“I think women, and Christian women in particular, have been denied the tools to imagine and craft a life not centered on marriage and family as the pinnacle of fulfillment.”
Well said. “Denied” is doing a lot of great work in this sentence - as you articulate in the linked post.
A book I didn’t fully understand but I’m glad I read: Edwin Friedman’s A Failure of Nerve.
Also, hard no to those awful shorts, and double hard no to the men’s shoes. (But I DO appreciate the photo tutorial because some people just need it spelled out.) Excited to see what’s next for you, and for your next part in the series. Happy Birthday!
How fun (and so like you!) that we are the ones who get a gift on your birthday. Grateful to have access to your wisdom and experiences- here's to the next 4/8ths or 5/9ths.
First of all, many cheers to 40!! 🥳 This list is fantastic, and I’m excited for part 2 to go live! Thanks for sharing with us. I especially liked 1, 7, 13, 16, 18, and 20. THOSE SHOES… 😂
Outstanding!!! I despise sermons on dating, relationships, and marriage. My advice- as a single get to know married friends of all ages and learn from them!
"Living a life you don't need rescuing from" is a great subtitle of a book that I hope is coming next ;) It's such a contrast to "Lady in Waiting"---I'm not sure if you were ever subjected to that gem of a book, but it makes me realize we were ACTUALLY taught we were the beauty that needed to be rescued...no wonder this messed us up. Happy birthday!
Great advice here, Katelyn! I agree with you about fashion—wearing what feels good on your body and spending more on high quality items. I admit I’m still an Old Navy shopper for those fast fashion trends. 😬 Also, love the one about listening to your body when you’re on a date and making sure you feel safe.
For the “successful Christian woman as single mother” perspective, you might want to get to know Wendy Clark in Durham NC. She’s a remarkable entrepreneur (one of those “30 under 30” types back in the day), nurturer of startups, and single mom to two great kids.
“I think women, and Christian women in particular, have been denied the tools to imagine and craft a life not centered on marriage and family as the pinnacle of fulfillment.”
Well said. “Denied” is doing a lot of great work in this sentence - as you articulate in the linked post.
I think this is a particular cultural issue in the Protestant English-speaking world. Things are very different elsewhere.
I like it all a lot but especially like the single motherhood sentence :)
Aw, thank you, Lore :)
Right? What a cool option. It never occurred to me to do this.
Excellent list! I'm about to turn 44 and there are several things on here that I find myself nodding along with.
Also, congratulations on your decision to pursue motherhood. It's not the culmination of womanhood, but it is a very good thing. May you be blessed!
A book I didn’t fully understand but I’m glad I read: Edwin Friedman’s A Failure of Nerve.
Also, hard no to those awful shorts, and double hard no to the men’s shoes. (But I DO appreciate the photo tutorial because some people just need it spelled out.) Excited to see what’s next for you, and for your next part in the series. Happy Birthday!
How fun (and so like you!) that we are the ones who get a gift on your birthday. Grateful to have access to your wisdom and experiences- here's to the next 4/8ths or 5/9ths.
This is gold! Happy birthday and thanks for sharing your pearls of wisdom! :) The take on men's shoe choices made me laugh and... yes.
First of all, many cheers to 40!! 🥳 This list is fantastic, and I’m excited for part 2 to go live! Thanks for sharing with us. I especially liked 1, 7, 13, 16, 18, and 20. THOSE SHOES… 😂
Great list, like some modern proverbs, a lot of wisdom here. There are some books where I'm just hoping I understand 70% 🙂
Outstanding!!! I despise sermons on dating, relationships, and marriage. My advice- as a single get to know married friends of all ages and learn from them!
What you want to be at 50 or 60, or not!
From my perspective at 54, I'll say this is a solid list so far. You go, girl. You're well on your way, and you're being smart about it. 💜
I too had to admit to myself that I didn't like Iron & Wine. It was freeing!
"Living a life you don't need rescuing from" is a great subtitle of a book that I hope is coming next ;) It's such a contrast to "Lady in Waiting"---I'm not sure if you were ever subjected to that gem of a book, but it makes me realize we were ACTUALLY taught we were the beauty that needed to be rescued...no wonder this messed us up. Happy birthday!
Great advice here, Katelyn! I agree with you about fashion—wearing what feels good on your body and spending more on high quality items. I admit I’m still an Old Navy shopper for those fast fashion trends. 😬 Also, love the one about listening to your body when you’re on a date and making sure you feel safe.
This is an excellent, thoughtful post. Thanks for sharing it, and good luck to you as you take your next steps.
This is a great list, and Happy Birthday!
For the “successful Christian woman as single mother” perspective, you might want to get to know Wendy Clark in Durham NC. She’s a remarkable entrepreneur (one of those “30 under 30” types back in the day), nurturer of startups, and single mom to two great kids.