Beautiful Girlhood compiled by Debra Maffett

not only the possibility — but the sure promise of manhood or womanhood.
The infant mind now so imperfect and undeveloped, possesses powers of
growth and development that may sometime make it one of the foremost
people of the world. Every name, though ever so great, and every record,
though ever so inspiring — can be traced back to an infant's crib. Even our
Savior was once a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger.
Childhood holds untold possibilities and promises. While it is true that
many men never reach their childhood's promise, never become noble
characters — but remain mediocre and dull — it is not always because there
was in them no possibility of better things. We must admit
that circumstances and environment, as well as heredity, have much to do
with the nature and development of children — but much more depends
upon their individual disposition and effort. God meant that every child
should grow into a noble, upright person, and there is in every child that
which may be brought to the fullness of manhood or womanhood. Those
who fail to be such, have somewhere along the way wasted that which God
has given them.
Womanhood is a wonderful thing. In womankind we find the mothers of
the race. There is no man so great, nor none so low — but once he lay as a
helpless, innocent babe in a woman's arms, and was dependent upon her
love and care for his existence. It is woman who rocks the cradle of the
world and holds the first affections of mankind. She possesses a power
beyond that of a king on his throne!
There was the ancient Jochebed, who received the infant Moses from the
hand of Pharaoh's daughter, and in a few short years she had taught him so
to love his people and the God of his people, that when he came to
manhood, he chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to
enjoy the honor of being the grandson of the king.
Womanhood stands for all that is pure and clean and noble. She who does
not make the world better for having lived in it, has failed to be all that a
woman should be.
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