Book Review: Successful WOMEN of the BIBLE by Katara Washington Patton

BOOK DESCRIPTION

The second book in a new series that brings the experiences of favorite Bible characters to challenges of contemporary life.

Exceptional read filled with lots of insight!

Contemporary "success" is often defined in financial terms or by number of Twitter followers. But for women of faith, success is so much more. And it turns out the timeless qualities of success are exemplified by women on the pages of their favorite book, the Bible. Deborah's model leadership is just as relevant today as it was in the age of the Hebrew judges. Esther's courage to stand up for a cause, Miriam's joyful support of others, Priscilla's exemplary partnership skill, Lydia's business acumen, and other characteristics of women in the Bible are embodied in lively storytelling. Busy Christian women--often working and raising a family--crave examples of success. Here are distilled principles they can use to succeed in today's noisy culture. The lessons of these icons of the faith apply, even in the age of Facebook and Instagram.

 ABOUT AUTHOR

Katara Washington Patton has written and edited Christian books for children, teens, and adults and has created supplemental materials for books by T.D. Jakes, Beth Moore, and Joyce Meyer. She served as general editor and writer of Aspire: The New Women of Color Study Bible. She holds a M.Div. from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary.

MY PERSONAL REVIEW

Successful Women of the Bible by Katara Washington Patton~published by Faith Words~ is a beautifully insightful book that has significant spiritual application for women everywhere!

I absolutely loved Successful Women of the Bible. I'm confident that, if you are a woman, you will see some of your strengths and perhaps a few pitfalls of your weaknesses amidst the pages of this thoughtful read. The author, Katara Washington Patton carefully analyzes the lives of some prominent women of the Bible to create an engaging work that will encourage your heart.

The author clearly defines behaviors that will lead to a closer and more effective walk with the Lord as she evaluates eleven different women of the Bible. She also highlights the importance of women standing together in courage and unity to accomplish certain difficult tasks, citing the story of the "Daughters of Zelophehad", which I might add, I had never studied...so that was a treat! She describes them as a "group of women in the Bible whose interdependence changed the history of a people and further inspires an independent gal like myself to value interdependence even more than independence." (Italics my own.) 

Patton challenges women to "learn that depending on others is not a sign of weakness, but interdependence" that "could actually make me and others stronger." As an "older gal" myself...I can verify from some years of experience... that Patton's statement is definitely true in my life! When I see the amazing women that the Lord places in my life as "teammates" rather than "competition", I am much more sensitive to the Spirit's leading and therefore more apt to accomplish His kingdom purposes.

The format used in this book allows a clear picture of what attributes to recognize within yourself that will assist you in experiencing the complete plan that God is calling you to. At the end of each chapter, Patton takes the creative liberty to write a fictional letter from the Biblical character that singles out their love and devotion to God! I loved Priscilla and Esther... 

"I am Esther, queen of the land. Called for such a time as this. It's not just about me. I can and will influence and impact other's lives. God always has a plan and a plan of escape for those trapped. I will seek to do all that I can to be a voice for the voiceless and lift up the ones without, sometimes scared, but always trusting in God. I know I have been placed on this earth for more than myself and my comfort. I am the voice, I am the arms, I am the eyes of those who need it the most. I know God is all over my life and is directing my story, so I listen for His prompting and His cues so I might follow."

Successful WOMEN of the BIBLE by Katara Washington Patton will be released tomorrow- 8/23/2016 and can be purchased here. It's an incredible read. I highly recommend you snatch it up...you will definitely be refreshed!!

Thank you to Faith Words for this review copy of Successful Women of the Bible by Katara Washington Patton. I was not required to write a favorable review, but rather to give my honest opinion of it's content. 

Book Review: OVERLOAD: How to Unplug, Unwind, and Unleash Yourself From the Pressure of Stress by Joyce Meyer

Proverbs 12:25(NIV)
Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.

Publishers Description

#1 New York Times bestselling author Joyce Meyer shows readers how to become free from the burden of stress so that they can achieve God's best for their lives.

Sound & simple directions to decrease the stress in your life! 

As technology increases your accessibility, it becomes harder to mute the background noise of your life and receive God's guidance. Joyce Meyer calls this OVERLOAD, when the demands of your busy life become all-consuming and overwhelming. But to experience the joyful life God has planned, you must make time to focus on His Word. Then you'll receive His healing calmness and gain the strength to take on life's challenges, from physical ailments to problems in relationships. Through the practical advice and Scriptural wisdom in this book, you'll learn how to unplug and free yourself from burdens that weigh you down. You'll gain simple, effective tips for better rest and stress management and discover the fulfilling life you were meant to lead.

My Personal Review:

OVERLOAD: How to Unplug, Unwind, and Unleash Yourself From The Pressure Of Stress by Joyce Meyer is a multifaceted book aimed at helping the reader deal with stress. There is literally something for everyone in this book!

You won't be disappointed in Joyce Meyer's newest book, Overload. In this extremely well organized publication to be released tomorrow, Joyce identifies stress as "an indiscriminate thief that will take whatever it can from whomever it can....health, peace, rest, relationships, laughter...stress wants to take it all away!" She doesn't stop with assisting the reader in identifying areas of tension in their life, but goes a step farther by providing very concise direction for how to deal with those areas of your life that are creating havoc and stealing your peace. 

 The selling attribute for the book, Overload, is not that there is a large volume of new information being presented, but that the knowledge is presented all together in one place in a very easy reading fashion. The highlighted gray boxes throughout the pages, as well as the "Things to Remember" list at the end of each chapter are a very effective tool for improving retention. Joyce sufficiently covers the effects, common causes, frequent triggers & poor responses of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual stress. In addition she delivers tangible instruction on how to decrease the presence of stress in one's life and deal better with those situations that are unavoidable.

Joyce Meyer (www.joycemeyer.org) has focused her entire ministry on teaching the Bible, so it is little surprise that the guidance she presents is backed up with scriptural references. She reminds the reader that they have a choice to make each day...they can trust themselves or they can put their trust in God  referencing: 

Psalm 37:3(NIV) Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 

In a very detailed breakdown of practical solutions, Joyce addresses: confidence in the Lord, making necessary changes in our lives to decrease stress, doing our part to respond to uncontrollable stress in a Godly manner, remembering that God is good, simplifying our lives when possible, laughing more, choosing to live in the security of Christ, monitoring our speech, enjoying the life we have been given, adjusting our perspective and choosing to

become more outward focused by blessing others with acts of service. The book is a catalyst

that promotes personal reflection and serves to assist the reader in discovering those areas

in their life that might be a hindrance to living a stress free life. 

Get outside, take a walk, enjoy a hobby
& drink more water! These are just a few
of the many suggestions to help decrease
stress taken from Joyce Meyer's new book: Overload

There is a tandem workbook with Overload: How to Unplug, Unwind, and Unleash Yourself From the Pressure of Stress that will be available for purchase in May 2016. I would like to go through this workbook with a group of friends or within a Bible Study setting. I think it would provide a beautiful opportunity to connect on an extremely transparent level with a community of believers. This subject matter presented in a Biblical workbook format could be life changing. In the meantime, I plan to reread and apply the advice in this book, one chapter at a time. Yes....it's that good!!

I would like to thank FaithWords Publishing for this review copy of OVERLOAD: How to Unplug, Unwind, and Unleash Yourself From the Pressure of Stress by Joyce Meyer. I received this complimentary copy in exchange for reading this book in it's entirety and giving an honest review.