Hello, everyone! Like I said in the recent livestream, I have a couple of major goals in front of me as I rebuild my life. One of those goals is moving cross country for the sake of my new “day job,” which (Thank God!) is already proving itself as a very fulfilling vocation into which my skillset is sliding nicely. I am looking forward to being a piece of the American freight industry at this exciting and transitional time in our nation under God.
One of the other goals is longer writing. I have allowed too many good projects to pile up, all the while telling myself that by publishing on a periodical platform I would catalyze a path to completion. Not so!
So, for a season, when I don’t have something burning up the the keyboard and ready to go, I will be reposting some of the most important posts from the past few years, with minimal amendment. There is much food for prayer sitting in these archives, and I hope to refresh it as a path to delivering ever greater goods later.
It is in God’s hands. Alleluia! The following post was first publish October 17, 2025, but it had been written and scheduled the week prior, before I left for a regional synodical conference. After I came home from that event to a nightmare, it was suggested by one who portended to be my advocate, that I should take it down. Even though it was clearly stated, “I read the article and there is technically nothing wrong with it,” it was deemed that I could make a show of good faith by limiting my exposure to slander based on the motives of others.
That said, my good will and good faith, not to mention my two decades of previous work, have meant very little to those in the know throughout this experience. “Showing faith” is irrelevant now. I will demonstrate what I believe by what I do.
And I think the wisdom of Xerxes letting Vashti go is instrumental to the Spirit of Esther. But perhaps I am gravely mistaken. Perhaps I do not have in mind the things of God, but rather the things of man.
You tell me. Comments are open. We are all walking toward reconciliation on that great Day no matter what, so it’s my plan to act like it now.
Glad to be on your radar! 🏄♂️🦊🍕
Modern Female Piety Has Been Poisoned
We are in the storm of a theological and sociological crisis.
The Church is witnessing a profound inversion: the appearance of godliness has become the vehicle for rebellion against God’s order. The serpent wears a cross now—and she leads the small group. At the root of this inversion are three poisonous doctrines, each cloaked in virtue but saturated in rebellion:
1. Self-Importance as Spiritual Authority
The belief that personal feelings, emotional impressions, or inner promptings are sufficient to establish truth, moral weight, or relational control, are the center of the American woman’s world.
In church culture, it sounds like:
“I just feel like God wouldn’t want me to be unhappy…” “The Spirit told me…” — and Scripture bows to feelings. Testimonies become emotional spectacles. Prayer meetings devolve into group therapy. The topic does not stay on topic.
Trusting personal intuition over God’s Word is the essence of folly. She accepts and preaches male headship— but only when it aligns with her emotions. Underneath it all: Pride disguised as discernment. Autonomy masked as humility.
“Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes…” “The heart is deceitful above all things…” (Isaiah 5:21; Jeremiah 17:9)
2. Entitlement Disguised as Maturity
This is the assumption that spiritual effort, marriage, motherhood, or basic virtue should be rewarded with applause, deference, and exemption from correction. In the modern church, it shows up as:
Expecting praise for doing what Scripture calls duty. Resenting male correction as “mean,” not “nice,” and “dangerous” or even “abuse.” Demanding the church accommodate her “experience.” Mistaking busyness for holiness. Demanding to be justified, even in sin.
Vashti sees her created identity as burden. She despises Proverbs 31. She trades out obedience and puts in its place affirmation, swapping servanthood for status, submission as skin-deep as the wearing of a veil
The Word says:
“When you have done all those things… say, ‘We are unworthy servants.’” (Luke 17:10)
The spiritual root of Feminism is stubbornness and ingratitude, founded in a fantastical ignorance of physical distinction, the ongoing problem of babel, and the real world dangers of survival in a hostile environment.
The fruit is bitterness dressed as empowerment, oblivious to the barbarians on the other side of the gate where she is busy bringing charges against her husband, generally speaking, for being a man.
3. Misandry Wearing Church Clothes
This is rebellion refined. It is gender insubordination cloaked in sweet piety, harnessing select sanctified vocabulary to justify control, resentment, and role reversal. Whatever she may tell herself, she believes:
“I’m not rebellious, I’m just strong in my faith.”
“I’m not unsubmissive, I’m prophetic.”
She has felt it in her will, and her tragic flaw is that Vashti knows no shame there. Only certainty.
She does not nag. She helps.
It’s not her fault that she has to seize leadership. She can’t just stand by and let things get worse. If he can’t see it’, is that her fault? What is she supposed to do? He’s wrong, after all.
These are lies in choir robes, Eve’s defiance with Mary’s name. Beneath? Jezebel, virtue-signaling to the barbarians at the foot of her tower even as it collapses around her.
“Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft…” 1 Samuel 15:23;
“Let a woman learn in silence with all submission.” 1 Timothy 2:11
“Your [envy] shall be for your husband, and he shall [fail] you.” (Genesis 3:16)
God’s order has not changed. But the modern Church has catechized its daughters in a false gospel of moralistic, therapeutic deism.
The Counterfeit Catechism of Modern Women
Her feelings are canon.
Her husband must prove/earn headship.
Her identity is sacred, regardless of her actions.
Her critique is insight; his correction is abuse.
Her community supersedes her covenant.
Her marriage and therefor her word is an accessory to her personal fancy.
The result is toxic:
She becomes unteachable.
She resents hierarchy.
She calls submission “oppression”
and sees her own dominance as “empowerment.”
There is no fear of God before Vashti’s eyes. That was why the men of Persia rose to Xerxes defense. As it goes in the castle, so it will go in the streets. The only difference is that the streets will be yet meaner by far.
What This Has Cost Us
Marriages: cold, transactional, void of reverence, and filled with dissociative behaviors.
Churches: noisy, busy, fruitless, worried about nickels and noses, addicted to self-improvement.
Husbands: the simp becomes more and more silent, addicted, broken, and withdrawn to the virtual “cave” where he will sit still, “like a good boy.”
Children: raised under maternal absolutism, the Father’s voice lands somewhere between Homer Simpson and Howard Stern. He most definitely does not “know best.” They do.
Natural order: mocked in the name of safety, community and greedy consumption, all of which are the classic red flags of communism, capitalism and the modern world of knowing better than God.
It Is Time to Wake Up
It doesn't matter what arena you are in, whether the courts of the Prince of Persia or your own backyard. It should go without saying
Stop flattering the entitled.
Stop enabling the usurpers.
Stop applauding rebellions.
Do not tolerate misandry in any form.
The true Bride of Christ is not loud, bossy, or bitter. She does not rise by platform, protest, or performance, but by blood, water, and Spirit. That is, by faith alone. Thus, she will desire to be:
Reverent. Submissive. Pure. Fruitful.
For who does not wish to be like Christ Jesus?
Let the Vashtis go.
Let the Esthers rise.
Follow the men who follow Him.
The glory of Ruth is that, before all things, she simply refuses to walk out the door.
The following article by the most august Athanasius is an excellent resource that the Upright do poorly to scorn.
Scripture alone is a treasure trove of peace, harmony and unity. Fools expose themselves when confronted by it. Like an animal caught in oncoming headlights, the matter is too great to understand. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. The fool wags his finger, shuffles his feet and moves on to more important things.
I personally consider the rejection of the truths of the following catalog to define the clear and present heterodoxy of the LCMS in the starkest terms. If a man were to resign from its roster, he would find reason enough in the ongoing rejection of these Words to compel him. If finds himself compelled against his will, it behooves not the Upright to quibble with fools. Such talk even ruins the hearers.
We do well to take heed:
I remember this post too!
This article resonates deeply with my 36-year marriage journey. My husband and I were married for 24 years before we divorced—even missing our 25th anniversary—before God ultimately restored us and we remarried.The most painful part is that I grew up in the church and graduated from Christ College Irvine as a DCE, yet I still missed it. Looking back, the biblical teaching on womanhood and marriage simply wasn't this explicit. I'm not even sure I would have fully understood it when I was younger, because the volume of society—the television, music, and messages telling women we had to "have it all"—was just so much louder than what I heard from the pulpit or read in the Bible and catechism. Culture told us that being a wife and a mom wasn't enough, enticing us to chase careers rather than be satisfied with the beautiful vocations God called us to. Because I bought into those loud cultural lies, I missed out, and my four children and stepson missed out on seeing that strong foundation. It is a bittersweet grief that I woke up so late in the game, but discovering the true depth of God’s love and His design has entirely transformed me. I share this raw truth because I hope younger women—especially those sitting in church pews—will hear this explicit message and wake up to His beautiful design much sooner than I did.
I remember this post and it painted an image that stayed with me. I don't see anything inaccurate and I believe it's a beneficial description to contemplate. Not knowing the complexities of anyone's life here, I just see this as a warning, a hurt, and a clear description of someone I do not want to be, yet see in myself at times. It's not a beautiful image and it causes strife in a marriage (I know).
This fits with a word I have been contemplating this year and has been brought to my attention a lot: "willing". I see it very clearly in myself and many women around me. We do the work before us but with unwilling hearts, lacking joy, nursing resentment, angry that no one seems to understand our sacrifice. Even each other, even other women. It's often an internal contest of who has the harder job at any given moment. It's a "martyr complex" and I am working through it myself.
I heard a clarification recently. If something is keeping you up at night, angry that it was taken from you, upset with the life you have, you did NOT sacrifice whatever that is. It is not self sacrifice when something is taken from you, you are desperate and angry and clutching to get it back. You cannot mentally categorize something as self sacrifice and lying to yourself in that way, when something was taken from you and you cling to it so desperately. This could be hours alone without noisy children, being able to spend the time and money on ourselves and what we want, the mental burdens of trying to figure out what is best for each child or for the marriage, the physical burden of pregnancy, birth, and the weaknesses in your body after that never seem to go away, the loneliness.. We need to set these things down and sacrifice them.
I listened to the book of Philippians straight through the other day and that is such a gift in this regard. But I couldn't help thinking, if Paul was another man and said this to the modern woman, he would be called many things and I imagine "insensitive", "doesn't understand" would be a few.
This is a topic that is really close to my heart and really been on the forefront of my mind the last few years. (Looking back, it's probably partially to do with your highlighting similar subjects.)
A prayer that has been on my mind is "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.." Because I've been keeping an eye out for the word "willing", I noticed a translation that said "sustain me with a willing spirit". How beautiful.. I have since sang that to myself in those words because they speak so clearly to this feeling in the moment. Sustain us with willing hearts! I honestly think that is one of the deepest, most basic things that are going wrong in a situation like this post. It describes a lot of us women. We are simply unwilling to do the work that is given to us (even the work we create for ourselves!), but also unable to admit that to ourselves sometimes. It is easy to feel the higher moral ground when you are seeing all the important responsibilities you attend to in a day. And being women, we naturally what to connect over people and close relationships and all that nurturing, beginning as a young girl with her baby doll. We set ourselves up for hurt and disappointment if we find ourselves doing it for thankfulness and recognition. It is much more pleasant and easy on the emotions when we set things down as a sacrifice with a willing heart. Easier said than done. (A note: did we expect our dolls to thank us? Did we get upset our dolls didn't notice our hard work and sacrifices? I know the analogy only goes so far but it does make me contemplate: when did we lose our joy of simply helping people? Nurturing lives? Caring for them? Our joy in that used to simply come from the doing, from having someone to love and care for.)
Another side note, the phrase "husband gets the final word" just doesn't sit well with me and I can't quite put my finger on it. I do not use this phrase myself because it doesn't quite explain how I feel. It moves past the roles that husband and wife are each in. Yes, a wife helps and of course talks with her husband. But why is she trying to make a decision at all? Why is she coming to him like that? I think the picture is so much clearer when the wife asks questions, is looking for wisdom, comes to the table wanting to listen and understand. "The final word" sounds like the woman is finally succumbing. Maybe it is this way sometimes? But I have trouble understanding why we would want to describe our relationships like this. I think we should look at our husbands as a king of the home. A good king, a king under the headship of the Perfect King. Why do we come into discussions like "the final word" was a debate or coming to an agreement, instead of trusting that he has the best in mind for you and your family? That he really does have wisdom that you don't? Sometimes he will seek the queen to discuss as well and the queen of the house isn't a fool. But she isn't the king. The king and queen don't come together, discuss, and he gets "the final word". He already has the authority, he doesn't need to go over it with the wifey, doesn't need her approval. And yet, he often still communicates and listens and attempts to understand her feelings, because he loves his wife and sees that she has thoughts that are valuable to the kingdom, especially in the domains she works in so often. And remember, he's a GOOD king. So good, that he wants to please the highest King of Kings. I may be using this final word phrase way deeper than others may mean it, so I am trying to understand the phrase in the way they use it. In my perspective, it just doesn't seem adequate for the situation.
(Sorry for such a long comment. I am passionate about this. Hopefully the comment isn't too disruptive and may spark more thoughts for others.)