...And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
~Proverbs 31:26b (NKJV)

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The Proverbs 31 woman was in no way perfect, yet she did strive to please and glorify her Savior by the way she spoke to those around her. She did not let herself give into her temper, even if she was getting agitated with someone, because she knew that that would not please the Lord. Not only did she say kind words to people when she spoke to them, but her tone of voice shone forth with kindness as well.

Daily examine yourselves, as I often have to, to see whether or not the law of kindness is on your tongue as well. Is the way you speak to your parents honoring, respectful, revering and kind? Do you speak to seniors and those in authority in the same way? What about the way you speak to your siblings? To your older siblings, do you seek to be an encouragement to them in the way that you speak? Are you kind and considerate, or do the words you say bring them down instead of build them up as they ought? What about your younger siblings? Because they're younger, they often follow us around everywhere, copy us, etc., and that sometimes annoys us. But despite that, does the love of Christ shine through us in the way that we speak to them? Are we abundantly kind and sweet to them, or does the way we speak leave a little to be desired?

If you find yourself about to give into your temper, just wait, don't say anything, but rather ask yourself the following before you speak: "Would the tone of voice or the words I was about to say have been honoring to Christ and encouraging to this person, or would they have saddened that person, hurt him or her, or angered them?" If the words or tone of voice would have done so, then simply ask the Lord for the strength to speak as you know you should, rather than the way your sinful nature wants you to.

All of us, because we're sinners, say things throughout the day that we later deeply regret. When you know you've done so, first go to the Lord and ask His forgiveness. Then go to that person that you wronged, and tell them that you're sorry and ask for their forgiveness as well. This is a very humbling thing to do, and therefore it is often a hard thing for us to do, but rememember: the Lord hates pride, and that is one characteristic that should not belong to any of His children. Ask the Lord for strength each morning that you would speak in the way that He would want you to that day. And as you learn to speak kinder, you too will have on your tongue the "law of kindness".

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***For more devotionals, please click here

Wisdom from the late Adrian Rodgers

"If you please Jesus, it doesn't matter who you don't please; if you don't please Jesus, it doesn't matter who you do please."

~Adrian Rodgers

Cultivating Wise Habits

Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
-Proverbs 14:1

Hello lovely ladies! As this month's theme is wisdom, I thought an article about cultivating wise habits might be in order. There are many wise habits that are important to master for life in general, but some are especially crucial for marriage and mothering. Allowing these good habits to develop and flourish will be of the utmost help in "building your house".

*Look well to the ways of the household (Proverbs 31:27)- There are many enjoyable hobbies that can benefit a household in profitable ways. Sewing, knitting, painting, baking, writing, photography, and embroidery all come to mind. Not only can all of these tasks help beautify your home and save money, but they can also be a wonderful way to quickly earn a little extra money from home. If an unexpected expense ever comes up, selling one of your skills, baked goods, or craft items can be a great way to ease the situation and get your household back on track.

~Sewing is especially helpful when (God willing) you are expecting, nursing a baby, and/or have a little girl. Finding attractive, modest maternity and nursing clothing is quite the task to undertake and could be made far easier if you know how to sew. The same holds true with little girls' clothing. I was *shocked* to find immodest clothing even in the infants section. I hardly want to imagine what might be seen in the years to come and cannot wait until I know how to sew well.

*Do not eat the bread of idleness (Proverbs 31:27)- Learning to multi-task and use even the smallest pockets of time makes life run far more smoothly. When you are making a phone call and are put on hold, use this piece of time to finish a simple task that can be done quickly. Maybe write a letter, return an email. or double check your weekly schedule. If you are spending time watching a movie at home, this can be a great time to work on some knitting, hook rugging, or other needle art task. Look at each and every day to see if any time might be escaping you and use these little gaps to your advantage.

Debt is servanthood (Proverbs 22:7)- Staying out of debt is of the utmost importance. Credit card and credit offers are almost everywhere nowadays and these companies often will approve young people for high credit lines that they cannot afford to pay back. Learn wise financial sense so you will always have the resolve to avoid getting yourself into a nasty debt situation. Pay for items with cash only and only consider credit for mortgages and car loans.

Be choosy when it comes to friends (Proverbs 12:26) Make it a point to cultivate and nurture friendships with those who edify and challenge you to be the best person you can be. A true friend will lovingly rebuke you if you are sinning, but a "feel good friend" will sin right alongside you. Oftentimes, mothers, aunts, sisters, and other family members can be wonderful friends who will challenge you and stand by you as you strive to serve your Heavenly Father.

Seek counsel from older women (Proverbs 11:14)- Actively seek out several Titus 2 women who you can turn to when you need advice, help, or Godly counsel. Allow a relationship to blossom with these wise counselors as they can be large blessings to you when life might become a little sticky, stressful, or hectic.

Do not be an idler, busybody, or gossip (1 Timothy 5:13)- I once heard that our mouth causes us to sin far more than anything else and do see how this could be the truth. Be careful to guard your time and speak of positive topics, rather than gossip or harmful words. When you are spending time with family and/or friends, be sure to use this time in a God-honoring manner and not a time to idle about and speak in ways unbecoming of a King's daughter.

Keep your mind on what is good and right (Philippians 4:8)- Surround yourself with beauty, pureness, and honesty. Evil things can often sneak in when you least expect it; even in seemingly "good things", so being on the offensive is very important.

Never cease praying (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)- Thank your Heavenly Father frequently throughout the day, ask for His help whenever it is needed, and never overlook an opportunity to rejoice in Him and all He has given you, even the smallest bits of goodness.

Laugh- Learn to laugh at yourself! When minor mistakes happen or things go wrong, do not fret or get upset, just laugh. Dinners will get burned, children might make big messes, and you might even trip in the middle of a busy area sometime, but none of these minor "disasters" are worth becoming upset over. Take a deep breath, laugh, smile, and realize things could always be worse. :o)

I hope all of you dear sisters are having a wonderful day! Many Blessings!

~Amy

Picture Credit

Words of Wisdom from "Verses of Virtue"

The following is an article that we, as daughters, must live by. It offers so much wisdom!

No Secrets
The moment a girl has a secret from her mother, or has received a letter she dare not let her mother read, or has a friend that her mother does not know, she is in danger. A secret is not a good thing for a girl to have. The fewer secrets that lie in the hearts of women at any age, the better. It is almost a test of purity. She who has no secrets of her own is best and happiest. In girlhood hide nothing from your mother. The girl who says frankly to her mother, "I have been there; met so and so; such and such remarks were made, and this or that was done," will be sure of receiving good advice and sympathy. If all was right no fault will be found. If the mother knows, out of her great experience, that something was improper or unsuitable, she will, if she is a good mother, kindly advise against it's repetition. You may not know, girls, just what is right or just what is wroong, yet. You can't be blamed for making little mistakes; but you will never do anything very wrong if from the first you have no secrets from your mother.
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*the above was an excerpt from the wonderful book entitled Verses of Virtue: The Poetry and Prose of Christian Womanhood. It is compiled and edited by Elizabeth Beall Phillips, wife of Douglas W. Phillips and mother to 8 children. This book is available through http://www.visionforum.com/ and http://www.reformedfamilybooks.com/ .
*photo from art.com

Schooling vs. Education

I'm sure that each one of us heard, at least once - and probably more than once - the association made between a college degree and lots of worldly knowledge, and true wisdom and capability. Don't get me wrong; I'm far from saying college is all evil. During my college years, I met some wonderful people, and learned many things that can be a blessing to my family when, God-willing, I will become a wife, mother and homemaker; but I don't think it's necessary at all to become a skilled, intelligent, talented and capable woman.

The entire spirit on our campus was so ambitious, competitive and self-absorbed. What about modesty? I studied in an almost girls-only class, and I still had to struggle against negative influence almost every day. At times, I felt like shutting my ears so I don't have to listen to stories about immoral behavior. To sum it up, college contributed some to my knowledge, but little to my wisdom and real-life skills.

I did learn valuable things, but I think it was more despite, than thanks to the teaching methods. I'm sorry, but cramming my short-term memory with facts, spitting it all out during an exam, then forgetting all about it isn't exactly what I consider effective learning. Maybe it works for some. It didn't work for me and for many others. Yes, I handled it. Yes, my grades were generally good. But what about knowledge? All the time, I had a feeling I'm stuck inside a huge industry that cares only about one thing: stuffing my head with theories, hauling me towards an exam, then allowing me to forget everything I learned.

When we try to examine a certain method of education, be it college, professional courses, or any other thing, we should ask ourselves the following question: how well does it prepare us for the role we want to dedicate our lives too (this goes, of course, for men as well as women)? How much wiser will we emerge from it?

And while I'm reflecting on this subject, here's a wonderful topic-related video on 'Visionary Daughters'

Yet another Introduction! =)

Dear sisters in Christ,

Hello! I wanted to write my own introduction, so that you would be able to know a little more about me.

My name is Rebekah Ann Shadoin, I'm 15, and I live with my family in the Chattanooga, Tennessee area. I was asked by Laura Hines a short time ago to join Mayden Fair. I feel honored to be able to be a part of this wonderful, Christ-honoring blog & to have the chance to meet and get to know all of you like-minded girls. I want to thank you all for this opportunity to be a part of Mayden Fair-especially since I'm only 15-probably the youngest girl here.

The Lord, within the past year, has brought about huge changes in my family and our convictions. Without even knowing it, I had been shaped by some feministic beliefs. The Lord, in His grace and mercy, has chosen to show me what His Word truly says on the subjects of femininity, Biblical daughterhood and womanhood, and the roles of daughters and women. He has shown me that feminism is enslaving to women, heretical, and one of the main reasons this country is falling apart at the seams. Luke 12:48(NKJV) says, "For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required." The Lord has delivered me out of a life of feminism, and for that reason, my goal in life is to be an encouragement to girls and young women as they seak to return back to the beauties of Biblical femininity-amidst a culture who looks down upon and belittles such ladies. I also desire to teach and edify young ladies in the Biblical truths of homemaking, femininity and modesty, Biblical daughterhood and womanhood, and the roles God lovingly designed for women. And in so doing, to train and prepare girls for the battle before them, in the humanistic, feministic culture in which we live.

My family consists of my wonderful father, George; my beloved mother Angela; and my dear little brother Andrew, who's 8. Each one of them is such a huge blessing to me daily, and bring me so much joy!! My father is the Spiritual Leader of our home and leads us in family worship each night. He works for an eye doctor, and provides for us daily. My mother and I are very close, and each night right before I go to bed, I lay in bed and my mom reads out loud from an Elsie Dinsmore book. I'm 15, but even though I'm getting older, I so much enjoy this time together, and will miss it so very greatly when I get married and have a home of my own! I know that I can go to her or my father anytime, no matter what I'm going through, and they will be there for me with advice and counsel from God's Word. My brother is such a blessing!! He is such a sweetheart, and he looks up to his big sister. I have the huge responsibility of being a God-fearing role model for him. I enjoy the time we spend together each day, and will miss it terribly when we both have homes of our own. My family is such a blessing, and I don't know what I would do without them!

I have been homeschooled since kindergarten, and have just entered my sophomore year of high school. My favorite subject is now history, thanks to Vision Forum and their Christ-honoring products. I am so thankful that I'm homeschooled, and so blessed to be so! It is the Biblical way of receiving an education, and because of being homeschooled, I am able to spend so much more time with my family than others are who attend government schools.

My favorite things to do include: reading, watching wholesome movies, ballroom dancing, spending time with and playing games with my family, going tubing, serving my family, spending time with friends, crocheting, baking, blogging, learning homemaking skills, and being an encouragement to others.

Just a few of my all time favorite books are: So Much More, Before You Meet Prince Charming, The Pilgrim's Progress, the Elsie Dinsmore series, the Courtship series by Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Castleberry, and Mother. The Nativity Story, the 1949 version of Little Women, Pamela's Prayer, and all of the movies in the Janette Oke Love Comes Softly series are just a couple of my favorite movies.

My favorite songs are hymns and worship songs, and include: Be Thou My Vision, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, 'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus, Come Ye Sinners Poor and Needy, Trust and Obey, Come Thou Almighty King, Doxology, etc.

My goals and dreams in life are to be a wife and helpmeet, homemaker, and mother to many blessings.

Please visit my blog, By His Grace and For His Glory often! I will very soon be announcing what the very exciting ministry idea for girls and young women is that the Lord laid upon my heart about 2 months ago.

I would love to hear from each and every one of you, so please e-mail me anytime at: living_for_my_Lords_glory@hotmail.com. (*note: no apostrophe in Lords-hotmail does not allow commas, apostrophes, etc.) If you have any prayer requests or praise reports, please e-mail them to me, and I will pray for you, and mention them on my blog as well, if that is allright with you.

The Lord's richest blessings to you all,

Rebekah Ann Shadoin

Numbers 6:24-26

September's theme: Wisdom

Hello there, dear maidens! It's nice to be writing here on Mayden Fair again, after such a long period of having very little time to blog.

This month's theme is wisdom, which is a character trait we develop throughout our lives, and must especially concentrate on it during our years as maidens, as we prepare to become, God willing, wives and mothers. Surely no young woman wants to enter marriage – or adult life in general, for that matter - without working on this most important trait.

Again, I resort to Proverbs 31, which is a beautiful summary of nearly everything we discuss here on this blog:
'She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.'

I would like to challenge all of us, and especially myself, by doing the following check-up:

- Do you open your mouth with wisdom, after careful consideration of what you are going to say, or do you let out any and every thought that passes in your mind?

- Do you speak with moderation, when asked or when you have something important, positive, uplifting and loving to say, or do you indulge in idle conversations which steal away a lot of your time and energy?

- Is 'the law of kindness' in your tongue, or do you give way to gossip, slander, malice and judgmental attitude? Do you actively or passively participate in conversations that might hurt others?

When I think about it, I blush with embarrassment. I can humbly say I'm improving in this area, but I have definitely been guilty of it all: idle conversation, gossip, and speaking before I think. I honestly feel I'm short of words to describe what a negative impression it creates, and how it cheapens the value of an otherwise lovely maiden.

So, ladies, let's get to work. Let's cultivate wisdom, while always keeping a humble attitude and remembering we can – and should – always learn from others, and also that whatever we learn, it is but a tiny portion of God's infinite knowledge. Let us strive to be wise, not in order to become arrogant or boastful, but to be better able to fulfill our calling, to serve our family and community, and to live out to the fullest the beautiful years of joyful maidenhood.