First, let me say THANK YOU to so many dear friends and readers who have purchased Empowered for your daughters, nieces, granddaughters, friends, and even for yourselves! It’s been such a joy to hear stories of girls learning from and being impacted by the women in this book.

I’ve heard from several of you that you’re gathering girls for Summer Book Clubs to read Empowered, so the kind folks at my publisher (B&H) put together a couple of free downloads that we thought might be helpful. Below the images are links to download the Invitation and the Reflection Page (more on that down below).

Download: Invitation

Download: Reflection Page

In addition to those resources, my daughter and I had a lot of fun coming up with activities to make Book Club meetings extra fun! Here are some (and I’d love to hear your ideas—feel free to share them via email (catherinestrodeparks@gmail.com) or on social media (#empoweredbookforgirls).

1st Meeting:

Play a fun ice-breaker game (My daughter recommends Four Corners, but using names of four of the women instead of numbers)

Encourage the girls to work on memorizing the Bible verses for each of the women

Ideas/activities for some of the women (click on each name to see the newsletter for that woman, which includes photos and other resources for further learning—I will update this list as I send out each newsletter):

Sophie Scholl: Try German potato pancakes (recipe in newsletter)

Esther Ahn Kim: Make Korean dumplings together (recipe in newsletter)

Corrie Ten Boom: Do a craft with hearts and write the names of people you need God’s help to love

Betsie Ten Boom: Make a Gratitude Journal (buy cheap blank journals and have the girls decorate them)

Pandita Ramabai: Try Indian food (one of our favorite recipes is in the newsletter)

Elisabeth Elliot: Watch the video tribute (link in newsletter)

Phillis Wheatley: Write a poem about Phillis (like she did about other people when they died)

Annie Armstrong: Write a letter to a missionary and/or have a tea party like Annie loved to do with children

Joni Eareckson Tada: Do an art project, painting or drawing something similar to one of her works of art (find some here). Maybe try holding the pen in your mouth to see just how difficult it is.

Fanny Crosby: Try hand-lettering a line from one of Fanny’s hymns.

Charlotte Forten: Cook a Gullah/Geechee recipe together

Last Meeting:

Play 20 Questions - using the women or elements from their stories

Play “Who Am I?” - give each girl a card to place on her forehead without allowing her to look at it. The girls must go around and ask questions of one another to find out who they are.

Have the girls use the Reflection Page to write or draw something from these stories that has made an impact on their lives or a prayer they want to continue to pray. Encourage them to display it in their rooms as a reminder that our faithful God will continue the work He began in them.

Are you hosting a Book Club this summer? I’d love to hear about it! And, I’d love to send postcards to the girls in your group to encourage them in their faith. Send me an email at catherinestrodeparks@gmail.com and let me know the details of your group!

Also, more to come soon (including a book trailer), but we’re just a little over a month out from the release of Strong! Pre-order here now.