Rebecca Shirey

Rebecca Shirey is a writer, a faith seeker, and a grace dweller. As a frequent speaker for conferences and retreats, she communicates with vulnerability, humor, and grace as she passionately encourages others to pursue the abundant life that Jesus offers. The Lord led Rebecca into a decade of intense Bible study preparation before releasing her into a speaking, teaching, and writing ministry. Since then, she has spoken in twelve foreign countries and in venues throughout the United States. 

She is a frequent speaker at conferences and retreats and is passionate about encouraging others to relentlessly pursue the abundant life Jesus offers. Through solid biblical teaching, personal stories, and practical illustrations she communicates hope and courage as she challenges audiences in their everyday life of faith.

Her writings include Sight UnSeen: A Story of Courageous Faith; contributions to Pause for Moms, by Chris Maxwell; Room 6060: Of Death and Hope...Of Grief and Joy, by Jon Campbell; Make us One: A Journey Toward Racial Healing, compiled by Niko Peele; and The Church Prayer Leader's Handbook, edited by Carol Madison. Rebecca has also written for the Upper Room publication and Prayer Connect magazine. 

Rebecca’s ministry has been enriched by her role as a military spouse, and by her years of involvement with Protestant Women of the Chapel (PWOC), a multi-generational, multi-denominational, multi-ethnic ministry to military women. 

When Rebecca is not writing, she enjoys feathering her nest, collecting blue and white china, reading a captivating book, sipping a robust cup of coffee, and browsing in cute shops.

She is married to her college sweetheart, Dr. Lou Shirey. Lou is retired from a 26-year career as an army chaplain. They are on the presenter team for Galatians 6:6 Retreats for ministry couples, and More Than Married Conferences for congregations (greatcommandment.net). Lou and Becky also serve on America’s National Prayer Committee. They have three children and ten grandchildren. They live in Edmond, OK. 

I’ve written endorsements for numerous books. But this endorsement is different. It’s different because my wife Susan and I are part of this inspiring account written by Susan’s sister, Rebecca Shirey. Since we know firsthand much of this story, we can attest to the veracity and genuineness of this narrative. We saw it. We listened to it. We marveled at God’s guidance as Becky and Lou “followed the cloud” of divine direction. This book is more than an account of two godly people. It is an invitation to surrender one's doubts, fears, hopes, and dreams to Jesus. Such surrender leads to such amazing love, grace, and discovery!”

— Dr. Doug Beacham, International Pentecostal Holiness Church, General Superintendent

I snuggled up with your book this weekend.  It was kind of funny because I thought, hey, this is a short book.  I can read this in a few hours.  Ha!  I forgot how deep you always take me.  It took me two days and a lot of stops and starts.  I loved it so much.  I'm feeling challenged to expand my faith...now I need to take a second pass with my heavenly highlighter and see what God is specifically saying to me.  I went to bed at 10 pm and didn't fall asleep until after 1 a.m.   Just thinking and praying about being obedient to what God is asking me to do.  Thank you for sharing your great adventures with others and inspiring us to go deeper into the unseen places.

— Christine Young,  Perceptions Publishing; Tawas City, Michigan

Rebecca Shirey’s Sight Unseen is a faith journey of Biblical proportions. She chronicles one couple’s four-year odyssey of following God’s cloud of not-yet-knowing. To make the trip more interesting she employs rich narrative style, Biblical parallels, and sprinkles in a lot of humor—all while quoting sources ranging from Dallas Willard to William Faulkner. If you sense a holy longing in your heart for a journey of adventure with God, this is a good place to begin. 

— Gary W. Moon, M.Div., Ph.D. Executive Director Martin Institute and Dallas Willard Center, Westmont College; Author, Apprenticeship with Jesus, and Becoming Dallas Willard

It was my privilege to share a portion of the Shirey’s journey of growing in faith in Jesus. As pastor of Skyline Wesleyan Church in San Diego, I witnessed this couple cautiously listen for God’s direction in their lives. In her book, Sight UnSeen, Rebecca Shirey weaves Biblical principles with their personal stories of how those principles are lived out in the life of a follower of Jesus. You will grasp more completely the truths about faith and trust, listening to God, and the significance of waiting on Him. I will be honored to share Sight UnSeen with others who long for a closer walk with Jesus.

— Jim Garlow, Ph.D., CEO, Well Versed

His ways are not our ways! Get prepared for the Spirit to disrupt your natural inclination of wanting to “know” God’s will just so you can evaluate the pros and cons of saying yes to it. This vulnerable and well-written journey into Sight UnSeen will upend this fallacy and replace it with true Kingdom living. Learn to live out the Jesus John 7:17 paradox and promise that “anyone who will DO my will, THEN he will know …” Read it and Reap great reward! 

— David Ferguson, Ph.D. Author, Great Commandment Principle; greatcommandment.net

In the quietness of my porch each night, I wanted to keep reading just one more chapter to find out more about the next steps in Rebecca and Lou’s journey of faith. But I knew I needed to stop to pray, process, and let the Spirit speak into my own life about the rich treasures and truths revealed in Rebecca’s writing. I understood I was not just reading a book but was being captured by my own journey of deepening faith. Her Spirit-filled prayer, “Lord, increase my faith,” is now my prayer.

— Carol Madison, Editor, Prayer Connect magazine, Author, Prayer that’s Caught and Taught: Mentoring the Next Generation

Sight Unseen by Rebecca Shirey is a most moving, powerful, inspiring, and spiritually life-changing book. It is a “Must Read” if you desire to laugh until it hurts, cry tears of conviction, and be stimulated to spiritual growth and a deeper Holy Spirit empowered spiritual life. Your spiritual heart will know God more intimately when you read this book.  

— Gilford A. (Gil) Stricklin Sr., Founder, Marketplace Chaplains, 1984

I spend most of my time helping people who are craving, longing and seeking more. Life as it is, life as they know it, life in the norm—they’ve decided that isn’t all there is. Not only am I helping them respond to those desires, but I also continue my own journey of—as my dear friend Rebecca Shirey entitles her book—Sight Unseen. I fell in love with her book when she first told me some initial thoughts. I have fallen more in love with the book as I have read it. Rebecca’s wisdom, compassion, and desire for God flow through the pages. She helps us find ourselves in her thoughts, and she reveals the truth through stories of courageous faith. None of our stories are the same. All our adventures guide us into unfamiliar territory. Every divine set-up, every prayer uttered, every narrow place of God’s refining work, every delay, every breakthrough, every crisis in faith, every couple met at a mall parking lot become parts of our stories. Read Sight Unseen and receive the best view of life you’ve ever had. 

— Chris Maxwell, Pastor, Poet, Author, Pause with Jesus: Encountering His Story in Everyday Life; A Slow and Sudden God: 40 Years of Wonder; Underwater: When Encephalitis, Brain Injury and Epilepsy Change Everything

Sight UnSeen takes us on the life-changing journey of radical faith and trust for Rebecca and her husband, Lou, when they chose to follow God’s leading in their life. This book is the incredible story of complete surrender, living by faith, and trusting God in everything. To draw us closer to Jesus, Rebecca weaves together powerful biblical principles and Scripture. She fills each chapter with God’s truth, love, and hope for our journey of pursuing God’s leading. As she shares the stories of their struggle, weariness, doubts, and frustrations, she writes with an endearing warmth and touching humor. Sight UnSeen is both encouraging and inspiring for anyone who desires to know Christ more intimately and deepen their faith in Him.

— Susan Miller, Founder, President Just Moved Ministry; Author, After the Boxes are 

Unpacked: Moving On after Moving In; www.justmoved.org

Becky Shirey is one of my favorite writers, teachers, and people. Her words are elegant. They feel close and near, yet they tilt the heart upward, whisking the world beyond what can be seen to gaze by faith into the invisible realm where a throne of grace awaits.  

I cannot tell you how many times on my journey through this outstanding book I was prompted to pray through tears, sensing God laying a fresh log on my faith’s flickering fire. Becky’s stories and teaching blend together beautifully, dancing upon decades of intimacy and wisdom she has so clearly gleaned from a life spent abiding in the Good Shepherd’s field with her precious husband, Lou. My soul needed this book.

— Jon Campell, MDiv., Author, Room 6060: Of Death and Hope...Of Grief and Joy.

I have known and loved Becky and Lou Shirey for years, but after reading Sight Unseen I feel like I know them so much better. What a faith journey God has led them onto! This book reads like an adventure/romance/prayer book/discipleship teaching all rolled into one. It will build your faith and encourage you to step out in obedience to God’s call.

 — Dave Butts, Chairman, America’s National Prayer Committee 

Becky Shirey’s rhema words in her new book, Sight Unseen, are a must-read for all who seek authentic ambassadorship for the Almighty! The sanctification jewels of insight, inspiration and implementation are beneficial to every blood-bought born-again believer that has been birthed into the Body of Christ! Becky and Lou’s prayer for increased faith, listening to the heart of God, and dying the good death to self has blessed me with a radical redefinition of my reality!

— K. Marshall Williams Sr., Senior Pastor, Nazarene Baptist Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Sight UnSeen captures an amazing answer to one fervent prayer for an increase of personal faith in God! Such prayer in the hands of God becomes a launching pad for spiritual discovery and experience. It unlocks a “follow the cloud” reality that thrusts one into new dimensions of surrender, courage, and obedience.

The definitive and transparent story of the Shirey’s journey will call you deeper into God’s unfolding vision of love for your life. It will flood your seeker-heart with extraordinary answers to the simplicity of your questions and desires. Becky’s book is filled with levels of enrichment that will surely encourage your journey of personal faith in God. Read and be blessed!

— Barbara James, President Joysprings Foundation, Inc.; Author, Prayer Changes Everything: Learning Experiences from my Prayer Life

Get ready to have your faith stretched. Sight UnSeen will inspire your personal faith journey. I’ve served with Becky on numerous ministry leadership boards. Her wisdom, knowledge of God, and His Word have inspired me to dig deeper in my own pursuit of knowing God. When I led the international board of Protestant Women of the Chapel (PWOC)—the official women’s ministry of the US military chapel—Becky was the Titus 2 Advisor to the board and the ministry at large. I witnessed numerous times when young women came to her seeking wise counsel. They wanted to know how to dig deep into Scripture and discover the treasures she spoke about. Becky continues to be my number one go-to for wise biblical counsel. She helped teach me about faith in our unseen God and how to deeply know Him. I’m excited for the people who will read about their faith journey. Sight UnSeen is sure to become a classic for generations to come.

— Brenda Marlin, MTh; speaker, writer; Former International President of Protestant Women of the Chapel (PWOC), 2006-2010