No Barbie Girls

I’m not raising Barbie girls.

I’m not trying to teach them to be obsessed with looking perfect, having the most friends, or having the best job. My prayers for them go far beyond flawless skin and millions of followers.

I’m raising strong women who find their strength from the God they serve not the amount of attention they have. They’ll find that people’s opinions are unpredictable, but God is unchanging.

I’m raising real women who are less concerned with having a perfect “plastic” life and more focused on having a heart that is honest with others, themselves, and God. They’ll find that there is more contentment in a life lived this way than one that’s lived to impress.

I’m raising brave women who listen to God’s voice instead of the world’s voice on what it means to be a woman. They’ll need to be brave to choose the harder path instead of the one the world pushes.

I’m raising joyful women who know that lasting joy comes from Jesus, not a dream house. They’ll find fleeting happiness never satisfies, but Jesus’ well never runs dry.

I’m raising my girls to know that you can be strong, and still be gentle. You can be smart and still choose to serve others. You can have big dreams but also know that a heart that loves motherhood, home, and family is not a weakness. It’s a God-given gift.

My prayer for my girls is that their “dream” homes would be a place full of the presence of God, love, family, and friends. I focus my prayers on their little hearts being completely surrendered to Christ and don’t care what their car or closets end up looking like. I pray that peace is not a picture perfect plastic life. Peace is Jesus.

They may never have a slide that lands them directly in their swimming pool and their circle may be small. But if their circle is made of others pursuing their Creator then they’ll just fine.

I’m living in a world that pushes pleasure, self, and perfection above all else.

But I’m not raising Barbie girls. I’m raising women of God.