I recently finished reading this book by Lisa Bevere. My "unofficial" goal this year is to read one book a month. I know it's not a huge goal, but I think it will be "workable" for me. :)
A friend let me borrow this book, so I was anxious to read it. I'm not one to think in terms of "woman power" or "I am woman, hear me roar." So, I didn't know what to expect from the book. Lisa Bevere is a very gifted communicator, leader, and strong woman of God... for which I have great respect for her... as well as her involvement in rescuing girls from sex trafficking around the world. This book was written with great confidence and conviction... more than I have been accustomed to reading.
Lioness Arising parallels a woman's life with that of a lioness... based on the vision the Lord gave Lisa. There are very vivid descriptions of the life of a lioness and her role in the wild. It is a fresh perspective of how we should view our role in the Church- as daughters of Christ. Lisa discussed the different roles and characteristics of a woman's life from inner strength to living strategically to nurturing/protecting to rescuing in the darkness... as well as what it looks like to be fully awake/alive to the life around you. She touched briefly on the prophetic role of dreams and visions. She used a lot of Scripture all throughout the book to support her writing... and included personal stories from her travels, especially of interactions with ladies involved in sex trafficking.
Here are some of my favorite passages from the book:
"If ever there comes a time when the women of the world come together purely and simply for the benefit of mankind, it will be a force such as the world has never known." -Matthew Arnold
"Here is some of what I know of heaven's daughter: She is lovely, intelligent, and capable. Her life is connected rather than isolated. She is loved by God and hated by Satan. She is oppressed worldwide by both subtle and obvious means. The question remains: what might she be collectively if she was supported and strategic?" -Lisa Bevere
"The lion invites the lioness to rest in the shadow of his protection, and she invites him to feast on the goodness and promise she brings. He protects her life, and she in turn give him legacy." - Lisa Bevere
