Lisa Ryan - Generation Esther. Stories of Young Women Raised Up for Such a Time as This

GENERATION ESTHER
published by Multnomah Books

2003 by Lisa Ryan

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from:
The Holy Bible, New International Version
1973, 1984 by International Bible Society,
used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House
Other Scripture quotations are from:
The Holy Bible, New King James Version ( NKJV )
1984 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
The Message by Eugene H. Peterson, Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000.
Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation ( NLT )
1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
All rights reserved.

Published in the United States by WaterBrook Multnomah, an imprint of the
Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House Inc., New York.

M ULTNOMAH and its mountain colophon are registered trademarks of Random House Inc.

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

For information:
MULTNOMAH BOOKS
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Colorado Springs, CO 80921

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Ryan, Lisa.
Generation Esther / by Lisa Ryan.
p. cm.
eISBN: 978-0-307-78170-3
1. GirlsReligious life. 2. GirlsConduct of life. 3. Esther, Queen of Persia. I. Title.
BV4551.3.R93 2003
248.843dc21

2003012406

v3.1

This book is dedicated to all the girls who
are answering the call to join
Gods Girl Movement and are:
rising up to live set-apart lives,
making godly choices,
walking in character,
facing challenges,
and stepping out in courage
for such a time as this.
You are my heroes, and this is for youGeneration Esther.

My humble and heart-gushing thanks to:

My Lord, for allowing me to be a steward of this message to young women. You have been so faithful to divinely cross my path with some of Your modern-day Esthers, and I am honored and privileged to share their stories.

My family, who continually encouraged me month after month. To my husband, Marcus, for always believing in me, for postponing his dissertation at times so I could monopolize the computer, for his expert skill in editing, and for constantly fixing the computer when his technically challenged wife messed it up. To my daughters, Quinlyn, Logan, and Madelin, for their daily prayer for Mommy to finish her book.

My circle of maiden friends, who continue to advise, inspire, challenge, and cheer me on: Marti, Kim, Paula, Maria, Karen, and Darlene. I love you ladies.

Renee DeLoriea, for laying the foundation and her gift of encouragement.

Jim Lund, for saving the day and getting the girl thing.

Jennifer Gott, for finding my voice and the voice of this generation.

My publishing family at Multnomahit takes a team of people to take a book from an idea to the readers hands. Without this team, Generation Esther would still be just an idea. I thank them for believing in me and believing in you.

lisa ryan

D o you believe what most TV shows, movies, songs, magazines, Internet sites, and romance novels are telling you about girl power? That a girls worth and power come from showing skin and curves to get a guys attention, flirting up a storm, teasing like a pop-starlet, or sleeping around? Or that happiness can be found only by being the prettiest, best-dressed, snobbiest Queen Bee of them all? Maybe youve been dipping your toe in the water or even jumping in on the action because you think all the other girls are doing it. Could it really be that all the other girls are grabbing their chance to prove theyre the kind of sexual bait no man can resist? That theyre all clawing their way to the top of the most-popular-girl food chain, and you may as well join them?

Well, I have news for you: Not all girls are doing that! And not all girls act that way! In fact, a lot of girls are choosing an entirely different approach to life altogether. Theyre rebelling against the destructive messages of this world and forging their own purposeful pathyou could even call them countercultural.

Fewer and fewer girls today are buying into the idea that making others drool or knowing how to work it is a sign that a girl has it together. Instead of being all about themselves, theyre helping others. Instead of stabbing others in the back, theyre protecting their sisters. Theyre thinking a whole lot more about who they are instead of about how much they can get. Basically, theyre throwing off the junk that makes a girl weak and putting on the stuff that makes a girl strongreally strongbecause shes empowered by God!