Customer Reviews

Soul Sisters: Women in Scripture Speak to Women Today

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This book is definitely food for the soul. It is easy to see why it is the fastest selling relgious book in the States. I have lent mine out repeatedly only to have every woman who read it cry and rejoice in the shared experiences of the biblical women. Edwina has captured the essence of women. It is a book that begs to be read again and again.

These beautiful portraits by renowned artist Louis Glanzman have inspired author Edwina Gateley to reach into the soul of these women from the New Testament, and apply their stories to situations that have happened in modern times. One of my favorite comparisons is that of the widow who gave her two mites, all she had (Luke 21: 1-4), with Gateley's experience as a missionary in Africa and of being given three tiny eggs wrapped in banana leaves, as a gift of gratitude.

Each chapter begins with a portion of scripture that pertains to the woman in the painting, and continues with an average of ten pages of poetic text. The twelve portraits and chapters are: Elizabeth, Anna the Prophetess, Mary, The Widow's Mite, Martha, The Infirm Woman, The Samaritan Woman, The Woman Caught in Adultery, The Woman with the Hemorrhage, The Daughter of Jairus (which is the lovely portrait on the cover), The Penitent Woman, Mary Magdalene, and there is a thirteenth portrait of a mother and child next to the preface page that is unidentified.
Perhaps my favorite is the one of Mary, with her large, luminous, wise and sad eyes, entirely clothed in white, set against a halo of golden tiles.

Louis Glanzman is an extraordinary artist, who has also painted twelve portraits of men of the Bible in a book titled "Soul Brothers", and among his many accomplishments are eighty covers for Time Magazine, and the illustration of the "Pippi Longstocking" children's book series.
Edwina Gately has authored many books, among them "A Mystical Heart", and is the founder of the Volunteer Missionary Movement.

Never before have I encountered such a deep and rich interpretation of the women of the New Testament. Glanzman's insightful depiction of each woman is both remarkable and riviting inspiring Gateley's profound and poetic meditation upon each one. Occasionally we encounter a book that is life-altering. This is one of them.

Edwina's stories really move me and challenge me to keep trying. She makes me think...I find the insights so pertinent to my own experiences. It's obvious she's 'been there', walked her journey, and I feel blessed for her sharing of it.

Not only do these new drawings of well-known biblical characters captivate you, but so does Gateley's narrative. What a fresh perspective! This book is a gem. Edwina Gateley's insight into these women's lives engage the reader, inspiring and challenging the possibilities for women's relationships today, as well as offering a deeper understanding of the women in Sacred Scripture.