When God created man, He formed him and breathed life into his nostrils. But you woman, He fashioned, after He breathed the breath of life into man.
He allowed a deep sleep to come over Adam, so He could patiently and perfectly formed you. Did you notice that God chose the rib bone. The rib bone is the bone that protects a man's heart, lungs, and other internal organs. The parts of a rib include the head, neck, and body. Around this one bone, God shaped us, the woman. "The Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of man, and he brought her to the man" (Genesis 2:21-23). When God made Adam, He used the "dust of the ground" to form his body." When God made woman, God did not go back to the dust; He used one of Adam's ribs to form you, woman. When she was brought to Adam, the man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man."
God modeled us perfectly and beautifully. Our characteristics are as the rib, strong, yet delicate and fragile. God provided protection for the most delicate organ in man's heart, his rib. His heart is the center of his being. His lungs holds the breath of his life. We were made to compliment man. We are an integral part of who he is. We were made to me the perfect companion. We were made to compliment one another in marriage and in Christ.
The rib cage will allow itself to be broken before it will allow damage to the heart. God wants us to support our man as the rib cage supports his heart, and his body. No, we were not taken from his feet, to be under him. Nor were we taken from his head, to be above him. No, we were not created to be his servant. No, we are not his maid. No, we are definitely not his door mat. We were not made for man to demoralize us, devalue us, nor demean us. We were not made to be abused, looked down upon, nor to be put down. And we are certainly not his slave and he is not our master, nor vice versa. We belong to God and we are suppose to be man's helpmate.
We were taken from his side, to stand beside him and be held close to him. We are one of God's perfect creations. We are God's beautiful little girls who have grown up to be splendid and wonderful women of God. We are loving, caring, worthy, important, special, wonderful, beautiful, blessed, understanding, and irreplaceable. God's eyes fills with tears when He see the virtues in our hearts. God smiles upon us when we become a walking billboard for Him, displaying the fruits of His spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Everything God wanted man to share and experience with man, God put that in us: God's holiness, God's strength, God's protection, and support. We are special because we are an extension of God. Man represents God's image, but the woman, we represents God's emotions. Together, man and woman, we represent the totality of God.
A man is supposed to treat a woman well. He is suppose to love her, cherish her, respect her, honor her, protect her, provide for her and take care of her. Because God wired us differently from man, we are fragile. In hurting us, he hurts God. What man does to us, he does it to God. In crushing us, he only damages his own heart. When man injures us and breaks our hearts, he hurts the heart of his Father, and the heart of our Father.
Woman, support your man. In humanity, show him the power of emotions that God has given you. In a gentle quietness, show him your strength. In love, show him that you are the rib that protects his inner self. Let him know that you are here to help and support him. God did not make you to hurt, humiliate, and hinder him. Encourage him, don't criticize him. Build him up, please don't tear him down. Accept him, don't try to change him. Be his friend, not his enemy. Please don't forget to always pray with him and for him. Let's not forget that "the enemy, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."
You are a mighty warrior, a prayer warrior. You are a God fearing woman. You are a mean, lean, praying machine. The enemy cannot touch you unless God allows it. Whatever the enemy meant to throw your way to harm you, to trap you, to hurt you, God can turn it around and make it for your good. You are all of that and more! You can't be duplicated, imitated, replicated, replaced nor cloned. You are an original, made perfectly the way God wanted you to be. Most importantly, you are to always let your light shine, to remind the world whose child you are. You are not just representing yourself, you are always on display, representing God. When you embarrass yourself, you are also embarrassing God. God is always watching you. God is omnipotent. He have unlimited power. God can do anything because He has supreme power. God's power is infinite or limitless. God is omniscient. He is all-knowing. Nothing takes Him by surprise. He know all things. He knows all that there is to know and all that can be known. God is omnipresent. He is everywhere at the same time. There is no location where He does not inhabit.
Woman of God, God made you and you are a God fearing woman. You are a purpose driven woman. You are a mighty prayer warrior. You are a powerful woman of God. You are a phenomenal woman. Now go and be the authentic person that God has made you to be.
(This was my speech at the WIN Women's Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, held on October 5-6, 2018. Also, I had two breakout sessions: The Married Life, From Bliss to This" and "The Married Life, Why Did I Get Married?")