Choosing to Stay Away From Books About Girls in Bonnets

Yesterday I found this article on the Mars Hill Blog titled, Awesome Women of the Reformation and I was drawn to it because in Christian media circles I feel like its kind of hard to find good lit for women that is about more than just relationships or emotions or housekeeping like Martha in the bible. Not that those things aren't important its just that usually they are more about me and how I can become a slightly more Jesusy version of Martha Stewart. So when I was younger I always got the impression that real theology study was for boys and for girls there was a whole series of fiction books written by Beverly Lewis that we could choose from. All of which seemed to showcase an emotionally torn young girl living in prospector territory California who has to rely on prayer to help her make the tough decision between chastity and following her dream of becoming a saloon dancer. Fill in the blanks.
Am I bitter about whats on the market as christian literature for girls? No. Why would you ask that?
But really, my point is I liked the article because many of those women were wives and mothers and worked with children and managed the home but they were also martyrd and they had to flee their homes and they were educated and they challenged bad theology and they just worked really really hard.

• Katharina Schutz Zell: organized relief for 150 men exiled from their town for their faith, and wrote scriptural encouragements to the wives and children left behind
• Elisabeth Cruciger: She wrote the first protestant hymn in 1524, which created a controversy since women were not usually songwriters in her day.
• Marie Dentière: She was part of an Augustinian monastery in Tournai, which she later left after embracing the teachings of the reformers, a crime against both church and state. She also spoke out in public taverns and on street corners.
• Catherine Willoughby: she fled to the Netherlands with her infant and was forced into exile as a support of the Reformation.

I want to do missions work yes. Very much. But I also know God's given me a heart for children and for homey things and maybe for marriage, but I dont want those things to collide with each other. I'm praying that its not a matter of choosing between one or the other. And if I do have a daughter some day I would much rather her read about these women than about fictional ones that present the greatest goal in life as being married to a "neat christian boy".




*I've never actually read any of those books by Beverly Lewis, thats just what I assume them to be about judging by the covers. Which I know is the mark of ignorance. Anyway, if you are someone who reads those and have found them to be particularly encouraging then I apologize. and also good for you.