If you are a Christian girl who: is hoping to be married one day; is already in a relationship and would like to honor God through the process; or is engaged and desiring to use this time as a foundation for a Christ-centered marriage. . .Well, this is the guidebook you’ve been waiting for!
“Love Defined: Embracing God’s Vision for Lasting Love and Satisfying Relationships” was written by Kristen Clark and Bethany Baird, two sisters who are also the founders of Girl Defined Ministries and the authors of “Girl Defined: God’s Radical Design for Beauty, Femininity, and Identity” (a book I also highly recommend). Published in 2018 by Baker Books, “Love Defined” is a beautiful and wisdom-packed volume that will inspire young women and transform the relationships of all who embrace the ideals which are set forward by Kristen and Bethany, and based on God’s design for marriage.
Just a tiny sampling of the principles and features offered in “Love Defined” include:
- A revealing and oh-so-true look at modern culture’s “merry-go-round method” for romantic relationships, and…
- An opposing study of the counter-cultural but biblically-based method of applying God’s truths about love to form lasting relationships.
- Tips for banishing lies and trusting God during prolonged years of singleness.
- Proven ideas for embracing intentionality and purity throughout the entire relationship process.
- Many stand-alone chapters about specific topics, making it super-easy to pick up the book again and again, to read about a topic that is on your heart at that time.
- A list of red flags to watch for at any stage of your relationships.
- An interactive study guide at the end of each chapter, which helps you to apply the concepts you just read, and is also the perfect launching pad for group studies or conversation-starters between family, friends, and mentors.
- A wonderful appendix listing 50 Questions to Ask Early in the Relationship.
- A delightful, humorous, and wisdom-packed question-and-answer chapter entitled What Married Women Want You to Know (on the topic of living well on this side of the alter).
In addition to all these features (and so many more), “Love Defined” is written in the conversational, warm, and older-sister-like voices of Kristen and Bethany. The desires of these two women – to honor God and to share from their hearts what they’ve learned in their own relationship journeys – is absolutely crystal-clear. While I wouldn’t recommend this book to readers younger than older-teen (and I would guess that twenty+ is actually the target age) I think moms of younger-teen daughters would benefit from picking up copies of this book, reading it themselves, and saving it for the perfect time a few years down the road.
In the end, I immensely enjoyed and benefited from “Love Defined”. It is a book that changed my thinking in numerous ways (for the better), and is also one that I will pick up again and again in future months and years, no question.
I am grateful to have received a copy of this book, free of charge, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
“What label are you wearing?” While it may seem simple or even a bit strange, this question can bring up so many potentially life-changing ideas if we understand the context behind it. “Tailor Made: Discover the Secret to Who God Created You to Be” was written by Alex Seeley and published by Thomas Nelson. It is a wonderful guide to learning how to effectively ask this question, and so many others, in ways that help us really begin to understand who we were created to be, and how to be set free to live out that truth… (Hint: it is NOT who the Enemy says we are, which is often so ingrained into us that we consider his lies to be truth). 
Every once in a while, a book comes along that impacts your life in ways both beautiful and altogether transformative. A book like this reaches deep into your heart and stirs to life parts of your soul that have long been hidden, all while challenging and inspiring your thoughts and ideas. “Dreaming with God: A Bold Call to Step Out and Follow God’s Lead” by Sarah Beth Marr is just such a book for me, and I know without a doubt that I am not the only one who will be tremendously blessed by its precious messages. Published by Baker Books and released in February of 2018, “Dreaming with God” is truly the type of book that will remain with you long after you reach the end. 
Have you ever had an experience where it feels like God sends you a gift at just the right moment in your life, when He knows you need it most? I’ve had this happen to me several times recently… “This I Know: Trusting Your Unknown Future to a Known God” is a 6-Week Bible study written by Laura Dingman, and is part of the Bible Studies for Women series from Moody Publishers. I haven’t quite finished the study yet, but so far nearly every lesson has felt like a special message from God to me. 
You know you’ve discovered an author to watch when her debut novel is captivating, haunting, and truly holds you in frightened suspense from the first page to the last. “The House on Foster Hill”, written by Jaime Jo Wright and published by Bethany House, is just such a debut novel. Written with a spellbinding, dual-time storyline structure and filled with secrets and surprises that will keep you guessing, this story will live on in your imagination long after you’ve reached the final pages. 
As we all know, July 1st, 2017 is the 150th birthday of our beautiful, powerful, incredible nation called Canada. Dominion Day, or Canada Day, is always a chance to celebrate our homeland, but this year is special, a true milestone. Compared to many other nations, Canada is still young—and yet Canadians live in a country that is blessed with freedom, abundance, opportunity, and beauty. As a way of celebrating Canada 150, Bible League Canada has published a beautiful keepsake book entitled “One Dominion: Celebrating Canada, Prepared for a Purpose”. Written by Bob Beasley and Paul Richardson, and designed by Graf-Martin Communications, “One Dominion” is a compilation celebrating not only Canada as a whole nation, but also the individual men and women who were courageous and wise in the Christian faith, and as a result changed the course of Canadian history forever. 