This book is incredible. From the moment I first heard about it, I knew that it would be. When I first signed up to participate in Moody Publisher’s Blogging Review Program, this book was absolutely at the top of my list. Being a single woman who’s never even been on a date and had so many questions I’ve been afraid to ask, this book was exactly what I needed to read at this time of my life. Although the bible study format is not my favorite setup based on personal preference, the study is a great opportunity to really dive in to these topics to build a solid foundation for our sexual theology based on the truth of God’s word. Personally, I wanted to consume the material so much, I read the book in only a week (about one week’s worth of material per day), which could be an option for you too. This book really inspires and challenges you to heal from past brokenness and draw into a deeper relationship with Jesus. I would totally recommend this book to college-aged girls without hesitation. ~ Bethel Women long for intimacy. It’s been that way since the beginning of time. Those of us that do not have that in a physical relationship struggle with how to fulfill these longings in a legitimate way. But most of us don’t even know where to start. We struggle with understanding how our sexuality can even be a part of our lives in a God-honoring way if there we are not married. This can often result in shame and the decision to compartmentalize our sexuality, to the point that we become “sexual atheists,” choosing to shut God out of the bedroom completely. It makes it harder and harder to determine what is and isn’t true, often because we are afraid or even embarrassed to ask the right questions. It makes many young women ask the question, “Can I be sexual, spiritual, and single at the same time?" In the book study, Sex and the Single Girl, Dr. Juli Slattery guides her readers through 6 weeks that will answers your toughest questions, challenges your perspective, guides you towards healing and freedom, and helps you draw closer to God. Through 5 days of reading and questions for 6 weeks, Juli helps us understand why our sexuality matters, helping to understand the beauty of God’s grand design. She walks us through sexual boundaries, and helps determine where they should fall by creating a biblical grid. We learn to discern the difference between temptation and sin, and Juli gives us tools to stop temptation before it leads us to sin. Then Juli helps us come back to the feet of Jesus, understanding that our sexuality is part of who God created us to be, and no matter what we’ve done with it in the past, it can be reconciled to bring us into a more intimate relationship with Him. This is all done within the context of a study that guides readers through Scripture to support it. This book is profound. It answered so many of my questions by directly addressing single women. It helped me see that I can be sexual, spiritual, and single at the same time and still honor God in the process. I would recommend this book to any young woman 18 or older. Get your copy today! *I received a copy from the publisher for the purpose of this review Personal Rating. My only criticism of the book is that the study format was not to my personal taste. I personally absorb more from reading a book straight without stopping for questions. However, I also recognize the value of writing this as a study, especially in a group setting. Aside from this, I give this book my highest recommendation to any adult single woman, hands down!
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This have been another great review to write! I was selected to be on the launch team for Surprised by the Healer. This means that not only did I have the chance to read it before its release, but I also had the chance to participate in a few webinars with the authors of the book. I’ve also been part of a community of over 200 women on the launch team, who have been working on finding ways to promote the book. It has been an awesome experience in which I have already seen this book working in the lives of women who have read it, even before its official release. Because of the maturity of some of the stories and subjects in this book, I would recommend it for those over the age of 17, but probably not for someone younger than this age. Although this book is by women and for women, men are also finding value it reading it. If you have any other questions, just ask We live in a broken world, a world that has been broken by sin. Whether it be the sins we’ve committed, or the sins committed against us, we have all seen the consequences played out in our lives, as well as the lives of those around us. Some of our brokenness is visible to others, while other times the brokenness is internal, often making our struggles unknown on the surface. Of all the brokenness we as humans struggle with internally, sexuality is probably one of the most difficult to overcome. For many, the struggles with the things we’ve done or the things done against keep us in hiding in fear. It’s hard to know what to do when in you’re in the depths of that struggle, or what to do when someone you love is facing such a struggle. It makes us ask the question: can we find hope amidst our brokenness? In the book Surprised by the Healer, you meet nine women that found hope in the midst of their personal and sexual brokenness. They all courageously chose to share their stories, stories of sins and struggles that most of us would be afraid to share. While following the journeys of these women in such an honest and vulnerable way, everyone will find ways in which they relate to the brokenness of these women. Even if you’ve never experienced sexual brokenness somehow, you will find ways in which your personal struggles with mirror these women’s stories. Although all their stories are different, they all had one thing in common: they were all surprised with healing in their brokenness by Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals. Their healings looked different, and many of them are still a work in progress, but they all found healing and freedom from the prison of their brokenness. After each story, authors Linda Dillow and Dr. Juli Slattery take us through the principles of healing proclaimed in each story. This book doesn’t end in a sermon demanding that you have everything all put together, but it ends with an invitation to be surprised by the healing you will find if you choose to pursue it. It’s a matter of choice to pursue it yourself, or to help others do the same. This book is specifically for women (17 and older), but it is especially for women that have brokenness in your past (or present), or those that desire to counsel women who have such brokenness in their lives. This book can be a powerful tool, if you choose to use it. Get your hands on a copy today! For this post, I must explain where it originated. I was selected to be part of the book team for the book Pulling Back the Shades. I have been posting about it on my social media over the last few weeks. As I have been trying to find ways to spread the message of this book, I was given permission to write a review for my church’s newsletter, so I’m posting this review below. I wanted to share my thoughts on the book now with the intention of discussing this topic further the week of Valentine’s Day. As women of faith, we have legitimate desires that are rarely addressed, because they are very personal. As a result, women often turn to other sources, such as erotica or porn, to have these needs fulfilled. This book puts an honest light on the consequences of turning to these sources by sharing the stories of women who have. But this book also explains the proper way to have your longings filled. Despite what many have misunderstood, spirituality and sexuality are not meant to be exclusive of one another, but rather that together, they are the complete picture of what intimacy in marriage is meant to be. This book for women addresses three topics: the literary genre of erotica, intimacy in marriage, and the longings of a woman’s hearts. Co-authors Dannah Gresh and Dr. Juli Slattery did not think they would have to write this book, but with the ever-growing popularity of the Fifty Shades of Grey book series, they both felt compelled to address these issues from a Christian perspective. This has become even more relevant since the book’s release, as the first film for Fifty Shades will open this Valentine’s Day. If you are an adult women (I recommend 18 years old or older), whether you’re married or single, whether you have read Fifty Shades, or are just curious about it, this is a book worth your time. |
Lion's Eyes Reviews is a blog dedicated to reviews of Christian books, most of which are non-fiction, but may also occasionally review movies and musicals. It will also feature the work Bethel does to help launch and promote the works of Christian authors.
The name is derived from one of Bethel's favorite books, Through the Eyes of a Lion by Levi Lusko. Through these reviews, Bethel hope to give Christians the tools they need to look at the world "through the eyes of a lion" so they can find the courage to "run toward the roar". To find the detailed archives of these reviews, you can check them out here: Books In Review Movies in Review Broadway In Review Quick Reviews To understand the rating used in these reviews, click here Categories
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Bethel Grove is a Christian young woman who loves to read and write, eat Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Blizzards, and disciple teen girls as a youth leader. What started as a hobby of writing book reviews and doing deep biblical studies eventually led her down the path of self-publishing and supporting other Christian authors and ministry volunteers. She hopes to someday be a vocational youth minister and well-known author.
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