5 Books of the Bible Every Woman Should Read This Fall

As women, we are all too familiar with Proverbs 31 as the model of biblical womanhood, but we often neglect the other 30 chapters of the Book of Proverbs that hold just as much wisdom for us to absorb. Proverbs seeks to remind us that "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding" (Proverbs 9:10). This fear is not of us being frightened of the Lord. It is a holy reverence before the Lord. This reverence is honor, respect, and gratitude before the Lord almighty. The Book of Proverbs guides us on how to live a righteous life that fosters a field that will harvest blessings, not ruin, in the days to come.

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The Book of Judges follows the time of Joshua until the time of Samuel, before Israel had a king. As women, we are often quick to assume that the only people used by God in ancient times were men, but Judges reveals how He used a woman, Debra, to serve as a Judge over all of Israel. Debra's story in Judges 4-5 reveals how she was not only a Judge, but a wife, songwriter, and prophet. During her service over Isreal a Word she had been given by the Lord comes to pass through the courage of Jael, for Debra had been told by the Lord that He would deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman (Judges 4:9). This is not just an example of God rising a woman up in an age where women were rarely given any form of leadership, it is an example of how God is faithful to His Word and can use anyone-regardless of sex. As you go through the full Book of Judges, recall that men and women alike were called into service by the Lord to fulfill His Will and carry forth His message, and the same can be done today when we surrender to the Lord to do His Kingdom work here on earth.

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Isreal did not remain under the guidance of Judges who sought the Lord but instead asked for a king to lead them. Their first king, Saul, was disobedient and not loyal to the Lord, so the Lord led the Prophet Samuel to anoint a man after God's own heart. Imagine the lasting description of you being known as a woman after God's own heart? Through reading the story of David and integrating along with 1 Samuel the Psalms of David we come to see that David was far from perfect, and at times he wrestled with the trials of life. Yet he brought those questions and struggles to God in prayer, and when he was wrong, he did not turn away from God but repented. His story can encourage us in our own walk to be women after God's heart and not lose heart in even the hardest of days.

Autumn is often a time where we consider what we are harvesting. This is not just in the crops that are ripe for picking in our gardens, but what has been brought forth in our own lives from the year so far. The Book of Galatians offers us some excellent considerations regarding the fruits of the Spirit we are cultivating. Galatians 5:22-25 shares, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (NIV). When we measure what we have acquired or fostered against the fruits of the Spirit, we come to find that our bank accounts, homes, or world assets are far more trivial than we realize. The real treasure is what is done in and through the Spirit of God, and Galatians helps point us in the right direction for not just what to seek to steward, but what to seek the Lord for His help in stewarding, for we need His help.

Have you found yourself in a time of warfare spiritually, or do you sense that there may be a storm brewing? The book of Ephesians, specifically Chapter 6, offers vital reminders to us that there is far more than what we see with natural eyes occurring. Ephesians 6:10-18 begins by sharing that good and evil go far deeper than just flesh and blood, but it continues onward as to how we can be prepared with the armor and protection that can only come from God:

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people." (NIV)

Especially in the Fall, when the spooky and mystical are celebrated, we need to be wise and prayerfully minded toward good discernment and protection from God against the deceptions of the Enemy. Ephesians also encourages us to stand firm that our Heavenly Father can do far more than we can even dream up or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). Ephesians will move you in more ways than one toward hope and a firm footing.

We often take for granted just what a remarkable gift it is to have access to the Holy Word of God in our own language and to have the skill set to read it, something generations before us could only dream about having. Let's seek to make these last months of the year ones where we seek after God's heart to know Him more intimately through His Word.