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Hermanas: Deepening Our Identity and Growing Our Influence
Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Finalist - Multicultural
God calls Latinas to lives of influence. He created his Latina daughters to partner with him, live into the incredible plans he has for each of us, and walk in his grace and strength to help change this world. But many of us have heard cultural messages that make us doubt our adequacy. We have not seen many Latina women in positions of leadership, and we need more mentors and role models.
Natalia Kohn, Noemi Vega Quiñones, and Kristy Garza Robinson share their own journeys as Latinas and leaders. They find mentorship in twelve inspirational women of the Bible including Esther, Rahab, Mary, and Lydia, who navigated challenges of brokenness and suffering, being bicultural, and crossing borders. As we deepen our spiritual and ethnic identities, we grow in intimacy with God and others and become better equipped to influence others for the kingdom. The insights here will help any who seek to empower Latinas in leadership.
You are not alone on this journey. Join your sisters and partner with our heavenly Father as you become the Latina leader God has called you to be.
God calls Latinas to lives of influence. He created his Latina daughters to partner with him, live into the incredible plans he has for each of us, and walk in his grace and strength to help change this world. But many of us have heard cultural messages that make us doubt our adequacy. We have not seen many Latina women in positions of leadership, and we need more mentors and role models.
Natalia Kohn, Noemi Vega Quiñones, and Kristy Garza Robinson share their own journeys as Latinas and leaders. They find mentorship in twelve inspirational women of the Bible including Esther, Rahab, Mary, and Lydia, who navigated challenges of brokenness and suffering, being bicultural, and crossing borders. As we deepen our spiritual and ethnic identities, we grow in intimacy with God and others and become better equipped to influence others for the kingdom. The insights here will help any who seek to empower Latinas in leadership.
You are not alone on this journey. Join your sisters and partner with our heavenly Father as you become the Latina leader God has called you to be.
206 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 15, 2019
31 people are currently reading
392 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
January 21, 2019
I really and truly loved Hermanas: Deepening Our Identity and Growing our Influence. The word “hermana,” is Spanish for “sister,” and I wish that it were possible to reach through the screen and give all three of these ladies a HUGE HUG.
I am also a woman serving in ministry. I love my church very, very much- but during my three years of seminary, I was the only young woman who looked like me in all of my classes. I have been very blessed by the fact that my church has been very supportive of me and my ministry; however, I will admit that it can be lonely sometimes.
Unlike the authors, I am not Latina; nevertheless, I can relate to many of the same struggles and insecurities addressed in this book regarding being a woman in ministry who looks different than her colleagues. I particularly appreciated the Natalia’s perspective. In the forward, she states that “Growing up, I was the girl who would get the question, ‘What are you?’” Like me, her appearance is racially ambiguous (I’m half-Filipino and half white).
The authors are not afraid to wrestle with painful and complex issues such as domestic abuse, human trafficking, racism, xenophobia, and sexism. All the chapters of this book were excellent and well researched. I was delighted to hear my favorite Bible stories of Esther and Deborah interpreted from a Latina perspective.
My favorite chapter in the book was the interpretation of the story of Syrophoenician woman whom Jesus healed from bleeding (Mark 7:25-30 & Matthew 15:21-28). In this text, Jesus seems to call a gentile woman a dog (Mark 7:27).
Every time this text shows up in the reactionary, I can’t help but cringe. Preaching from this passage has always been a struggle for me. I will continue to struggle with this complex story, but the interpretation that the authors offer in Hermanas has definitely enriched my understanding of this pericope.
As a pastor, I am fascinated by the interpretation of theology from the margins. Hermanas makes me think of two of my other favorite books, The Women’s Bible Commentary and The Global Bible Commentary.
In Hermanas, the authors invite all of us to come and sit at the table in order to share in a feast of God’s love. The authors make it clear that this is a book for everyone and that we are all invited to come and share with them as we learn together. I would recommend this book to all of my sisters in ministry because there is something that we can all learn within these pages; however, I especially recommend this book for any woman in ministry who happens to be Latinx.
*I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. You can find this review and more like it on my blog at www.BeckieWrites.com
I am also a woman serving in ministry. I love my church very, very much- but during my three years of seminary, I was the only young woman who looked like me in all of my classes. I have been very blessed by the fact that my church has been very supportive of me and my ministry; however, I will admit that it can be lonely sometimes.
Unlike the authors, I am not Latina; nevertheless, I can relate to many of the same struggles and insecurities addressed in this book regarding being a woman in ministry who looks different than her colleagues. I particularly appreciated the Natalia’s perspective. In the forward, she states that “Growing up, I was the girl who would get the question, ‘What are you?’” Like me, her appearance is racially ambiguous (I’m half-Filipino and half white).
The authors are not afraid to wrestle with painful and complex issues such as domestic abuse, human trafficking, racism, xenophobia, and sexism. All the chapters of this book were excellent and well researched. I was delighted to hear my favorite Bible stories of Esther and Deborah interpreted from a Latina perspective.
My favorite chapter in the book was the interpretation of the story of Syrophoenician woman whom Jesus healed from bleeding (Mark 7:25-30 & Matthew 15:21-28). In this text, Jesus seems to call a gentile woman a dog (Mark 7:27).
Every time this text shows up in the reactionary, I can’t help but cringe. Preaching from this passage has always been a struggle for me. I will continue to struggle with this complex story, but the interpretation that the authors offer in Hermanas has definitely enriched my understanding of this pericope.
As a pastor, I am fascinated by the interpretation of theology from the margins. Hermanas makes me think of two of my other favorite books, The Women’s Bible Commentary and The Global Bible Commentary.
In Hermanas, the authors invite all of us to come and sit at the table in order to share in a feast of God’s love. The authors make it clear that this is a book for everyone and that we are all invited to come and share with them as we learn together. I would recommend this book to all of my sisters in ministry because there is something that we can all learn within these pages; however, I especially recommend this book for any woman in ministry who happens to be Latinx.
*I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. You can find this review and more like it on my blog at www.BeckieWrites.com
January 15, 2019
Finally, a book that expresses the thoughts and feelings of a fellow Christian Latina! Ms. Kohn, Ms. Vega Quiñones, and Ms. Garza Robinson invite you on a journey at the table (a la mesa) of their personal stories that will connect to Latinos in the U.S. A chapter can be as a stand-alone as each author share their individual perspective on the stories of 4 women (12 women total) noted in the Bible. Their use of questions at the end of each chapters makes this book a good discipleship tool to dive deeper with the reader’s spiritual journey. Although this book is geared toward Latinas, it provides a helpful understanding of the Latino narrative in the U.S. Are you desiring to explore and embrace your ethnic identity as female and Latina? Are you ready to feel empowered to practice your influence as a leader? If you answered, yes, then reading Hermanas is a good next step in your journey.
January 2, 2019
The book Hermanas is written by three Latina women taking leadership lessons from twelve women in the Bible. This book fills a need for devotional and theological books written from a Latina perspective, and the authors offer new insight into these women from the Bible based on their own experiences and cultures. Even though I am not Latina, I appreciated their deep insights and loved how they came up with different applications for each woman they wrote on. I hope that this will be even more meaningful for Latinas who need further encouragement in their faith and ministry. This could be a great book for a small group study on the Bible and leadership, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about women in leadership from a Biblical perspective.
February 6, 2025
read for my M.Div course on mentoring. Great read.
February 24, 2019
From the introduction through to the acknowledgments, this book felt like a breath of fresh air, and a needed one at that. The authors write to Latinas about identity and influence, but intentionally invite those of us who aren't Latina, to sit in, listen, and learn.
Each of the twelve chapters (written by one of the authors, four apiece) examines the story of a woman in the Bible and draws out principles focusing on either identity or influence and the applies them to the development of Latinas, while also including stories from the authors' lives, family, friends, and history. The tapestry they weave is intricate and wonderful to contemplate.
The thing that impressed me the most was their ability to clearly identify the audience they are writing to and the place they are writing from, while not excluding those that fall outside of it. This means one approaches the book knowing that one is listening to an experience that might be different and prepared to think through how one applies it to oneself. Far too many books assume that their experience and teaching applies to everyone leaving some readers experiencing dissonance and not always knowing why.
This is a great addition to the library of Latinas, anyone who works with Latinas, and anyone seeking to better understand and partner with the amazing women from those communities.
Note: I know and worked with the authors and received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Each of the twelve chapters (written by one of the authors, four apiece) examines the story of a woman in the Bible and draws out principles focusing on either identity or influence and the applies them to the development of Latinas, while also including stories from the authors' lives, family, friends, and history. The tapestry they weave is intricate and wonderful to contemplate.
The thing that impressed me the most was their ability to clearly identify the audience they are writing to and the place they are writing from, while not excluding those that fall outside of it. This means one approaches the book knowing that one is listening to an experience that might be different and prepared to think through how one applies it to oneself. Far too many books assume that their experience and teaching applies to everyone leaving some readers experiencing dissonance and not always knowing why.
This is a great addition to the library of Latinas, anyone who works with Latinas, and anyone seeking to better understand and partner with the amazing women from those communities.
Note: I know and worked with the authors and received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 31, 2019
A gorgeous, poetic, and prophetic collection of stories and reflections from Latina leaders. Would highly recommend!
November 11, 2020
I wager I’ll be meditating on the nature of leadership for days to come. A welcome read and all the better for being able to discuss with coworkers.
January 20, 2019
Excellent devotional read. These "wise Latina women" bring insight and introspection to a study of 12 women in the Bible. They share vulnerably from their own experiences, their own pain, and their own failures. They want their readers to develop a deeper intimacy with Christ, which will fuel their identity exploration and leadership influence.
Each author contributed 4 chapters, running from 10-20 pages in length. They write their chapters in their own voices. And, while they speak directly to a Latina audience, they do so in a way that's accessible for people of a variety of different backgrounds.
Personally, I felt grateful for several unique theological and leadership insights that I encountered in this book but have never heard elsewhere. I'm still thinking through this line from Noemi Vega Quinones: “Role models of leadership often talk about the ACTIONS that lead to transformation instead of the PERSON leading the transformation” (reflecting on the narrative of “Mija”)
Each author contributed 4 chapters, running from 10-20 pages in length. They write their chapters in their own voices. And, while they speak directly to a Latina audience, they do so in a way that's accessible for people of a variety of different backgrounds.
Personally, I felt grateful for several unique theological and leadership insights that I encountered in this book but have never heard elsewhere. I'm still thinking through this line from Noemi Vega Quinones: “Role models of leadership often talk about the ACTIONS that lead to transformation instead of the PERSON leading the transformation” (reflecting on the narrative of “Mija”)
April 4, 2019
Great book. Very much appreciated reading the rich and real life experiences and journeys of being: in Christ, Latina, female, and in Leadership. Loved how 12 biblical women and their stories of strong faith were used to parallel the experiences of each woman's own familia and own stories. Through courage, agency, and "atrevida" these stories of faith, reinforce God's creative plan of redemption in the midst of brokenness, loss, fear, rejection, and hate. Each chapter delivers a healthy embrace of Christian and Latino/a ethnic identity, and weaves these identities into one wholesome, complicated, and robust Holy Spirit experience. Each chapter ends with peaceful discontent, hopeful standards, and a call to delve into the thick pool intersectionality, just like Jesus and the 12 women did in their time. Hermanas is a triumphant and refreshing break through from most Christian books. It is viceral and unapologetic in both its Christian and Latina roots and truths. There is no other book like this! There should be more books like this! There will be more books like this! This book is transformative and my hope is it will inspire not only Latina/os , but women and men all over the world to love God, love themselves, love their heritage, love their stories and love others with boldness.
July 8, 2020
I had to think a little about the purposes of this book, which didn't entirely match my expectations. The authors take the stories of a dozen Biblical women and find inspiration and models particularly for Latina leadership. What I was expecting was something a little meatier or more challenging as exegesis. Instead, the book uses some solid reading, a few good nuggets, and a little bit of speculation to encourage its intended audience (and not just its intended audience). By leadership, the authors don't necessarily mean something like "seminary graduate looking for the next step" or "discouraged pastor," but something more like "college Bible study leader" or "mentor within the church," which is a valuable group to encourage.
Different chapters struck me differently. The one on Rahab was probably my favorite, and in general I preferred those by Noemi Vega Quiñones (hearing her on a podcast brought me to the book). I'm guessing the target audience will especially benefit, but given that all three authors write from perspectives we (meaning: I) don't usually hear from, it's an engaging read.
Different chapters struck me differently. The one on Rahab was probably my favorite, and in general I preferred those by Noemi Vega Quiñones (hearing her on a podcast brought me to the book). I'm guessing the target audience will especially benefit, but given that all three authors write from perspectives we (meaning: I) don't usually hear from, it's an engaging read.
January 16, 2019
I am not a Latina, and this book opened my eyes to the realities of women who are ethnic minorities. In one chapter, one of the authors writes about a class in which men had a debate about gender in the Bible. She asks, “Do they not understand what it feels like to be the object of a debate? This is not a theological conflict over a particular stance—this is personal to me.” In these dehumanizing times, this book brings much-needed humanizing as each author shares her personal stories, which are brilliantly connected to twelve women in the Bible. I walked away from this book with new eyes to see and more deeply admire my Latina friends, and all they and their families have endured throughout history. Highly recommended.
February 8, 2019
This is such a beautiful book by 3 Latina women that I deeply respect. Each chapter is tackled by one of these women as they rotate through 12 different women in the Bible.
To hear the points of connection between these Latina women and these biblical characters is transformative. I won't ever think of these women in the same way! It's beautiful and challenging.
I'm honored to sit under the teaching of these Latina women and the Spirit's leadership and perspective through them.
Highly recommend!
March 6, 2019
This gorgeous volume is rich and deep. I loved, loved, loved the readings of Mary as a colonized woman, the bleeding woman as Mija, and Deborah as a warrior woman. The reflections on Latina leadership are needed, rich, and empowering. As a white woman, I feel that I've been taught to listen, hear, and comprehend better. Yet, I feel like I'm not the end goal for this book. I'm passing it along to a woman who needs to hear its message, too.
March 19, 2019
I'm not Latina, but appreciate the writers' perspectives on Biblical women who are outsiders. The book had to go back to the library before I got past the first three chapters, but it expanded my thinking to consider Esther as a minority outsider. The chapter on the woman from Song of Songs was less compelling, but the one on the woman who bleeds (Mija) was again thought-provoking. I need to get it back.
November 15, 2019
I really enjoyed this read. I remember reading at one point (maybe the intro?) that the desire had been for more Latina authors to join this project, but personally I enjoyed getting to know the voices of these three women better as they shared about themselves and about our hermanas in the Bible. I also appreciated that they shared the names of other Hispanic leaders who have influenced them, some of whom I don't know and look forward to learning from!
December 29, 2019
Inspiring & Motivating
As one of few Latina leaders in a Global Christian organization, I found this book not only helpful, but inspiring. It took so long for me to complete this book because each time I picked it up, my hermanas would encourage me to pursue Jesus, know His Word, seek out a friend, or participate in His work in some new way. This has been an incredibly inspiring read that I can't wait to pick up again with sisters en comunidad.
As one of few Latina leaders in a Global Christian organization, I found this book not only helpful, but inspiring. It took so long for me to complete this book because each time I picked it up, my hermanas would encourage me to pursue Jesus, know His Word, seek out a friend, or participate in His work in some new way. This has been an incredibly inspiring read that I can't wait to pick up again with sisters en comunidad.
March 15, 2020
Just finished Hermanas which is an excellent read that highlights the lives of a few Biblical 'Hermanas' who then are used as examples for our own walks of faith. I so much appreciate the group of Latina Sisters who shared their stories to encourage us to step up, learn together, build community and not be fearful of our own personal heritages. This is a mush read for all who are involved in multicultural ministry.
October 28, 2019
I slowed down to let this book marinate as I read! I’d definitely suggest it as a daily/weekly devotional as each Biblical women’s story is full of insight, truth, and promise that stands on its own. As a white American in an individualistic culture, I really appreciated the point of view and communal culture from these Latinas!
October 24, 2023
DNF - This book sat on my shelf for a long time before I finally took the time to pick it up. I’m grateful for Latina leaders in ministry and hope this book encourages them to persevere in ministry. Other authors have profiled women in the Bible with more depth and insight (see Vindicating the Vixens by Dr. Sandra Glahn).
November 11, 2020
This was a great devotional read. By no means fluffy like some devos rather theologically sound and paired beautiful with narrative that bring the Biblical characters to life and powerfully connected to personal stories of family and ministry. This book is a gift for everyone.
June 10, 2021
Beautifully book. As a Latina, it was balm to my soul to see myself depicted in the stories of the Bible. Definitely recommend all Latina’s read it but also non-Latina’s could benefit from reading it!
January 20, 2019
I may not be the intended audience (ie: a Latina in leadership), but there’s still a whole lot for me to learn from these three writers.
April 27, 2019
Loved this book! I underlined so much and loved learning from these women as they walked through some of the women in the Bible. I will go back to this book a lot!
November 26, 2020
I appreciated the perspective on each of these biblical women. Well written, great practical challenges.
November 21, 2021
Did not want this book to end. This book is going to be a yearly re-read to remind myself of all the amazing stories told, deep convictions, and to love life as an amada de Dios.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews