Girls with Swords: How to Carry Your Cross Like a Hero Paperback - 2014

Excerpt

You Are a Target

Christianity is a battle, not a dream.
—Wendell Phillips

In a world already overrun by violence, you may wonder why I would suggest that women of all ages take up arms and join the fight. As you turn these pages, I hope you will discover the many reasons why there is no neutral territory. We do not live by the violence of a sword, but the time has come to live by the power of one.

The first reason you need a sword is that, whether you realize it or not, you are part of an epic battle, and God does not want his daughters unarmed or caught unaware.

The poignant need for addressing these issues head-on was brought home in an unexpected way. It was early June in the summer of 2010, and I had just returned home from traveling and speaking in five different countries in the short span of four weeks. Mind you, these were not nations clustered together, so traveling meant  crossing date lines, exchanging night for day, and bouncing between the northern and southern hemispheres.

Overcome by a persistent strain of jet lag, I was wandering a bit dazed through my second evening home when I realized I was alone with my youngest son, Arden. As I approached him, he patted the sofa and invited me to join him in watching a movie. Thrilled to have a chance to perhaps cuddle with my son, I settled myself in as close as possible and asked, “What are we watching?”

“The Terminator,” he answered.

Okay, before you react, stay with me. I am not endorsing the movie, nor am I suggesting that you watch it. I saw an edited TV version, and even then it was eighties awful! But amid the ridiculous hair, disjointed music, and bad acting, I found something valuable I want to share here, because it perfectly sets up the why behind the journey of this book. In case you’re not familiar with The Terminator, allow me to paint a vastly shortened version of the movie for you. It is the story of Sarah Connor, a moped-riding waitress who is living a boring, mundane life in the hope that one day love will find her. Every twenty-four hours plays out pretty much the same. By day she serves pie and coffee; by night she hopes that one of her blind dates will turn into Prince Charming. By day she works, and by night she waits.

This predictable 1980s pattern is radically interrupted when a robotic assassin from her future shows up. Our hero, Sarah, first learns she might be at risk when she is taking a break at work and realizes a number of women who share her full name have turned up dead.

Apparently the terminator, a.k.a. Arnold Schwarzenegger—actor, former governor of California, and ex-husband of Maria Shriver—has time traveled, and anyone bearing the name Sarah Connor is his target.

There seems to be no way this cyborg assassin can possibly fail. Not only does he possess the strength and processing capabilities of a robot; he also is loaded down with the latest in automatic weapons. In addition to all this technology, he has in his possession what would have been the height of eighties data, a sheet torn from the white pages, which supplies him with the phone number and address of all the Sarah
Connors who reside in his target area. As the futuristic terminator systematically works his way down the list of Sarahs, our heroine becomes a bit concerned.

After work she returns to the apartment she shares with a friend only to learn via an answering machine that yet another blind date has canceled, so Sarah heads out to a club. That way, if the threat is real, she will be able to hide in a crowd. It isn’t long until the terminator is on her trail, and after a brief visit to her apartment, Arnold shows up at the club with guns blazing and begins wreaking mayhem. Chaos, bloodshed, and screaming displace bad dance moves as everyone scrambles to escape. But wait, there is yet another player in this dark drama.

You see, at the same time as her assassin from the future shows up, her protector from the future makes his presence known while extending Sarah this compelling invitation: “Come with me if you wanna live.” With the choice so obvious, it doesn’t take Sarah long to decide: she wants to live. Sarah runs from the bar, jumps in a car with a total stranger, and the two of them try to escape. But the terminator assassin
is relentless. A high-speed chase ensues. Bullets shatter the car windows and frazzle Sarah’s nerves. No matter where they go or what they do, they just can’t seem to shake her futuristic assailant.

This mild-mannered waitress and wannabe girlfriend has no idea why this epic battle rages around her. As bullets fly and cars crash, her protector begins to tell her who she is. He explains that in the future she is a legend and that an entire army wages war equipped with the foresight and strategies she recorded and passed on to her son. In the future she is part of a heroic fight against the enemy of all humanity.

Sarah just can’t buy that she is a player in this absurd story and is confident there has been a case of mistaken identity. There is no reason for her to be viewed as a threat in the present or the future! In an attempt to bring clarity and some sanity, Sarah counters the claim of her protector from the future. She isn’t a hero…she is just a waitress! She doesn’t even have a boyfriend, so certainly there’s no son! This nightmare is all a grave mistake; she’s been confused with someone else!

But her guardian insists that she is, in fact, Sarah Connor the hero and that his mission is to equip and protect her. Understandingly overwhelmed and suddenly undone, Sarah yells out, “I didn’t do anything!”

To which her future guardian counters, “No, but you will!”

At that moment, sitting with my son on the couch, I was arrested.

This line from decades past, “No, but you will!” crashed into my present with the realization that our enemy often knows who we are before we discover who we are. And it is high time we each realize the two things Sarah learned that night.
Lovely One,
1. You are a target.
2. You might be a hero.
I say might be, because the choice is ultimately yours.

Media reviews

Praise for Girls with Swords

"Lisa Bevere is one of God's most powerful voices for this time in our history. Her heart is for the King and His Kingdom, and to teach God's daughters how to rise up and live out our destiny."
—Sheila Walsh, author of God Loves Broken People and core speaker for Women of Faith

“Girls with Swords is prophetic, biblical, instructive, insightful, and challenging! This is no sweet, girly pep talk; this is powerful stuff for both women and men. We're excited about this book and the potential impact for the church around the globe.”
—Judah and Chelsea Smith, pastors, The City Church, Kirkland, WA

“Girls with Swords is a prophetic declaration for our time, calling God’s daughters to skillfully wield the sword of his Word. Lisa Bevere has a God mandate to unveil our strength in bringing healing, righteousness, and restoration to our world. Read this book with fair warning: you are about to engage in a powerfully courageous life!”
—Christine Caine, author of Undaunted and cofounder of the A21 Campaign 

“Girls with Swords is a prophetic declaration for our time, calling God’s daughters to skillfully wield the sword of his Word. Lisa Bevere has a God-mandate to unveil your strength in bringing healing, righteousness, and restoration to our world. Read this book with fair warning: you are about to engage in a powerfully courageous life!” 
—Christine Caine, author of Undaunted and cofounder of The A21 Campaign
“As you read Girls With Swords you’ll be empowered to face your challenges with boldness and learn to live like a hero.” 
—Robert and Debbie Morris, pastors, Gateway Church, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Co-authors of The Blessed Marriage.

 “We are living at an amazing time in history; there is so much pain, suffering and heartbreak on the planet today- and at the same time such a great opportunity to bring change and be a part of the solution. In her own unique style, Lisa Bevere encourages the King’s daughters to understand that we are a part of an epic battle and that we need to be prepared. This is not the time to draw back!  Read Girls with Swords and join the growing company of women who are rising strong on the earth!” 
—Holly Wagner, founder of GodChicks, author of WarriorChicks

“In Girls with Swords, Lisa Bevere once again draws out the hero within and encourages us to become all God has created us to be. Her zeal to see the church united and wielding the word of God is inspiring and alive. No matter where you are in life, this message will empower you to “reforge your sword” and bravely face daily battles with courage and truth.” 
—Stovall and Kerri Weems, pastors, Celebration Church, Jacksonville, Florida

“‘God’s word is a God sword.’ I love this analogy. Through forging scintillating concepts and analogies in this book, Lisa has managed to excel at spreading enthusiasm for having ‘an intuitive awareness of our opponent’s next move.’”
—Dr. Caroline Leaf, cognitive neuroscientist and communication pathologist and author of Who Switched Off My Brain?

 “God's word is a God sword.’ I love this analogy. Through forging scintillating concepts and analogies in this book, Lisa has managed to excel at spreading enthusiasm for having ‘an intuitive awareness of our opponents next move.”
—Dr. Caroline Leaf, Cognitive Neuroscientist and Communication Pathologist, author of Who Switched Off My Brain?
 “Girls With Swords is a brilliant display of Lisa Bevere's God-given ability to encourage and equip women to be restored, retooled, and repositioned to take their place in this epic battle and defeat the enemy who has intentionally targeted women throughout history.” 
—Chris and Joy Hill, pastors, The Potter's House, Denver

 “We have been privileged to feature Lisa Bevere frequently on our “LIFE Today” telecast. Through years of international ministry—including Asia, where she joined with our missions team to help women victimized by human trafficking. she has become well aware of the battles that can only be won with the sword of God’s Word. Her message will help inspire and prepare women, in particular, for spiritual warfare.”
—James and Betty Robison, LIFE Outreach International

“Women, take up your swords! This book will give you new strength as you prepare to fight your battles armed with the truth of God. Get ready to be challenged and inspired by Girls with Swords.”
—Craig and Amy Groeschel, pastors, LifeChurch.tv

“In Girls With Swords you will be challenged to join the ranks of Christians who are already moving forward in their faith.  Don’t be taken out of the fight!  Stand firm and experience spiritual victory.”
—Pastor Steven and Holly Furtick, Elevation Church, Charlotte