The Empowerment Trap: Part 1

This is for the Christian woman entrepreneur who's been told she needs to be "empowered" to succeed, like something mystical goings on will happen and you will leave changed. _If that's not you, stop here. But forward this to a friend who’s always talking about empowerment.

The Empowerment Epidemic in Christian Female Entrepreneurship

Can we talk honestly for a minute? I've been wanting to address something that's been bugging me for a long time, and I have a feeling you've been feeling it too. Lean in, Sis.

There's a word that's been hijacked, twisted, and weaponized in ways that are actually harming Christian women entrepreneurs, and we need to talk about it. Hoodwinked!

That word is "empowerment."

Now, before you roll your eyes and think, "Here we go again with another anti-feminist rant," hear me out. This isn't about being anti-woman or anti-success. This conversation is about something much deeper. It has shaped and impacted many a belief. Mine included.

Here's what I've discovered through my journey and countless conversations with Christian women entrepreneurs: God never intended for us to be "empowered" in the way our culture defines it.

Instead, He designed something far more beautiful, sustainable, and joyful—a partnership where we co-create our calling with Him through divine inspiration, passion, and focused play.

So, grab your favorite drink (today I’m drinking green tea), put your feet up, and let's have an honest conversation for the next few minutes. I’m weighing in on why the empowerment culture is leading Christian women away from what God has planned for their businesses.

What Empowerment Actually Means (And How We Got Here)

Sis, let's start with some history. Yes, I looked it up. The word "empower" originated in the 1650s, originally meaning "to give authority or power, especially by law." “Empowerment,” a noun, means 1. authority or power given to someone to do something

Now let’s see it in a sentence (do you remember this as a way of learning vocabulary words in "school)—"Individuals are given empowerment to create their own dwellings."

Okay, okay, let me focus.

But over time like a lot of things, the true meaning gets blurred. Since the 1970s, the term has morphed into something entirely different. What once meant receiving authority from an external source has become synonymous with self-generated power, inner strength, and personal autonomy.

Today's empowerment culture tells women, "You have everything you need within yourself. You are powerful. You are enough. But you need to come here, and we will empower you. Or this will empower you." So—I’m lost. What does it mean again?

Sound familiar? I'm guessing you've seen this message approximately 847 times on your social media feeds this week alone.

The problem isn't that these messages are entirely wrong—they contain elements of truth. The problem is that for Christian women, they're dangerously incomplete and often directly contradict how God designed us to discover and live our calling.

The Subtle Deception of Self-Empowerment

Here's what the modern empowerment movement gets right: Women have been undervalued and held back throughout history. Many of us have internalized limiting beliefs about our worth. We absolutely do need to recognize our value and step into our calling with confidence.

But here's what it is wrong (would love to read your thoughts): It locates the source of that power within ourselves and makes the journey about grinding and self-sufficiency rather than discovery and divine partnership.

The empowerment message says, "You are powerful because you are you."

The gospel says, "You are powerful because of whose you are, baby—and your creator wants to dance with you in discovering how that power unfolds."

When we buy into self-empowerment, we become the source of our strength. We're responsible for generating our own confidence, motivation, and resilience.

But let me ask you something: What happens when you're tired? What happens when your inner well runs dry? Child, that empowerment stuff gets thrown out the window.

I'm guessing you know exactly what I'm talking about. You've been there, haven't you? That moment when you're running on empty, but the empowerment culture tells you to find more strength from within.

It's exhausting and unsustainable, and ultimately, it robs us of the joy God intended for our entrepreneurial journey.

You Are Being Robbed! - Yup

The modern empowerment movement is actually stealing something precious from Christian women in business: the joy of divine partnership and creative discovery.

It Makes Us the Source of Our Own Strength: When we believe we must generate our own power, we set ourselves up for burnout. We become like the Israelites trying to make bricks without straw—working harder with diminishing results.

It Promotes Grinding Over Dancing: Empowerment culture celebrates hustle and pushing through. But God designed our calling to be more like a dance—sometimes we lead, sometimes we follow, but we're always moving in partnership with Him.

It Creates Anxiety About Performance: When you're the source of your own power, your success depends entirely on your ability to "show up" consistently. This creates tremendous pressure. But when you're partnering with God, you can rest in His consistency.

It Limits Our Potential: Self-empowerment can only take us as far as our own abilities allow. But God's power is unlimited. When we partner with Him, we access "immeasurably more" (Ephesians 3:20).

The Question That Changes Everything

Here's what I want you to consider: If the empowerment culture is leading us away from God's design for our calling, and if it's robbing us of the joy He intended for our entrepreneurial journey, then what's the alternative?

What would it look like if, instead of trying to empower ourselves, we learned to partner with the One who already possesses all power and authority?

What if the women in Scripture who accomplished extraordinary things weren't operating from self-generated strength but from something entirely different—something that brought them joy, creativity, and supernatural results?

I have a feeling you're already starting to see where this is going, aren't you?

👀COMING UP IN PART 2: I'm going to show you exactly what Scripture reveals about where real power comes from—and you're going to be shocked at how different it is from what you may have been taught. We'll look at biblical women who understood divine partnership.

Plus, I'll address the elephant in the room: the contradiction of empowerment workshops. If you already have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you, what exactly are these sessions offering?

The answer might make you rethink everything you thought you knew about power and calling.

Your Sacred Action Step

Here's what I want you to do RIGHT NOW: Check how you talk and think about power. Check your website, social media, and even the things you say to yourself.

Get rid of all messages that tell people they can do things on their own. Yes, today. I'm not joking.
Good if your stomach flipped when you thought, "But what will I say instead?" That is the culture of empowerment that is being questioned. Push through.

It's time to change the way you talk about empowerment seminars, coaching sessions, and statements like "you are powerful" and "you have everything within you." Today. Change it to partnership language that recognizes God as your source. This is not only a business choice but also a religious one. It says that:

• You get your strength from working with God, not from yourself.

• You think that God's boundless power works through you, not your limited human abilities.

• You are ready to stop relying on yourself and start co-creating joyfully.
  
  Steps to take:

• Change "You are powerful" to "You are in a relationship with the Most High."

• "Find your inner strength" should be changed to "Discover your divine calling through partnership."

• Change "Empower yourself" to "Let God work His power through you."

Your business language should show that you are a partner with God, not that you are empowering your culture. Stop attempting to be your own source. Instead, start partnering with your Creator.

 P.S. Take This Further

Did this stir something in you? What's your experience been with empowerment culture? Have you felt this tension? Reply and let me know.

Tap one of the responses below or hit reply and tell me. I read every message, and I’m cheering you on—especially if you’re raising your prices today. 🙌

You’re not meant to struggle to prove your faith—you’re meant to thrive because of it.

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