Appearance
Captivating: unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul
This is one of the hardest books that I have ever read...the urge to chuck it across the room hit me more than once. It's dead on accuracy with describing women was amazing and frustrating. I was forced to examine areas of my life that I didn't want to admit existed. It is an amazing guide for growing into the women that God intended us to be. I would reccommend it for all women!
Captivating: unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul
Although Staci's ideas are easy to relate to and give the reader a sense of child-like wonder in a cotton-candy, fluffy-kitty sort of way, it became known quickly that this book is not meant for the serious student of the Scriptures...or maybe it is (if you want to put something to the test). 1st Thessalonians: 21 reads, "Test everything." For each Scripture Staci put in her book, I put her to the "test."One of many examples of a misuse of a scripture (or misrepresentation, rather) in her book is in Chapter 5, titled " A Special Hatred." Mrs. Eldredge leads you to believe that God is talking about ALL of his people in Jeremiah 30:16-17 and then she asks the questions, " How will God treat your enemies,"...,"how will he treat you?" This scripture is NOT talking about the Gentiles or foreigners as she will have you believe...it is SPECIFICALLY referring to the restoration of Israel and those from "Jacob's tents" (Jeremiah 30:18) - in other words, God's people the Jews. Therefore, we don't ALL fall under that category...most of us reading this book probably DON'T fall under that category, unless you are a Christian Jew. Another OBVIOUS misuse of the Scriptures is when Staci is trying to use Ezekiel 28:17 to describe what happend to Lucifer and how his beauty became his downfall. This scripture has NOTHING TO DO WITH LUCIFER if you read the scriptures in context to chapter 28 in the Bible. In context, this scripture is about the King of Tyre who called himself "a god" (Ezekiel 28:2-3)but he is merely "a man" (Ezekiel 28:9). I believe the Lord could possibly be comparing the King of Tyre to the once "Most Beautiful Angel" who fell from his position, (Lucifer /Satan)but we can only infer this...it is not fact within this scripture. Therefore, this perception is based on mere conjecture.Again, this book is interesting if you don't care to get too deep or care that the scriptures quoted are used out of context and are not succinct with the Bible's teaching. This book would be a good example of what NOT to buy for someone who is looking for a book that is Biblically sound. It is obvious that Mrs. Eldredge put a lot of heart into her book but the vagueness and misrepresentations of the Bible's teachings were enough to make me put the book down from disappointment. I ended up reading it to the end only because even bad books deserve an un-bias critique from knowing the book up to the last page. I must admit, though, that in the end I just felt like a child who got an ice-cream cone expecting the whole cone to be filled and after 2 licks, finding the rest of the cone is filled with nothing but air. :(
Captivating: unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul
I have read everything that John Eldredge has written and have found each of his books enlightening and wonderful. That being said none can top this book in reaching women on a deep heart level. The female version of WILD AT HEART, this book explores the deepest longings of women to be seen as beautiful and to be desired for the person they are. Co-written with his wife, Stasi, for the female perspective it gives a full picture of the relationships between men and women.For that reason (and many others), men in particular would benefit from reading this book in order to understand the women in their lives. As the authors write at one point, "Women are a mystery to be enjoyed, not a problem to be solved." This directly addresses the problem most women find in their relationships as they are labeled too much of this or not enough of that (too emotional, too needy, not smart enough, not independent enough.) This book helps both sexes explore how the differences between men and women can be understood and appreciated in a way that edifies both.At the heart of this book are the principles at the center of each Eldrege book: that there is a battle for our hearts and that we must fight to regain the person that Christ died for us to be. Take the time to read this book and work through the guided journal when it comes out in July. I promise it will be a life changing journey that will open your heart more deeply to Christ and the ones you love.
Captivating: unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul
John and Stasi Eldredge have discovered some interesting things about human desires. These kept me going as I read the book. However, I disagreed with other statements that were so dogmatically made.For example, I found that I only have two of the three desires that supposedly are universal to all women. I also have one (maybe two) of the desires that are universal to all men. What does that say about me as a woman?Having said all that, I did benefit from the book. It was good to realize that most women do have many of the same suppressed dreams and desires that I do. It was also comforting to acknowledge that God has a plan to develop me as a person by using the struggles and even the things which have brought me shame in the past.I am glad that I read this book and I would recommend it to others, but would suggest that you use some discernment when you read it
Captivating: unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul
I'm currently doing a group study of Waking the Dead, my third read of that book, and I think that it is a very good book. I enjoyed Wild at Heart and I'm giving this book a strong recommendation for both men and women alike. I won't say that this offering is as good as Waking the Dead, or as much of an impact to a man was Wild at Heart was, however, I still believe that Christian men will gain a lot of understanding from reading this as I did.There is of course a group of Christians out there that doesn't believe that God actually speaks to people today. Okay for them, however, I'd not listen to them, if God is that silent, they are fools too. As for the Eldridge's style of using books, movies and the like to create word pictures and draw analogies from, well if they are wrong then C.S. Lewis and Tolkien were idiots too I guess. Gee, you'd think John was selling dope on a street corner the way some Christians bash him. Oh Well.In any case, if you liked earlier works by Eldridge, you'll probably enjoy this one too, if not, then you probably won't.One negative reviewer wrote that there is a "strange emphasis" on spiritual warfare.Think about that one. A strange emphasis indeed. I wonder if Paul ever taught about standing firm against the schemes of the devil or if Peter ever mentioned that the devil is like a lion seeking out whom he might destroy or if Jesus ever mentioned something about a thief that comes to steal and destroy. Ummmm. Well maybe not.Perhaps all this talk about spiritual warfare was just for "back in the day" after all, if one looks around this planet it's hard to see any destruction, I mean, heck, it's all peace and jelly beans.I give the book a strong recommendation to Christian women and the to the men that love them.
Captivating: unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul
I think a lot of the reviews that gave this book five stars never opened their Bible. If they did they would notice how often she twists or quotes scriptures out of context. This book is based far more on movies than on scriptures.For instance in the Bible, Jesus says he is the Bridegroom and the Church is his Bride. This is a continued metaphor that God uses in the Old Test. to represent his relationship with the Unfaithful Israel.The main basis for this book is to lead you to believe that you are the Bride and Jesus wants to be your lover.She goes way past biblical when she says "Jack with Rose on the bow of the Titanic, his arms around her waist, their first kiss... Now, put yourself in the scene as the Beauty, and Jesus as the Lover."Stasi is trying to tell us that we are supposed to fantasize about kissing and holding Jesus. ???? I think she didn't watch the movie because Rose was engaged when she had an affair and she had sex before marriage. But according to Stasi this is what we desire... to be a Beauty like Rose.