Because we women are done fighting for a place at the men's table. And when they want to use the Bible as a weapon against us, we'll put on our headcoverings and say we're prophesying--just like the Bible tells us to.

We're simply finished with being told we're irrelevant, rebellious, emotional, illogical and behaving in an "unbiblical" manner.

We are done with being silenced.

I'm a woman and I'm done with all the male theological saber rattling. I'm laying aside the weapons of doctrinal warfare and instead, I'm raising my voice.

I'm becoming the woman God made me to be:

I am a woman who speaks out on behalf of hurting children. A woman who doesn't look away when she sees hunger and poverty. A woman who is determined to find grace in the margins and build community.

I am a woman who LIVES COURAGEOUSLY and loves unconditionally.

I am a woman who refuses to waste one more moment listening to men opine about why it's not it's "Biblical" for me to read Scripture aloud in church or how I supposedly stepped outside my "Biblical" role when I confronted Michael Pearl (I won't even link to those men anymore because I also refuse to give them web-traffic).

I am a woman who refuses to remain silent in the face of misogyny, injustice and cruelty.

Yes, I am a woman and God gave this woman the gift of words.

He intends for me to use them---and I will not keep silent simply because those words were placed within a female earthen vessel.

I was named after two women of valor: Elizabeth--mother of John the Baptist and Esther--the Queen who saved the Jewish people.

It is time for me to step into my name and own that name.

I am Elizabeth Esther.

I will speak. I will use my words.

And together with you, my sisters, we will prophesy.

WE WILL DANCE UPON INJUSTICE!