Any former Job's Daughters here?

[RedGlitter]

I am a Majority Member of Bethel #23, Mohave Valley, Arizona. I took my initiation at 14. I held the stations of Inner Guard, Senior Custodian, First Messenger and Chaplain. Sadly my Bethel is now defunct due to lack of interest.
I was wondering if we had any current or former Daughters here and if you think the teachings help create better women or if they do not work anymore in today's world?

[moses1124]

I am a PHQ from Colorado. Both of my daughters are active in a Bethel, the oldest is a PHQ and the other has just finished her term as HQ. Obviously, I think the teachings still apply, I think they will always apply. They applied in the 20's and 30's when the Order was started, and in the 70's and 80's when I was a daughter they had a significant impact on me. I very much credit my successes in business and as a mother and community leader back to my time in Job's Daughters. My Bethel recently had a reunion, so I was able to see women that I hadn't seen since they were girls and hear of their successes in life. One of the topics that came up quite naturally was the benefits of Job's Daughters on our adult lives. One poignant story was told by a friend who has actually spoken at a White House luncheon. She was understandably impossibly nervous and told us that the entire time she was sitting waiting to speak she kept reminding herself she was a PHQ and she could do this - she fully credits her success that day to her experiences in Job's Daughters. While most of us "old" jobies agree the public speaking piece of the experience is by far the most tangibly useful -- I do believe that the poise and confidence and the way you carry yourself through life can be directly attributed to all of those meetings sitting with your feet flat and your back straight and wearing formal gowns and heels with regularity. I also think that particularly in today's world we need to reinforce that it is a beautiful thing to be a woman, and we can enjoy and express our femininity without it having any adverse affect on our strengths as business women, community members, mothers, etc. You don't have to turn your back on your femininity to be a strong leader or successful business person, and in fact, I find that embracing it tends to carry me farther and to places that I would rather be than if I were pretending to be something I'm not (a man). We also learn to conduct a proper business meeting, my very first Board of Directors meeting was absolutely comfortable for me because I was familiar with all of the pieces of a proper meeting -- and had been since long before most of the people in the room, even those that were older than I. Planning a wedding was a breeze, and I eventually became a meeting planner for a large non-profit, again after all my Job's Daughters planning experience, it was not at all overwhelming and a comfortable task that fit like an old shoe.

I am very proud of the girls that my daughters are in Job's Daughters with, and the list of successes they have already enjoyed, prior to being 20, is overwhelming. They are remarkable young women, who will only continue to thrive and grow, because of Job's Daughters, but also because of the other experiences that they are having because Job's Daughters gave them the poise and confidence to achieve those other leadership experiences in other activities.

I truly love Job's Daughters and love that (at least here in Colorado) we are growing again. I hope you are able to find a Bethel to visit if you desire, and keep in mind that Supreme Session will be held in Colorado in 2010 -- since you are just next door, maybe you would enjoy the trip?

[RedGlitter]

Originally Posted by moses1124

I am a PHQ from Colorado. Both of my daughters are active in a Bethel, the oldest is a PHQ and the other has just finished her term as HQ. Obviously, I think the teachings still apply, I think they will always apply. They applied in the 20's and 30's when the Order was started, and in the 70's and 80's when I was a daughter they had a significant impact on me. I very much credit my successes in business and as a mother and community leader back to my time in Job's Daughters. My Bethel recently had a reunion, so I was able to see women that I hadn't seen since they were girls and hear of their successes in life. One of the topics that came up quite naturally was the benefits of Job's Daughters on our adult lives. One poignant story was told by a friend who has actually spoken at a White House luncheon. She was understandably impossibly nervous and told us that the entire time she was sitting waiting to speak she kept reminding herself she was a PHQ and she could do this - she fully credits her success that day to her experiences in Job's Daughters. While most of us "old" jobies agree the public speaking piece of the experience is by far the most tangibly useful -- I do believe that the poise and confidence and the way you carry yourself through life can be directly attributed to all of those meetings sitting with your feet flat and your back straight and wearing formal gowns and heels with regularity. I also think that particularly in today's world we need to reinforce that it is a beautiful thing to be a woman, and we can enjoy and express our femininity without it having any adverse affect on our strengths as business women, community members, mothers, etc. You don't have to turn your back on your femininity to be a strong leader or successful business person, and in fact, I find that embracing it tends to carry me farther and to places that I would rather be than if I were pretending to be something I'm not (a man). We also learn to conduct a proper business meeting, my very first Board of Directors meeting was absolutely comfortable for me because I was familiar with all of the pieces of a proper meeting -- and had been since long before most of the people in the room, even those that were older than I. Planning a wedding was a breeze, and I eventually became a meeting planner for a large non-profit, again after all my Job's Daughters planning experience, it was not at all overwhelming and a comfortable task that fit like an old shoe.

I am very proud of the girls that my daughters are in Job's Daughters with, and the list of successes they have already enjoyed, prior to being 20, is overwhelming. They are remarkable young women, who will only continue to thrive and grow, because of Job's Daughters, but also because of the other experiences that they are having because Job's Daughters gave them the poise and confidence to achieve those other leadership experiences in other activities.

I truly love Job's Daughters and love that (at least here in Colorado) we are growing again. I hope you are able to find a Bethel to visit if you desire, and keep in mind that Supreme Session will be held in Colorado in 2010 -- since you are just next door, maybe you would enjoy the trip?

Hi Moses1124, it's very nice to meet you!

That was an outstanding post! You made me reach back into my training and take hold of some things I had let go of.
I agree with you about public speaking...that did instill confidence that was very much needed. As did the charity work. I always enjoyed that part.

I've read your post several times today...thanks for giving me the nudge that I really needed.

Supreme Session in Colorado would be lovely to attend. I will have to think on that.

And welcome to Forum Garden!