I used to be a skeptic of PMS and thought women were makin’ it up!  But then a few years ago, surely enough, at certain times of the month some issues that normally would seem small to me seemed enormous.  Or I would be emotional about something that really shouldn’t have been that big of a deal.  And almost as if I could count on it, my period would start that same night or the following morning.  And it was then I could reflect and say, ‘Ohhh, THAT’S why I feeling that way or responded that way earlier today or yesterday.’  So I’m a convert, a strong believer in PMS. Continued

But how does a virtuous woman deal with PMS?  Because while I am no expert on the matter, myself and many are my girlfriends are convinced that it’s a real thing that many women experience, and sometimes it can get the best of us if we aren’t conscious of it, or worse yet, some women use PMS as an excuse to behave ugly during ‘their time.’  But is moodiness truly a real symptom of PMS?  Many guys will testify with an astounding, ‘YES!’  ‘I can just TELL when it’s about to be that time of month for my girl,’ I heard one guy say.  But as an interesting side note I heard a preacher once say he heard a lady in his congregation say, ‘Guys have a menstrual too, they just don’t bleed.’  (And there may be some validity to that, I’ve met some really moody guys in my day.)

But before we take a look at some resources and helpful links to aid Christian women with dealing with PMS, have you ever stopped to wonder how Eve or women way back in the day (in Bible times) dealt with things like their periods or PMS?  There was no Midol or Advil back then.  No herbal teas.  For that matter, no pads or tampons!  Makes you wonder if Eve just sat on a leaf for a couple of days or perhaps she just did a lot of swimming during that time in a nearby lake.  I was surprised to discover that there are quite a few references in the Old Testament about women being on her menstrual cycle.  For example, check out Genesis 31:35:

Genesis 31:35:  Rachel said to her father, ‘Don’t be angry, my lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence; I’m having my period.’

Even more interesting perhaps is the fact that the laws back in  biblical times incorporated a women’s cycle.  Seriously. Check out the below scriptures.

Leviticus 15:19:  ”When a woman has her regular flow of blood, the impurity of her monthly period will last seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean till evening.

Leviticus 18:19
‘ ‘Do not approach a woman to have sexual relations during the uncleanness of her monthly period.

Ezekiel 18:6
He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife or lie with a woman during her period.

Those are a few scriptures I thought you might find interesting!  If you ever want to comcolor-box that our culture today is regulated by too many laws, just read through Leviticus to change your perspective!  We have it easy compared to people in Old Testament times.  For example, kids who disrespected their parents got stoned to death.  Point blank.  Kids were doing all they can to keep the commandment to ‘honor they mother and father.’

But okay, back to our topic!  How do we as women of God deal with the topic of PMS

Like I was sayin’… I am no expert on this subject, so what I did is compile a few resources below (i.e., books, links to web pages, and articles) on the topic that some experts have written specifically for Christian women in light of the subject of PMS.  At the end of this section is a link directly to a message board if you want to discuss this topic with others.

Helpful Books for Virtuous Women About PMS:

Book #1:
The PMS Puzzle:  Letting God Put the Pieces in Their Place
For more than twenty years Holli Kenley thought she was going crazy! One moment she felt good; the next moment she was tearing apart anything in her path in a hysterical, crying tantrum. During her ‘good’ times, she was outgoing, gregarious and fun-loving. But in her dark times, she lived in a world of loneliness, depression and isolation.

The PMS Puzzle is a guide to recovery for women who suffer from Premenstrual Syndrome. This thoughtful autobiography depicts Holli’s physical, psychological and spiritual struggles and the steps she took to seek and find help. Her story is similar to women’s lives who may be afflicted with a very real and powerful illness, and like Holli, have no indication that there may be a physiological problem. Research shows that 40 to 60% of all women from the ages of 15 to 50 experience PMS symptoms. Yet most women never seek help, fearing that they really are just going crazy.

It’s time to put an end to the fear, embarrassment and denial associated with PMS. There is real help and real coping solutions available, not just for the PMS sufferer but for everyone – family members, co-workers, friends — who may be affected by the symptoms of this treatable illness. PMS sufferers and their loved ones will be encouraged and inspired to learn that God’s promise belongs to them: He who began good work will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Phil. 1: 6).

Book #2:
Holy Hormones:  Approaching PMS God’s Way
Editorial Reviews:
‘…I recommend this book to every woman…and to every man that desires to understand this hormonal roller coaster women experience!’
—Kathleen Jackson
The Godly Business Woman Magazine

‘…’Holy Hormones’ reflects (Dr. Eaker’s) compassion and desire to help these women in need.’
—Florence Littauer
Author of 30+ books, including ‘Personality Plus’

Book #3:
Vinnie’s Giant Roller Coaster Period Chart & Journal Sticker Book

Conquering PMS could be as simple as remembering when your period is about to start.  If you are anything like me, I am HORRIBLE at keeping track of my periods, when they start and end, let alone calculating when my next period should begin.  So I found this very interesting PERIOD CHART BOOK on the Internet that I thought I might as well list here.

This guy named Vinnie made this PERIOD CHART BOOK so that his gal pals could have an entertaining way to keep track of their menstrual cycle. With enough space to chart one full year’s worth of periods, this book will provide you with a comprehensive and detailed account of your natural cycle.   Impress your gynecologist!  LOL.  You can use special stickers provided in the book to mark the days of your PMS, the days of your period, heavy flow days, crazy cramp days and more.

You don’t have to buy the book though, you can print out a FREE chart by logging onto his website (link below).

Vinnie actually owns a store in New York City called, ‘Vinnie’s Tampon Case Store’ in case you were looking for a holder for your tampons, those of you who wear those!  Makes ya want to laugh out loud, but check this out, Vinnie’s tampon cases are in over 200 stores nationwide.  It’s actually an interesting story as to how he got started in this business.   For information log onto Vinnie’s website at http://www.tamponcase.com.