Let the Real “Church Girl” Stand Up

Church Girl review

5 stars  Jan read - author Dr Sarita Lyons

“Church Girl”: A Gospel Vision to

Encourage and Challenge Black Christian Women.

Dr. Sarita Lyons has truly accomplished her mission with her book, which has redefined the term “Church girl” in profound ways. Before diving into this book, I considered myself a “Church girl,” but my understanding of the title was far from what I discovered within its pages. Initially, I thought of a “Church girl” as someone who grew up in the church, knowing nothing else. Dr. Lyons filled a spiritual longing within me by revealing that being a “Church girl” is about more than just church attendance; it’s about living with biblical truth and love.

Throughout my reading, I annotated the book with insights on the various meanings and purposes behind the “Church girl” term, along with notable quotes and biblical references. In the introduction, Dr. Lyons encourages us to rise up as disciples of Jesus, restored to relationships with God. A “Church girl” is someone with good influence, a life-giver, and unfiltered. We possess spiritual gifts and callings that are essential to the health, growth, and unity of the body of Christ. This novel inspired me to pause, investigate, strategize, and improve the quality of my life, laying aside every weight and finding rest.

One of my favorite chapters was “The Church Girl Who Finds Rest.” Dr. Lyons reminds us, “We are called to rest in Christ, not from Christ.” How can we serve others effectively from a place of emptiness? Rest is truly a gift of God’s grace, teaching us that we have limits and the importance of resting well.

A standout quote for me was, “As Church Girls, we must know the fundamentals of our faith, grow in our ability to discern lies, contend for the faith, and with the help of the Holy Spirit guard the deposit that has been entrusted to us.”

I wish I could share all the incredible insights I gained from Dr. Sarita, but it would be like writing the entire book again. The book was that amazing. One heartfelt quote that resonated deeply with me was, “We don’t have to sacrifice righteousness for relevance.” We are created to live to please God, not others, to “walk the stage of life for an audience of one—the Lord Jesus Christ.”

People are watching us, and the responsibility is to represent the Lord in a way that gives Him all the glory. Don’t reserve any of it for yourself. My last favorite quote was, “We must humbly love difficult people because we are someone’s difficult person too.” It was a reality check that hit hard!

Dr. Sarita Lyons’ book is a transformative journey that encourages us to embrace our roles as “Church girls” with purpose and passion.