the essence of a woman

I love watching the Miss Universe Pageant, I once dreamed of being a beauty queen. My most favorite portion of the pageant is the Question and Answer.  In 1994 Miss India was asked "What's the essence of a woman?", this question stuck in my mind well probably because Miss Universe pageant was held in Manila that year.  Today while at work while the babies are napping I find myself contemplating and this question  popped in my head.  I vaguely remember Ms. India's reply as " the essence of a woman is being a mother and being a wife."  When I came home I google her answer and this is her exact response, "Just being a woman is God's gift. The origin of a child is a mother, a woman. She shows a man what sharing, caring, and loving is all about. That is the essence of a woman."

Why am I writing about this stuff? Well I have lots of thoughts about my role as a woman and studying "Becoming a Woman of Excellence" (by Cynthia Heald) makes me think about that a lot.  "What is my essence as a woman?"  this is the question I have in mind but I think I'm not satisfied with the idea Ms. India and all other woman who thinks the same and don't say that the idea is completely wrong.  I'm not a feminist I just want to think deeper and better understand God's plan for me.

Here are my thoughts... Let's define the word essence, in Philosophy, essence is the the attribute or set of attributes that makes an object or substance what it fundamentally is, and which it has by necessity , and without it loses its identity. If motherhood is the essence of being a woman then a woman who can't bear a child or even is not fit to care for a child will forever not find her essence and be at lost of her purpose of existence.  If a woman's essence is to be a wife then unless one woman is married she will deem not fulfill her very essence. The reality is that even if God created woman to be able to bear child and be man's ally I think being a mother or a wife is not the very essence of a woman.

I know that God created woman to be man's helper and were commanded to pro-create, and God set this in every woman's heart.  But if this is what defines a woman, why did God allow some women to be infertile or called some to be single for life and not have a husband. Does this means that God created some woman that forever in their lifetime will never know her very own essence. If a woman was fundamentally created to be a wife and mother then those that can never be a wife or mother will cease to not to find her purpose and forever loses her identity. Is she a lesser woman compared to those who has a husband and children?

I believe that a being a wife or mother is not the ultimate purpose of a woman, it is not the essence of a woman.  I find my answer to the question "what's the essence of a woman?" In  Ps. 148, Isa 43:6-8; 46:11 Eph 1:3-14, Rev 4:11, 5:9 it is clear that I was created for God and for His pleasure... to worship God and bring him pleasure.  God created everything in earth for his pleasure, he created man to subdue the earth to lead it in giving glory to God. God's passionate for his glory so He appointed a man to rule the earth to bring Him glory. But the man needs help and is not good alone so then God created a woman to be man's helper in leading his creation's to give him glory. So it is ultimately for God's glory that he created woman, second is to be man's ally then 3rd to be a mother.  If it is not for God's pleasure he would have not created the earth, then there's no use for a man to subdue it much more for a helper. So the most foundational principle is the glory of God. This truth is a comfort for me because I find my purpose in God not in my role.  It is a comfort that even if a woman won't find a husband or bear a child, she will still exist knowing that she's fulfilling her essence her purpose in life, that is to worship God.