New Review: Adorned

So a fairly big name in the Christian arena of authors, especially those that write on upholding biblical marriage and womanhood is Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth. A release of hers that I'm just getting to read this year is her first book post-marriage: Adorned.
Beautifully written and well thought out.

And yet it is not about marriage but about living out the gospel, per Titus 2 with the women around us. She gives the perspective of being both the older woman who seeks to exhort and the younger woman who accepts the exhortation.

The book is written in three parts with each chapter corresponding to part of Titus 2:1-5, 10. The end of each chapter has a section of questions for older women and one for younger women. It has the feeling of being read in a group or partner setting OR even used as teaching material for discipleship between women.
The first section focuses on submission to God and how that is fleshed out in a Titus 2 relationship. She starts with understanding that doctrine (regardless of what doctrine you adhere to) guides your beliefs and actions. She addresses teaching in the Titus 2 context, woman to woman, older woman to younger woman. I appreciate how she acknowledges that we are always in BOTH positions. Always in a position to learn and a position to teach. Even when we think we have nothing to teach, there is always some lesson you've learned that can be passed on to someone younger.
The second section focuses on being a woman under control. This is huge because we are in a culture where we have the liberty to do almost anything we want. But we have to understand and practice self-control; knowing that everything that I can do is not beneficial to us and much of it is harmful.
The third section focuses on our home. As we know part of Paul's advice is that older women instruct younger women in being wives and mothers. This is taking into account the older women are living in a manner that brings God glory and honor. And the last chapter focuses on tying it all together to be beautiful in God's eyesight.

So Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth's writings, in my experience, have always brought up some discourse or discontent from women, especially those who lean heavily feminist.
Generally, I enjoy the majority of her writing. And this book does not disappoint. It is very engaging and the questions at the end of the chapter beget us to sit still and reflect to see where we can improve. With her being a newly married woman, I will admit I was cautious in reading because there's so much she still has to learn but because she has spent much time in a Titus 2 setting and studying it, it gives her an advantage to be better prepared for marriage in a way that I was not.

I HIGHLY recommend for those who want to promote Titus 2 relationships among godly women, among the church. We need even the young women who are in college and pursuing God to reach back to the highschool aged women around them and help them pursue God as well so the younger generation sees that it is not just "old" women pursuing God.

{FYI: I received this book from Moody Publishers for free in exchange for my HONEST review.}

Chosen for Christ

So if you've been following along, then you know this is the second book I've reviewed by Heather Holleman. The first one was Seated with Christ. And I read this one second, it is actually third in this series of books by Holleman on life-changing verbs in Scripture. As of my knowledge, she has written three books and 1 bible study (of which I have 1 copy of each).

So one thing I've noticed about Holleman is that as an English professor who teaches college kids how to write. She writes in such a way that if you did not know she is a college professor, you would ask. The organization and transitions are all there as one would expect of an academic paper. The thesis statement is clear. We gain the framework for the rest of the book at the end of the first chapter (pg 19).

This entire book is about recognizing and living life as though you are chosen for Christ. The way Holleman explains it is when you believe that you are chosen for Christ the way you go about life changes. Not in a way to earn it but as a result of being chosen. The book is organized into three parts: Your present situation, seven invitations, and what if I say yes. Each one is meant to address a specific part of the process of going from living unchosen to living as chosen for Christ. When you read you will notice that chosen is repeated often, to reinforce the word for the reader and remind them during each invitation that they are chosen simply because they chose Jesus and received the gift of salvation.

So I did enjoy this book albeit not as much as I did Seated with Christ. I think Seated felt a bit more of a fluid read than Chosen does. Chosen feels like I'm reading more of an academic paper that is a bit more rigid in the writing style. It was also harder for me to finish Chosen because it did not hold my attention as well. I do recommend it though especially for people who are struggling with their identity in Christ. For those who are not really struggling with their identity in Christ, this book seems to over-reinforce the idea in a way that Seated with Christ did not overuse the word seated.

{FYI: I received this book from the publisher (Moody Publishers) in exchange for my honest opinion.}