Every time I read Proverbs 31, this picture of a woman who vigorously works, creates, and perfects her passion encourages my heart and mind. While I have zero plans to spin wool or plant a vineyard, I admire her guts and grace. These verses are not meant to be a measuring stick for us but a celebration of the qualities of a woman who knows who she is and what she is gifted to do. She represents someone who doesn’t quit, who doesn’t let the years pass her by without being a woman of virtue and laboring over her passions.
A number of years ago Jodi, a mentor of mine, sat across from me at her kitchen table as we sipped coffee and ate leftover Christmas Bundt cake. We chatted about the life of a writer and Bible teacher. I sheepishly admitted to her that I felt gimmicky and self-indulgent as I tried to share my writing with the world through magazine and editorial pitches (this was before I began blogging). As someone whose work depends on public consumption, it can be exhausting to put your life’s story and ideas (albeit edited) out there for the world to see. In her kind and powerful voice she responded, “Tiffany, the Proverbs 31 woman knew what she had was good. Now, you may not be selling linen scarves, but your words, both written and spoken, are good. Never apologize for sharing them with the world.” I was never the same after Jodi’s encouragement. She spoke those words into my heart years before I ever had a piece of work published, but it changed my outlook in an instant.
I spent the next several years tapping the keys on my keyboard with words of encouragement, honesty, and all the truth I could muster. I knew there were women—at least a handful—on the other end of my thoughts, reading the narratives of hope and courage I shared. Ten years and a couple of books and Bible studies later, I carry the same conviction I carried then. My words matter. This is my gift to the world. I am committed to a work that sparks joy within my own heart and, if all goes as planned, in the hearts of those who read it. I’ll be honest, it is not easy but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Most days, after wrestling with my wild little boys, I sneak up to my office to write. I hear all kinds of sounds around the corner—rattle, clank, bang, bong coming from the living room as they do as little boys do; but I’ve learned to fight the urge to check on them. Their dad is fully capable of handling their chaos. My passion and purpose demand time and attention—something my heart cannot afford to pass up.
With the New Year around the corner, I ask, what about you? What is something your heart cannot afford to pass up?
Excerpted from the book She Dreams: Live the Life You Were Created For, Tiffany Bluhm, Ó 2019 by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved. Available for pre-order.
