So, do you think you're a tuff woman? At the BRIDGEWOMEN Monday night gathering this week, we ALL learned how to be T.U.F. women from the amazing Deborah Pegues. In her message, she taught us being T.U.F. is vital to unity and health in our relationships with God and with others.

To be a T.U.F. woman, Deborah shared three things that we need to do. One, we must be TRANSPARENT. We must be real with God and with each other. Did you ever notice how when others see that we aren't perfect, they seem to connect with us even more! Sound backwards? Think about it…people tend to relate with others more in their vulnerabilities than in their strengths. Transparency in our relationships will help them to thrive, and it will promote even greater unity! And, we know that where there is unity among believers, God commands his blessing!! We all want God's blessing in our lives, don't we?

The second key to being a T.U.F. woman is being UNMOVABLE. Did you know that the word "immovable" refers to an object, but the word UNMOVABLE actually refers to emotions! We need to be women who decide that we will not be moved, but we will be steadfast in our hearts and in our minds, clinging to God's promises regardless of life's circumstances. When challenges arise, we have a choice to make: we can cast our cares on God because we know He cares for us, or we can take it all on by ourselves and invite feelings of being overwhelmed. T.U.F. women choose to give their worries to the Father and be unmoved.

Finally, T.U.F. women forgive. We forgive because God forgave us. We forgive because God requires it. In fact, we are never more like God than when we forgive. That's an incredible thing, isn't it?! And, as women who are seeking unity in our relationships with God and others, there just simply isn't room to get stuck in a state of unforgiveness. The good news is that we don't have to do it alone. In fact, it's impossible to do it all on our own. Forgiveness requires divine intervention. We need God's supernatural assistance to forgive when we've been wounded. So how do we get God's help in the area of forgiveness? By meditating on His Word, by initiating reconciliation, and by pursuing peace.

You see, when we're T.U.F. women, we're women who build bridges in our world. Being TRANSPARENT with others breaks down barriers. Being UNMOVABLE allows God's strength and grace to flow in us and through us to impact others. And FORGIVENESS makes room for God to turn to good the very things the enemy intended for bad. Let's decide today to put into action the principles of being T.U.F. women! And, if you weren't able to join us on Monday, click the link below to check our Deborah's entire message via podcast. We promise, it's one you don't want to miss!