With my friend, Jamie Ivey

A few years ago, I participated in a women’s Bible study at Second Baptist Church in Pearland, Texas. During our discussion time, a woman shared about her dysfunctional family. She had dreamed of having family birthday celebrations together, family traditions built around holidays and cousins running amok around her home having fun with her children. Unfortunately, things didn’t turn out that way. Her family was a mess. She vulnerably shared, “I didn’t want to be that girl!”

Quickly another woman shared that she didn’t want to be that girl either.  She was divorced and didn’t want to be that girl who carried around a big “D” for divorce. A label that she never expected to wear. Within moments, every woman in the room realized that there was something about their lives that wasn’t perfect. Dead silence hit the room when we realized that we, too, had visualized other women bearing such labels. Labels for their sin and their past. Elevating ourselves much higher than we should. A little reminiscent to Dr. Suess‘ wise words,

“Now, the Star-Belly Sneetches had bellies with stars. The Plain-Belly Sneetches had none upon thars.”

As I began to study the story of Eve, I realized that somewhere over the course of time we had slapped a label on this girl too. We only remember her for her sin. However, throughout scripture, we are reminded that God forgives and forgets our sin…as far as the east is from the west. Why then, have we missed part of Eve’s story?

God created her with far more in mind. He created her as His bride, the bride of Christ.

He gave her the name Eve, which means “life.” Her life is a beautiful story of redemption. Please join me in studying God’s Word in a daily devotional style Bible study designed for women.