Susan DiMickele - Working Women of the Bible: Timeless Mentors for Modern Women

WORKING WOMEN OF THE BIBLE

Timeless Mentors for Modern Women

Copyright 2013 by Susan DiMickele

ISBN 978-0-89112-414-6

Printed in the United States of America

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwisewithout prior written consent.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Scripture quotations noted NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations noted KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible. Scripture quotations noted NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Scripture quotations noted ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations noted RSV are taken from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Published in association with WordServe Literary Group, 10152 S. Knoll Circle, Highlands Ranch, CO 80130.

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA

DiMickele, Susan M.

Working women of the Bible : timeless mentors for modern women / Susan DiMickele.

pages cm

ISBN 978-0-89112-414-6

1. Women in the Bible. 2. Women--Employment. I. Title.

BS575.D55 2013

220.92082--dc23

2012045084

Cover design by Cover design by Thinkpen Design, LLC
Interior text design by Sandy Armstrong

Leafwood Publishers is an imprint of
Abilene Christian University Press
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Abilene, Texas 79601

1-877-816-4455
www.leafwoodpublishers.com

13 14 15 16 17 18 / 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

After taking an in-depth look into the life and times of the WORKING WOMEN OF THE BIBLE, author Susan DiMickele beautifully equips each of her readers with plenty of insight, perspective, and too many a-ha moments to countall while delivering a healthy dose of humor as readers further identify with (and actually relate to) their foremothers from so many moons ago. As history has proven, and as this publication reiterates, God will continually call upon the unqualified to lead, arming them for success in his name and for his cause. Amen for that... and Amen for this book.

Jenny Lee Sulpizio, author of Confessions of a Wonder Woman Wannabe (releasing 2013)

WORKING WOMEN OF THE BIBLE is the most unique, refreshing, and encouraging book about women and work that I have read in a long time. Many believe in error that the Bible mandates all women to work at home, barefoot and pregnant, with their only role being to serve the men in their life. Susan DiMickele clearly illustrates that God offers an incredible variety of work options for women of faith... and he has provided women mentors from many different situations to guide us. Bible stories, personal experiences, and individual reflection questions combine to create a motivating and challenging resource. The mentors you meet in this book will inspire and empower you... and your work!

Terry Morgan, Global Leadership DevelopmentCampus Crusade for Christ

Christian working women will be comforted by WORKING WOMEN OF THE BIBLE. In tracing the stories of biblical working women, Susan DiMickele reminds us that our struggles are not new. We have all questioned the value, purpose, and direction of our work. We have all performed tasks we deemed monotonous, while wondering why God has not yet provided us with obviously worthwhile work. We have all struggled to glorify him in all we do, yet sometimes we are overwhelmedsometimes he asks too much. We trip over ourselves trying to maintain a work/family balance. Reviewing the thousand-year-old stories of women like Esther, Martha, and even Eve helps steady our gait. With our biblical footing restored, we can continue our walk with God, knowing we are not aloneand never have been.

Ashby Lawton Jones, attorney and mother of two

WORKING WOMEN OF THE BIBLE offers bold and inspiring encouragement to any woman in todays chaotic workplace. This talented authors insights into Scripture, woven with personal experience, offer hope and reassurance that women dont have to strive for perfection. DiMickele knows how tough it is being a woman in this male-dominated workforce. As a fellow working woman, I found this wisdom-packed book a refreshing must-read.

Donna Pyle, founder of Artesian Ministries

You were created to walk in love with Jesus, and designed to do good works, which God prepared for you to do.

WORKING WOMEN OF THE BIBLE will affirm your unique personhood, while lovingly challenge you to become the woman you were destined to be.

Harvey Hook, Executive Director of The Gathering, Columbus; author of The Power of an Ordinary Life

While the Evangelical book market has pretty much ignored the professional lives of working Christian women, Susan DiMickele steps in to fill the void with a solid resource, offering practical lessons drawn from the ladies who lace the pages of the Bible. DiMickele takes a different twist on some of those well-worn women of the bible stories by uniquely approaching them from the perspective of a woman with a full-time jobone of influence and meansand garners fresh insights to share with fellow sisters who are sorely in need of inspiration and a strong spiritual pat on the back. This book is a delightful read: well-paced, insightful, encouraging, and based soundly in reality, rather than spinning soft Sunday School lessons. I can imagine the collective sigh of relief from working women everywhere as they grab a copy of the book and stuff it in their briefcases for a reassuring read on their morning commutes.

J. B. Wood, author of At Work as It Is in Heaven: 25 Ways to Re-imagine theSpiritual Purpose of Your Work and The Next Level: Essential Strategies forBreakthrough Growth.

WORKING WOMEN of the Bble

TIMELESS MENTORS for MODERN WOMEN

SUSAN DIMICKELE

For my parents
Cy and Stella Moore