Introduce Middle-Grade Readers to the Bold Women of the Bible

The Bible is filled with stories of brave, wise, and faithful women who dared to follow God's call. Now you can introduce these remarkable role models to the next generation with Fierce and Faithful: 25 Women of the Bible Who Dared to Trust God.

Written by trusted biblical scholars Carmen Joy Imes and Nijay K. Gupta, this beautifully illustrated book brings the stories of twenty-five biblical women to life. From well-known figures like Mary and Sarah to lesser-known leaders like Huldah and Phoebe, each story is told in a relatable way that connects with young hearts and minds. These women are loyal friends or family members, strong leaders, savvy problem solvers, and faithful members of God's people.

Fierce and Faithful is an engaging tool for discipleship, thoughtfully designed to help kids ages 8-12 see that God has worked in and through women throughout both the Old and New Testaments—and that he can work through them too!

In Fierce and Faithful, you'll discover



- Scripturally faithful portrayals of twenty-five women of the Bible,

- Helpful sidebars that explain cultural details and unfamiliar terms,

- Thoughtful questions at the end of each chapter to aid in understanding the biblical story, and

- Full-color artwork that brings each woman to life.

With Fierce and Faithful, help the tweens you love discover how they, too, can become fierce and faithful followers of God through these twenty-five women in God's story.



Nijay K. Gupta (PhD, University of Durham) serves as Julius R. Mantey Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary. Gupta has published over twenty books, including the Dictionary of Paul and His Letters (2nd ed., coeditor), several Bible commentaries, and award-winning titles such as Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church and Strange Religion. He also serves as a senior translator for the New Living Translation.



Carmen Joy Imes (PhD, Wheaton) is associate professor of Old Testament at Biola University. She is the author of Bearing God's Name: Why Sinai Still Matters, Being God's Image: Why Creation Still Matters, and Becoming God's Family: Why the Church Still Matters.



Welcome!



Part 1: Old Testament Women by Carmen Joy Imes



Introduction: The Daily Life of Women in Ancient Israel



1. Eve, Co-Ruler of Creation



2. Hagar, the Woman Who Named God



3. Shiphrah and Puah, Brave Midwives of Egypt



4. Young Miriam, the Best Babysitter



5. Grown-Up Miriam, Worship Leader and Prophet



6. Rahab, Loyalty to Yahweh



7. Deborah, Judge and Prophet of Israel, and Jael, Battle Hero



8. Ruth, Faithful Foreigner



9. Hannah, Who Knew What God Could Do



10. Abigail, a Wise Household Manager



11. "Zahava," the Wealthy Woman from Shunem



12. "Eliana," the Servant Girl from Israel



13. Huldah, Faithful Prophet in Jerusalem



14. Esther, the Queen Who Saved Her People

Part 2: New Testament Women by Nijay Gupta



Introduction: The Daily Life of Women in the Roman Empire



15. Anna, the Elderly Prophet



16. Mary of Nazareth, Mother and Follower of Jesus



17. Elizabeth, Blessed with a Miracle Child



18. "Talmor," The Loving Woman Who Cared for Jesus



19. Mary Magdalene, Herald of the Risen Jesus



20. Tabitha, Generous Follower of Jesus



21. Lydia, a Gentile of Great Faith



22. Priscilla, Church Leader, Wise Teacher, Businesswoman



23. Phoebe, Paul's Messenger to the Church in Rome



24. Junia, Apostle of Jesus Christ



25. Lois and Eunice, Godly Grandmother and Mother



What's Next?



Acknowledgments



Glossary



"Where has this book been all our lives? The intentionality, scholarship, and care that Nijay K. Gupta and Carmen Joy Imes pour into these pages celebrate our biblical matriarchs while giving the next generation a gift they will treasure (and, honestly, adults will learn just as much!). By highlighting both unnamed and named women in the Bible, they bring to life the reality that women have always been loved, empowered, and called by God. This book is also a powerful tool to introduce young girls to the dignity and freedom God offers them, while teaching young boys to see girls and women as image bearers."



"Fierce and Faithful is a beautiful, engaging book that invites us into the nuanced stories of twenty-five women of the Bible. The authors lend us in-depth Bible scholarship with an accessible tone. I am excited about the unique way this resource will educate and inspire young readers to live their own fierce and faithful stories."



"Fierce and Faithful reminds the next generation that women have always been vital participants in God's story. Through engaging storytelling and biblical insight, Carmen Joy Imes and Nijay K. Gupta highlight the courage, wisdom, leadership, and faith of women throughout Scripture. I encourage parents to add this book to their children's collection so young readers can discover the dynamic ways God has used women throughout the Bible and be inspired to believe that God can use them too."



"God designed men and women to reflect his wisdom and love in the world, producing fruit to the glory of God. Yet too often we have created and perpetuated gender-based hierarchies and stereotypes that reinforce the brokenness of the fall rather than reclaim the beauty of creation. Carmen Joy Imes and Nijay K. Gupta team up to show that the Bible is full of stories of women who rise to God's intent. As pastors and as parents with three daughters (along with one son), Holly and I know this will be an important book to spark the imagination of young girls to see how women play a vital role in the kingdom of God."