Thursday, November 3, 2011

Having Fun Isn't Hard When You've Got A Library Card!

I love Arthur, man. Nope, I didn't accidentally write that in the present tense; I still enjoy the show now! :-) Arthur taught me how to spell "aardvark", the greatness it is to own a library card, and all sorts of other cool stuff! Ya know, I think I just may get on Netflix and watch some Arthur after this :) Just kidding, maybe some other time. Lol. Anyways, in case you didn't know, my status is from a song on Arthur, that you can listen to here, it's pretty awesome. It randomly popped into my head when I looked over at the stack of books I have next to my bed that are on my "to do" list to read!



Technically I didn't get most...well, actually any of these books from the library; a friend let me borrow them! (She actually just got married a few months ago, and I so admire how she and her hubby have actively been drawing near to the Lord, and thus to each other, from their dating, to engagement, to now!) A couple of the books are actually from my personal library though (personal library = the box in my closet I just started unpacking two days ago).

One thing I really want to do is take in as many resources as possible in preparation for becoming a wife, and Lord willing one day a mother! The first and main resource will continue to be my Bible, and the other books will just be supporting literature. Here are some (or maybe I'll just include all!) of the ones that I plan to have finished between now and February...

This book is amazing already! This topic and these lessons excite me, and it's like ahhh, I really am about to be a wife, and one day a mom! That's enough to bring me to my knees right there, and cry out the Lord to make His Word clear and real and apparent and evident in the fruit of my life! 

I started this one a couple years ago, and never quite finished it... I figure now is as good a time as any to pick it back up though!

Single, dating, engaged, married, EVERYONE can read this book. It's crazy how the world's view of sex and things related to it can begin to subconsciously permeate our thinking and distort the way GOD views it and how we should also see it! Plus this is by Piper!? Looking forward to getting to this one.

I was lost but now I'm found! While this typically refers to the person lost without Christ then being found by Him, I am actually referring to the fact that I borrowed this book from my bestest years ago and definitely thought I lost it :-/ But lo and behold, it was in the unpacked box, go fig! I was LOVING it before I semi-lost it, so I'm definitely looking forward to getting back into it. EVERYONE READ THIS!!! It's amazing. And now I get to relate it to the covenant of marriage, woohoo!

Just like Sex and the Supremacy of Christ, people have super distorted views of marriage in the world today. (Think, Kim Kardashian. I could care less about her, but everyone was blowing up Twitter about her and her ridiculously, shamefully short "marriage.") Walking in reality about the purpose of marriage, expectations, and more is essential to starting off strong! (I talk like I've been married before! hehe. This is just what I've heard. ;)

I don't know what to say other than I am absolutely intrigued and I already know that this book will have some crazy great application points. And conviction points. Gahhh! Good stuff.

That is quite a few books, don't ya think?? That's 826 pages, not including Disciplines of a Godly Woman and Our Covenant God. (I didn't feel like getting up to get those two out of the box in my closet.) Good thing I like to read!

Again, reading the Word is essential and should always be the primary source of gaining wisdom in every area, but specifically biblical womanhood, since that's what I'm trying to grow in! One thing that really made me happy was in the intro to Feminine Appeal (or maybe the review? I don't recall) it said that for the readers who don't have a discipler or other such Titus 2 figure in their life, this book can serve as that mentor! I thought that was cool. There are definitely several examples of biblical womanhood I can think of in my life right off the bat (my Madre, for one!!), but the supplementary teaching will, I think, be very beneficial for me.

So this is probably a good spot to insert that these aren't books that you should only read if you are engaged to be married! Preparation should begin before the engagement season! (Not to say I haven't been preparing, I'm just saying...umm...foot in my mouth?...yeah.) I've already suggested Feminine Appeal to a friend, and I haven't even gotten through the first chapter; it's just that good! VERY convicting, but God's Word being brought to light and seeing how He can make me into a beautiful example of a godly woman definitely stirs me to change! Oh, but as I was saying, I definitely encourage my female readers to check these out! And yes, the male readers too, if you so desire hehe. Plus a couple of them, like Sex and the Supremacy of Christ, Our Covenant God, and When Sinners Say I Do aren't written *just* for women. :-)

To my engaged and married readers:  What kind of prep are you doing or did you do prior to getting married? Books? Sermons? Counseling? I'd love feedback, as I am open to checking out new tools and ideas and passing them on to others!

To my single, dating, and confused readers: (I'm kidding about the confused! ...actually I'm not, I suppose it is quite possible to be confused about your "relationship" status...!) What kind of prep are you doing now, or would you like to do, not just for marriage, but in becoming the type of woman or man that God desires to make you into? Any good books, or groups you get involved with? Anything? I'm all ears! ...er, eyes! You know, since I'm reading, not listening... haha. (Don't mind my corny jokes. You don't have to laugh. I do though.)

Definitely looking forward to seeing what you guys share! And who knows, maybe I'll end up posting up some reviews or lessons I learn from the books as I go; we shall see...!!!



3 comments:

  1. Love so much that you are rating during engagement and being righteous and realistic about marriage! Micah and I read a few books during engagement and now married. I def. recommend it! I highly recommend "Let Me Be A Woman," by E. Elliot, "Love and Respect," by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs. Also "This Momentary Marriage," by John Piper and "Sacred Marriage," by Gary Thomas as great as well :) So excited for the stage of life you are in!

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  2. Thanks for the suggestions! I want to read all of them!! I guess I need to head to the bookstore... that, or raid more friends' bookshelves! hehe:) Thanks again!

    Oh, and Jeremiah and I read the Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman together also, and it was so good! We learned alot about each other through that, or clarified stuff about each other I should say. Just a sidenote. lol. :)

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  3. My kids love Arthur! We did pre-marital counseling before we got married. So helpful!

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