Wade Burleson addresses his adult daughter, Charis, in a recent blog post. He shares a message with his beloved daughter which I never had the privilege of hearing from my earthly father, husband, nor church teachers/leaders. But God is my Father, and He has revealed this same truth to me in the course of my journey with Him, truth which is foundational for a healthy (egalitarian) marriage:
Contrary to what some of our Christian friends believe (and teach), you have no need of any alleged ‘covering’ provided for you by a male. You didn’t need any covering from me, nor will you need one from your future husband. The only covering you need you have; and it is given you freely by your Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the only Person from whom you can find real and eternal personal identity. Your mother and I have sought to model for you what a biblical, godly marriage is all about. Your mother is my equal. She is my friend. She stands alone in her personhood. You’ve been taught that you are the equal of any man, and we believe you know that to be true!
Yes, what we women want is simply to stand upright, as free human beings before God.