Become the Kingdom Woman God Is Calling You to Be Women, lean in: You grace this world with insight, sensitivity, wisdom, and spiritual beauty that has made you a force behind great accomplishments. Much of what comes in the life of a kingdom woman may not make headlines, but when you become passionate about what God is passionate about, positive change can occur in lives, families, communities, and even our nation. Your solution to the burdens of this life is found in humbling yourself before Jesus Christ and surrendering to the Word of God. Together with his daughter, Crystal Evans Hurst, Dr. Tony Evans shows you what it means to live as a biblical woman and embrace your femininity, to walk by faith (not just talk about it), to make decisions in alignment with God, to raise up the next generation, and to discover that tremendous freedom comes when your ultimate submission is under a caring and loving God. How do you do this? Kingdom Woman serves as a practical and empowering path to help you along the journey of life as you learn to: Let go of hopelessness and disappointment to fully experience your destiny - Value what God values―humility, meekness, and the beauty of a servant’s heart - Confidently follow God on the pathway of faith, even if you can’t see the destination - Choose to have faith to believe that the dark road you are traveling on will eventually yield to a sunrise - Pursue God and His Word in a way that your actions follow His instructions - Exercise authority through prayer for heavenly intervention in your earthly affairs God is writing your story. Live like the Christian woman He designed you to be. KINGDOM WOMAN EMBRACING YOUR PURPOSE, POWER, AND POSSIBILITIES By Tony Evans, Chrystal Evans Hurst Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Copyright © 2013 Tony Evans and Chrystal Evans Hurst All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-58997-743-3 Contents Acknowledgments............................................................xiForeword: Lois Evans and Priscilla Shirer..................................xiiiIntroduction: The Significance of a Kingdom Woman..........................1PART I: THE FOUNDATION OF A KINGDOM WOMAN PURPOSE.........................1 A Woman of Value.........................................................172 A Woman of Hope..........................................................313 A Woman of Excellence....................................................454 A Woman of Commitment....................................................57PART II: THE FAITH OF A KINGDOM WOMAN POWER...............................5 The Power of a Kingdom Woman's Faith.....................................736 The Pursuit of a Kingdom Woman's Faith...................................897 The Possibilities of a Kingdom Woman's Faith.............................1018 The Prayer of a Kingdom Woman's Faith....................................115PART III: THE FRUIT OF A KINGDOM WOMAN POSSIBILITIES......................9 A Kingdom Woman and Her Personal Life....................................13510 A Kingdom Woman and Her Family Life.....................................15311 A Kingdom Woman and Her Church..........................................16912 A Kingdom Woman and Her Community.......................................187Appendix: The Urban Alternative............................................199Notes......................................................................203 Excerpt CHAPTER 1 A Woman of Value When a kingdom woman begins her day, heaven, earth, and hell take notice.When she nurtures and advises the man she loves, he can do little to resisther. When she offers care, comfort, and encouragement to her friends and relatives,they are able to go farther, faster, and in confidence because of her inspirationand reassurance. "Her children rise up and call her blessed" (Proverbs31:28, ESV). Other women turn to her for wise counsel and a compassionateear. Her church relies on her faithful service. She is a vital contributor to cultureand a gatekeeper at her home to keep out the negative and promote the positive. When we examine the history of the Christian faith, kingdom women(both married and single) are everywhere. Kingdom women throughout theBible saved lives and nations. It was Jochebed who intervened on behalf ofher son Moses (Exodus 2). Because of her watchful protection, Moses was laterused as the deliverer of Israel (Exodus 3). It was Moses' wife, Zipporah, whosaved Moses' life when God was going to punish him for his refusal to followa simple command (Exodus 4:24–26). Esther's bravery gave the opportunityfor the Jewish people to defend themselves from what would have been utterannihilation (Esther 7–8). Ruth's refusal to return to her own people becauseof her dedication to her mother-in-law, Naomi, led to the ongoing line of theMessiah (Ruth 4:18–22). Rahab was instrumental in the victory of Israel overJericho (Joshua 2). Mary carried God's Son in her womb (Luke 1