The Wife with Boundaries: Changing the Conversation on Biblical Submission

Is there poison in your home?

No, I don’t mean rat poison or toxic chemicals or asbestos. It’s words. On pages. In a book. One that’s given as a wedding gift. When times are tough. When you’re desperate. When you’ve run out of ideas and options to help your marriage and somebody gives you 336 pages of “hope.”

The poison is the answer ringing from every page of this book. You were, as Debi Pearl puts it, “Created to Be His Help Meet.” And lots of women have gulped it down, me included.

Sounds nice, doesn’t it? Sweet. Simple. Godly.

Because double standards and coercive control and whitewashed tombs are biblical, right?

In this interview with Chelsea Wells, she and I discuss the poisonous messages of Debi Pearl’s book before we toss them in the shredder.

The summary we recover-y:

- Women are responsible for their husband’s bad behavior. Period.

- Husbands have the authority to tell wives what to wear, where to go, whom to talk to, and how to spend her time.

- Wives shouldn’t have close friends–only their husbands.

- Women should submit to their husband when he’s a sex addict, adulterer, physically abusive, or refuses to work.

- Husbands have tiebreaker power in every situation.

- Wives have no rights in marriage.

- Your looks and how your family appears to the world matter much more than your health or safety or life.

- Women who want equality are bra-burning heathens who want to take over the world.

- The pièce de résistance: Single moms are the worst (it’s the haircuts and the tiredness).

Listen or download the transcript at flyingfreenow.com/184

FREE: I'll send you the first chapter of my book, Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage. Just hop on my mailing list at flyingfreesisterhood.com/free-download. (I will NEVER spam you or sell your information.)

Desperate for real help and safe people who understand what you're going through? Find out about my online education and support program for women of faith at joinflyingfree.com

And, if you are an already divorced Christian woman who wants to take back her life and get healthy, have amazing relationships, build a business or career, or even find a good man - check out joinflyinghigher.com