With God, Nothing Is Impossible: In Step with Women of the Bible - Softcover

Elaine A. Phillips, PhD, is professor of biblical studies at Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts, and adjunct professor for Jerusalem University College in Israel. She authored \"Esther,\" in The Expositor's Bible Commentary (Zondervan, 2010).

"To read this book is to travel to faraway places and learn from women who end up looking a whole lot like us. Their impossible situations remind us that the God who loved and watched over them loves and cares for us. We are not good at sitting still in our culture, but this wonder-FULL book encourages us to sit at the feet of these women, discovering who they were―and who we might become."
―Jan Carlberg, former first lady of Gordon College, Wenham, MA; author of Hungry Heart:  Daily Devotions from the Old Testament and The Welcome Song: And Other Stories from a Place Called Home

"Elaine Phillips captures the reader’s imagination using the rich narratives of the historical contexts of Scripture. This well-written book makes accessible to any reader the best of biblical scholarship and healthy reminders that much history has been shaped through the fruitful faithfulness of women to God. Dr. Phillips’ knowledge of Israelite and Jewish cultures and recognition of God’s providence in the lives of biblical characters is superb. Her inviting style and suggestions for further reflection prompt the reader to examine her own commitment to applying the truths of Scripture in the complex contemporary world. With God, Nothing is Impossible captures well God’s consistent theme, from narratives of the angel’s proclamation to Mary, the mother of Jesus, to His question, “Is anything too difficult for the Lord?” revealed in the conversation with Abraham (and Sarah). This book illuminates the same power and faithfulness of God in the stories of lesser-known characters as well. Each narrative expresses unambiguously God’s clear message that with God, all things are possible!"
―Dorothy F. Chappell, PhD, dean of natural and social sciences, Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL; co-editor of Not Just Science

"The voices of strong women resound with relevance and clarity in Dr. Elaine Phillips’ With God, Nothing is Impossible: In Step with Women of the Bible. The book is written with an engaging style and the ease of one intimately familiar with stories and poetry of the Bible. Readers will enjoy a delightful glimpse into the lives of women often overlooked in Scripture. Carefully woven into each account are pearls of insight born of a lifetime of engagement with the land of the Bible and knowledge of the Hebrew text. Ancient stories come to life, with carefully placed details of geography, ancient culture, and historical context. Especially poignant are the places that linger over the outsider, revealing a loving God tuned to the cry of the marginalized. Ordinary women give voice to sorrow, whisper prayers, and emerge as determined leaders in times of crisis. Their stories speak into our contemporary world, revealing wisdom and giving encouragement to all who have struggled to find their voice."
―Rhoda Carpenter, assistant professor of Hebrew Bible, Sioux Falls Seminary, SD  

"Dr. Phillips has a rich knowledge of Scripture and a broad experience of the land of the Bible.  She draws together critical pieces of Scripture set in a distant context, to tell the narratives of influential women of the Bible, in order to make connections and pose questions that are relevant to the experiences of women in our modern context. This book is a great resource for individual contemplation as well as for group study."
―Lindy Purdy, pastor, Wayzata Community Church, Wayzata MN

"Elaine Phillips provides engaging, insightful connections between women of the Old Testament and complex circumstances of women in the twenty-first century. The reflective questions at the end of each chapter provide additional strength to this well-written book."
―Sybil Coleman, professor of social work, Gordon College, Wenham MA; pastor’s wife for over four decades

"Narrated with the simple grace of a cherished bedtime story, With God, Nothing is Impossible deftly reawakens the faculties of faith. As Elaine Phillips imaginatively illuminates cunning wives, anguished mothers, fiery judges, and courageous prostitutes, we find ourselves within the diverse women of Scripture, and them within us. With God, Nothing is Impossible locates our ordinary lives and struggles within the arc of the holy, lending dignity and insight to our efforts―even our failures―to walk in step with the God of Israel."
―Meghan Larissa Good, pastor, Albany Mennonite Church, Albany, OR

"In this delightful and beautifully written book, Elaine Phillips invites us to sit at the feet of women from biblical times and to humbly listen and learn from their experiences. She presents a moving and down-to-earth portrait of each woman, with all their challenges, triumphs, and failures. Throughout the study, Phillips shares wonderful insights and personal reflections, and raises thought-provoking questions that make the stories real and relevant to our own lives, thus both inspiring and challenging us in the process. From the journeys of these women, she draws important lessons about God’s love, faithfulness, and provision, reminding us continually that with God truly nothing is impossible! This is an uplifting, faith-building, and life-affirming book; I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to grow in his or her knowledge of God and His Word."
―Rebecca G. S. Idestrom, PhD, associate professor of Old Testament, Tyndale Seminary, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; author of From Biblical Theology to Biblical Criticism: Old Testament Scholarship at Uppsala University, 1866-1922.

"This book is a gift! Reading about each biblical woman, not just from the perspective of Scripture, but also with relevant historical and cultural context, allowed me to see each one not just as a character in a story, but as a real, flesh-and-blood individual in history. Elaine Philips helped me enter into each of their stories more fully and, in so doing, allowed each of them to speak into my life, my time, and my context more directly. What a privilege to sit and learn at the feet of those women who have gone before in the faith!"
―Cami Foerster, resident director, Gordon College