I Kissed Dating Goodbye if one of the best books on romance, purity, and disciplined, God-honoring relationships for young people out there. Josh Harris is a master at effectively communicating his passion for the lost and confused in the dating scene, those curious about the whole argument for courtship vs. dating, and the 'technical virginity' mentality. And in our media-saturated culture, which esteems the temporal feel-good, just-do-it ethic, Josh's maturity and wisdom is sorely needed.
This book should be read by anyone who is in a relationship, wanting to get into one, or struggling in a less than savory one. The book is filled with humorous anecdotes, true-life circumstances and scenarios, and convicting questions to get the reader thinking about priorities in relationships. It's not set up as a how-to book or one of those 'For Dummies' books, with a list of questions at the end of every chapter, but rather as a young man sincerely pouring his passion for Christ, and exhortations to stay pure and faithful to God, with every written page.
Besides pinpointing, describing, and prescribing the Deadly Habits of Defective Dating, Josh delves into uncomfortable topics with tenderness but firmness, describing how simple infatuation can become a sinful reaction to pure interest about a person, pitfalls of both genders, compromising situations best left avoided, and lies that we as single (and married!) people feel compelled to fall into. Josh never, at any point in his narrative, puts himself or his experience on a foreign, elitist climate. We feel as though we are being invited to partake of glory that comes not from Josh, but from the Father Who created sex and relationships to reflect Him.
You do not have to be in a relationship or even on the lookout for one; this book does a great job of being all-inclusive, touching on every circumstance with fruitful evidence and remedies, while never sounding like a cheapy self-help book. I would encourage this book for anyone, married, single, or just plain confused. We are all invited to the feast.
(I received this book for free from Waterbrook-Multnomah. Purchase this book on Amazon or WBM.)
Friday, January 27, 2012
Sunday, January 22, 2012
nation of death
"Times of monstrous inhumanity do not come about all at once. They are slipped into gradually." -Francis Schaeffer
Today is Sanctity of Life Sunday. It's hard to imagine that one of every four pregnant women will choose to terminate the life of their baby. Well, you might argue, it wasn't planned. Or, there's no money to support the baby. Or, there's no limit on births in this country and we're going to run out of resources. Or, I just don't feel up to having this baby--I don't know the first steps to take.
If you're a young lady reading this and you're considering an abortion, in all love and honesty, sis, I just have to say this: get over yourself. Get some help. That's what counseling centers are for. Hopelines, friends, churches, pastors, counselors, the Bible, and God. You are not alone and no one is going to shame you for reaching out for help.
But America, which has been long esteemed a culture and a nation of life and celebratory passion, is degrading into a nation of death. It's not enough to wake up and realize that something is wrong, if no one ever takes a pragmatic step toward slaughtering the wrong and exacting a right in its place. If we really cared, we'd speak up. We'd actually do something, even if it's as simple as hosting an event for single mothers to equip them with the tools they need to set their child up for adoption, or the resources to raise the child themselves. Or as simple as expressing your opinion in the social venue. Or making a vow to honor the sanctity of life.
And it's not enough to just protest abortion, or refuse to responsibly and wittingly vote for candidates who support the taking of a life (which, by the way, starts at conception and nowhere further along the prenatal span), but also to treat those who are living with the same respect as a little baby who is being given the blessing of life. So what if somebody's theological views differ from yours? Or that old dude in church gets on your nerves when he tries to talk about his good ol' childhood? Or the gossipy ex-friend steals your boyfriend's flighty heart? Or the confused terrorists just need to hear the freshness of the Gospel and to witness radical love and forgiveness? It's way too easy to call ourselves Christians, and a daily battle to live like we mean what we say. The fact that someone is human automatically means that they're made in the image of God. "Jesus loves me, this I know..." Are we to be hypocrites and say that that simple children's song excludes all the people who betrayed us? Who messed it up? Who slandered and beguiled and destroyed the sanctity of life, whether it be their own or that of someone else?
Don't settle for the downslide of our culture into a nation of death. Live like you mean, even if that implies getting out of your selfish comfort zone and representing a God Who wasn't afraid of public opinion. Life wasn't mean to be wasted. Life wasn't created to be thrown away, or disrespected by you or by me, we who are just as soiled with sin as the next person.
Don't believe me? Get out your Bible. Start reading. Start living.
Today is Sanctity of Life Sunday. It's hard to imagine that one of every four pregnant women will choose to terminate the life of their baby. Well, you might argue, it wasn't planned. Or, there's no money to support the baby. Or, there's no limit on births in this country and we're going to run out of resources. Or, I just don't feel up to having this baby--I don't know the first steps to take.
If you're a young lady reading this and you're considering an abortion, in all love and honesty, sis, I just have to say this: get over yourself. Get some help. That's what counseling centers are for. Hopelines, friends, churches, pastors, counselors, the Bible, and God. You are not alone and no one is going to shame you for reaching out for help.
But America, which has been long esteemed a culture and a nation of life and celebratory passion, is degrading into a nation of death. It's not enough to wake up and realize that something is wrong, if no one ever takes a pragmatic step toward slaughtering the wrong and exacting a right in its place. If we really cared, we'd speak up. We'd actually do something, even if it's as simple as hosting an event for single mothers to equip them with the tools they need to set their child up for adoption, or the resources to raise the child themselves. Or as simple as expressing your opinion in the social venue. Or making a vow to honor the sanctity of life.
And it's not enough to just protest abortion, or refuse to responsibly and wittingly vote for candidates who support the taking of a life (which, by the way, starts at conception and nowhere further along the prenatal span), but also to treat those who are living with the same respect as a little baby who is being given the blessing of life. So what if somebody's theological views differ from yours? Or that old dude in church gets on your nerves when he tries to talk about his good ol' childhood? Or the gossipy ex-friend steals your boyfriend's flighty heart? Or the confused terrorists just need to hear the freshness of the Gospel and to witness radical love and forgiveness? It's way too easy to call ourselves Christians, and a daily battle to live like we mean what we say. The fact that someone is human automatically means that they're made in the image of God. "Jesus loves me, this I know..." Are we to be hypocrites and say that that simple children's song excludes all the people who betrayed us? Who messed it up? Who slandered and beguiled and destroyed the sanctity of life, whether it be their own or that of someone else?
Don't settle for the downslide of our culture into a nation of death. Live like you mean, even if that implies getting out of your selfish comfort zone and representing a God Who wasn't afraid of public opinion. Life wasn't mean to be wasted. Life wasn't created to be thrown away, or disrespected by you or by me, we who are just as soiled with sin as the next person.
Don't believe me? Get out your Bible. Start reading. Start living.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Francis Chan
Amazing, amazing dude. Let us never be ashamed to do what is 'right and proper,' praising God with no strings attached, no shameful glances, and no qualms about proclaiming truth.
It sounds easy. It's not.
It sounds worth it.
It is.
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