Without Rival

June 13, 2016
Bevere (Girls with Swords), a popular speaker, cofounder of Messenger International, and cohost of The Messenger with her husband, John, this time turns her attention to a woman’s identity within the teachings of Christ and her place in God’s kingdom. Eschewing temptations to succumb to unhealthy comparisons and unproductive rivalries, Bevere offers a path of humility to finding comfort in words of Christ. “You are the beginning and the end of you,” she writes. Bevere, never one to shrink from tough topics, addresses issues such as what to do when seen as a rival, how to love fearlessly, and how to become a “deep well” of a woman. Many will thank her for her incisive chapter “Gender Without Rival,” which addresses gender prejudices still rampant in the church. Underpinning her own observations, Bevere also fills the book with quotations from Scripture and female role models who range from Sarah in the Old Testament to early Christian Photina. Bevere’s many fans will find much here to love, and she is sure to win more readers with her insights, effusive love for God, and candid explanations of personal challenges. Agent: Esther Fedorkevich, Fedd Agency.