I don’t know the woman or man in this picture. It was taken at a Settlers Reenactment at Fort Griffin, Texas last year by my friend Dee Stephenson Elliott. Dee kindly permitted me to use this picture on my blog site after learning how strongly I connected with this couple. I hope my words can portray just what my heart felt.  So here goes… and for illustrative purposes I have given them the names of Anna and Samuel.

From the moment I saw her, I admired her and wanted to know more. The look on her face showed a woman who has a great love and respect for her husband.  She drew me into her life and immediately a story played out in my mind about what it must have been like for this pioneer woman.

Take a long look at the photograph. Look at Anna’s smile and how she places her hand on her husband Samuel’s hand. Her face is looking up and her eyes are closed because she is praying with Samuel before he goes off to God knows where. During the 1800’s, Samuel could have been off to fight in the Civil War or the Mexican-American War. He could be leaving to hunt food to get the family through the winter.  Whatever the case, a wife in those days knew any separation meant the possibility her husband may not return.

Anna also knew her already hard labor-filled days would now include protecting her family from possible Indian attacks. The Comanche and Kiowa were close by so uncertainty was a daily battle. Faith was the guiding force in her life.

As a young girl, Anna was taught that her purpose was to marry and to birth children and this was an honor to do exactly what her mother and grandmother did before her, and do it with loyalty and commitment. Anna knew with confidence, that just as God said in Genesis 2:18, she was created to be a suitable helper for her husband. Suitable meaning ‘comparable and of equivalent quality.’

Anna wasn’t a trophy wife that Samuel waltzed into town for show. Although her beauty was apparent to all who met her.  No, this woman had much deeper value. Anna was one who was able to hold down the fort, so to speak.  She was willing and able, to do whatever it took to keep their home operating in a comparable and equivalent manner, especially with him away.

Anna could ride, shoot and brand as well as Samuel but that never meant rising up against him with the intention to compete with him, or worse, outdo him. She was glad to be his ‘little woman’  His companion. His girl. She lived her life as God instructed. She knew her value was being her husband’s Help Meet.

Fortunately, in our role today as a wife we don’t have to churn butter, make our soap, wring chicken necks, stuff our mattresses with fresh straw, keep the fire going all day, or live with only 2 changes of clothes, praise God! Pioneers of invention have brought us to a time where our daily chores are pretty easy by comparison. The washing machine and dishwasher started the transition. Now we have even more luxurious items such as the Roomba. Turn it on and you have clean floors without ever losing a minute of your time!

Unfortunately, along the way life for a housewife became less meaningful and less fulfilling. Women began to stop seeing the great value in their role as homemaker. They began to feel inferior to their husbands in an unhealthy way which made them feel the need to challenge their husband especially in the area of occupation. Let me explain what I mean by that statement.

I am not saying that women can’t become doctors (or any profession) and work full time and raise wonderful children and have a healthy and happy Christ-centered marriage, so don’t get riled up. But do hear me on this; When this doctor-mother-wife begins to feel the need for her husband to be the primary caretaker of the home and the kids, while she fulfills her ideal career life, and asserts her authority in the home, then I am convinced that she is out of alignment with what God meant when He said He would create a help meet for man. The roles have become reversed and the man is now a helper suitable for HER.

Imagine for a moment, the most masculine man or John Wayne, being told “You tend to the farm and kids honey while I go take care of those Indians.” Although I believe a woman is completely capable of being a Calamity Jane, this would be role reversal and it is not God’s design. All God’s creations came with a purpose. The purpose of woman is to be man’s helper.

 When I was researching God’s word on this I searched Genesis 2:18 in eleven different translations. I found a variety of adjectives describing what kind of helper we are to be. It varied between suitable, just right, fit for him, corresponding and comparable. But, the word ‘helper,’ never varied. So I believe the word of God to be saying, you are the perfectly chosen helper for your husband. 

Ladies, do not ever be offended by this title/role of helper. The other time God gave the title helper was when he assigned it to the Holy Spirit.

John 14:16 I will ask the Father and He will give you another Helper. that He may be with you forever.

John 14: 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

I don’t know about you but I am now feeling an amazing value in being my husband’s helper!

Sisters, it is my strong desire to share this message with you  because I know it will save you from heartache many times over. If you will live by the rules of God that your husband is to be the authority and that you are to be his helper then I know you will reap many blessings from this obedience.

If there is a power struggle going on within your marriage right now then please put an end to it. Seek out God on this matter. Pray and ask for spiritual wisdom to be given to you. When you receive it, your firm stand will begin to soften and you will readily become submissive to His authority and consequently your husband’s. You will be his Helpmeet, the role that many, many women before you have embraced with gratification.

Thank you again Dee for sharing this inspirational picture with me. To view Dee’s amazing photographs and art visit her site https://www.facebook.com/DeeElliottArt/