Faith, Life and Leadership: 8 Canadian Women Tell Their Stories

by Margaret Gibb (Contributor), Georgialee Lang (Editor), Brian C. Stiller (Foreword)

Faith, Life and 8 Canadian Women Tell Their Stories is a collection of stories by 8 of Canada’s most prominent Christian women leaders who share the principles that helped each of them to achieve great things for God in our country as told through their own life stories.

The General Editor is Vancouver lawyer and arbitrator, Georgialee Lang, also a contributing author, together with Deb Grey, from Qualicum Beach, former Member of Parliament and Order of Canada recipient; Lorna Dueck, CEO of Crossroads Communication, host of Context TV, and columnist for the Globe and Mail; Carolyn Arends, award-winning singer, songwriter, and author; Joy Smith, former Member of Parliament and founder of the Joy Smith Foundation, whose mission is to stamp out the trafficking of women and girls; Margaret Gibb, ordained minister, former CEO of Women Alive, and presently CEO of Women Together, a ministry that encourages and supports women across Canada and around the world; Janet-Epp Buckingham, law professor, and religious rights leader who championed Trinity Western University’s journey to bring a Christian Law School to Canada; and Christine MacMillan, formerly a leader in the Salvation Army, and presently Senior Advisor for Social Justice, World Evangelical Association.

This collection is packed with important principles and key life lessons told in a personal, authentic, challenging and inspiring way. Each contributor is a distinguished leader in her field, who has been willing to share the unique and mostly untold stories and lessons of their personal journeys, communicated with utmost authenticity and integrity.

These stories will inspire a generation of Christian women who believe they have barely scratched the surface of their potential and who are looking to help other women become better leaders who want to contribute to the healing and restoration of our country and make a difference in our world.

160 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 1, 2017

Reviews

[Mary-Elsie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I loved reading about these women’s journey in leadership, in influence, their struggles along the way, their faith. I loved the organic vulnerability and humility in their stories. I loved their discoveries of God’s leading and guidance in the midst of sometimes painful valleys. I loved how they realized God-sized dreams by continuing to listen to God’s whisper and trusting the adventure!
My mom often refers to Relation 12:11 and how triumph comes from the word of one’s testimony. That’s what people’s stories do… they give triumph; they offer grace; they are invitational; they bring hope; they share experience; they extend faith, they give encouragement…
Thanks to the 8 Canadian women who took the time to tell their stories and to Castle Quay Books for envisioning how these stories inspire others in their journey!

[Violet · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I discovered that there was a book out with stories of Canadian women leaders, I know I had to get it. Faith Life and Leadership: 8 Canadian Women Tell Their Stories didn’t disappoint.

In it eight prominent Canadian women tell, in first person, their stories of coming to leadership—stories as unique and different from each other as the positions they hold or held.

We hear from Lorna Dueck (broadcaster); Georgialee Lang (who served a prison term before she became a family law lawyer); Carolyn Arends (singer-songwriter, author, teacher); Deborah Grey (politician); M. Christine MacMillan (mover and shaker in the area of social justice working from within the Salvation Army); Janet Epp Buckingham (human rights lawyer); Joy Smith (politician, who helped draft legislation against human trafficking); and Margaret Gibb (inspirer and leader of Christian women across denominations in Canada and abroad).

Each account contains, as well principles of leadership that the writer experienced and now shares with us. In some of the stories the writers scatter those principles within the telling, so they’re not as easy to isolate. In others they are listed at the end.

I found the book fascinating. The women were strikingly varied. One was a confessed extrovert while another so shy she had trouble making friends all through school. Some came from good, supportive homes, others were forced to fend for themselves early. In each story, though, the path to leadership was long, beset by failures and crowned with successes, full of life learning, personal challenge, and stretching.

I loved the leadership principles each gave. Her are a few passages I highlighted:

“Character is at the core of how we lead. Character comes from our identity … and our identity shaped by Christ is a spiritual discipline helped much by loving friendships and our personal devotion to the Bible” – Lorna Dueck (Kindle Location 328).

“Faithful leaders are only as effective as they are dependent on God” – Carolyn Arends (KL 1247).

“Every leader I know has been influenced by someone who modeled the core aspects of leadership: character, integrity, and a strong work ethic” – Janet Epp Buckingham (KL 1906).

“Working in your giftings, calling and abilities always gives you energy” – Janet Epp Buckingham (KL 1933).

“God is mighty and God is near, working over and above what we desire for our lives and pulling us, like a magnet, to align with His plan” – Joy Smith (KL 2178).

“There are no shortcuts or 10 easy steps in leadership. All seasons, stages, and tests work together to ultimately achieve God’s plan and purposes” – Margaret Gibb (KL 2827).

I highly recommend Faith, Life, and Leadership to Christian women in Canada, indeed, Christian women anywhere. These inspiring stories show how God is never limited by our lacks, be those a good family, inborn leadership traits, money, talents and natural strengths, doors that seem to be closed, even opposition to the leadership of women from within the church. This book would make a wonderful resource for Christian women preparing for leadership and for women’s Bible study and reading groups.

This book is part of my own Kindle collection.

[Janis Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book fascinating. It's a look into the lives of 8 Canadian women and how God led them to be leaders in their fields. I know some of these women but now I feel I know them even better.

"A leader's words have enormous weight to build up or tear down". Lorna Dueck.

In this world today we need to see more positive words come from our leaders. These women know how to do this.

"A hallmark of true leadership is authenticity and the ability to unabashedly ask for help when it's needed." Georgialee Lang

And finally this really spoke to me. From Margaret Ghibb:
"Vision never unveils; it unfolds. Be totally dependent on the Holy Spirit. Listen for His voice and promptings. He will teach you lessons that you cannot otherwise learn. He will show you your next steps."

A great book to read and enjoy. A great book to keep as a resource and a place to go to for inspiration.
Well done.