Copyright © 2005 by Alive Communications
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.
Out of respect for those involved, names of individuals have been changed. Permission was granted to relate personal stories.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible: New International Version® NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Quotations noted NASB are from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1988, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, and are used by permission. Quotations noted KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible. Quotations noted NLT are from the Holy Bible,New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Warner Faith
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The Warner Faith name and logo are registered trademarks of the Time Warner Book Group.
Book design by Fearn Cutler de Vicq
First eBook Edition: November 2005
ISBN: 978-0-446-55016-1
Contents
Praise for
Dedication
introduction
week one
1: No Regrets
2: The Brave Soldier
3: A Smooth and Steady Pace
4: A Change of Plans
5: A House of Hope
week two
1: Get Me Out Alive
2: Girl on the Run
3: A Life of Service
4: Free from the Love of the World
5: Standing Tall
week three
1: Faith and Film
2: God’s Open Door
3: Called to Be Different
4: Learning to Trust God
5: God Is Sovereign
week four
1: Follower of Christ
2: A Sea of Forgiveness
3: Loving Others
4: Free from Fear
5: Allies for Christ
week five
1: A Life of Faith
2: Speaking the Truth
3: Overcoming Insecurity
4: Giving Their All
5: Not Guilty
week six
1: Between Two Enemies
2: Child of God
3: From Death to Life
4: Mother of God
5: Part of the Family
week seven
1: Alone at the Podium
2: Revival Bible Study
3: The Joy of the Lord
4: The Ministry of Reconciliation
5: Silent No More
week eight
1: Desert Rainbow
2: A Surprising Linguist
3: Reluctant Missionary
4: Heart for the World
5: No Regrets
week nine
1: God Can Meet My Needs
2: Hearing the Voice of God
3: Even If Not
4: Learning to Surrender
5: The Rescuer
week ten
1: Rocking for Life
2: Breaking Chains
3: Promise of Peace
4: Ordinary Girl, Extraordinary God
5: Confidence in God
week eleven
1: Faith Despite Sorrow
2: Obeying When it Hurts
3: Willing to Suffer
4: Growing in Jesus
5: The Power of Yes
week twelve
1: Danger Every Day
2: Sent by God
3: Moving Forward in Faith
4: Love Child
5: God’s Odd Gift
authors’ note
F notes f
about the authors
praise for Sister Freaks
“I totally love this book. These true stories—of young women who are sold out to God and willing to take on whatever He calls them to—just blew me away. Besides actually making me cry, they also challenged me to look more deeply into my own life and calling. I seriously recommend this book to anyone who truly wants to serve God. Really, Sister Freaks is awesome!”
—Melody Carlson, author of Diary of a Teenage Girl and the True Colors series for teens
“Each person is asked to sacrifice something in life. Sister Freaks is full of inspiring stories of both modern and biblical women who took courage and lived for what they believed. Rebecca St. James does an excellent job encouraging women to embrace the calling that God has on each of their lives, no matter what the sacrifice may be. This is imperative in seeing our younger generation, especially women, raised up to be the world-changing leaders they are destined to be. I highly recommend this book!”
—Ron Luce, author of Battle Cry for a Generation and president, Teen Mania Ministries
This book is dedicated to all the young women who have given it all to the Lord Jesus. We’ll see you in His presence!
introduction
I grew up in Australia. Australians love hot tea. We have morning tea, afternoon tea, late-afternoon tea, and post-dinner tea. Some night owls like me might regularly enjoy a midnight decaf. Many Australians bring out the Old English teacups for their “cuppa.” The younger set might sport a funky mug. But generally, the Australian tea break is a mild, sedate affair.
Watchman Nee once said, “Everywhere Jesus went, there was revolution. Everywhere I go, they serve tea.”
I can relate. Sometimes it seems like everyone around me is nice and quiet and sedate—like we’re all having a cup of tea. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course. We all love Jesus; I just wonder sometimes if we’re accomplishing something great for His kingdom.
If you’re like me, you probably long to find those few who are different-the ones who are willing to take a strong stand for Jesus. It’s not easy. I admire the bold women, the ones who stand up for something, the sisters strong enough to be considered “freaks” for the cause of Christ.
When you look at history, it’s pretty clear that nobody was bolder than Jesus. He came down here to earth, even though He didn’t have to, and sacrificed His life for each one of us. In doing that, He set an example of boldness. The Lord was so different from everyone else that the world couldn’t help but notice Him. Two thousand years later, He is still the central figure in all history. I’m drawn to Him and His sacrifice and His example. The more I get to know Jesus, the more I want to be like Him.
But it’s dangerous to live like the Lord. When He showed up, the world put Him to death. So we can’t expect they’re going to embrace us when we take a stand for God. In fact, we can expect to suffer, since great faith makes people uncomfortable. And that leads me to ask you: what sort of a stand do you want to take? What do you want to be known for?
Have you ever struggled with the sense that you’re not strong enough, that you haven’t done enough, or have your heart set on the wrong things? I have. But no matter how much I fail, I know God is right there, ready to strengthen me and help me become someone who is willing to take a stand. That’s why I love these stories. Each one is about a young woman who took a great stand for God. Some of them are famous historical figures like Mary and Joan of Arc. Others are contemporary women you’ve probably never heard of. Each one has made an effort to change the world, even if it’s in a small way. But every one held
true to God, and they all inspire me to live a bigger, greater life.
If you use this book in your devotional reading, you’ll find twelve weeks of stories—five per week—with a page for reflection at the end of each week, so you can explore what the Lord’s leading is for your own life. As you read through these, I pray you’ll see the world through His eyes and look for ways you can change it through His power.
One last word: the stories in this book have been crafted by several women writers who are themselves strong sisters in Christ. I want to thank them for helping put this project together, and I want to say a special “thank you” to all those who shared their stories with us. If I have to be considered a “Sister Freak” to stand with them, so be it. This is for all the Sister Freaks in the world who want more out of life than a cup of tea.
~Rebecca St. James
week one
1
karen watson
No Regrets
Karen Watson entered a war zone because she loved Jesus. She knew the risks. News reports in early 2004 were riddled with American casualties in recently liberated Iraq. Car bombs blew up convoy trucks. Suicide bombers targeted civilians. Ambushes occurred weekly.
But a Scripture burned on Karen’s heart—one that propelled her to Iraq: “Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’” Her answer echoed Isaiah’s: “Then I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” (Isa. 6:8 NASB).
Karen had accepted Christ after experiencing severe grief as a teen. Her fiancé, her father, and her grandmother all died within a two-year period, and her pain had driven her into the arms of Jesus. Soon after, Karen took part in short-term mission trips, flying from Bakersfield, California, to El Salvador, Macedonia, Kosovo, and Greece. After those excursions, Karen knew she wanted to be a full-time missionary, despite the world climate.
Once accepted by the IMB (International Mission Board, a Southern Baptist missionary organization), she sold her home and car and submitted her resignation to the Kern County Sheriff’s Department, where she had worked for eight years as a detention officer.
The IMB immediately sent Karen to Jordan to coordinate refugee relief during the war in Iraq. When the expected influx of refugees did not arrive, she was reassigned to Iraq. Then the UN building was bombed there, killing several civilians. Karen called home to California to say she was okay. She frequented the UN building but had not been inside the day of the bombing. After that day, however, she made it a point to call her family and supporters after every act of violence, just to assure them she was all right.
On March 15, 2004, Karen, along with several other missionaries, headed to Mosul, Iraq’s third largest city. They were involved in humanitarian aid, developing a water purification system for the area. Partway through the missionaries’ journey, Iraqi militants in a passing car assaulted them with automatic weapons and rocket-powered grenades.
When friends at home heard about the violent car ambush, they expected another satellite phone call. But this time Karen didn’t call. She had died instantly, a casualty of bullet and shell fragment wounds.
Before she left for Iraq, Karen had discussed the risks with Roger Spradlin, one of her pastors from Valley Baptist Church in Bakersfield, California. “She was very, very brave, and she knew the risk of being in that part of the world,” he says. “But she weighed that risk against the people’s need for the gospel.”
One of her friends related, “Karen was a real soldier in God’s army and she will be greatly missed, but we know that she is now celebrating and worshiping the God she served.”
Another friend noted, “Karen was the type who would stand up for the Lord anywhere in the world. She felt the Lord Jesus was worth it.”
After her death was confirmed, another pastor, Phil Neighbors, opened a letter she had written before she left for Iraq—to be opened if she were killed. It read:
March 7, 2003
Dear Pastor Phil and Pastor Roger,
You should only be opening this letter in the event of [my] death. When God calls there are no regrets. I tried to share my heart with you, my heart for the Nations. I wasn’t called to a place. I was called to Him. To obey was my objective, to suffer was expected, His glory was my reward, His glory is my reward.
One of the most important things to remember right now is to preserve the work. I am writing this as if I am still working [in the mission field].
I thank you all so much for your prayers and support. Surely your reward in Heaven will be great. Thank you for investing in my life and spiritual well being. Keep sending missionaries out. Keep raising up fine pastors.
In regards to any service, keep it small and simple. Yes, simple. Just preach the gospel. If Jason Buss is available or his dad, have them sing a pretty song. Be bold and preach the life saving, life changing, forever eternal GOSPEL. Give glory and honor to our Father.
I once read in The Missionary Heart:
Care more than some think is wise.
Risk more than some think is safe.
Dream more than some think is practical.
Expect more than some think is possible.
I was called not to comfort or success but to obedience.
There is no joy outside of knowing Jesus and serving Him. I love you two and my church family.
In His care,
Karen
Karen Watson spent her life for the cause of Jesus Christ among the nations, particularly one that appeared to be an enemy. People from that country took her life, yet her life continues on—as an ongoing testimony that God will expand His kingdom through those who dare to step outside of their comfort zones for His renown.
No one knows what Karen thought when she felt the bullets tear through her and the life drain from her body. But she lived her life without regret. Perhaps, as she grew closer to seeing Jesus’ face, she recounted one of her favorite Psalms:
Though a host encamp against me,
My heart will not fear;
Though war arise against me,
In spite of this, I shall be confident.
One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the LORD and to meditate in His temple.
(Psalm 27:3-4NASB)
2
joan of arc
The Brave Soldier
She rivals mythic characters such as Robin Hood and King Arthur, yet she was a real girl in history. Joan of Arc was born in Domrémy, a village in Lorraine, France, in January 1412. She was a common girl whose mother, Isabelle, trained her for the traditional female tasks of her day: cooking, cleaning, and tending sheep. She also learned her prayers from her mother, who nurtured her spiritually. Joan was particularly skilled in sewing and spinning.
Yet her life was to be lived out on a battlefield.
England had invaded northern France in 1417, and Joan experienced the devastation of the Hundred Years’ War. Then, when this daughter of a peasant was about twelve years old, she began to hear a voice telling her she must save France from the English. If you’ve already heard this story, this news might not seem like very much. But consider this: a soldier in the fifteenth century protected the innocent; girls needed protection. A soldier wore armor; girls wore frilly dresses and bonnets. So for Joan to dream of taking part in anything other than the usual female tasks of the day was a huge contradiction.
The amazing thing is that Joan’s father, Jacques d’Arc, once had a dream that his daughter was traveling with an army. Disturbed by such images, he told Joan’s brothers but not his daughter. He was fearful of what the dream might mean, and he vowed to drown her if she ever became a soldier. Such a thing would disgrace the family.
Joan doesn’t seem to have had a great attachment to her family. When the voice she heard intensified, she decided to leave her domestic life, pretending to go help her cousin, who was expecting a child. Her visions of Sai
nts Catherine and Margaret, two early Christian martyrs, and Saint Michael the archangel, evoked her strong conviction that God was calling her to carry out a mission. After she left home, she never spoke to her family again.
Joan’s behavior was radical and unacceptable. Why would a girl who had never traveled ten miles from her home leave it? Yet it is known that she asserted, “Since God commanded it, had I had a hundred fathers and a hundred mothers, had I been born a king’s daughter, I should have departed.”
Naturally, her claims caused great speculation. Though during this time mysticism was popular in the church, it was still questionable for someone to claim to “hear voices.” But her passion was sincere; even though Joan never experienced peace in her homeland, she longed for France to be restored and a king to be crowned to lead her country. However far-fetched her desires seemed, she followed them because she believed them to be of God.
At the age of seventeen, Joan boldly approached Robert de Baudricourt, the lord of her local district, as if she were his equal and asked for her own army. At first Baudricourt was skeptical, but her persistence impressed him, and he finally believed that God had sent her. He granted her stunning request.
Soon Joan found herself on a journey to meet Charles, the son of Charles VI, who she believed would be the next king. Mysteriously, Charles gave her his favor and support, but he knew that in the current political climate, and with Joan claiming a calling from God, Joan would also need the support of the church. So he arranged for the doctors and archbishops of the church to interrogate Joan. They found nothing heretical about her visions and respected her simplicity and honesty. She passed their examination.
Joan was given a suit of armor made just for her. There she was, a domesticated peasant girl adorned in clothes of war. She was about to be a commander over men. A white linen banner was given to her with an image of the Trinity and two angels, which would become the sign by which Joan would be recognized. The banner read “Of the Party of the King of Heaven.” This was her public declaration of her divine calling to save her beloved country.
Then, with her four thousand men Joan faced the English in Orleans. The first night in the field, she lay weary and bruised from the weight of her heavy armor. One can only imagine how she felt, knowing she was finally fulfilling God’s call on her life.
Sister Freaks Page 1
