Carolyn Custis James Quotes & Sayings

Joy isn't grounded in our circumstances; it is grounded in the unchanging character of God. — Carolyn Custis James

Never talk about submission without talking about Jesus, and in particular of the cross. Jesus' version of submission is thoughtful, strong, purposeful, and sacrificial. It involves the full and determined embrace of his Father's will (which governs everything Jesus does)3 and the voluntary pouring out of his life to rescue a lost world.4 Submission is both. It is redemptive. It is the gospel. It is a way of showing Jesus to the world. — Carolyn Custis James

Her loyalty to Yahweh prompts her to challenge the religious status quo and lead others into a whole new realm of allegiance to Yahweh that carries early hints of the teachings of Jesus. — Carolyn Custis James

Instead, we end up with a list of bullet points - an inventory of God's communicable attributes, those qualities belonging to God that he shares with us. Moral, spiritual, intellectual, and relational qualities make the list. What ultimately happens is that instead of being shaken by a visionary calling that will take everything we have to offer and more, we end up with a static list of attributes that are echoes of the divine in us. Efforts to pin down the precise meaning of image bearer (which the text does not do) ultimately box up the subject. — Carolyn Custis James

My mother used to tell me, "Things always look worse at night." For the most part, I believe her. But some of the troubles that keep me from sleeping look just as bad in the morning. — Carolyn Custis James

Jesus won the war, and the rest of history is simply mopping up. — Carolyn Custis James

Eve was created to know and walk with God and to make him known to others by reflecting his character in her life. This is a woman's true path to fulfillment and meaning - the only way we will ever discover who we are and find our purpose. And it is accessible to all of us. — Carolyn Custis James

Sometimes following God means throwing caution to the wind. Sometimes caution is a symptom of faithlessness. — Carolyn Custis James

Talking Taboo is a groundbreaking book. This chorus of bold female voices is presenting the church with an opportunity to engage real but all too frequently avoided or unseen issues impacting countless Christian women today. Their candid essays cover a wide spectrum of perspectives. Readers will resonate with some and be shocked by others. Talking Taboo took courage to write. Reading taboo takes courage too. So buckle up and brace yourself for an eye-opening but vitally important read! — Carolyn Custis James

Officially, the New Testament church at an early stage took seriously their responsibility for widows who lacked family or other resources. The office of deacon was instituted initially to address this pressing need. — Carolyn Custis James

Submission is not an occasional event. It is a lifestyle. It isn't a negative obligation on women, but the natural outworking of the gospel in every Christian's life. Submission is an attribute of Jesus, so it ought to show up in all of his followers. — Carolyn Custis James

The moment the word 'why' crosses your lips, you are doing theology. — Carolyn Custis James

Now, instead of asking if God is good for women, I'm asking a new question. I stole it from Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic novel, "The Secret Garden." When the orphaned heroine, Mary Lennox, stumbled over a piece of untended, overgrown land needing to be ruled and subdued, she asked her uncle, "Might I have a bit of earth?"
[ ... ] May God bless every woman's life with men like Boaz. But even if there is no Boaz, God is a mighty advocate. God is good for women, and women who know this are strong for his kingdom. God wants to hear his daughters ask, "Might I have a bit of earth?" This is the Gospel of Ruth. — Carolyn Custis James

We view men's gifts as vital to the church. In contrast, we caution women to exercise their gifts discreetly to avoid causing problems or trespassing some invisible line - which changes location from church to church, sometimes even within the same denomination. — Carolyn Custis James

Boaz is not diminished, marginalized, or feminized in the slightest by being outnumbered and influenced by Ruth and Naomi. As a matter of fact, he only grows stronger himself through his collaborations with them. — Carolyn Custis James

Ruth's story helped me see that neither I nor any of God's daughters belong on the sidelines, while our brothers build his kingdom without us. He means for us to work alongside our brothers, and he is doing great things through his daughters, even though we, like Ruth and Naomi, may never live to see the full significance of our contributions. — Carolyn Custis James

It doesn't cause me to doubt God's existence, but it does force me to admit there's a lot about God I don't understand. — Carolyn Custis James

I have to ask myself how I can possibly expect to know Jesus as he would want to be known if my life remains unscathed by trouble and grief. How can I hope to grasp anything of God's heart for this broken planet if I never weep because its brokenness touches me and breaks my heart? How can I reflect his image if I never share in his sufferings? And how will any of us ever learn to treasure his hesed and grace if we never experience phases where these blessings seem absent? — Carolyn Custis James

A woman's mission centered on home and family - vital spheres of ministry to be sure, but only a slice of the vast mission God originally cast by calling women to rule and subdue the earth. — Carolyn Custis James

A solitary image bearer cannot adequately or accurately reveal God in the world, much less fulfill his destiny as a human being. Obviously, this is a matter of grave importance to the Creator. — Carolyn Custis James

The noble calling to rule and subdue the earth in God's name was perverted, as male and female tried to rule and subdue each other. — Carolyn Custis James

Everything. She lives with a profound confidence that he holds the whole world (including her) in his hands. — Carolyn Custis James

Theology isn't really theology for us until we live it. — Carolyn Custis James

Faith may want answers, but somehow it is able to survive without them. — Carolyn Custis James

God calls women to run - to trust him and invest ourselves in the race he has marked out - to participate, contribute and fight for what is right. — Carolyn Custis James

First and foremost, God is the true hero of the story. No matter how captivating the other characters may be, our top priority is to discover what the Bible reveals about God. — Carolyn Custis James

If my own struggles have taught me anything, it is that my greatest need is to know God better, and I am not alone. — Carolyn Custis James

Eve's goal was to align herself with God at every possible level - to share his heart, imitate his ways, love what he loved, and join him in his work. It is the rarest of privileges, the highest of honors, the most daunting challenge imaginable. A simple list of attributes barely scratches the surface of all it means to bear God's image. — Carolyn Custis James

Far from polarizing male and female
as patriarchal definitions do
or highlighting gender distinctions between them (none of which are mentioned here), God's method in creating the woman unites them in a bone level solidarity. When the man sees the woman, he doesn't distinguish himself from her. He sees a reflection of himself. She is literally bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh perfectly re-engineered into a woman. The oneness between God's male and female image bearers is unmistakable and utterly profound. — Carolyn Custis James

The ezer is a warrior, and this has far-reaching implications for women, not only in marriage, but in every relationship, season, and walk of life. — Carolyn Custis James

Male and female callings are not separate issues. They are interwoven, interdependent, and inseparable in the Bible. God didn't create a world where one gender can flourish at the expense of the other. In God's world, the true flourishing of one depends on and promotes the full flourishing of the other. In fact, God's kingdom purposes for the world hinge on how well we both flourish and pull together to serve him. — Carolyn Custis James

We are not the masters of our own destinies. We are called to plan and strategize, to work and live active lives, to attempt things that are beyond us and tackle challenges that stretch us to the limit. Yet the outcome of our efforts, even our ability to exert ourselves, is always in God's hands. — Carolyn Custis James

When the average American says, "I'm starving," it is a prelude to a midnight raid on a well-stocked refrigerator or a sudden trip to the nearest fast food restaurant. — Carolyn Custis James

Everything was going according to plan. What caught me off guard, however, was the fact that this eagerly awaited phase brought a sense of loss to me that triggered a whole new wave of soul searching I had not anticipated. — Carolyn Custis James

Not every woman has a Boaz in her life. Sometimes the male voices we hear are cautioning us to hold back instead of urging us to serve God wholeheartedly with them. Sometimes the cautioning voices we hear belong to other women. Sometimes those who have the power to facilitate our callings and clear a path for us set up roadblocks instead. Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz remind us powerfully that even in a dark era like the days of the judges, God always has his people and the Blessed Alliance is still alive and well. He is working in our hearts, summoning us to be strong and courageous like Ruth - to embrace and embody his gospel on our 'bit of earth. — Carolyn Custis James