Emma Waters

With so many new faces here after the recent WSJ feature, this feels like a good time to reintroduce myself. I’m a wife and a mother of two little girls, a policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation, and the author of Lead Like Jael, coming out March 2026. I wrote Lead Like Jael with my younger self in mind. I take a deep dive into what the Bible says about the strength, wisdom, and purpose of women, especially as it relates to marriage and motherhood. If the tradwife vs. girl-boss feminism debate taught me anything, it's that women are dissatisfied with the life-script they've been sold. We don't need a hyphenated Christianity (ie, Christian-Feminism, Gay-Christian) to solve this--we need an unapologetic embrace of God's Word and His active work in our life. I'm all about a 'seasonal' approach to life, and this season means placing my young family first as my husband completes his seminary education. Wherever God has placed you, I love encouraging women to embrace their season with excellence, contentment, and faithfulness to the daily responsibilities before them (Jael, and her tent peg, are a great example of this coincidentally.) My faith shapes everything I do. I am an evangelical Christian who writes about IVF, surrogacy, biotechnology, femininity, and the goodness of the family. With Heritage, my policy work focuses on restorative reproductive medicine, infertility, and emerging biotechnologies. I'm enthusastic about innovative tech developments, but only if we channel them toward what is truly good for human flourishing. (I also love living rent-free in the minds of some of the biggest fertility orgs and eugenic tech start ups, but more on that later 😉.) If this resonates with you, I hope you'll play an active role debating and exploring this issues with me. :) a.co/d/hh5u6vu

So the birth control pill was given out like candy to every female millennial at age 15 and now IVF is a 50 billion dollar industry. Must be a coincidence.

100% endorse. I’ve heard so many seasoned moms say it, and can attest to it. Having kids made me way more disciplined and efficient than ever before—in part because I’m way more motivated to make time just to delight in these little girls 🥰

@HeatherACofer You’re the best, thank you!!

@emlwaters marycooking.com/delicious-fren…

Along came my eager baking buddy, and now the kitchen is filled with giggles and flour (he cranked the mixer nice and high 😂)

@HeatherACofer Please do! That would be delightful

@emlwaters I can give you the recipe I used!!

@KatieMiller This is the issue I’ve been researching & building out for years, from active policy to media. Would love to talk more about it with you :)

This is a major national security risk. China is playing the long game.

Women have more choices than ever before, and yet they are less equipped to make decisions that lead to long-term happiness and success, namely related to marriage and motherhood. What went wrong? Loved sitting down with @bradleydevlin at @DailySignal

From Girl Boss to Life Loss? Why Today’s Women Are Overachieving but More Unhappy Than Ever | Emma Waters The cultural scripts of girl boss feminism is unfortunately leading many women to not prioritize marriage and having children. These things are even more crucial for women’s happiness than resume building and landing a C-suite job, argues @emlwaters, author of “Lead Like Jael: 7 Timeless Principles for Today's Women of Faith.” “There seems to be this breakdown, with an abundance of choices and very few tools to make the right or best kinds of decisions for them. And it's leaving young women in a state of being continually overwhelmed and paralyzed by the seemingly endless list of choices that they have.” @bradleydevlin

A woman who fears the Lord and prioritizes her home/kids is a holy terror to the Left.

Honored to rant about the unhinged antinatalist propaganda from The Cut for the @PirateWires Daily 👇

@emlwaters So grateful for your voice and leadership, the young women we mentor need role models like you to look up to! 🇺🇸💪❤️

Such an honor, thank you @cblwomen! Their organization continues to tackle the most important issues of our day with courage and clarity—it’s an honor to fight the good fight with women like these.

Why Are Women So Unhappy And On Drugs? Study after study shows that women are unhappier now than they were 50 years ago. Why is that when narratives of female empowerment have dominated the last 50 years of American life?Feminism has actually changed how our government works. Our young women are in crisis—depressed and drugged. @emlwaters joins The Signal Sitdown to discuss this and her new book "Lead Like Jael."

@LeahLibresco @Heritage I don’t think I’ve traveled alone once in the last three years 😂

@emlwaters @Heritage eeeeee! Congrats to your tiny coauthor ;)

Such an honor to share early copies of Lead Like Jael at our Conservative Women on Work, Family, & Policy event today @Heritage Culture is shifting: down with girl-boss feminism, and up with pro-motherhood efforts that put kids first!

“It’s all about choice” FALSE 🧨 Yet again, we have concrete evidence that any woman who prioritizes motherhood and the home—and encourages other women to do the same—are demonized & attacked. Why? As Lead Like Jael argues, such women are an anti-fragile & holy terror to evil

Honored to have had the privelege to interview a panel of beautiful, wise, and talented women and mothers - @CarrieGress @emlwaters @maryricehasson @JCNSeverino My intro remarks here ...

@HeatherACofer @BMcGrewvy @Heritage Thank you, Heather!! ☺️

@emlwaters @BMcGrewvy @Heritage Ah!!! So excited for you!

@BMcGrewvy @Heritage You bet :)))

@emlwaters @Heritage wait wait, is that baby #3??

@KristanHawkins @Heritage Oh no, I’m so sorry about your flight (and missing the press conference!) but I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it! Seeing accomplished and smart women sing the praises of motherhood first is such a white pill and encouragement for young women today.

@emlwaters @Heritage I’m so sorry I missed it! My flight was cancelled. But I watched the livestream! Loved it!

@GeorgetteForney Thank you, Georgette ☺️

Celebrating a great woman and momma!