Becoming a Dangerous Woman
From the time my three boys were very small, I taught them to say, “God made me brave, kind, and strong.”
In a world full of people who do not know who they are, I want my sons to know exactly who God created them to be, deep down to their core. I want them to stand boldly in God’s truth.
Then I had a little girl.
A friend asked me if we were going to use the same affirmation for her since she was a girl or if we were going to change it. I quickly said, “Yes. Yes we are going to tell her God made her brave, kind, and strong too.” So we have.
But tonight my three-year-old daughter had something to add to our nightly affirmations. She said, “God made me brave, kind, strong, and dangerousssss.”
She had a look in her eye I will never forget.
Of course, I laughed hysterically that a little kid would even say such a thing. But then I was proud. I believe God gave my big, brown-eyed three-year-old daughter with three wild, big brothers the word ‘dangerous’ for a reason.
I believe He will use her in dangerous ways for the Kingdom of God. I believe she will be the kind of girl who stands up and boldly fights for God’s love to be proclaimed on the earth.
Now the challenge for me as her mother is to embolden her to do it. My challenge from the Lord is to fill her with such love and passion for Jesus that her extra proclamation word — dangerous — stands true.
The hard part is this: I need to model it.
I gave up the comfortable behind-the-scenes work of a staff pastor’s wife to now lay bare my entire life to church planting. I went into the wilderness of unknown territory to shine God’s love. As an introverted, quiet girl with a lot to say but slow to speak up – I had to remember that Jesus has given me a voice. Jesus has made me brave.
I now stand in front of others and preach, teach, pray, and lead. God is giving me wings. God is making me dangerous for His Kingdom. He made me dangerous for the cause of Christ and also for other girls and women to see. Women like you, women in my congregation, and women like my three-year-old daughter.
He wants to make you dangerous, too.
Invent, stand, burn passionately, fight as a mother, as a teacher, as a church planter, as a friend, as a wife, and as a woman. Following in the footsteps of other women who have led the way – like Anna, Phoebe, Priscilla, Junia, Aimee Semple McPherson, Lisa Bevere, Christine Caine, and countless others – we are dangerous. We are valiantly taking territory for the Lord.
Don’t let the enemy trick you into thinking you are unseen or that you should be quiet, meek, and unused. Fight the good fight, lead the way, preach the gospel. Do it in the small moments at home with your kids, in sweeping the church bathroom, in praying with your hurting friend, in the boardroom, in the classroom, the pulpit, and in being an example to others.
With the Lord’s help, you too can be brave, kind, strong, and dangerous.
“Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should” (Ephesians 6:19).
Rachel Bowman
Rachel Bowman is a mom to four in four years, a church planter, and writer of words. She enjoys icy-cold coffee, a Lego-free floor, and encouraging women to lead where they are. She is also the Delaware/Maryland regional Propel Chapter Director. Her and her husband, Paul, launched Anchor Church in 2017. You can follow her on social media at @rachelmariebowman.
