Maybe lace, bows, and ruffles are not your preference. You'd rather wrangle a bull than fix your hair. Maybe you were the child that preferred your brother's Legos over your dolls. You wear the badge of tomboy proudly, but as you mature, what do you do with this thing called femininity when you feel far from feminine?
The etymology of the word "tomboy" dates back as far as 1553, used to describe a "rude, boisterous boy." Only a few years later, the meaning changed to "bold or immodest woman" and "girl who acts like a spirited boy." Tomboy has now become a name of endearment for girls who are "spirited," but if you are a lively girl that prefers cars over shoes, does this mean you lack the capacity to be feminine?
I think the answer to this is a resounding "no." Femininity is much deeper than the exterior. It starts in the heart. I once heard Nancy Leigh DeMoss talk about her personal battle of embracing womanhood. She said it's not that she despised being a woman, but a small part of herself wished she could be a man so that she could further the kingdom of God in a much "greater way."
Our generation seems to be in a tailspin of grappling with identity. Many young women want to set aside their gender and choose the ways of manhood rather than womanhood. The preposterous idea swirling around in our culture is that God gets gender wrong sometime, thus opening a door to define our own genders! The mixup is not God's, but rather our own. Sin twisted us the moment we entered the world. We are all born with sinful ambitions and discontentment with how God created us. Because of this, we should be even more grateful for the beauty of salvation. Jesus calls us to be born again -- to become a new person in Him!
It's important to ask ourselves, "Are my actions of boisterousness and the desire to always 'beat the boys' really unveiling a discontented heart?"
In a previous post, we talked about equality in genders, but that equality doesn't always mean we are the same. (Check that post out here.) If I were a young man, I wouldn't be able to write to you as I do now. The gift of womanhood has blessed me with the opportunity of connecting with and helping other young women.
If you consider yourself a tomboy gal, don't dislike your womanhood -- embrace it! Embrace your ability to nurture and turn the rough chaos of life into beauty and comfort. You may be lively and spirited, so use it to bring joy into the lives of others! You don't have to like lace in order to be feminine. Lace and such might not be your personal style preference, and that is okay! Don't cheat yourself of growing a feminine heart -- one that is passionate about showing the world just what a contented young woman of God can exemplify.
Your willingness to walk according to biblical womanhood just might shine so bright the whole world will notice!
P.S. I still love Legos ;)
The etymology of the word "tomboy" dates back as far as 1553, used to describe a "rude, boisterous boy." Only a few years later, the meaning changed to "bold or immodest woman" and "girl who acts like a spirited boy." Tomboy has now become a name of endearment for girls who are "spirited," but if you are a lively girl that prefers cars over shoes, does this mean you lack the capacity to be feminine?
I think the answer to this is a resounding "no." Femininity is much deeper than the exterior. It starts in the heart. I once heard Nancy Leigh DeMoss talk about her personal battle of embracing womanhood. She said it's not that she despised being a woman, but a small part of herself wished she could be a man so that she could further the kingdom of God in a much "greater way."
Our generation seems to be in a tailspin of grappling with identity. Many young women want to set aside their gender and choose the ways of manhood rather than womanhood. The preposterous idea swirling around in our culture is that God gets gender wrong sometime, thus opening a door to define our own genders! The mixup is not God's, but rather our own. Sin twisted us the moment we entered the world. We are all born with sinful ambitions and discontentment with how God created us. Because of this, we should be even more grateful for the beauty of salvation. Jesus calls us to be born again -- to become a new person in Him!
It's important to ask ourselves, "Are my actions of boisterousness and the desire to always 'beat the boys' really unveiling a discontented heart?"
In a previous post, we talked about equality in genders, but that equality doesn't always mean we are the same. (Check that post out here.) If I were a young man, I wouldn't be able to write to you as I do now. The gift of womanhood has blessed me with the opportunity of connecting with and helping other young women.
If you consider yourself a tomboy gal, don't dislike your womanhood -- embrace it! Embrace your ability to nurture and turn the rough chaos of life into beauty and comfort. You may be lively and spirited, so use it to bring joy into the lives of others! You don't have to like lace in order to be feminine. Lace and such might not be your personal style preference, and that is okay! Don't cheat yourself of growing a feminine heart -- one that is passionate about showing the world just what a contented young woman of God can exemplify.
Your willingness to walk according to biblical womanhood just might shine so bright the whole world will notice!
P.S. I still love Legos ;)
I think you addressed this subject with such grace. I love you how you said "You don't have to like lace in order to be feminine. Lace and such might not be your personal style preference, and that is okay!" You are so right when you talk about how femininity is so much more than that. Some women just have no idea how to be feminine, they didn't grow up with that being something to strive for. I am so thankful to have a mother who showed me how beautiful it is to be a woman and how to embrace this gift God chose for me!
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