In Proverbs 14:1 it says that the wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down. But how does a wise woman build her house? Well, today it’s not only my beautiful chocolate Labrador’s fourteenth birthday but also International Women’s Day! So, I thought I would take this opportunity to speak to all the ladies and encourage you to build your house brick by brick regardless of circumstances. A house that not only provides our families shelter, comfort, and security but a house that can weather life’s storms because of its deep pillars and leave a legacy of good memories. 

Back in 2002, we built our house. As a family, we watched the walls get built brick by brick as the building process moved along. Our kids have many happy memories and a few sad ones too because it’s the house they both grew up in. Many milestones from the first visit from the tooth fairy, to celebrating passing driving tests, to saying goodbye to our two, very old Labradors and everything in between happened within the walls of that house. We sold it in 2019 and as we closed the front door for the last time, we remembered all the moments that made up the memories over the 17 years we lived there. 

When it was time to move in we were assured by the building company that each pillar that held up the foundation of the house had been drilled deeper down than some other building companies suggested. They told us that the house could withstand strong winds, even up to a 9-force gale! Thankfully, we never got to test the capabilities of whether the house would truly stand a 9-force gale. However, knowing that the deep pillars that held up the foundation could keep the house steady if we faced a real, wild, gale-forced storm knowing the pillars were that much deeper gave us peace of mind and a sense of security that our house had been carefully built by the builders brick by brick and would keep our family safe for many years. 

And this circles back to our scripture of Proverbs 14:1. Perhaps this scripture reminds you of your own house that you’ve built. I’m not talking about a physical house you can see on a street corner but a house built by a wise woman. A house you built brick by brick with your own weather-beaten hands, resting on the foundations of grace, love, and compassion over the years so that when a 9-force gale comes you know your family will be able to stand against it.  

As a woman, building a house brick by brick over the years that hold your values and beliefs isn’t an easy task as there are many elements to consider. Some days you can feel like the 9-force gale is inside your house instead of outside and those strong winds can flatten each of your walls brick by brick and destroy what you’ve so wisely built over the years.

We can be shaken right down to our very foundations when we become the foolish one who is slowly tearing down her house with her own hands because of frustrations and emotions bubbling over. And let’s not forget that our children will one day become teenagers who turn into adults and motherhood will feel like you’re in the eye of the storm as you try to navigate the maps and weather patterns of their lives.  

However, brick by brick is how a wise woman builds her house because she knows the three pillars of the Trinity keep her safe. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are the support pillars of where the foundations of her faith lie. As Isaiah 33:6 tells us that God ‘will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.’ In the NKJV it says, ‘wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times’ and when we, as wise women, are building our house we need to keep remembering the pillars of our faith. Proverbs 24:3-4 helps us to know that ‘through wisdom, a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.’  

So, on International Women’s Day, I want to encourage you, dear, fellow builder to keep building your house brick by brick because your wise hands are building something for the next generation. As women, we get to create something that can face even the strongest winds for our families. And just know when you’re building, I will always be here to hand you the bricks and to keep reminding you that you’re building a house for your children’s children because the foundation is set on pillars that steady your faith even when life gets a little blowy! 

Wendy xo 

(Oh, and happy birthday, Rose!)