Women

Ten of the Bible's best-known femmes fatales parade across the pages of this popular and unforgettable study with situations that sound oh-so-familiar.

Women everywhere marvel at those "good girls" in Scripture-Sarah, Mary, Esther-but on most days, that's not who they see when they look in the mirror. Most women (if they're honest) see the selfishness of Sapphira or the deception of Delilah. They catch of glimpse of Jezebel's take-charge pride or Eve's disastrous disobedience. Like Bathsheba, Herodias, and the rest, today's modern woman is surrounded by temptations, exhausted by the demands of daily living, and burdened by her own desires.

So what's a good girl to do? Learn from their lives, says beloved Bible study teacher and speaker Liz Curtis Higgs, and choose a better path. Whether they were "Bad to the Bone," "Bad for a Season, but Not Forever" or only "Bad for a Moment," these infamous sisters show women how not to handle the challenges of life.
With her trademark humor and encouragement, Higgs combines a contemporary retelling of the stories of these "other women" in Scripture with a solid, verse-by-verse study to teach us how to avoid their tragic mistakes and joyfully embrace grace.
Let these Bad Girls show you why studying the Bible has never been more fun!

Includes Discussion Questions and Study Guide

Winner of a 2020 Catholic Press Association book award (second place, gender issues-inclusion in the Church).

Is it possible to be both a Catholic and a feminist? Claire Swinarski, writer and creator of The Catholic Feminist podcast, believes it is: "I'm a feminist for the same reason I'm bold and honest and sometimes ragey: because Jesus was all of those things."

In Girl, Arise!, Swinarski reconciles the two identities by demonstrating the strength and abilities women have to share with the Body of Christ, the importance of women throughout the history of the faith, and how the love you experience through Christ and the Church can change you and the world around you.

In Girl, Arise!: A Catholic Feminist's Invitation to Live Boldly, Love Your Faith, and Change the World Swinarski points out that while both "feminism" and "Catholicism" can mean different things to different people, both feminists and Catholics desire to make the world a better, fairer place. And she shows that by treating women with dignity equal to that of men--by calling them his friends and teaching them--Jesus acted as a feminist as well.

With humor and sass, Swinarski addresses her frustration with the traditional concerns churches ascribe to women, as shown by the many talks directed at women focused on marriage and modesty rather than social justice. But she pinpoints the areas where modern feminism goes too far, arguing against abortion and exploring what it means to serve others rather than focus on our own needs first.

Swinarski also tells the stories of holy women--including Vashti in the book of Esther, Sts. Thérèse of Lisieux and Joan of Arc, Mary Magdalene, and the Blessed Virgin Mary--to show how their faith influenced their actions, even when those actions went against traditional norms and roles of women.

You will be empowered to embrace your God-given abilities as you follow the women who have gone before you in faith who--by announcing Christ to his disciples, believing in God's promises, and being faithful in hardship--changed the world.

Who are you, really?

In an uncertain world, we crave the security of knowing exactly who we are and where we belong. But too often as women, we try to find this safety in our roles and relationships, our professional accomplishments, or our picture-perfect homes. And as we do, our souls shrink smaller and smaller. It's because these things aren't made to hold us.

In Made for More, Hannah Anderson invites you to re-imagine yourself, not simply as a set of roles and categories, but as a person destined to live in the fullness of God Himself.

Starting with our first identity as image bearers, Hannah shows how Jesus Christ makes us people who can reflect His nature through our unique callings. She also explores how these deeper truths affect the practical realties that we face as women--how does being an image bearer shape our pursuit of education, our work, and even our desire for holistic lives?

Because you are made in God's image, you will only ever know yourself--only ever be yourself--as you find your identity in Him. Find it now.