I am a strong woman. I come from a long line of strong women, particularly my mother, who admittedly struggled at times with the idea of biblical submission. Not long ago, I read an article called "Leading and Submitting." In it, Alex Chediak covers a lot of ground regarding the balance between leadership and submission in a marriage. He makes an interesting point about wives:

In a marriage relationship, a strong wife is an asset to her husband. She can give him insightful feedback, expand his horizons to matters he may not have considered, and lovingly rebuke him when he is sinning. What a godly wife aims for at such moments is an attitude that, while affirming his leadership, seeks to sharpen it.

She is not seeking to take advantage of his weaknesses by usurping his leadership. Rather, she wishes to encourage, advise, correct, and rebuke to the end that his leadership might be enhanced, his effectiveness increased, his capacities enlarged. "She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life" (Prov. 31:12).

I found this encouraging, because I have sometimes heard criticism of strength in women. Perhaps this is because people associate strength in a woman with inappropriate forcefulness. Chediak addresses this flaw:

The domineering woman ... is the usurper. Her desire is to rule over her husband or the men around her. Such a woman may get what she wants, only to be grieved by the emasculation of the men in her midst.  A domineering woman will often treat her husband as though she thinks he is a wimp, although she may never admit that publicly or even to herself.

The key to keeping strength in its proper place is to maintain a godly perspective. Regardless of one's strength, God calls for submission. Not only from the woman, but also from the man (Eph. 5:21-22). His best for a marriage relationship is when neither person is "usurping" the other's God-given position. There is a difference between overcomer and usurper. When I keep my strength under Christ's submission, it's an asset to my husband. When I wield it to my own gain, it can become something ugly. Submission need not be a dirty word. Lived out in a biblical way, submission is the foundation to a great relationship.