Lead Like the Real You
Wisdom for Women on Finding Your Voice, Pursuing God's Calling, and Leading with Courage
by Amy Orr-Ewing
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Pub Date 13 Aug 2024 | Archive Date 6 Sep 2024
Baker Academic & Brazos Press | Brazos Press
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Description
As an internationally known speaker, theologian, and apologist, she has navigated through many challenges: battling abuse, finding and using her voice, building a lasting ministry, leading with confidence, thriving in friendship, relying on God in hard times, and more.
Now, she's sharing the wisdom she has gained over 25 years with other women so they, too, can grow in Christian leadership. In Lead Like the Real You, Orr-Ewing pens a deeply personal and engaging collection of letters that explore the unique challenges women face.
Rooted in honesty, practicality, and biblical guidance, these letters speak to women who lead in the workplace, classroom, church, and home, as well as those who support them. This book empowers the next generation of Christian women who hope to change the world to live and lead well, knowing they are not alone.
Advance Praise
“Amy Orr-Ewing has written another book that every female Christ follower must read. In each of her letters we find invaluable, practical information about leading—from fighting anxiety when speaking to navigating work and calling. Amy does not shy away from the more controversial questions, such as whether women should teach in the church. I needed to read every page in this book. Thank you, Amy.”—Rev. Lisa Wink Schultz, Chief of Staff, US Senate Chaplain
“Amy’s letter-writing style provides women with digestible key lessons for leading in the church, in the family, and in the workplace—or in all three. After beginning with gentle letters of encouragement, she leads readers to the hardest and perhaps most important lessons: how to respond to others, care for them, and heal when a Christian organization’s leadership has been harmful, deceitful, and abusive. The wisest of men will seek out this book as well.”—Elizabeth Berridge, Baroness Berridge of the Vale of Catmose
“Intelligent but heartfelt, sophisticated yet raw, Lead Like the Real You hits every key theme in modern female leadership right on the head. This book courageously digs deep into each issue commonly faced by women leaders, including the tabooed and glossed-over ones. This is a manual for every faithful female pioneer who wishes not just to survive but to flourish in the workplace and in life.”—Ilaria Chan, chairwoman, Tech for Good Institute
“Amy Orr-Ewing has given a tremendous gift to every woman who has longed for a mentor. In these pages, you will find letters that come with love and wisdom. You will know that you are not alone and that the God who made you has called you to lead. I pray this book provokes the rise of a new generation of female leaders in all spheres of life—for the glory of God and for the good of the world.”—Glenn Packiam, lead pastor, Rockharbor Church; author, The Resilient Pastor; coauthor, The Intentional Year
“Amy’s book is a pearl of wisdom, soaked with the honest, practical realities of a life spent pursuing Jesus. She speaks as a lover of truth, in kind authority, with bold freedom. I want to read and reread this book and give a copy to every young leader I know. I’m grateful that Amy lives all that she has written in these pages, modeling the authentic intimacy of one who has spent her life saying ‘yes’ to Jesus. Her example invites me to follow Jesus more bravely and beautifully.”—Canon Sarah Yardley, mission lead, Creation Fest UK
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781587436062 |
| PRICE | US$17.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 192 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Rachael N, Reviewer
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.
Jonathan N, Reviewer
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.
Yakub T, Educator
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.
Katie H, Reviewer
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.
Ashley L, Reviewer
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.
Angela R, Librarian
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.
Mollie M, Reviewer
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.”
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