Can a daughter find joy and contentment serving in her father’s house? A panel of twenty-something ladies at the 2005 Father and Daughter Discipleship Retreat offered their thoughts to the girls in attendance about the beautiful vision of biblical womanhood that comes from rejecting the feminist concept of the independent career woman, and embracing the biblical vision of the industrious, virtuous, submissive daughter who serves her father and advances the ministry of the household.

Kelly Brown shared her testimony of gratitude to the Lord and her father for giving her the freedom to be “about her father’s business.”

Melissa Keen (pictured above) related the story of how her father had shepherded her and helped her to guard her heart, and God used this to prepare her for a biblical courtship which has been a source of great joy for her and her family.

Rebekah Zes (pictured above) spoke with passion of the necessity that women of God resist the spirit of the age and return to the ancient paths. Her sister, Hannah Zes, declared: “I want to share the immense happiness I have found in being a daughter in my father’s house. I have more liberty and more peace in spending my days at home in service to my family and in developing my skills than I would if I were anywhere else. My home is a wonderful place always bustling with love, joy, laughter, and activity. I love my father and mother dearly, and because I love them, I love my home. From the moment I wake and am greeted by my mom and sisters, to cooking with them, to talking with them, to working beside them, to dinner discussions and family worship, to the time I kiss my father goodnight, I love being at home. May God, by His great grace, grant you such a love for your family and for your home, and may He keep you faithful all your days to run with perseverance the race set before you.”

Sarah Zes reminded the girls in attendance: “Proverbs 4 says: ‘Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.... He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.... My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.’ We must honor our father and keep his commandments. We must determine to guard our hearts daily, and entrust our heart to our father for safekeeping.”

Rebekah Zes commented, “You will not always have the privilege to be so near your father as you are now, and have the opportunity to serve him as you do in this time of your life. I exhort you to take full advantage of this season in your life and to be about your fathers business. Is your father over-burdened? Relieve him! Serve him in whatever capacity you may that he might be freer to devote his time to those things which demand the most attention. Likewise, is your mother wearied? Aid her! Take some responsibilities upon yourself so that she might better serve your father. This will be a great help to both of your parents.”

Hannah Zes said, “One of the greatest joys I have is spending all day, every day, with my best friends, which are my mom, my dad, and my sisters. My aunt always asks, ‘How can you stand being at home all day with your mother and sisters?’ To which we reply, ‘We love it!’ It is solely by the grace of God that my sisters and I are best friends. When our parents took us out of the school system and brought us home to be taught, we three girls did not have each other’s hearts — we were competitive and resentful toward one another. By learning together and by working alongside one another, and through the working of the Holy Spirit, we came to love each other. Now I cannot imagine life without my sisters. They are the sweetest joys God has given to me and the most trusted friends I could ever claim.”

Hannah Zes continued: “We, as daughters, have the joyful privilege of bringing beauty and order into our father’s house. Some of the ways my sisters and I beautify our home is through decorating, fresh floral arrangements, lovely music, and savory scents. A cheerful smile and kind heart, as well as what you wear, will bring beauty to your home and reflect the loveliness of a godly spirit to everyone who sees you. The description of a young woman’s dress in Titus 2 is chaste, or pure, and the woman of Proverbs 31 is clothed in beauty. So that we would reflect the beautiful character of the Proverbs 31 woman, my father has asked us to dress modestly and femininely, and we do so to please him and to honor God.”