Question:

I'm a girl, but I don't really act like one. I don't like shopping or makeup. I don't depend on other people like most girls I know. I was taught God created men and women with certain roles, but I don't feel like I fit into that mold. Is it against God's will for me to be different?

Answer:

It's been my experience that God created each of us as special individuals. None of us fits a certain mold.

I want to tell you about three of my heroes. My grandma was my first hero. We called her "Nene" because my older brother couldn't pronounce the word "Grandma." Nene was short and plump. Until she retired, she worked in the Navy Shipyard near Los Angeles. Nene didn't like to shop and she wasn't much on makeup, but she was one of the most loving and inspirational people I've ever met. She was totally committed to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She wasn't a very good cook and her house was never all that clean, but we always felt like we were honored guests at her home.

Hero number two was my mom. She loved to shop, and she loved clothes. We were never rich, but she always looked like a million bucks. She could cook some of the best meals in the world. She managed to take care of me, my three brothers, and my dad while she worked in our family restaurant business. Mom loved to be with friends, and she was always the center of attention. She was so different from my grandma, but a great lady nevertheless.

Cathy, my wife, is my third hero. She is as quiet as my mom was outgoing. Cathy is what I call a Proverbs 31 woman. She has a quiet strength like few people I've met. She is a very devoted Christian, mother, and wife. Where my grandma wore overalls, Cathy wears dresses. Cathy juggles car pools, Bible studies, kids' lessons, and a very active ministry. Even with her busy schedule, Cathy always seems calm and in control. She is absolutely inspirational.

As you can see, the idea that a woman has to look and act a certain way isn't really true. God creates each person, male and female, with genuinely different gifts, interests, and abilities. Don't worry about what other girls are doing. Just focus on being the unique person God created you to be. Follow God and be faithful to his plans for you.