipline and giftedness. This wife and mother is a leader not because she tries to be one, but because of who she is.

Her Assets
She is trustworthy (v.11)
She is a positive influence (v.12)
She is a hard worker vv.13, 14, 19, 24-27)
She is a planner vv.21, 22)
She is protective(v.27)

Her Achievements
She meets the needs of her home (v.15)
She invests for her household (v.16)
She keeps herself in shape (v.17)
She helps her husband become successful (v.23)

Her Attitudes
Delightful (v.13)
Healthy (v.18)
Compassionate (v.20)
Unselfish (v.20)
Public (v.25)

Her Applause
From her family (v.28)
From her husband (vv.28,29)
From God's Word (v.30)
From her works (v.31)

Proverbs 31: 29 and 30 says "Many daughters have done well, but you excel them all… a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised."

So, in the final analysis, what are you trying to hold on to… your role as a homemaker, housekeeper, mother, wife or is it to "fear the LORD" and live a directed life?
I know which one I'm striving for and I also know that in my pursuit of putting Him first, it's inevitable that I will become a better homemaker, housekeeper, mother and wife.

The Secret Revealed

Once again, I have come to a point in my writing where I see the need for change. While they say change is the only constant in this life, I beg to differ. The most important thing to remember is the Lord Jesus never changes. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:8

The general purpose of this blog to begin with was for me to have an outlet and hopefully give some insight or inspiration to others reading it. Of course I still want others to enjoy my scribbles and I want to use it as an outlet for my mental and emotional health. I will also often blog about everyday life as a wife, mother, friend, etc. Part of being a virtuous woman is having stability in all of the areas I tend to focus on: mental, physical, and spiritual health.

Now, I want to bring the focus back to God and becoming the woman God wants me to become. I changed my title because I have a strong desire to be a virtuous woman. On this journey, I hope other women will join me on this quest. As for the men reading my posts, I pray that you will find that virtuous woman God has for you. "He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD." Proverbs 18:22

As you may have already known, the secret of The Virtuous Woman is already revealed in Proverbs 31 and it is in no way a secret. God wants women to be virtuous. In using the term the secret of the virtuous woman, I am speaking to my personal everyday opinions, reviews, suggestions, and thoughts on everyday things that may not be known to others except through my writings. Thus, I am the virtuous woman and my post will reveal the secret to becoming a virtuous woman like me. I am in no way saying I am perfect, but I am perfecting and speaking to the fact that if not already, I will become a virtuous woman. "As it is written: ... calls things that are not as though they were." Romans 4:17
Look for more on the secret in post to come...