Eve in Exile – A Review

Have you ever wondered how we got where we are today in our culture concerning gender roles? Our nation is obsessed with the topic of gender…or should I say misgender? Marriage no longer has anything to do with gender, several sports no longer recognize gender, and middle-aged men are being named “woman of the year” for crying out loud! I’m thrilled to see someone in office actively making changes – thank you President Trump! Obviously, our nation is confused, misguided, and vehemently rejects our God-given roles.

Disclaimer: I was not compensated in any way to write this review. The thoughts and opinions are my own. This review contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small compensation at no extra cost to you. See my disclosure policy for details.

Design matters. The intent of the Designer matters.

That is the message Rebekah Merkle exceptionally conveys about the topic of women in her book, Eve in Exile. The book is well-organized into four sections: Two Distractions, Enter Feminism, What Are Women Designed For, and Living Out Our Design. Eve in Exile is one of those hard to put down books. Although there is so much packed in a little over 200 pages, it is an easy read.

Femininity – What it’s not.

Merkle begins with an attempt to eliminate two distractions, or ditches that can send us veering off course of how femininity should or should not look. One side of the ditch is “Pretendyville” – If only we lived according to an earlier era like Little House on the Prairie, or a more “Godly” society, everything would be all right. The other side of the ditch is what our society believes “fulfillment” is – a career, recognition, not letting anyone get in the way of your dreams, the “you go girl” sentiment. Tossing those two ways of thinking aside, Merkle then dives into the history of feminism.

Feminism – What it is.

To my surprise, feminism did not start with the free-lovin’, bra-burnin’ generation of the 1960’s. Merkle traces it back 200 years before that, before feminism was actually even a word. The author takes the reader on a history lesson highlighting figures like Mary Wollstonecraft, Mary Shelley, Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Margaret Sanger, Betty Friedan, and Gloria Steinem. It is quite fascinating to look at the timeline of notable feminist with World War II being the intermission between the two waves of feminism.

Interesting questions come up: Could America’s prosperity of the 50’s be what created that second wave of feminism? Were modern conveniences leaving women underchallenged, with nothing to do but work outside to gain the fulfillment they were looking for? Have women gotten so dang bored over the years, that they are embracing and promoting the gender identity crisis in America today?

What are we designed for?

Like it or not, we do live in a world designed by God. God also designed women for a specific purpose. One of those purposes is to work. Eve was created as a worker to stand by Adam’s side, together, to subdue the Earth. Another fundamental job for both Adam and Eve was to fill the Earth. Physically, everything about us is meant for mothering. Eve was also created to help Adam (not the other way around). Merkle does a great job at explaining much about the woman’s role through Scripture.

Living out our design

This to me, is the real meat of the book, Eve in Exile. How do we maximize our design? Paul clearly describes our duties in Titus 2:3-5. If that sounds tedious or restrictive, think of what the opposite would be. Merkle beautifully tackles what “keepers at home” means to women, and it is more than you may think. The bottom line is “be invested in your people” (Merkle, 135). There is no limit as to what can be done in the home – and home doesn’t necessarily mean within four walls. With a creative mindset, and an attitude of “owning” your job as a housewife…..look out!

From food to fashion, Merkle offers practical, inspiring tips in making our lives interesting, big, and with purpose when we throw ourselves at it. Eve in Exile also touches on the importance of learning, Remember, Eve was the one who was deceived. There is so much more to being a “housewife” than what our culture has conditioned us all to believe.

One of my favorite quotes: “If we women decided to take our motivation, our drive, our inspirations, our imaginations, and our creativity, and aim it toward our homes, our husbands, and our children, we would find a vast and glorious and transformative world of possibilities open up before us.” (Mercle, 166).

What I thought of Eve in Exile

Obviously, I enjoyed the book. Eve in Exile will encourage women to find the roles God has for them and to grow and bloom in that role. While the majority of the book is geared towards wives with children, she doesn’t neglect to mention the role of women who have no children, as well as women who are single.