Book of the Month: February

This month's selection was a book given to me by my neighbors after I came home from Turkey. Decided it would be a great book to add to the 12 I am committing to read this year.

Overall I found this book to be a really encouraging read. It goes through each of the 12 women's stories and sheds light as to their importance in Biblical history. It was great being able to learn a little more about some Biblical characters I didn't know much about such as Lydia and Rahab. While the author does highlight their extraordinary significance in the Biblical passages mentioning the women he concludes the book by saying:

"Not one of those women was perfect, of course. Their flaws and failures are evident, too, and those are also recorded for our admonition (1 Cor 10:8-11). The sins of the saints in Scripture are always recounted with simple candor and never in a way that excuses or glorifies the wrong-doing. While standing as a rebuke to our sin, such stories also comfort us with the reminder that throughout history, God has used imperfect vessels, "that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us" (2 Cor 4:7). After all, Christ came to seek and save the lost- not the righteous but sinners. These women all depict the truth of that promise, and that certainly ought to be rich encouragement when we consider our own fallenness." (pg 201)

Always important to be reminded that despite my sinfulness and lowliness God can still use me just as He used the women highlighted in this book who were just as imperfect. He is glorified in my weakness and desires to make His name great while using me to accomplish His will. No one is too far from the reaches to God's grace and mercy.