On Purpose - Many Christian women are torn between how the church has taught traditional gender roles and the liberty they see secular society afford to women. But what if the church's conventional teachings on the place of women aren't really biblical at all? On Purpose is a serious study on the verses in the Bible that have often been interpreted to define the role of women in the church, at home, and in the workplace. Each chapter focuses on a single passage, considering what it meant to the original recipients, understanding each author’s intent, and applying its true meaning in today's cultural setting. With each chapter, Julie Coleman thoroughly reveals how the timeless principles in the Bible actually teach freedom for women. In fact, when rightly understood, these verses are a wake-up call that we are handicapping the church's role on earth by limiting women unnecessarily. Instead, men and women should be working side by side for the advancement of the kingdom of God. Written without anger or judgment, and with no agenda but to delve deep into the Bible, On Purpose is an enlightening study offering a fresh, scriptural perspective. It's time to set women free to answer God's call on their lives--and set the church free to function the way God truly desires.
Gay Girl, Good God - “I used to be a lesbian.” In Gay Girl, Good God, author Jackie Hill Perry shares her own story, offering practical tools that helped her in the process of finding wholeness. Jackie grew up fatherless, experienced gender confusion, embraced both masculinity and homosexuality with every fiber of her being. She knew that Christians had a lot to say about all of the above. But was she supposed to change herself? How was she supposed to stop loving women, when homosexuality felt more natural to her than heterosexuality ever could? At age nineteen, Jackie came face-to-face with what it meant to be made new. And not in a church, or through contact with Christians. God broke in and turned her heart toward Him right in her own bedroom in light of His gospel. Read in order to understand. Read in order to hope. Or read in order, like Jackie, to be made new.
Country Soul - A wounded warrior who found wholeness in Christ…A coal miner’s daughter who met Jesus in a West Virginia holler…A horse whisperer who speaks healing to animals and humans. Through powerful real-life stories like these, along with stunning photography, horse farmer Cara Whitney—wife of “Larry the Cable Guy” Dan Whitney—reminds us that we never have to face our struggles alone. Each story in Country Soul draws us back to a God who cares for our smallest needs and deepest longings, reminding us of His promise to never let us go.
What does God know about us? Well, the answer to that is simple: He knows absolutely everything about every single one of us on this planet. And while I am sure that most of you know that, this week we are reminded through these new books that in today’s society it is easy to feel lost and neglected in this world. Gay Girl, Good God is one of those examples, as author Jackie Hill Perry walks us through her journey toward faith. Jackie faced lots of obstacles in order to get to where she is today, such as multiple forms of abuse and identity confusion. But God knew Jackie. From the moment He formed her in her mother’s womb and even up to the moment when she asked Him to be a part of her life. “Though accomplished through sinful lusts, He had given me to her. He was forming me in her womb. Unbeknownst to her, He had chosen me before the foundation of the world to know Him. And no one—not my mother, my father, or even me—would get in His way,” as said by Jackie Hill Perry in Gay Girl, Good God. Another new book that was added to our collection is, Country Soul by Cara Whitney, wife of “Larry the Cable Guy.” Through this book, Cara uses her love for horses and writing to encourage those who feel alone, such as: “God wants each of us to be exactly who we are—the special, one-of-a-kind person He created us to be.” We find quotes like that and so many more within the pages of Country Soul. In On Purpose, author Julie Coleman addresses how women are portrayed in the Bible, and how women today can use that as a way to push past the things that are holding them back. So, some of you might be wondering why I titled today’s post, “What God Knows About Us.” Well, I guess when I started to skim through each of these new books, I started to realize something very similar between them. Each author is trying to connect with the reader in a specific way, reaching out to women in the church, those who are experiencing identity confusion, and just anyone out there who needs to read words of encouragement. But they all commonly have this concept: You are not alone. God knows who you are, and He knows every amazing little detail about you. When you stumble and nobody seems to notice, there is always One who notices that moment of pain and vulnerability, and He loves you so much. So come on down to the Cross Reference Library and check out these eye-opening books.