Remarkable Women
This past Spring I had the privilege of hosting a book club for a small group of ladies at my church. Stacey, Brianna, Tonya, Emily, Gwin, Abby and I made up the group. We dove into the book Remarkable Women of the Bible by Elisabeth George and had great discussions regarding what God taught us thru these women.
The first book I read by Elisabeth George was A Woman After God's Own Heart in 2000 during my first year of marriage. Elisabeth's writing is terribly practical based on the Word of God. When reading her books it's almost as if you are sitting with her, chatting over a cup of tea. A Woman After God's Own Heart was quite the encouragement to me as a new wife, with many responsibilities in my life: homemaker, new wife, student (Jess and I were both in our last year of college during our 1st year of marriage!), employee (of course we were both working too!), friend, servant at church. She helped, thru direction from the Word, put everything in perspective and encouraged me in what matters most. Even with all that was expected of me during that time I can vividly remember having quiet time to sit and read and absorb my new role in life, and her book I will always remember as helping shape me as a wife. I picked it up again last Summer and it reminded me of all the encouragement I had received years ago!
Last Fall my friend Heather recommended Remarkable Women of the Bible for a small group discussion and after perusing the book I agreed! It is awesome to read of real women from all ranges of life (single, married, old, young, widowed, barren, rich, poor) and choices and see how God loved each one of them and used them to love on others.
I was most struck by the lives of Rahab and Ruth and how they were intertwined. I had never really thought of these 2 women being related, have you? But it turns out that Rahab's son, Boaz, married Ruth. As a very general overview I'll mention that Rahab was a former prostitute, a Canaanite, who chose to believe in God and serve him. Ruth was a widowed Moabite who chose to travel with her Hebrew mother-in-law to live with God's people. Rahab and Ruth both had difficult pasts. Both women could/would be looked upon by some in not such a great light. Boaz, as the son of a woman with a difficult past, would know how to graciously love a wife who had gone thru tough times. When I made that connection during my reading I was overcome by how God uses us in his perfect time and way to be a blessing, and how the details of our lives are important, even the "ugly" details, if you will (you know, we all have them!).
If you are interested go to elizabethgeorge.com to learn more about this author!
The first book I read by Elisabeth George was A Woman After God's Own Heart in 2000 during my first year of marriage. Elisabeth's writing is terribly practical based on the Word of God. When reading her books it's almost as if you are sitting with her, chatting over a cup of tea. A Woman After God's Own Heart was quite the encouragement to me as a new wife, with many responsibilities in my life: homemaker, new wife, student (Jess and I were both in our last year of college during our 1st year of marriage!), employee (of course we were both working too!), friend, servant at church. She helped, thru direction from the Word, put everything in perspective and encouraged me in what matters most. Even with all that was expected of me during that time I can vividly remember having quiet time to sit and read and absorb my new role in life, and her book I will always remember as helping shape me as a wife. I picked it up again last Summer and it reminded me of all the encouragement I had received years ago!
Last Fall my friend Heather recommended Remarkable Women of the Bible for a small group discussion and after perusing the book I agreed! It is awesome to read of real women from all ranges of life (single, married, old, young, widowed, barren, rich, poor) and choices and see how God loved each one of them and used them to love on others.
I was most struck by the lives of Rahab and Ruth and how they were intertwined. I had never really thought of these 2 women being related, have you? But it turns out that Rahab's son, Boaz, married Ruth. As a very general overview I'll mention that Rahab was a former prostitute, a Canaanite, who chose to believe in God and serve him. Ruth was a widowed Moabite who chose to travel with her Hebrew mother-in-law to live with God's people. Rahab and Ruth both had difficult pasts. Both women could/would be looked upon by some in not such a great light. Boaz, as the son of a woman with a difficult past, would know how to graciously love a wife who had gone thru tough times. When I made that connection during my reading I was overcome by how God uses us in his perfect time and way to be a blessing, and how the details of our lives are important, even the "ugly" details, if you will (you know, we all have them!).
If you are interested go to elizabethgeorge.com to learn more about this author!
Comments
Loving God With All Your Mind is my favorite Elizabeth George book. I am in it again as I prepare for the new one's arrival. A good reminder of how to focus, since I lack the ability to do so. (-: