Between the Pages of this Bookish Life: following God's path

Showing posts with label following God's path. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Book Review: Sex, Purity, and the Longings of a Girl's Heart by Kristen Clark & Bethany Beal

Purchase HERE

Title: Sex, Purity, and the Longings of a Girl's Heart: Discovering the Beauty and Freedom of God-Defined Sexuality

Author: Kristen Clark and Bethany Beal

Genre: Christian Living/Nonfiction

Audience: Teen/Adult

ABOUT THE BOOK

For the modern Christian woman living in today's sexually charged society, embracing God's design for sex and purity can often feel like an impossible pursuit. As the culture seeks to normalize things such as pornography, erotica, and casual sex, both single and married women of all ages feel immense pressure to conform. With alluring temptations constantly inviting them to join in, they might even begin to question whether God's design is truly good. They wrestle with questions like

- What is the purpose of my sexuality?
- What does it mean to pursue purity?
- Are my sexual longings good or bad?

In this encouraging book, Kristen Clark and Bethany Beal share honestly about their own struggles and victories, and invite women on a personal journey to discover and reclaim a biblical vision for their sexuality. Kristen and Bethany help women understand why God's design for sexuality is good, relevant, and leads to true hope and lasting freedom.

~ MY REVIEW ~

**5 stars**

Another phenomenal read and awesome resource from sisters, Kristen Clark and Bethany Beal! I had the privilege of being on the launch team for Sex, Purity, and the Longings of a Girl's Heart, and let me tell you, it is not a book that you want to miss! I was stunned and blessed. This is a message I'm so excited for! It is simply, beautifully another tool in helping us women discover the freedom of living out our sexuality God's way.

I think one of the reasons I was so excited to read Sex, Purity, and the Longings of a Girl's Heart is because we as the Church don't talk much about lust being a girl's problem ... or about our sexuality in general! And as a result, I believe Satan has a foothold in many a woman's life. Our idea of sex is twisted and we struggle with fear, shame, and secret sexual sin.

Kristen and Bethany don't shy away from the raw, tough questions and shameful topics. They dive right in. They share their own stories of sexual sin and of finding forgiveness and freedom. They share hope. They get to the heart of the issue, and give practical tips to avoid temptation.

Reading this book could seriously be life-changing for some girl. I read a book that tackled the topic of sexual sin (Every Young Woman's Battle by Shannon Ethridge) when I was a young teen, and it changed the course of my life. And I believe Sex, Purity, and the Longings of a Girl's Heart is an even more precious book on this topic because it is so centered on Christ, and it is so personal, honest, hopeful, and empathetic.

And holistic, if that's the right word. We're not just talking about how to avoid sexual sin. We're talking about our design as human beings ... how God created us as sexual beings in the beginning. And how that sexuality is good! How our sexual design can point us to God. Yes, sexual intimacy was created exclusively for marriage, but we are sexual beings whether we're married or not, and so understanding God's design for our sexuality is vital. It is an intricate part of our lives!

Sex, Purity, and the Longings of a Girl's Heart talks about the universal sexual brokenness. It talks about same-sex attraction, and the truth that male, female, and marriage were created specifically and purposefully by God. It speaks on being made for intimacy, imperfect purity, battling temptation, and real freedom. Again and again, we are reminded that our sexual longings point to an even deeper need - the need for Jesus Christ. He can truly satisfy our souls.

Something that I enjoyed about this book was how it quoted renowned Christian authors and speakers such as John Piper, Dannah Gresh, Dr. Juli Slattery, Jackie Hill Perry, Joshua Harris, and more. And, of course, the Holy Bible! Scripture is what we must always line up our ideas against and see if they match. Because God's Word is our absolute truth.

I love reading about God's design for marriage and sex. It is truly beautiful! And the way it points to Christ and the Church ... the Creator and our relationship with Him ... is magnificent. When we realize the amazing design and purpose of sex, we dare not tarnish its beauty. It is too good to fool around with!

I hope you all will give this book a chance, even if you don't normally read nonfiction. It flows along well and is easy to read. Kristen and Bethany help us to recognize God's awesome design for sex and intimacy as laid out in the holy Scriptures. They show that the hold that sexual sin has on you can be broken! You can find forgiveness, new beginnings, and glorious beauty as you turn to Him and use your sexuality as God designed!

Our brilliant, loving Creator's plan for sexuality is obviously the very best. It was His design in the first place! We can trust that. We don't have to live in sexual brokenness and depravity. By His strength, we can rise up to beautiful heights of purity, holiness, blissful joy, and freedom.

I'm so glad this book was written! Dear women, read this book. I think it will help you to understand your sexuality and the desires that come with that. It will help you to honor marriage and sexual intimacy. And find your deepest satisfaction and hope in Christ!

This book includes discussion questions at the back of the book for each chapter. I can't wait to go through it with a group of women!

I received a complimentary copy of Sex, Purity, and the Longings of a Girl's Heart from Baker Books Publishers and the authors. This review is honest and all my own.

Saturday, April 23, 2016

For The Sake Of Love

I've met many a Christian person who is quite "religious". They go to church every Sunday; perhaps on Fridays as well. They pray at each meal. They give to the needy. They speak of God and the Bible with solemnity and reverence.

But something is missing. As I watch, these same individuals often treat people in their day-to-day lives badly. Sometimes, women are treated as less; possessions almost. In other instances, men are mocked. Children are viewed as burdens and nuisances. Unbelievers, as idiots. The authorities are scorned. Servers are ill-treated if they don't give them what they want. People who've made some big mistakes or had a rough past are looked down upon. The girl in the scanty clothes, or even the Christian rap singer, condemned.

And these are Christian people acting like this to others. If I asked them, "Do you love God?", I'm sure they would respond, "Of course!"

But there is another question. Do you obey His commands? It says in John 14:15: "If you love Me, keep My commandments."

And that is more than going to church and praying before a meal. John 13:34-35 says: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

Galatians 5:14 solidifies it with these powerful words: "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"

"Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not covet,' and whatever other commandments there may be, are summed up in this one rule: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."
{Romans 13:8-10}

So if you are continually hurting those in your life (because of bitterness, insecurity, pride, fear, past wounds, selfishness, etc.), you are willfully living a lifestyle of disobeying God's commands.

Do you love God? Do you even really know Him?

GOD IS LOVE.

"He who does not love does not know God, for God is love." {1 John 4:8}

He is love, my friends. Do you think you can go about life being harsh, condemning, tearing down, bitter, grumbling, quick to lash out at others ... yet somehow claim to follow the Author of love?

Don't you see? All that religiousness, all those rules, "good deeds", eloquent talks about God - they mean nothing without love.

1 Corinthians 13 says: "1 If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I AM ONLY A RESOUNDING GONG OR CLANGING CYMBAL.

2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I AM NOTHING.

3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I GAIN NOTHING.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love."

I have read this passage a hundred times. I even memorized it. But I think only recently did its meaning really sink in.

We are nothing without love.

Religion. Good work. Knowledge. Ability. Generosity. Fine words. They mean nothing without love.

You can be an upstanding citizen. A respected church member. An admired worker.
But if you are going through life always treating your spouse, your children, your parents, siblings, neighbors, friends, in-laws, your fellow man, poorly, you've utterly missed the point. All your "righteousness" means nothing.

All those people you're hurting, they are God's creations. They're God's children. What right have you to claim to follow God and then abuse your fellow man?

God is love.

Can't you see? It's all about love! It's all because of love. Love is the most important. God loved us, and that is how we are offered redemption. Everything we do should be because of love.

Discipline your children because you love them; you care about their lives and for their eternal souls.

Dress and behave modestly because you love your brothers in Christ; because you love your future husband enough to save all for him; because you know God loves you and you should love yourself enough to protect your body and purity.

Go and talk to a friend who has fallen into sin because you love them; you care about their relationship with God.

Do good things, strive for righteousness and godliness because you love God! Because He loved you first and you want to follow Him, to be like Him, to please Him.

I write this blog post because of love. Because I know people who are trying to make things work without much love, and I love them. I fear for them. I sorrow over them because I know they're not who God made them to be, and surely their hearts are a bit sick.
I write this post because I love those who are being hurt by the unloving-ness of some people in their lives.
I write this post because I love God and His truth.

I write this post because my heart aches because of all the hurting in this world.

Darkness has crept into the Church. In a broken world where we are supposed to be shining a brilliant light, we are often only adding to the already intense pain.

What a wretched people are we!

But praise be to God! He can change a sinner from the inside out! He can heal a shattered heart. He can give us incredible strength to stand up and love selflessly. HE IS ABLE. Darkness has not won. Turn back to the Light!

Love is real. Love is powerful. Love is the greatest.

To those who have not yet chosen love, I will never stop praying for you. You might think you're at the top, angry with the world, clinging to your pride, your fear, your bitterness and hurt; but I believe, I know, that God can change your heart.

To those with pain and scars from people like mentioned above, I will never stop praying for healing. You can be different. You can choose love. And relationships can be healed and restored by the power of our mighty God.

It's time to let love win.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."

{Galatians 5:22-23}

(All pictures found on Pixabay.com)

Friday, October 23, 2015

Condemnation. Sarcasm. Pride. ... Where Does the Christian Fit In? #Called2Speak

As part of being in the lovely Nadine Brandes's launch team for her latest Christian dystopian release (October 16th), A Time to Speak [OUT OF TIME #2], I am speaking out about an issue that has been heavy on my heart lately.

Condemnation. Sarcasm. Pride. Three things that I've been noticing are becoming popular in the "Christian" culture.

Condemnation. I see a lot of condemnation flowing around me. Lately, I see "Christians" (and I use this term lightly because lots of different people claim to be Christians these days), harshly refusing other people's claims of faith; saying there's absolutely no way. They're a fake. A liar. Definitely not truly saved.

I've seen Christians one hundred percent condemn proclaimed Christian singers, from Erica Campbell to Lauren Diagle; basically saying their songs are from Satan and Not. Of. God. Period.

I've heard Christians accuse the writings of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien (both fellow Christians), calling their books demonic through and through.

And then there's the harsh way we Christians condemn non-believers, who don't understand the righteous way we strive to live because they don't know about the awesome Love that changed us ...

Sarcasm. People put a lot of stock into the ability to be witty and sarcastic. Christians too.

I can't tell you how many times I've seen a "witty" review from a Christian, sarcastically tearing apart some author's heart (book).

And daily, I see non-believers, "liberals", and other such people slammed by my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. I mean, that sarcasm is dripping from every word. Underneath, I hear quite clearly the point the sarcastic writer is bring across: "You're stupid. You idiot. Brainless. Scum."

Which brings me to the final thing: Pride. Because while they're silently screaming the above statement at their subject, it seems they're self-acclaiming themselves: "I'm cool. I got it together. I know more than you. I'm better than you."

(Um ... pride much???)

I just cringe. Seriously, it hurts. And I know I'm guilty of this stuff too! But we shouldn't be! Oh, we should know better than the act like that! Since when are Christians supposed to be condemning, sarcastic, and prideful?

I get the whole witty thing. I enjoy dry humor too. Sarcasm can be fun. But not when it causes someone else pain. Not if you're doing it out of pride - because you think you got it together; to make yourself look better. Not if you're using it to make someone look stupid (I don't care how wrong the person is!). To hurt someone.

"And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

Mark 12:31

"Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."

Matthew 7:12

"And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."

1 Corinthians 13:13

I know our culture celebrates pride ... but we're following Christ, not going with the flow. I know there's a lot of people in the world misjudging, pushing down, and saying hurtful things about Christians and what we stand for, but that doesn't give us any right to strut around like we're "better than thou", while spouting the same nastiness right back at them.

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

Romans 12:21

And the bottom line is, God hates pride.

"Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; Though they join forces, none will go unpunished."

Proverbs 16:5

"The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way

And the perverse mouth I hate."

Proverbs 8:13

And no, I'm not for "do whatever you wanna do", "there's no right and wrong", "don't judge me". But there's a difference between judging and condemning. You can look at someone and think: "Well, their fruits don't seem to be lining up with what they're claiming to believe. So ... I'm not sure." Or: "I, personally, am not going to promote this song because I feel some of the themes are a little off track." Or: "I believe God is King and the Bible is His true Word, so yes, I believe that lust, adultery, fornication, and the homosexual lifestyle are sinful."

But calling a Christian's song or book Satanic?? Insisting someone you don't even know personally is "not saved"? Those are harsh and final condemnations! Only God sees the heart. We can "judge" to a certain extent by examining the "fruit of the tree", but often we condemn when we don't have the right.

"For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

1 Samuel 16:7

"You will know them by their fruits."

Matthew 7:16

"Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness."

Galations 6:1

"Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you."

Ephesians 4:29-32

"And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh."

Jude 22-23

Notice the words 'love', 'good', 'gentleness', 'grace', 'tenderhearted', 'forgiving', 'kind', 'compassion'.

We can stand up and speak out against sin WITHOUT sarcastic, prideful, and hateful comments. We can choose not to listen to popular Christian songs without condemning the artist. We can say we're uncomfortable with certain Christian material without calling it outright demonic property. We can even honestly review a book without "witty", mean remarks and throwing our opinion around like it's solid truth.

Fellow Christ followers, I think it's time to embrace Love. Like, true, deep, sacrificial, real, selfless, Christ-like love. Jesus wasn't recklessly bashing people, or spouting off sarcastic comments because it made him feel good about himself; or acting like everyone was stupid and below him. No. He was firm, real, holy, and judging (He can see the heart, after all). But He also extended grace to sinners. Showed mercy to the ones who hated and persecuted Him. Forgave those who let him down. He did not condemn the woman caught in adultery. First, He showed her His love. Then He told her Truth (go and sin no more). He knew every vile act of every human being, yet He gave up his very life so that they might have a chance at true and beautiful life.

So stop condemning people to hell when you can't see what's in their heart. Stop sarcastically beating someone down (even if you're speaking truth). Stop pridefully strutting about; we are made whole and clean because of HIM, not ourselves!

SHOW LOVE.

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away."

1 Corinthians 13:1-8

As one of singer Toby Mac's songs is titled, SPEAK LIFE! Let's not add to the hurt, darkness, and devastation that's already rampant in the world. Let us strive to show the love of the Almighty God we claim to follow.

"Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men."

Romans 12: 9-18

***********************************

Check out the books that inspired this speaking out! In A Time to Speak by Nadine Brandes, Parvin Blackwater must learn to obey God's calling and speak out against the injustices of her culture.

What happens when you live longer than you wanted to?

Parvin Blackwater wanted to die, but now she’s being called to be a leader. The only problem is, no one wants to follow.

The Council uses Jude’s Clock-matching invention to force “new-and-improved” Clocks on the public. Those who can’t afford one are packed into boxcars like cattle and used for the Council’s purposes.

Parvin and Hawke find themselves on a cargo ship of Radicals headed out to sea. What will the Council do to them? And why are people suddenly dying before their Clocks have zeroed-out?

Book Two in the OUT OF TIME series by Nadine Brandes.

Read about the first book, A Time to Die, here.