What kind of mother must a woman be to give birth to “chosen” or “saved” peoples? The many stories of biblical mothers found in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament are deeply concerned with this question and answer it in surprising and diverse ways. From Sarah, Abraham’s wife, to Mary, the mother of Jesus, each mother embodies the type of woman her culture thought she had to be to produce a holy people set apart by God. The larger question of Klancher’s book asks, to what end? What does it mean when different types of mothers are used to establish the value of some people over others? Her book explores this question and asks how the mothers’ stories and their interpretation over the centuries have authorized diverse logics of sexual and racial difference that we live with today.
The world is filled with messages for women about pregnancy. Popular books and well-meaning family and friends offer unsolicited advice about what to expect and how to stay healthy—sometimes resulting in joy and excitement but other times leading to discouragement and fear. The Bible, too, has a lot to say about childbirth—offering real hope that nothing in this world can match. In Labor with Hope, Gloria Furman helps women see topics such as pregnancy, infertility, miscarriage, birth pain, and new life in the framework of the larger biblical narrative, infusing cosmic meaning into their personal experience by exploring how they point to eternal realities. Women will see that only Christ can provide the strength they desperately need in order to labor with hope.
Millions of women have felt the power of birth, and countless women long for it. But for too many, birth can seem like a purely clinical experience — something to get through as quickly as possible in order to get on with the joys of being a mother. In Made for This, author Mary Haseltine draws on Pope St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body to show that birth is an essential part of who God created women to be, body and soul. With real-life stories from many moms and practical tips — including preparing for birth, making informed choices, helping fathers embrace their role in the birth room, and encountering the work of labor — this book is an indispensable guide for navigating the physical and spiritual dimensions of pregnancy and birth. Expectant mothers will find the tools they need to approach birth as a gift, and to invite God into the experience. About the Author Mary Haseltine is a theology graduate and a certified birth doula and childbirth educator. With a passion for building a culture of life through the teachings of the Theology of the Body, she works to bring an awareness and practice of the teachings of the Church into the realm of childbirth, mothering, and pregnancy loss. She lives in Western New York with her husband and five sons. You can find more of her writing at www.betterthaneden.com.
God always keeps His promises, but not always in the way we expect…. “Have faith” is a phrase we hear all the time. But what does it actually look like to live it out? In The Mothers and Daughters of the Bible Speak, Shannon Bream examines the lives of biblical women to see how God’s plans can turn our worlds upside down. She tells the story of Jochebed, a mother who took enormous risks to protect her son, Moses, from Pharaoh. Could Jochebed have imagined that God’s actual design for her son involved flight into exile and danger? And yet this was all part of the master plan to deliver Israel from slavery. Another biblical mother, Rebekah, made terrible choices in an attempt to ensure her son’s place in history. And a daughter, Michal, struggled to keep her faithless father, Saul, from sin, while battling pride in herself. Through these stories, Shannon explains the intimate connection between faith and family—and how God’s unexpected agenda can redefine the way we think about family. Not all of these mothers and daughters in the Bible were paragons of virtue. Like us, they were human beings who faltered and struggled to do their best. While some heard God’s voice, others chose their own paths. Through the lens of their imperfections, we can see how God used their stories to bring about His divine plans. He’s still doing the same work in our lives today. The Mothers and Daughters of the Bible Speak shows that faith is more often a twisting road than a straight line. Yet, as the stories of biblical families attest, at the end of these journeys lies greater peace and joy than we could ever imagine. Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.
In Mothers of the Bible Speak to Mothers of Today, readers meet ordinary women of their day who, by God's incomparable grace, were used for extraordinary purposes.
Juliana Claassens explores alternative Old Testament metaphors that portray God as mourner, mother, and midwife--images that resist the violence and bloodshed associated with the dominant warrior imagery
The Garden Children’s Bible is a great way to get kids to “toon” into Scripture! Lenny the Lion and Lucy the Lamb are sent out on adventures by The Boss (God), who teaches them lessons from His Word along the way. Presented by characters based on the animated series The Garden, created by award-winning animator Butch Hartman, this illustrated Bible depicts over 100 stories from the storyline of Scripture. Kids will delight in the five, full-color comic strips based on The Garden animated series spaced throughout the Bible. Twenty more full-color pages of characters and stories from Scripture will draw kids into the stunning color and original designs by Hartman. In addition to the art, one hundred short, foundational pieces of wisdom from The Boss appear in the Bible to give children easy takeaways they will carry with them for a lifetime. Two hundred Lenny and Lucy character sidebars explain key biblical concepts in clear, easy-to-understand language that helps children better connect with the content in God’s Word. And fifty prayers developed around Scripture teach children how to pray God’s Word. Scripture memorization lists, promises from Scripture, a kid-friendly topical index, dictionary, a reading plan, activity pages, and more are in this fun and encouraging Bible. Features include: PRESENTATION PAGE – Personalize the Bible by recording a memory or note BIBLE BOOK INTRODUCTIONS – Concise overviews highlight important events in each book 300 CHARACTER CALLOUTS- Sidebar notes presented by Lenny, Lucy, and “The Boss” bring emphasis to key Biblical concepts FULL-COLOR MULTI-PAGE COMIC SECTION BASED ON THE ANIMATED SERIES BIBLE LEARNING LISTS – Names of God, Bible Verses to Memorize, Miracles of Jesus, Scripture Promises END-OF-PAGE CROSS-REFERENCES – Find related passages quickly and easily TOPICAL INDEX AND DICTIONARY – Kid-friendly tools teaching how to use the Bible MIRACLES and PARABLES of JESUS – Charts create a quick reference to important events 50 SCRIPTURE-BASED PRAYERS The International Children’s Bible® (ICB) translation was created especially for children in the third grade and up and provides the ideal blend of readability and fidelity to the original meaning of the Scripture text.
From the beginning of time, mothers have dealt with the same issues we deal with today, and their life lessons were recorded so that we may learn from their experience. Parenting on your own strength can produce a “successful” adult, but God intended more for your child than empty friendships, failed or empty marriages, and the constant pull of money, status, and consumerism. This book offers mothers the chance to see and apply the principles for motherhood that God has given in His Word and provides material for discussions on practical ways to apply these truths to our own lives. God intended for your children to know Him and His true and unconditional love. He longs for us to live a life of purpose and meaning. He asks us to travel a road that often isn’t easy but comes with rewards that don’t fade or rust.
Embodying the Sacred presents an innovative approach to both birth and Christian spirituality. Drawing from the actual physical processes of pregnancy and birth, Peg Conway relates them to Catholic-inspired practices in a wise and empowering way. Reflections, prayer, activities, ritual, and creative expression organized around the three trimesters of pregnancy invite readers to assemble a “spiritual birth bag,” and in so doing, to inhabit and celebrate their bodies during this miraculous time. With its focus on the inner journey, this approach provides an ideal complement to other forms of birth preparation. The book also suggests a postpartum ritual format for telling birth stories and concludes with a reflection on birth history in America.
