Called: Meet 50 Women Working with God in the South Pacific
Danijela Schubert and Shaylee Walsh (editors)
Called is a beautiful book from cover to cover. The design and layout by Shane Winfield is stunning but it is the stories contained within these pages that will draw you in with their hope, joy, resilience and the ever-present call of God as it echoes through each narrative.
So what does it mean to be called and—beyond that—to accept the call? Step into the stories of women called to be educators, administrators, pastors, leaders, missionaries, health professionals. These are women called to serve their church and the world, who stood up and said yes, often amid doubts and fears. They have changed careers, overcome personal challenges, battled cultural and language barriers, and moved across the world to answer the call.
Page after page, encounter beautiful stories of women transformed by God’s call and making a difference in the lives of others. Read Lorraine Edwards story and be heartened by her vision for honouring singleness; be inspired by Judith Nagamisovo’s vision and subsequent call to theology; celebrate the nurturing Lyndelle Peterson received from her local church leading her to answer the call; experience the honesty and vulnerability in Lorraine Atchia’s story; and how Lalen Simeon’s childhood was the fertile soil where God first planted the seed.
When I was asked to contribute to Called, I ignored the request, believing that other women will have much better stories to share. When the request was repeated, I realised I needed to reconsider. This wasn’t about me but rather about an amazing God who picked me up and asked me to follow Him. I am passionate about mentoring and seeing women being given the opportunity to grow and lead wherever they are. So I hope that my story will motivate other women to take someone under their wing, nurturing them and challenging them to step into God’s plan for them.
I believe this amazing book is a source of encouragement for all who want to see and understand God’s remarkable call to everyday women in the South Pacific Division as an ongoing work of God’s Holy Spirit in the Seventh-day Adventist Church—right here and right now.
Called: Meet 50 Women Working with God in the South Pacific is available from Adventist bookshops in Australia and New Zealand, or online.
