When "Girl Power" Meets "God's Power"
The “Girl Power” movement of the last few decades is alive and well.
In fact, I’m a product of it. I grew up idolizing Charlotte Doyle, Scout Finch, Meg Murray, Kit Tyler, Anne Shirley, and that girl who survived on an island of blue dolphins. Consequently, I’ve never doubted I can do anything.
And consequently, I'm ALL for equal rights, education, and freedom from bondage (that so many of our sisters face). But it sometimes seems like the way the world would like me to express my belief in the power of women can turn into something I don’t feel good about. When claiming our power starts to mean we take the feminine out of being female, sometimes turning our nose at marriage and motherhood or objectifying women's bodies, I can no longer stand by quietly.
This is not power to me.
This is why I was practically on my feet, fist pumping the air when I heard President Nelson’s talk, “A Plea to My Sisters” from the April 2015 session of General Conference.
He described a woman of true power as one who has love, truth, faith, peace, conviction, and wisdom. She is devoted, strong, courageous, covenant-keeping, righteous, articulate, happy, organized, gifted, and intuitive. She uses executive abilities to plan, direct, administer, teach, discern, lead, and speak out with power and authority from God. To me, his description of righteous women felt like GIRL POWER meeting GOD’S POWER.
Wonder Woman, eat your heart out.
We are living fulfillment of the prophecy in Joel, which states, “I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, . . . and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit” (Joel 2:28–29).
Can you feel it? There's a rising. A "hastening." A movement of women answering God's call to step into their own true divine power.
We've felt it too.
So much so that we've spent the last year creating music in response to President Nelson's call to "step forward! Take your rightful and needful place in your home, in your community, and in the kingdom of God—more than you ever have before."
Each track on this album was created to empower and support each other as we seek for ways to answer Elder Nelson’s call. Together, we can do this.
So here's the invitation:
Seek for where the Lord is asking you to step forward.
Is it in your home?
In your community?
Or in His kingdom?
This will look differently for each of us. Your step could be something small, such as committing to spend 15 minutes a day with each child. Or it could be something more intense, like taking a class, or gathering clothing for refugees. The great part is you don’t have to decide-- because God already knows what step He wants you to take.
Your job is finding out what that is.
Because stepping forward is about personal revelation. It's about courageously turning your life over to the Lord. This can be unsettling, but when you allow God to direct your life, you step into your own divine power. Because no version of “you” will be stronger than the version He designs.
Send us your stories!
Over the next few months on our blog, we will be spotlighting stories of women who have stepped forward in their home, community, or the kingdom (if you or someone you know has a story to share, please leave us a comment on this post, find us on Facebook or Instagram and let us know!) We will also be offering many ideas and resources as you consider what step God wants you to take next. But chances are, you already know.
Is it in your home? Perhaps regularly dating your spouse or improving FHE? Is it in the community? Volunteering at the school or forming a neighborhood Bible study? Maybe it’s in the kingdom? Digging deeper into your own scripture study or sharing your testimony online? As righteous women of God, it is our duty, our privilege, to lead and minister our families and others along His path. In one of these places, God is calling you.
Because YOU are a Wonder Woman in His army.
And it’s time to step forward.