Signed,
The worst book reviewer you have :)
Months ago I was able to finish reading the newest book from Dannah Gresh titled, "What are you waiting for?". Here's a little back-cover info for you:
"In What are you waiting for? Dannah follows the trail of one provocative, ancient word through the Bible to discover God's deepest thoughts about sex. The mind-blowing truth she uncovers clearly points the way to a sexuality that's satisfying and real and everything God designed it to be.
Not one to shy away from edgy topics, Dannah candidly shares:
- the ground breaking science that explains the addictive power of romantic experiences
-honest answers about the lesbian question
-a clear plan for breaking free from sexual guilt
-the unexpected key to a lifetime of truly fulfilling intimacy
If you're a young woman looking for candid insights about sex - and wondering why its such a big deal to God - you've come to the right place. In these pages you'll discover a life-changing truth that no one ever talks about - a truth that will transform everything you think you know about sex, romance, and God."
My Review:
Am I the only one who is STILL squirmy when it comes to talking about this subject? And at almost 29 years old, married for almost 6 years, and two children later... why? I'm learning that one of the reasons is because I still struggle to think through things biblically. This is why I'm thankful for writers like Dannah Gresh - who have taken the time and dedication to study God's word and bring us truth on topics like this!
"What are you waiting for?" was a quick and easy read. I appreciated the personal stories of her own life as well as those about people she has worked with and counseled in the past. I chose this book to review because of my role in life right now working with teen girls and 20-something youth leaders. Sex is something that is talked about all the time, even if that exact word isn't even used. Our culture is saturated with it. Our girls are surrounded by it - sometimes unknowingly, and I so hope to be a source of help and wisdom for them when they come asking... or even if they don't. Dannah mentions in one chapter -
"Many women who are sexually active as teens find themselves either emotionally or physically challenged by intimacy once they are married."
And that is just one more reason we HAVE to teach and train our girls to honor God with their bodies and sexuality.
Without giving away the whole element of surprise, much of the book is based on the Hebrew word, "Yada" which means, "to know, to be known, to be deeply respected". I had heard this in my college years in relation to sex - but had never studied it out much past that. What a wake up call for me to do some re-learning. Dannah was able to go through such "sensitive" topics and apply it to what "Yada" has to do with it. While she is candid, a little too candid for this bashful lady... I can see how this book would be beneficial to parents hoping to connect with their teens. I don't recommend this book as a bible study tool or even something to work through one-on-one with a mentor/mentee situation, just because I believe the topic of sex is something parents need to teach their children. I will say that it has GREAT touch points to start general conversations and great stats and facts to keep you up to date on what is going on out there. For example: 75% of graduates are finishing high school as NON-virgins. Sheesh!
The book is all from a biblical perspective with a lot of hard truth from a woman who has "been there" and "done that". She shares from her heart and has so much wisdom and personal experience to help out those who are hurting from sexual sin or who are curious about the topic. If you have children - it's worth your time to be educated and Dannah does it so well. I know I need to gear up already as I am raising two little girls myself now.
This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.
You can purchase the book, read excerpts, and watch Dannah's video HERE.
2 comments:
I thought I was their worst book reviewer :) I've got one on my nightstand that I've been needing to review for...forever. And I don't even have a newborn and super painful infection to blame it on! :)
This book sounds like exactly what I need for some college/older girls I'm working with. It's heartbreaking to hear their stories and the shame they bear. I'm so prudish, it's hard for me to know how to work through that subject. Somehow, I almost act as if it isn't talked about, they'll get over it. I know it's a subject that they truly need to work through--and no, they have absolutely no parental involvement, so it's up to me to tackle it! Thanks for doing the ground work on finding a good book! I appreciate it! :)
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