Nin-jitsu & The Good Book
I recently read an article that talked about ten ways to raise a strong girl in a broken world. This was going to be it I thought to myself. This was going to have the answers that we’ve all been waiting for. The article talked about signing your daughter up for karate classes or anything along those lines that would allow her to see her own strength. It talked about reading books with strong female characters in them as to be an example and inspiration for a young girl. It talked about reading the good book to her so that she will be strong in her faith. I finished the article inspired and ready to take my daughter Rory on a journey of strength that would surely prepare her for life.
Nin-jitsu
We had recently signed Rory up for jujitsu. This would be the perfect vehicle for her to build the strength that the article talked about. More than likely Rory will be built like her mother, short and thick with thunder thighs to nin-jitsu guys. She’ll learn to harness her strength instead of be ashamed of it; what an opportunity.
Rory is four, so needless to say her first lesson didn’t go as planned. About 15 minutes in Rory was intimidated, got herself worked up and had to come out. She sat outside with me for about 5 minutes. That’s when it hit me. Rory may gain physical strength from practicing jujitsu but there is a strength that is far superior that she’ll need to harness. I get to teach Rory that our strength is found in Jesus. When we are feeling scared or intimidated, we need not fear because Jesus is our strength. Jesus has taken on all of the insecurities of the world; he’s taken the brunt of our fears so that we may have peace to live freely in His strength. I spoke to Rory about God being with her everywhere she is. I told her that she can be brave because God is right there with her. This opportunity allowed me to teach Rory that when she is not strong it’s alright because her heavenly father is. She doesn’t have to be her own source of strength; instead she gets to lean on His. Continuing to impress this truth on her throughout her life will guide her toward a strength that matters above all others.
Books with Strong Female Influences
Finding books for Rory’s age that would appropriately communicate what a strong woman should be would be difficult. Perhaps that is a good thing. Although, I think it would be great for Rory to be inspired by the greatness and accomplishments of others (by whatever standard that may be) I also know that should she never reach that same greatness (by others standards) she will still be just as valued by God himself. She is already great because He says she is. Her value is not found in what she accomplishes by her works in this world but rather found in who God says she is. His daughter. Rory will be strong because she will know her worth, who it comes from and that she gets to use it to bless others with the good news.
The Good Book
The bible is called the good book because of the good news that it brings. Reading the bible is another avenue that brings us to a closer relationship with God because it allows us to see who He is, who we are and what we get to do because of it. He is our heavenly father. We are God’s children who he loves and accepts NO MATTER WHAT. We are free to live our lives without the expectation of perfection, relying on our own strength or being in control. We get to be who we were made to be, human. We get to share the good news with others so that they may stop their struggle and lean on the strength of Jesus. We get to see Him work in our lives and be strong in our faith because we believe that God is who he says he is and that he is capable of everything that we are not.
If that isn’t strength I don’t know what is.
