Cynthia Heald - Becoming a Woman of Excellence

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Becoming a Woman of Excellence 30th Anniversary Edition

Copyright 1987, 1999, 2005, 2010, 2016 by Cynthia Heald. All rights reserved.

A NavPress resource published in alliance with Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

Visit the authors website at www.cynthiaheald.com.

NavPress and the NavPress logo are registered trademarks of NavPress, The Navigators, Colorado Springs, CO. Tyndale is a registered trademark of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Absence of in connection with marks of NavPress or other parties does not indicate an absence of registration of those marks.

Cover vintage border copyright Vintage Style Designs/Creative Market. All rights reserved.

Cover typeface and floral illustration copyright Lisa Glanz/Creative Market. All rights reserved.

Cover font by Laura Worthington/Creative Market. All rights reserved.

The Team:

Don Pape, Publisher

Caitlyn Carlson, Acquiring Editor

Lynn Vanderzalm, Editor

Jennifer Ghionzoli, Designer

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations 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 marked AMPC are taken from the Amplified Bible, Classic Edition, copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version. Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson, copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scripture verses marked Phillips are taken from The New Testament in Modern English by J. B. Phillips, copyright J. B. Phillips, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1972. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible, copyright 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (Wuest) are taken from The New Testament: An Expanded Translation, Kenneth S. Wuest (Wuest), copyright 1961, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Some of the anecdotal illustrations in this book are true to life and are included with the permission of the persons involved. All other illustrations are composites of real situations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Heald, Cynthia, author.

Title: Becoming a woman of excellence / Cynthia Heald.

Description: 30th Anniversary Edition. | Colorado Springs : NavPress, 2016. | Includes bibliographical references.

Identifiers: LCCN 2016015627 (print) | LCCN 2016016498 (ebook) | ISBN 9781631465642 | ISBN 9781631465673 (Apple) | ISBN 9781631465659(E-Pub) | ISBN 9781631465666 ( Kindle)

Subjects: LCSH: Christian women Religious life Textbooks. | Excellence Religious aspects Christianity Textbooks.

Classification: LCC BV4527 .H3978 2016 (print) | LCC BV4527 (ebook) | DDC 248.8/43 dc23LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016015627

ISBN 978-1-63146-565-9 (ePub); ISBN 978-1-63146-566-6 (Kindle); ISBN 978-1-63146-567-3 (Apple)

Build: 2022-05-18 16:52:30 EPUB 3.0

THE FATHER AND THE CHILD

Come, child, let us journey together.

Where shall we go, Father?

To a distant land, another Kingdom.

So the journey will be long?

Yes, we must travel every day.

When will we reach our destination?

At the end of your days.

And who will accompany us?

Joy and Sorrow.

Must Sorrow travel with us?

Yes, she is necessary to keep you close to Me.

But I want only Joy.

It is only with Sorrow that you will know true Joy.

What must I bring?

A willing heart to follow Me.

What shall I do on the journey?

There is only one thing that you must do stay close to Me. Let nothing distract you. Always keep your eyes on Me.

And what will I see?

You will see My glory.

And what will I know?

You will know My heart.

The Father stretched out His hand. The child, knowing the great love her Father had for her, placed her hand in His, and they began their journey.

As a young woman, the Lord spoke these words to my heart. Ever since this conversation, my goal has been to keep my hand in His and to become a woman of excellence who brings honor to His name.

As you begin this journey, my prayer is that you will bring a willing heart, will firmly place your hand in His, and will become a woman of excellence who brings our Lord glory.

Blessings,

Cynthia Heald

W HILE READING THROUGH THE BOOK of Ruth, I was struck with Boazs praise of Ruth: Now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you whatever you ask, for all my people in the city know that you are a woman of excellence (Ruth 3:11).

My immediate response to this passage was to ask, What made Ruth a woman of excellence? As I studied her life, I discovered qualities that spoke strongly of strength and excellence. Through prayer and further Bible study, I learned that if we focus on developing and maintaining ourselves inwardly as God desires, then our responses and actions will follow accordingly.

As a result of my personal study, whenever I am confronted with choices or decisions, I find myself asking the question, What would a woman of excellence do? May this be your question, too, as we become women of excellence for the honor and glory of God.

Cynthia Heald

W HEN I WROTE the original preface for Becoming a Woman of Excellence thirty years ago, I had no idea that I would have an opportunity to revise this book. God has been gracious to keep His hand on this study and me so that I could share my journey of excellence as a certified older woman.