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January 17, 2024
What is the most potent thing a woman can do to shape society today? She should obey God by being an excellent wife, an excellent mother, and an excellent homemaker. This is what Rebekah Merkle told a room full of young women on Capitol Hill. She was a speaker at a recent Young Women for America Leadership Conference, which is designed to offer young women the opportunity to meet with politicians in the nation’s capital and attend workshops addressing current social issues in the political realm. Rebekah told the young women that being an excellent keeper of the home is where a woman can be the most effective for culture building.
During her talk, Rebekah raised an important question: what is power? She pointed out that it's a relevant question, especially considering where they were sitting at that moment–across the street from the White House and just down the road from Congress. Rebekah emphasized how powerful America is today, arguably the most influential country in the world's history. However, she also noted that America is currently in decline, having turned away from its Christian values. The young women at the conference see these problems in the country and are seeking ways to address these troubles and make a positive impact in the world.
Rebekah contrasted God’s economy of power with the world’s economy of power. She said, “In God’s economy, true power is never where man thinks it is. Over and over throughout scripture, the true power came from the unlikeliest places.” She pointed to the examples of Moses, David, and, ultimately, Jesus.
She said in Jesus we see that “True power is obedience.” Jesus told his disciples, “If you love me, keep my commandments.”
Rebekah then asked what obedience looks like right now. She said the first step is to notice that feminism is a nasty mold that has spread everywhere. She talked about how the world has relentlessly pushed feminism in movies, shows, music, and social media. She encouraged the audience to examine this agenda and to fight back with the truth of God’s word.
She said the first step is to notice that feminism is a nasty mold that has spread everywhere.
In contrast to feminism, she encouraged the audience to consider this statement: “The most potent thing that you could do to change this nation would be to channel all of your drive, all of your ambition, all of your talents, and your education, and throw it into being an excellent wife, an excellent mother, and an excellent homemaker.”
The audience clapped and cheered at that part.
The feedback from the young women at the conference was that Rebekah’s speech was a highlight for many.
One woman said, “Hearing from Rebekah Merkle was a healthy wake-up call. I will be listening to her book and thinking through femininity.” Rebekah is the author of Eve in Exile, a book that examines the feminist lies of the world and explains how Christian women should fight back by embracing a true feminine calling based on God’s word.
Another woman said that after the talk, she texted her own mother, who has been a stay-at-home mom for the past twenty years, with a long thank you note.
Rebekah later commented on her time at the conference, saying, “I was really encouraged by the overwhelming response to this message because it indicates to me that there are a lot of young women around the country who are disillusioned with the feminist fairy tale and are actually quite hungry for a very different kind of life than the one that was promised to their mothers and grandmothers. And that’s hugely encouraging.”
"There are a lot of young women around the country who are disillusioned with the feminist fairy tale and are actually quite hungry for a very different kind of life."
In her talk, Rebekah also considered why some Christians might be concerned about her statement that women should strive to be excellent homemakers. For example, some might think that she is saying that God wants women to take their talents and never do anything with them. She then asked the audience to zoom out and consider why they might bristle at her encouragement to be an excellent homemaker. Is it because of feminist propaganda in the background? Or is it because of God’s word?
She pointed out that some might prefer to hear a message that says women should focus on pursuing a career and doing what they love. But then she said that the Bible never says anything like that. She pointed to the book of Titus, which encourages older women to teach younger women to love their husbands, love their children, and be homemakers.
At the end of her talk, Rebekah charged the young women to admire the calling of being a wife and mother. No matter where they end up, they should admire this because God admires it. She also encouraged the young women to read the Bible regularly. They should read the Bible to learn obedience and apply it to their lives. True power is in obeying God.
Rebekah, a graduate of the first class of New Saint Andrews College, said about her talk at the conference: “To be honest, I was quite surprised at how receptive the audience was. I had decided I wasn’t going to pull any punches, and even though I knew I was speaking to a conservative crowd, I was assuming I would be delivering an unpopular message. But it was quite the reverse.”
Rebekah's message about obeying God and embracing a true feminine calling is one that goes against the popular opinions of current society. Her talk at this leadership conference is a prime example of NSA's mission to graduate leaders who will shape culture while living faithfully under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
“NSA definitely prepares students to be able to get up in front and speak,” Rebekah said about her own experience at the college. “That is definitely one of the things I have most appreciated about my NSA education.”
