First-ever audio Bible narrated only by women is now released
Courage for Life Bible aims to help at-risk women who suffered abuse, prefer sound of woman's voice
Georgia-based Bible teacher Ann White has released the first-ever all female-voiced audio Bible, which was inspired by her ministry in prisons, to “strengthen, equip and empower the world for Christ.”
Called the Courage for Life Bible, named after her ministry and which can be listened to via the Courage for Life app, was recorded by 12 women, reading from the New Living Translation, according to Premier Christian News.
Grammy-nominated artist Amik Byram was also part of White’s audio Bible project.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
“There are 200,000 women — the size of a small city — that are living in jails,” White, a survivor of childhood abuse, was quoted as saying. “Although they’ve made bad choices, they have found themselves with abusive men. … When we work with at-risk women, we find that a woman’s voice does not remind them of their abuser’s voice.”
As the group notes on its website, “More than half of Americans have read little or none of the Bible and 33% have never picked it up at all. Nearly 30% of Americans cite that they don’t have time to read the Bible, don’t read books generally, or don’t have a Bible.”
The women’s audio Bible addresses those challenges.
Women connect with women, “especially if they have abuse in their past,” the website continues. “Extensive research and clinical experience have proven, ‘the best way to help at-risk women and girls heal from substance abuse, trauma, and mental health issues, is to use gender-specific programs.”
It adds, “Because females tend to be the more nurturing gender by nature, their voices are often perceived as a helper, more compassionate, understanding, and non-threatening.”
Last June, White told The Christian Post that many of the women she encountered had experienced some sort of trauma at the hands of a male.
“Often, the abuse was in their teenage years, and it’s trauma they’re still holding onto. Sometimes, simply hearing a man’s voice is a subconscious trigger. That’s why it’s important to use gender-specific treatment,” she said.
In addition to Bible studies, devotions and books, a large portion of Courage for Life’s ministry include training leaders to minister to women who have been neglected, abused and incarcerated.
While the resources offered by Courage for Life are created for women, men are benefiting from them as well.
“Men are connecting with the women’s voices as well because oftentimes, they've been abused and come from fatherless homes,” White said. “If there was ever someone who shared the Gospel with them or talked about Christ, it was a woman in their life. It may have been their grandmother or aunt.”
