Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC. I enjoyed this set of reflections on leadership as a woman in a christian setting. It's well written and thoughtful.

Amy Orr-Ewing is outstanding woman that talk to other women how to lead like the real you. Sometimes, women have been underestimated because unlike man, they cannot lead well. But, this story including 25 years of her experience will inspire many women to lead. Thank you, Amy.

Amy bring a new voice for every women in the world to lead in their own femininity and real themselves. By discussing unique challenges that women facing, she encourages with a very deep personal letter to address it. This will empower a new generation of women that will lead in the fear of the Lord.

This book covers some great topics that women in leadership at any level face. The way it was written through letters was very readable and made it easy to dip in and out. I closed the book feeling encouraged and hopeful.

Thank you to the Author, Publisher and NetGalley UK for a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Dr. Amy has blessed us with this vulnerably honoring peak into ministry as a female that is not available anywhere else. How do we take the narrow path with respect, honor, justice, and peace - she leads the way. This is a great message for all women in ministry AND for those who support women in ministry. MUST read.

This book should be required reading for all leaders, regardless of gender.

I love the intimacy of the style – letters to a protege – and was moved as the author described the joys, heartaches, pitfalls, and blessings of being a woman in leadership in the Christian community.

There is a tonne of great advice, practical and spiritual, all backed by experience and Scripture, and she doesn’t shy away from shining light on some truly dark portions of leadership.

My only real criticism is that the author still has some internalized misogyny to work through.

She talks about not letting the chauvinism of others stifle your gifts but doesn’t suggest much beyond strategies to circumvent.

She talks about not worrying about your appearance, but also: Make sure your wardrobe isn’t a distraction.

She talks about saying ‘yes’ to things like travel, and even acknowledges a woman’s unseen labour at home, but then assumes that she’ll figure out how to leave her family prepared meals in the fridge and will deal with all the laundry when she gets home.

It’s like shouting “You’re a super-hero, mama!” to a drowning woman, instead of throwing her a life-preserver.

I need the Christian community to do a better job supporting their (women) leaders, so they have the time and energy to dedicate to their vocation.

Dispite this, I think Leading Like the Real You should be on every Christian shelf.

Thanks to NetGalley, and Brazos Press for this meaty ARC.

Lead Like the Real You by Amy Orr-Ewing is a great resource for women of any age who are navigating different leadership pathways. Written as a series of letters from Dr. Orr-Ewing to a younger woman, the book is full of practical wisdom and the kind of insights that you gain from navigating complex situations. Out of the 192 pages of this book, I had over 100 highlights of tips and quotes I wanted to stick with me and refer back to.

The letters are grouped into sections of similar topics, such as calling, navigating friendship, and addressing abuse and injustice. Dr. Orr-Ewing has a variety of ministry experiences to share wisdom from. She doesn’t write from a complementarian perspective and includes chapters on why she holds her beliefs. Whether you hold to complementarianism or not, those chapters are helpful to read. There are faithful Christian women serving in church ministries, leading non-profits, and heading teams in secular workplaces that will all benefit from the advice of Dr. Orr-Ewing as a Christian and a woman and a leader.

The chapters on the more difficult aspects of leadership were very insightful and I appreciated someone sharing candidly about how they approached and processed things like “When a Leader We Respect Harms Others,” “When You Can’t Pray,” and “Jealousy and Rivalry” in friendships.

Whether the topics are theoretical or practical, the discussion is based on understanding God’s Word and making him known. I’ll leave you with a passage as a taste of the book:

“The unglamorous work of foundation building—time spent studying the Word, praying, fasting, serving, and working in thankless and unspectacular kingdom endeavors—will matter…. Time given to discipling, encouraging, praying for, equipping, cooking for, and eating with those we lead and serve is not wasted. Don’t rush on to what seems more important.”

What an eagerly awaited book this has been! I know all too well the challenges that many women in leadership face, and I was keen to read what Amy had to share from her significant experience. I was also intrigued by epistolary structure.

I loved it! I expected it to be intelligent, articulate and pertinent. What I didn’t expect was it to be so personal, practical and engaging (I know I should have taken each letter slowly to digest carefully, but I found myself unable to put it down! Like pouring over a letter from a trusted mentor). The book address many issues facing female leaders - from practical matters like preaching nerves and hospitality, to significant issues like church abuse and chauvinism. It’s written as if to a younger, emerging leader, but I’m not at all young and found still found it applicable and encouraging.

I highly recommend this book to those approaching leadership from a Christian perspective - it’s accessible, relevant and full of practical and spiritual wisdom, and I can’t wait till my pre-ordered copy arrives in the mail so I can reread it!