What Am I Made For?

This past Sunday’s first reading is one of my very favorites: the Proverbs 31 Woman. The world is always telling us what it means to be a woman, and it can be overwhelming to try to live up to every expectation being thrown at us from every direction. However, the Lord is clear with His call for us, and today I wanted to share some of my favorite reflections from Proverbs 31, verses 10 to 31, aptly titled “A Poem for a Woman of Worth“:

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When one finds a worthy wife,
her value is far beyond pearls.
Her husband, entrusting his heart to her,
has an unfailing prize.
She brings him good, and not evil,
all the days of her life. (v. 10-12)

There is so much pressure as a woman to go out and get what we want, to strive, to grasp, and to fight. But the very first line of this poem reminds us that we have priceless worth; that a worthy wife, a good woman, has immeasurable value in the eyes of the Father. We have nothing to prove, we don’t have to earn love, and there’s no need to beg for attention: we are created beautiful, worthy, and good. Whether you’re single or married, the heart of the woman was designed for pursuit, and the heart of the man was designed to pursue it. You have nothing to prove. How is the Lord inviting you to believe this today?

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She obtains wool and flax
and works with loving hands.
She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her fingers ply the spindle. (v.13, 19)

The Proverbs 31 woman works, and she does so with love and care. The work that we are called to do might look different than what we imagined, yet the Lord entrusts it to us and asks us to do all things with excellence. How is the Lord inviting you to sanctify your work today?

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She reaches out her hands to the poor,
and extends her arms to the needy. (v.20)

The Proverbs 31 woman is generous – with her time, talents, and treasure. She creates the space to be interrupted (like we talked about last week!) and joyfully gives her first fruits. How is the Lord calling you to be generous today?

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Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs without fear of the future. (v. 25)

A woman of value, who knows who she is and Whose she is, has no fear of the future because she trusts the One who owns it. She stands strong in her dignity and does not give in to temptations to grasp for control or power. She lives out of a place of trust, joy, and freedom. What is the Lord inviting you to surrender to Him today?

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Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting;
the woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. (v.30)

Our beauty is undeniably a gift from God, and we should be confident in how He has created us – however, we can be tempted to treat our appearance and others’ perceptions of us as idols. “Humility means seeing ourselves as God sees us: knowing every good we have comes from Him as pure gift.” Thomas Aquinas’ words should inspire us to embrace our beauty as gift and also hold it with an open hand, keeping the Lord at the center of our hearts. How is the Lord inviting you to live in your beauty today?

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I took some time in Adoration today to pray through the entire poem, and asked the Lord to point me to the verse where He wants me to grow – I invite you to do the same (maybe you’ll be joining me on verse 26!).

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Have a blessed Thanksgiving, travel safely if you’re on the road, and please know how grateful I am for each of you!

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In Christ,

Jane

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What we’re loving lately:

Ep. 92 | A guided meditation on trust

• Join me in a little guided meditation this week! This is one of my favorite ways to pray when I’m struggling to settle down into prayer, and I know that with Thanksgiving this week we’ll all be moving around a lot, so hopefully this is helpful for you too! Tune in here on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!

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I can’t stop thinking about this quote…

• “I ask to be buried next to a tabernacle, so that my bones after my death, like my tongue and my pen in life, may always be repeating to those who pass by, ‘Jesus is here! Jesus is here! Do not leave him abandoned!” –Words on the Tomb of St. Manuel Gonzales Garcia. (I’ve long been asking to be buried in the little crypt at St. Dominic’s in SF that surrounds the Tabernacle.. This is why!!)

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​The crisis of masculinity​

• This is a slightly long article (20ish minute read) but it’s one of the best explorations of what’s happening to and among men (and why current solutions are not working) that I’ve encountered yet. Give it a read and let me know your thoughts!

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Adoration

• Hello, it is me and I’m just here to give you a little nudge to spend some time with Jesus in adoration this week! I’ve had so many conversations in the past few days with friends who have had incredible experiences with the Lord in prayer and I’m feeling so encouraged. The holiday is a great time to slip out for an hour of silence, so we can return to those we love with a new peace and joy!

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Are you there God? It’s me, Margaret.

• I watched this movie on the plane on my way home and wow… so cute! I had forgotten so much about being 11 (for good reason… puberty was a journey) but this little girl’s genuine desire to know who God is and what He means to her is heartwarming. Plus, it’s set in the 70’s and Rachel McAdams’ mom style is so good I went out and found flare jeans to channel her (shoutout to Madewell’s current 40% off sale!!)

Prayer Requests

• A friend who is due this week!
• For my parents, who are traveling home from South America this week!
• For everyone traveling this week!
• For peace in Ukraine and the Middle East

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