This book is one of the most inspirational reads I’ve ever encountered. Mother-daughter team Jackie Green and Lauren Green McAfee, family members in the Hobby Lobby empire, have joined up to share their stories and the stories of others. Each chapter is filled with encouraging accounts of women who persevered in faith to make a lasting mark on our world.

I love studying history, and this book quenches my thirst for historical facts about women of faith. The chapters include a detailed account of a woman in the Bible, a woman in history, and a contemporary woman who all made a difference in their cultures. I enjoyed learning about women I’d never before encountered in literature or the news. Their positive stories lifted my spirits; I literally felt lighter and happier after reading each chapter!

Favorite quotes from Only One Life:

“The idea of leaving a legacy may sound intimidating. But legacy is not meant for only the elite few who have great power or influence. Legacy is crafted by our faithful everyday choices.”
“With our scrapbooks, newsletters, cards, and social media posts, we celebrate the milestones…share the news of both victories and challenges, and chronicle every aspect of family history.”
“Your unique call might not demand a harrowing journey to a faraway place, but it will almost certainly stretch you.”
“The words ‘only what’s done for Christ will last’ can imply action, but sometimes the most important thing we can do for Christ is to submit our thoughts to Him.”

I received a review copy of Only One Life from the BookLook Blogger Program.

This book is written by members of the family behind Hobby Lobby and also involved in the Museum of the Bible in Washington DC. It is interesting in that while reaffirming the female role these are shown in women from all phases of history, especially from the Bible and modern times. They are skills all Christians should exhibit.
I valued this book highly despite not recognising all of the names.
I was given this book by NetGalley and the publisher. This is my voluntary and impartial review.

This is an inspiring book co-written by mother/daughter authors Jackie Green and Lauren Green McAfee. Their writing styles complement each other as they share their vision of the “legacy “ available to each of us through our faith in Christ. They highlight 12 areas of influence in a woman’s life, including courage; generosity; witness; wisdom; teaching; faith; and prayer. They do this by sharing examples from their own lives as well as short biographies of women from both the past and present such as Joni Eareckson Tara and Susanna Wesley. They also share examples from the Bible, including Mary, Hannah, Esther, and several others. The emphasis here is that while are women going about their lives by trusting God and letting Him lead in their life, they are creating a legacy for others to follow. Some of the women they mention are “famous”; some are not; but all have made an impact on others through their faithful lives that bear witness to God’s love and power.

I especially appreciated the examples they shared from their own lives. As part of the Green family who own Hobby Lobby and have now established The Museum of the Bible, they have been through their own trials and blessings as they seek to follow God’s leading in both their business and personal lives. This book is a challenge to all Christian women to live their lives for God each day.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.

I appreciate the different views in this book, and feel that the message is especially timely. This is the first I had heard of either of the authors, but I hope more will come from them soon and would be interested in reading future books.