This last week was so insane for me that I didn’t even look at my database and I missed an amazing guest post on Proverbs 31:21 that was light years better than anything I could have written. Andrea, I’m really sorry and your piece is going up today because I think people need to read it.

She fears not the snow for her house-hold; all her charges are doubly clothed. –Proverbs 31:21

I have personally struggled with Proverbs 31 since the first time I read it. I found each and every verse to be filled with impossible standards, which I thought I could never meet. I chose to write about this verse for Jen because it was this verse that made me realize the standards are impossible for us to do alone, but not impossible if we let God into our lives.

Worrying is what I do. I??m a worrier by nature; my husband would agree. My mind is constantly filled with what ifs for the future. What if my children aren??t healthy? What if I never find a good job? What happened to my husband if he didn??t return my call as quickly as I??d like?

Proverbs 31: 21 tells us that we should not worry, for our ??charges are doubly clothed??. Upon reflection I have found that this means that God blankets us with His comfort and with His wisdom. In times of sorrow, Jesus is next to us. When we are faced with difficult decisions, we can trust that as long as we truly place God in the center of our lives the decisions we make will allow Him to rejoice.

Although this makes sense to me logically, realistically it is hard to live life believing God will always provide. I know I shouldn??t fear for my family, health or finances, but I do regardless. So many women I know struggle with worries about the future. But women are commanded not to fear. God will take care of our lives.
Over the past few years I have actually found myself to be less anxious than I was at a younger age. Most days I trust that my family??s future will be bright.

Everyday I strive towards minimizing my worries. I ask God to take away my anxiety about the future. I ask Him to leave me with a sense of peace and trust. I find that when I pray more regularly, I am more in tune with what God wants and my worries are fewer.

If you tend to worry about your household, I encourage you to give all your anxiety up to God. He is more equipped to handle it.

Andrea is a Catholic, wife, mother and grad student. When she is not tending to bruises, studying or sipping wine she writes for Coffee with Mama Leigh about faith, family, food and budgeting.

Our guest poster today is Emily and she’s tackling Proverbs 31:24. She’s a fellow Lutheran but she’s in the process of becoming Catholic. She is also preparing to marry on May 4th and I’m hoping her wedding involves light sabers!

She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. (NIV)
She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. (KJV)

I have always been fond of this Proverbs verse. In fact, it even inspired the name of the blog I co-author, Fine Linen and Purple. If you have ever read this whole chapter, it’s quite beautiful! I’m sure you have read many other posts about the other verses, but this one is special to me!

I found this description while perusing Google and really liked how it described this verse: A virtuous woman – the kind of woman every wise man seeks to marry – is an enterprising woman. She is not content with merely being a housewife. She knows she is capable of more, and so she does more. The example here is a manufacturing and wholesale operation in fine linen and girdles. She has an entrepreneurial and industrious spirit that seeks profitable projects to support her husband and build the family estate.

This woman is giving so much, and is extremely obedient. She does everything she can to support her husband. She is the virtuous woman. She wants to help out with her family. Her family is well taken care of, and she gives all of herself to her family and husband. I think we can take something from this verse. Do all that you can to aid your husband. Give your all to your family. Give your all to God! This doesn’t just apply to women who are married. Try to give your all in every aspect of your life. That doesn’t necessarily mean make clothes for a living, but you get my point 🙂

Emily is a 20-something, engaged, almost-Catholic who lives in Ohio. She blogs about her wedding (in less than 3 months!), conversion, running, and losing weight over at Day in the Life.