It’s recently come to my attention that there are millions of women in this world that are treated far differently just because they are female. Now, one would think that this would have been apparent to me, but I was raised in a home where I was treated equally in most areas and was raised to believe that I could achieve anything I set my mind to. I had control over my own body and my mind. With the advent of Twitter I am now exposed to the thoughts and ideas of people from many other backgrounds and I am much more aware that my experience is not often the norm. Through reading on Twitter, I discovered an author by the name of Sarah Thebarge and her book The Invisible Girls: A Memoir.

It is always a gamble when I suggest a book for our church book discussion group. The women in the group are of different ages and backgrounds and I do not know all of them well. I do not read the books in advance, so I never really know if the books going to be well written or appropriate. However, I trust that the Holy Spirit is going to lead me to pick the right book for the right time. This book was chosen for our August meeting and seemed to speak to all of the women in a variety of ways.

Thebarge’s memoir weaves together her battle with cancer with her involvement in the lives of a Somalian woman and her daughters. Raised in a fundamental Christian family, Thebarge received very specific messages about being female and what that meant. From what clothes to wear to what subjects to study, her gender shaped her daily life. The most noble goal was for her to stay pure, get married and then procreate. Thebarge knew early on that she was meant for a different path. She was incredibly intelligent and inquisitive and a transformative experience for her parents gave them the courage to let her follow that path. She eventually ended up in the medical profession as a Physician’s Assistant and was pursuing a masters in journalism when she discovered that she had cancer. The agonizing experience of breast cancer would change her life in many ways. Her identity as a woman was challenged when she lost her breast and her ability to reproduce. It was so devastating that she decided to abandon her dream of working in New York City and relocate to Portland, Oregon.

Thebarge found a new life on the west coast. She was just getting settled when she locked eyes with a small Somalian girl on the train. A few smiles were exchanged and a kind touch. It was the type of thing that happens to people dozens of times a year. A cute little interaction that passes in an instant. This time it was different. Thebarge felt a strong nudge to follow up with the child and her family. She obtained the family’s address and decided to visit them at their apartment. She took baby steps into their lives until she became intricately involved. This was a very risky move. The family was living in an environment that wasn’t particularly safe. The father of the girls had abused the mother and they didn’t know where he had run off to. But maybe most risky was the emotional involvement. Thebarge had been disappointed in so many ways during and after her fight with cancer. She had a very fragile heart. She took the leap and was rewarded with such love from the girls and their mother.

After reading about the journey of the invisible girls (Thebarge included), I found myself longing to listen to the nudging that Thebarge responded to. I believe that the Holy Spirit worked in their lives to bring them all together. I wonder how many times I ignore that same nudging because I’d rather be safe and secure than risk getting involved with my neighbor. I pray that in the future I am able to be open to that nudging in an authentic way. I look forward to following the invisible girls as they continue to grow.

There is a multimillion dollar industry built around the idea that every little girl wants to be a princess. There are costumes, parties, movies and toys that fulfill this dream for them. The wedding of Will and Kate that created a new princess drew the attention of the world, as did the birth of the new prince. The pageant industry is so popular that reality shows have flourished. It’s all about the crown. Well, a small group of women in a town in Mississippi solved that quest for a crown by appointing themselves the Sweet Potato Queens of Jackson, Mississippi. Jill Conner Browne chronicles the creation of the queens in The Sweet Potato Queen’s Book of Love. The first in a series of witty collections of stories, The Book of Love is entertaining and an enjoyable read. It took a bit to get engaged in Browne’s tales as she spent the first section with extensive back store on the group’s organizational structure. Once she began the short vignette’s about lifestyle advice I was hooked. My favorite sections were on how to do nothing and the food needed to host a Sweet Potato Queen funeral. The family less Family Reunion idea was full of humor.

The Sweet Potato Queen concept has become a nation wide phenomenon. Groups around the world now celebrate the idea that you do not have to enter a contest or marry a prince to become royalty. You simply have to declare yourself queen and buy a crown. In fact, a real Sweet Potato Queen doesn’t even need the crown, just the attitude. I hope to grasp the healthiest elements of the Queen’s ideals and celebrate the Queen in all of us.