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What Influences Shaped Your Understanding of Femininity?

by Bonnie White, Women’s Minister

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No matter who you are or what experiences you have had in your life, there are influences that have shaped how you think about yourself as a woman or femininity. Your personal experiences, family connections, religious or non-religious upbringing, the culture in which we live, etc., all convey what it means to be a woman.  

These messages create beliefs and feelings about whether being a woman is a wonderful or not-so-wonderful thing. They create expectations about what a woman should or should not do and categories of what a woman is or is not. These categories and expectations then create shame when women feel like they do not fit certain molds or fulfill certain expectations, leaving some women feeling less than others. They either constantly strive to be the "right" kind of woman by whatever definition they have come up with or simply throw off the mold altogether and reject the image they (read the rest of the story here)…

The Feminine Mystique

by Ricky Chelette, Executive Director

In today's world, it can be challenging to define what it means to be a woman, let alone femininity itself. For many people, femininity was first observed by the inspiring women they encountered. For most, their mothers were the first ones to exhibit the qualities of femininity that they would later seek to incorporate into their own lives (if they were female) or look for in their future partners. These characteristics include care, kindness, responsive attentiveness, abiding strength, eagerness to connect with others, nurturing, and rugged vulnerability.

As a man writing about femininity, I cannot speak from personal experience of being a woman. However, I can share my experiences with women who have challenged, encouraged and nurtured me, making me a better person and a better man. I am often confused by the culture that insists there is no gender or, if there is, it does not fit into traditional masculine and feminine roles. For example, was Mary, the mother of Jesus, too weak a woman when she watched her son hang on the cross? Was Mother Teresa too (read the rest of the story here)…

My Greatest Sin: My Sin

“Homosexuality. That was a word that was never uttered in my family or church growing up. That was the ultimate sin. The forbidden fruit. The sin they kick you out of church for. I’ll never forget my reaction to the first time someone asked me if I was a lesbian. People had called me dyke behind my back or just “one of the guys,” but no one had ever had the guts to ask. I remember I was so defensive and quickly said, “NO!” with a disgusted look on my face.

“How dare she ask me that! Doesn’t she know it’s the worst sin?”

After all, I’m a Christian. I would never even flirt with the idea that I may be a lesbian, to the point that I didn’t even like to hug girls because someone might think I was gay.

I was on the basketball team in high school, and that ran my life. My team was about the only people with whom I would hang out. My team was my life. And my team was my first personal interaction with homosexuality. My team had a lesbian couple. I, being the “good” Christian, thought that was disgusting. How could someone do that? I didn’t want…” (read the rest of the story here)

-Women’s Ministry Participant

Please Join Us

The Institute of Biblical Sexuality (IBS) Conference is an event for believers to be equipped to respond to all areas of sexuality with a balance of Truth and Grace that will draw all sinners into His Kingdom and restore their lives.

Join us and invite your friends and church leaders as we explore why sexuality is a gospel issue. We will gather experts and practitioners with decades of experience to discuss this critical and culturally relevant issue in the church. Click the picture above to register today!

The Conference will culminate with our LHM 35th Anniversary Celebration, so mark your calendars and join us for an incredible weekend of learning, inspiration, and celebration!

Ricky Chelette, Executive Director of Living Hope Ministries, leads a breakout session at the Heart of the Child Conference on April 5-6 for the SBT at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. (picture: Ashley Allen, SWBTS)

Preparing the Church

Unlock new perspectives on sexuality and gender identity by inviting Living Hope to your church. We bring our expertise to help you understand and engage with our society's fixation on sexuality, gender, and identity. We can also help you nurture gender-healthy children in a world of gender confusion. Secure your spot for 2024 as our calendar fills rapidly. Don't miss this unique opportunity; reach out to us now!

We were blessed to be invited to serve the following Churches:

April 5-6 Heart of the Child, Breakout Speaker, SWBTS, Fort Worth, TX

April 21, Both Morning Worship Services, Evening Seminar, FBC Skiatook, OK

April 25-26, Plenary and Breakout speaker, Raising Christian Kids Conference, Cottonwood Baptist Church, Allen, TX

We Need YOUR HELP!

For more than a decade, LHM has offered a highly accountable discipleship house for young men needing a reset and time to deal with their struggles. However, we have recently seen a decline in the number of young men seeking help. We don’t believe it is because there is a lack of need; rather, they do not know this resource is available. Will you help us get the word out to young men in your church and circles of influence?

The Hope House is for young men between 18-26 who are interested in a highly accountable discipleship house to grow in their understanding of what it means to be a man of God. Life change happens when we are intentional. Find out more about the LHM Hope House.