Here at Freedom Hill, one thing we all agree on is that all women are unique. Upon founding Freedom Hill Women, we just kept coming to the realization that too many times, women are put into boxes or stuck with a stereotype. The reality is, though, that stereotypes rarely agree with reality. Women are more than cooks, wives, bosses, moms, crafters, or whatever other labels are put on us. We’re disciples, preachers, worshippers, and leaders in every sense of those words. And those are the ideas with which we began Freedom Hill Women and fulfill our mission: Connect (women to each other), Cultivate (our personal relationships with God), Contribute (to the growth of the universal Church). 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says:

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”

In this verse, Paul uses the Greek word “Oikodomeo” to talk about encouraging each other within the body of Christ. This word meant to edify, strengthen, and to develop another person’s life through acts and words of love and encouragement. What’s most interesting is that this was typically a word used to talk about an actual physical structure, like building a house! This is such a great visual for us to think of. Consider all the work that goes into building a house and ensuring it has a strong structure and firm foundation. There’s the architect who begins planning the structure long before it’s even built, then you have the foundation and the framing, and that’s just the beginning! We should put such effort into building up our fellow Christ followers as a builder puts into building a house! Building up one another contributes to the good of the entire universal Church! The Apostle Paul ends this verse with “just as you are doing.” Paul bragged about the Thessalonian church! He says in 4:9 that they were taught by God to love one another! Exhorting and building each other up was working! And we want to follow this example.