Michelle DeRusha - 50 Women Every Christian Should Know. Learning from Heroines of the Faith

2014 by Michelle DeRusha

Published by Baker Books

a division of Baker Publishing Group

P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287

www.bakerbooks.com

Ebook edition created 2014

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

ISBN 978-1-4412-2062-2

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible , New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are 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

Published in association with the Books & Such Literary Agency.

This book is rich in inspiration and information. Reading it opened my eyes, broadened my vision, and challenged my faith. I highly recommend it to both men and women!

Warren W. Wiersbe , author and former pastor of the Moody Church, Chicago

How does a mom raise a daughter in an age that believes the sum of her appearance must fit into a teeny, tiny, little size 0 box with its edges tightly, perfectly manicured shut? Maybe she shares example after example of what living, breathing, change-the-world courage looks like from the women whove come before us. I know that from now on when Im looking for heroes for my daughter, I will be bookmarking the pages of Michelles book for years to come. Fifty women who teach us that famous isnt about how many people know your name and that brave often looks like pressing on even when youre afraid. My daughter and I are both indebted to Michelle for introducing us to many women wed never met before and are sure never to forget.

Lisa-Jo Baker , community manager for (in)courage and author of Surprised by Motherhood

We are, indeed, surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses. In the pages of this book, Michelle DeRusha skillfully introduces us to extraordinary women who lived boldly and bravely and who planted their feet solidly on faith. Often their unwavering belief resulted in excommunication, mistreatment, torture, or even death. In the face of some of the same questions, temptations, and doubts we encounter today, these women were pioneers. Their stories give the church of todaymen and women alikea courageous and brave example of living faith and of living out faith, the evidence of things unseen.

Deidra Riggs , managing editor of The High Calling and founder of Jumping Tandem

This beautiful book is an invitation to a journeya journey that moves from kitchens to slums to plantations... and always straight to the heart of God. Pick up this book and let your very soul brush up against the fringes of the hearts of our sisters, whose stories span centuries of our collective faith. In this thoroughly researched and well-written work, Michelle DeRusha invites us into the lives of fifty women whose stories are our stories. This book inspired me, challenged me, and made me feel so proud to be a woman who belongs to Jesus.

Jennifer Dukes Lee , author of Love Idol

Beautifully written, accessible, inspiring, and relevant, this book is a welcome reminder and celebration of the everyday women of valor who came before us. It is a gift to the whole church.

Sarah Bessey , author of Jesus Feminist

I love it when a woman champions other women. Through Michelles stories, I am reminded of how our generations of women stand on the shoulders of so many giants in our faith.

Idelette McVicker , founder and editor-in-chief at SheLoves Magazine

To my mother, Maureen
my own personal heroine of the faith

And in memory of my grandmothers,
Elizabeth and Eileen