Totally Awesome Hardcore Women

     I've been thinking a lot lately about how many inspirational women there are/were in the world. Besides my mom and grandmas and all my friends of course, there are some women who I've never met personally that have been inspirations to me. These are a few of them:



Phylicia Masonheimer
     Phylicia Masonheimer is basically who I want to be ten years from now. Of course, I'll probably end up saying that about each and every one of these women. Phylicia is a blogger, wife, mother, and homeschool guidance counselor. I've been following her blog, Phylicia Delta, for over a year now, and she never ceases to say exactly what I need to hear. She is an unapologetic Christian, and she never shies away from the tougher issues that arise in a life of faith. Honestly, some of the things she says can rub me the wrong way, but I always realize later that it's because she's right and I'm wrong or stubborn. Phylicia has managed to find that magical balance between being a devoted wife and mother, and following her dreams of being a writer. And that's obviously something that means a lot to me, since I want to be a writer, but also want a family someday down the road (very far down the road). Sometimes I feel like in order for me to accomplish everything I want to do in life, I have to do it on my own because having a family would hold me back. But Phylicia Masonheimer is proof that that doesn't have to be true. Phylicia is sassy and independent and blunt, all things which I can very much relate to. But she also loves God fiercely and passionately, and it gives me confidence that there's a place in God's kingdom for someone with my type of personality. Check out her blog here.


Sheryl Sandberg
     I actually just heard about Sheryl Sandberg a few days ago in my Marriage and Family class, and as soon as I heard about who she is and what she's accomplished in her life and the things she believes, I was like "dang, this is one cool lady!" Sheryl Sandberg is the COO of Facebook, and is the first woman to have a position like that in the technology field. She says that while it's true that factors in society hold women back from achieving as much as they can, it's also true that women themselves often hold themselves back, through the mistaken belief that they can't have a thriving career and have a family. She basically said screw it to that idea, and has an incredibly lucrative and prestigious career, and a happy healthy family. She wrote a whole book on the subject called Lean In, and you can find out more about the book and the corresponding organization here.









Francine Rivers
     Okay, yep. Francine is also who I want to be like in the future. She's a Christian author, and she wrote the amazing book Redeeming Love that I just finished last night (shout out to AB for recommending it to me). Seriously, this book is so great. Everyone should read it. It should be required reading in school or something. But moving on from the book and back to the author. She started out as a secular author in an unfulfilling marriage, but then over a long period of time, her and her whole family came to know God and become Christians, and then she started writing books for a Christian audience. I know that short synopsis does not do her justice at all, so if you want to know more about her, check her and her testimony out here.  I guess what I like about her is that she had a gift, and then when she became a Christian, she turned that gift back to God and used it for him. And that's something I want to do with my life too, and to see that her books are so good and make such an impact on peoples' lives gives me hope that I can do that with my words too.  Here's a short excerpt from her author's note in the back of Redeeming Love:

    "I believe we all serve someone in this life. For the first thirty-eight years of mine, I served myself. My conversion was not a highly emotional experience. It was a conscious, thought-out decision that changed my focus, my direction, my heart, my life. But I don't want to mislead anyone. It was not all peace and light afterward. The first thing that happened was that I couldn't write. Oh, I tried, but it didn't feel right. Writing just didn't work for me anymore. I couldn't escape into it. I had given myself to the Lord, and He had something else in mind. I finally accepted that it might not even be in His plan that I ever write again. And I surrendered. What I came to understand was that He wanted me to get to know Him first. He wanted no other gods in my life-- not my family, not my writing. Nothing.
     I started craving the Word of God. I read page by page, cover to cover and cover to cover and cover to cover. I started to pray. I started to listen and learn. God's Word is like food and clean, clear water. It filled the emptiness inside me. It renewed me. It opened my eyes and ears and mind and heart and filled me with joy.
     We opened our house for a home Bible study, and our pastor began a study on the gospels. Then we did a study on materialism. Then we began a study on the minor prophets. We eventually came to the Book of Hosea. That portion of God's Word hit me so profoundly that I knew this was the love story the Lord wanted me to write! his story, a deeply moving story of His passionate love for each of us-- unconditional, forgiving, unchanging, everlasting, self-sacrificing-- the kind of love for which most people hunger their entire lives, yet never find.
     Writing Redeeming Love was a form of worship for me. Through it, I was able to thank God for loving me even when I was defiant, rebellious, contemptuous of what I thought being a Christian meant, and afraid to give my heart away. I had wanted to be my own god and have control of my life the way Eve did in the Garden of Eden. Now I know to be loved by Christ is the ultimate joy and fulfillment. Everything in Redeeming Love was a gift from the Lord: plot, characters, theme. None of it is mine to claim."

Amen Francine, amen.



Alyssa Bethke
     Alyssa Bethke is the wife of writer and theologian Jefferson Bethke, who is best know by his viral spoken word poem, "Why I Hate Religion but Love Jesus", and the subsequent book he wrote about it after it became popular, Jesus > Religion. The reason I admire Alyssa is because she is the perfect picture of a supportive wife and a great mother. Alyssa and Jeff's marriage is inspiring. They're like two best friends who decided to hang out together for the rest of their life. Alyssa always has something sweet and insightful to say on her instagram page, and Alyssa and Jeff have a blog together, not to mention have written a book together! They're just such a powerful couple, it's awesome. You can check out their blog here. 

These next two were loving added to the list by AB, and because I totally agree with them, I shall write about them as well: 

Amy Poehler
     Amy Poehler is such a magnificent trail blazer for women and comedians, and women-comedians. Anyone who thinks women aren't funny is sadly mistaken, and should be forced to watch Parks & Rec on repeat and read Yes Please until they repent. Everything about Amy is amazing, including the simple fact that she breathes, according to AB. Also according the AB, "she has the hair of the unicorn, her eyes are like diamonds and she's hilarious". All very true things, and great reasons to admire Amy. She's also a mother and successful career woman, which if you haven't noticed, is kind of a theme among these women.











The Virgin Mary
     Honestly, I think about Mary sometimes and it just makes me speechless to think about what she did. The angel came to her and was like "Hey, God wants you to have his baby." and Mary was like "Okay, I'll do it." Even though it was the scariest thing she'd ever done. Even though she was super young. Even though being pregnant completely ruined her reputation. Even though it meant she would probably lose the guy she was going to marry and love (but thank goodness Joseph was a stand up guy and listened to the angel that came to HIM). Even though she had to deal with everyone thinking she was completely insane, or even worse, lying. She did what God asked her to do just because she trusted Him with her life. Like, it's humbling. Because would you do what she did?? I don't know that I can say, at this point, I would. At least not without a fight and a lot of questioning. Mary's faith was so incredible. She's basically the ultimate inspirational woman.

-VaughnDL