“And the spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely…

He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” Rev. 22:17, 20-21

Wishing you and your families a blessed June 19th from all of us at New Christian Woman.

Last week we received this intriguing comment regarding beauty from Ebute-metta Gloria in Nigeria:

“Why is it that women(Wives) like to wear open and transparent dressing irrespective of the season. There is this saying that beauty is to be internal, let our beauty be kept for the our husband alone. My worry is on the married women who are called wives. There was an argument in the spiritual world where women or rather wives wanted to dress beautifully in order to be seen by others but the men said no, it should be only to her husband, and this was confirmed by wives from heaven, that the men are correct, married women are only to appear beautiful to their husband…….. C.L. 330.4. What is your opinion as a New Church woman?”

I was fascinated by this concept and had to look up Conjugial Love 330. Though I’ve read through this book several times, somehow I don’t remember this poignant little memorable relation all about how men and women relate to female beauty. The portion Gloria is referencing is at the very end:

“I once heard a friendly discussion among some men regarding the feminine sex, as to whether any woman can love her husband if she is constantly in love with her own beauty, that is, if she loves herself on account of her appearance. The men agreed among themselves, first that women have a twofold beauty, one a natural beauty having to do with their face and figure, and the other a spiritual beauty having to do with their love and demeanor. They agreed also that these two kinds of beauty are very often separated in the natural world, but that they are always united in the spiritual world; for outward beauty in the spiritual world is an expression of a person’s love and demeanor. It frequently happens after death therefore that homely women become beautiful, and beautiful women homely. Continue reading Beautiful for One or Many? →

With the Clergy selecting a new Bishop this summer, I’ve observed a lot of people seeking to understand how our Church is structured. I too am curious and have been reading through various documents.

I will admit to being frustrated by the lack of clarity around the General Church’s structure and process.

But the Lord Truths calm me down.

This week I have been feeling especially grateful to Him for giving His Church the very practical and direct teachings on Church Government in the last chapter of New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrines.

Have a look! I have bolded the Truths I personally find most relevant or striking. The last paragraph, in particular, is quite counter-cultural in tone. And I’m very curious to hear what other ladies glean from it all:

“ECCLESIASTICAL and CIVIL GOVERNMENT

311.There are two things which ought to be in order with men, namely, the things which are of heaven, and the things which are of the world. The things which are of heaven are called ecclesiastical, and those which are of the world are called civil. Continue reading The Governors of the Church →

The Lord, however, in all His conflicts brought about by temptations, never fought out of self-love, that is, for Himself, but for all throughout the universe. He did not fight therefore to become the greatest in heaven, for that is contrary to Divine love. He scarcely did so to become the least. He fought solely so that all others might become something and be saved, as He Himself also declares in Mark,

‘The two sons of Zebedee said, Grant us to sit in Your glory, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left. Jesus said, Whoever would be great among you must be your minister, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man also came not to be ministered to but to minister, and to give His life as the price of redemption for many.’ Mark 10:37, 43-45.

Wishing you a Blessed Easter, from all of us at New Christian Woman.