Monday, November 24, 2014

Blog Tour/Review: Walking with the Women of the New Testament by Heather Farrell


Tour Schedule


Walking with the Women of the New Testament, by Heather Farrell, art by Mandy Jane Williams
2014, 304p, Non-Fiction
My Rating=5 Stars
Source: Received a copy from the publisher for an honest review



With questions about women’s roles in the Priesthood, studying the New Testament proves a useful tool. The New Testament contains accounts of over 50 women and their interactions with Christ and the early Church. With beautiful artwork, charts, historical information, and study tools, this book delves into the lives of these faithful women and shows God’s great love for them and their great role in His plan.

When this book came in the mail, I had to dive in right away. It's gorgeous! I love the layout and the artwork is stunning. Visually, I was impressed! Then, I started reading it and loved it even more! In the introduction, Heather Farrell shares why she wrote this book and then she shares techniques to help get more out of the scriptures and I got some fabulous new ideas. 

Then she starts in on their stories. There are some women I'm very familiar with and others whose names I have glossed over many times without giving them a second thought. Some of them are listed by name and others by what they're known for, e.g., "Woman with an Issue of Blood," "Woman with a Spirit of Infirmity," etc. I was especially touched by Mary Magdalene's story and didn't realize how much I didn't know about her. I love the experiences that the author shares from her own life to show the similarities we have with these women. In the Appendix, she includes the Young Women Values and lists women who she considers to be both good and bad examples of each value. I can't even list all the treasures you will find throughout this book.

I wasn't familiar with the author's website so I visited it and there is lots of great information there. I was able to download the first volume of her companion study guide for this book. She gives helps and prompts so you can gain your own individual insights into their stories and get what you personally need out of it.

In the introduction, she shares her hope that as you read this book, you will begin to understand that these were real women with real lives, real feelings and real problems, whose lives weren't really all that different from ours today. I really did feel that as I read and am excited to keep reading and studying about these amazing women that have so much to teach me!


About the author:

Heather Farrell’s love for the scriptures began young, when at the age of 11 she hid a flashlight under her pillow so she could read the Old Testament late at night. Her love for the women in scriptures began when, her oldest son was born around Christmas time and she felt a kinship with Mary, the mother of Jesus. As she began to research Mary she realized that there were hundreds of women in the scriptures, but very little had been written about them. Excited by all the women she discovered, she began sharing what she learned on her popular blog, Women in the Scriptures (womeninthescriptures.com). Primarily self-taught in the scriptures, Heather is a testament to the truth that becoming a scholar of the gospel is not beyond anyone’s reach, it just takes a inquisitive mind and the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Heather grew up in Idaho but currently lives in Boone, Iowa with her husband, four children, two sheep, a goat and a flock of chickens.

1 comments:

Unknown said...

Sounds fantastic :)

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