Book Sneeze Review: Thank You, God, for Blessing Me by Max Lucado

Thank You, God, for Blessing Me
by Max Lucado
© 2011 by Max Lucado
Published by Thomas Nelson
Illustrations by Frank Endersby





Thank You, God, for Blessing Me is a charming and delightful book written for pre-school age children. The book is classified as a "Read 2 Me" book, intended to be read aloud to children who are not yet able to read. This is a board book with heavy cardboard pages that cannot be ripped or torn and is appropriate for small children who will want to reach out and touch the colorful illustrations in this book.

The book offers nine pages of sweet and playful rhyming text. It offers a lesson on gratitude and gives parents and other caregivers an opportunity for a teachable moment with their children, encouraging them to be thankful for every-day things. The book has beautiful color graphics that are fun to look at and make the story come to life. Parents and children alike will want to linger on the pages of this text as the illustrations are truly fantastic.

This book is part of the "Little Hermie" series and makes some references to characters who appear in other books in the series. This could create a small problem for children who are not familiar with the other books and characters. However, this would probably be a minor issue while reading, and possibly looked over by most younger children.

Thank You, God, for Blessing Me is a wonderful addition to the collection of Christian books for pre-school age children and gives parents the opportunity to enjoy reading to and sharing their faith with their young children.

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for this review. I was not required to post a positive review.

BookCrash Review: Deliver Me Edited by Dianne E. Butts

Deliver Me: Hope, Help, and Healing through True Stories of Unplanned Pregnancy
Compiled and edited by Dianne E. Butts
© 2011 by Dianne E. Butts
Published by Connections Press Pueblo, Colorado

Deliver Me is a compilation of short stories and essays in 235 pages and nine chapters. The book explores the decisions and choices of real women who faced unplanned pregnancies. It offers over 50 stories from women and men who faced questions concerning abortion, adoption, keeping their baby, facing family and society, as well as letters and essays written by husbands, partners, and family members affected by unplanned pregnancy. The work offers hope and encouragement to women (and men) who are struggling with unplanned pregnancy as well as healing and encouragement to readers whose experience is in the past.



The chapters in this book cover questions including who faces unplanned pregnancy, the concerns of her family, and who can help these women find options. The book also discusses issues including abortion, adoption, how to help women who choose to keep their baby, the affect of abortion on men, learning from women and families who have experienced abortion, and how to reach out to those in need.

Deliver Me is a relevant work that offers personal and real stories of women and men struggling with the choices surrounding unplanned pregnancy. The work offers current data and statistics surrounding the topics addressed and conveniently organizes the statistics within the appropriate chapters. The end of each chapter offers resources for readers who wish to follow up or learn more about particular topics or find solutions and help in their own situation.

The work offers a valuable and legitimate chapter concerning men and their role in the issues considered in this book. The essays are written by men who supported the choice of abortion, those who said they would support any decision made by their partner (thereby relinquishing themselves from the responsibility of choosing), and men who opposed the option of abortion. One contributor observes that while statistics indicate that one in three women in the church has had an abortion "women didn't do this all by themselves [and] one in three men in the church are post-abortive as well." He writes that "men seem invisible in this issue" and indicates that while the emphasis is usually on "getting to the women to save he babies" there should also be focus toward saving men and women from the regret that often follows abortion (p.96).

In addition to chapters devoted to relevant information, resources, and statistics, the work also offers several pages of notes and sources as well as brief biographies of individual contributors. These two sections lend credibility to the work and extinguish any skepticism regarding the validity and authenticity of the stories within the book. A unique feature of this book is a chapter specifically dedicated to educating readers about the role of crisis pregnancy centers. The chapter goes beyond describing the pregnancy-related work of these centers and illustrates that they also assist women who are struggling with abusive relationships, parenting issues, post-abortion recovery, and sexual abuse recovery.

Although this book has a great deal to offer readers, it falls short in a few areas. One of it's most glaring shortcomings is its relatively narrow target audience. A story about a grandmother struggling with her daughter's pregnancy with a biracial child could have been edited for content to appeal to a wider range of readers. While the story illustrates God's love, forgiveness, and power to change hearts, readers who are new in their faith, or who do not share the editor's faith, may find the story distasteful and offensive rather than heartwarming.

Some further editing would have helped to clarify a few of the stories in the book as some contributors seem to drift from their topics while sharing their experiences. Other contributors use rather dated lingo including words such as "cyberspace" (p.168) within their narratives that could probably be edited as well.

Additionally, the book's format lacks aesthetic value. The individual stories within the chapters do not flow well from page to page and would be more pleasing to look at if they were spaced out a little bit differently rather than just continuing from one page onto the next. The cover and graphics also appear to be somewhat dated and this looks more like a paperback from the 1990s than a recently published book.

This book would be complimented by a corresponding website that offers up-to-date links to the resources listed in the book. A website offering this type of information would be more user friendly, save readers from typing in long and cumbersome web addresses and would also keep the book current and allow for updates to resource information.

Overall this book is an excellent resource for anyone involved in an unplanned pregnancy including pregnant women, their partners, parents, grandparents, friends, family, and those involved in the work of crisis pregnancy centers. It allows readers to explore the experiences of others who have faced unplanned pregnancy and offers resources for those searching for answers to their questions. This book would also be an excellent piece of literature for those who are undecided on their position on abortion as it speaks to the human impact of the issue rather than just the political.

I received this book from the publisher through the BookCrash program at no charge in exchange for this review.

A Tribute to the Blue Recliner

Today would have been my Uncle Robb's 52nd birthday. He was a pretty cool guy and pretty much everyone he met liked him. He was a husband to my Aunt Debbie, a dad to my cousins, Amanda and Ryan, and an Uncle to several adoring nieces and nephews. He was also a son, a brother, and a good friend to many. He was an Iowa farm boy who knew the value of hard work and he applied it to his daily life. I remember him laughing a lot, teasing, telling jokes and goofing around. He always seemed to enjoy life, family, and friends. His life was cut short though, and after a years-long battle with cancer, he died at the young age of 34.

I wrote the following piece several years ago while in grad school. I had kind of forgotten about it but when I gave the PC to my Dad he found it saved in some random file. He thought it was neat and gave me a hard copy of it. I haven't changed much from the original piece aside from a couple of typos. I hope you enjoy it and can see a little bit of a really awesome guy who loved life, his family, and God.

I have in my possession a large blue lazy boy recliner. It's your standard, overstuffed, early nineties vintage recliner; not so attractive, but super comfy. Over the years it has drifted from garage to dorm room to bedroom to living room and back several times.

In the many years that I have been the owner of this fine piece of ugly furniture, may have tried to convince me to get rid of it. "Throw it out!", "That thing is hideous!", Why don't you get something else?" they say. But the blue recliner remains a member of my household. It has a tear in it that grows larger with each passing year, but the blue recliner lives on. Perhaps it is my own (sometimes pathetic) sentimental side that persuades me to keep the the chair.

You see, it once belonged to my Uncle Robb who spent many weeks in it during his battle with cancer eleven years ago. As a ten year old, I spent a large amount of time with him, my aunt and their two children helping out after chemotherapy treatments. I would rub his feet as he sat in the chair to help distract him from the pain and nausea of the vicious disease he was battling. I sat next to him and learned the pi equals not just 3.14, but 3.1415927! I hated learning it, and I still hate math, but I will certainly never forget what pi is! While he sat in that chair I read aloud to him to get used to talking with my retainers, and as soon as I would stop and try to take them out, a quick "No, Kathy, leave them in or you'll never get used to them!" would follow.

It's funny how something like an old recliner can shape and mold one into the adult they eventually become. When I sit in my recliner I think about the bravery and courage my Uncle Robb showed during his three year battle with cancer, I think about the strong hope of recovery that he carried with him for those difficult years, I remember his strong faith and belief in God that developed and grew with each passing day. I think about the love he felt and showed for his family, and his understanding that family should not be taken for granted.

It wasn't until adulthood that I learned that from his diagnosis doctors told him that the form of the disease in his body was fatal; the best they could offer was treatment to prolong his life for a few short years.

He knew from the beginning of his battle that he had no medical chance of surviving, but he battled the disease for three grueling years. When I feel discouraged about life and it's pressures, I think about my Uncle Robb and his crusade against the disease that eventually took his life. I think about his courage in the face of imminent death and his faith and hope that he could survive.

When I sit in the recliner I realize that fear of the future is completely normal, but I also realize that faith and hope are required to overcome that fear. When I'm worried about life or how things are going to turn out, I sit in my recliner and think about my Uncle Robb and the things I learned from him. I think about how one day, when I meet him again, I will thank him for all the things I learned from him while he sat in that old recliner - all of the things that have so deeply influenced my life.

And I will smile for him so he can see my straight teeth and laugh when I tell him that pi equals 3.1415927 and that I still HATE MATH!

Book Sneeze Review: The Fight of Our Lives by William J. Bennett & Seth Leibsohn

The Fight of Our Lives: Knowing the Enemy, Speaking the Truth, and Choosing to Win the War Against Radical Islam
by William J. Bennett, Seth Leibsohn
© 2011 by William J. Bennett, Seth Leibsohn
Published by Thomas Nelson



The book is comprised of eight chapters and notes in 186 pages. Within the chapters of the work the authors describe how America has arrived at this point of apathy concerning threats to our freedoms, the failure of current and previous administrations to deter terrorists and the politically correct rhetoric and actions of Republicans and Democrats alike, that have left terrorists unafraid to murder innocents at will. The work provides a history lesson spanning for September 11, 2001 to the months preceding it's publication. The authors offer information about the drastic change in American culture in the months and years following 9/11 and the switch from a country and government hard on terrorism to one that is soft and appeasing toward the threat of terror. They discuss the change in national rhetoric, from leaders in government and the press and the effect this change has had on the American psyche and will to battle against Radical Islam and the terrorists it produces.

This short work begins with the account of the massacre at Fort Hood in November 2009. The authors review the facts of the event and those leading up to it and point to the response of leaders in American government and military as evidence that our nation is entrenched in a battle for Western Democracy. They assert that America's leadership is more concerned with cultural diversity than human life (p.10) and give evidence to support this claim. They point to the events at Fort Hood and the following official report issued by the military as evidence that the United States is suffering from a serious "crisis of will" (p. 15) and failure to recognize the threat of Islam to our national security, rights, and way of life. The authors assert that American culture has made standing up to Islamic threat politically incorrect and that this apathy and failure to challenge those who wish to harm America will be the root of her demise. They cite facts surrounding the Fort Hood massacre as evidence that there was more than ample warning of Nidal Hassan's intentions, but too many were afraid to confront what they knew to be threats and too many were concerned about personal ramifications should they speak out against a Muslim. The authors contend that American leadership does not view action against terrorists and those who harbor them as imperative to our survival and instead seek to appease the enemy who is "made bold by our dismissal and appeasement" (p.4) inviting further attacks on America and her people.

This work offers readers reminders of why America became and has remained involved in a war of which many have grown weary. It's authors implore Americans to recall the human rights violations, the treatment of men, women, and children in the corrupt Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein. They call on readers to remember that it was the man that America went to war with in 2002 whose record "of barbarism and terrorism was virtually unparalleled" who "by most accounts had killed more Muslims than any other person in modern history." (p.35)

The book also helps readers muddle through issues that are difficult to navigate and understand without research and historical knowledge such as the events and problems in Iran. The authors challenge readers to look at the way a nation treats it's children as a test of it's government's intentions and motives. They point to Iran's use of children as minesweepers in the 1980s and call on readers to recognize that "if you want to know what they will do to us, look at what they do to their own people." (p. 90)

The authors indicate that in dealings with Iran, Barack Obama has ignored the lessons of history and previous successful denunciations of regimes aggressive toward the United States. Instead he has opted to meet with leaders of countries that threaten peace and Western democracy "without preconditions" (p. 86) which has led to a more dangerous world and an America who appears weak and without resolve against terrorist threats against her people. The authors also assert that Obama is not dealing with the problem in Iran, rather he uses flowery rhetoric to appease terrorist rather than fight them (p. 104). The authors assert that despite his ostentatious speech it is really Obama's actions that have sent a clear message to terrorists regarding his lacking resolve to fight terrorism. Obama's bow to the Saudi King sent a message of submission to the leader of an Arab country with a disgusting history of human rights violations and one that is also known to fund terrorist organizations(p. 105). The work asserts that his action in this circumstance "showed national humiliation" and did nothing to counter the actions of terrorist organizations the globe over.

The book also offers a helpful comparison of violence in Islam and violence in Christianity and Judaism. It illustrates distinct differences in Old and New Testament violence and that found in the Koran. The authors discuss the difference between the Koran and the Bible arguing that those who "wish to equate the Bible and the Koran misunderstand, ignore, or deny the difference between a historical account and a living injunction." (p. 113) Using a quick test they ask readers to determine the effect of particular religions on terrorist activity by citing the "number of Jewish terrorists or criminals who have cited the Bible to justify their actions" (p. 112). They also indicate that Judaism (unlike many other faiths) "does not demand converts" (p.113) as does Islam.

This short book is appropriate for lay-readers and scholars alike. Although some of the information may seem repetitive to those familiar with the subject matter it is an excellent resource and a quick lesson in modern history and diplomacy. This book is required reading for Americans concerned about the future of their country and for those wondering what Islam's quiet appropriation of Western Civilization means to America.

The work debunks many popular arguments in favor of tolerance and gives readers the information they need to successfully dispute claims that America is selfish, weak, or sorry for her actions in the Middle East. Although the author's use a large portion of the book to discuss problems and the history of those problems, they also offer solutions and call on American leadership to recognize the threat to liberty and act swiftly in demanding change.

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for this review. I was not required to post a positive review.

Blogging for Books Review: The Harvest of Grace: An Ada's House Novel by Cindy Woodsmall

Sylvia Fisher is not an ordinary Amish woman. She prefers hard work, milking cows, and tending to her family's dairy herd to managing a household, tending to small children, and participating in other more feminine duties as most Amish women. When she is forced by betrayal, scandal, and guilt to leave her home and beloved family farm she chooses to help another family try to rescue their dilapidated farm. In the process she falls in love with the farm, her work there, and adopts the couple who own the farm as her surrogate parents. Her hope to help the farm turn a profit is shattered when the couple's son and only living child, Aaron Blank, returns and announces that his parents should sell the farm and move to a nearby community where he plans to run an appliance shop for Plain folk. Sylvia and Aaron spend the summer working side by side toward the same goal, ridding the farm of debt, but for different reasons. While Sylvia struggles to accept God's grace and forgiveness, Aaron struggles with temptations of his own and battles to make his parents see the changes he has made in his life. Although Sylvia and Aaron both work against the goal of the other, they work together to bring the farm to prosperity, and to help each other find their path toward peace, living in God's grace, and in harmony with their community.

The Harvest of Grace is the third in the Ada's House Novel series by Cindy Woodsmall. It is comprised of forty chapters in 344 pages. The author offers an introduction to the Ada's House Novels series in the beginning of this book so that readers do not need to have read the previous novels in the series to follow the events and characters of The Harvest of Grace.

This book is an excellent piece of fiction that allows readers to feel more than just self-indulgent while ravenously turning its pages but also allows readers to learn and self-reflect while contemplating the situations, attitudes, and feelings of the characters within the story. Cindy Woodsmall expertly blends jealousy, betrayal, heartache, and anger with forgiveness, faith, love, and grace. Her grasp of the Christian faith, and specifically Amish beliefs regarding forgiveness and grace, allow readers to examine their own spiritual walk and faith. The everyday circumstances faced by her characters allows readers to consider their own faith, walk with Christ, and how they might react in similar situations.

Although the main characters of this novel are Sylvia Fisher, Aaron Blank, and their immediate families, the author nearly seamlessly weaves the stories of several other individuals in the community into the story as well. For readers of the Ada's House Novel series the transitions would be very easy to follow, but for readers who have not experienced the other books in the series the transitions may prove to be more difficult to discern.

The primary characters in this work are well developed, likable, and interesting. The author carefully discloses information about the characters in such a way to leave the reader eager to read more and anticipate the actions and choices of the characters. However, the relationships between the primary and secondary characters sometimes seem underdeveloped and lacking. This is probably not a concern for readers of the entire series, but for readers of this novel exclusively it can cause some hindrance in piecing the intertwining stories together.

This work also offers readers a glimpse into the lives of men and women following the ways of the Old Amish Order in modern times. The author uses her unique knowledge of the Old Amish Order as well as extensive personal research and utilization of a consultant within the Order to assure that her stories are culturally accurate. (Watch a video on this here.) Her style of writing allows readers to imagine that the events within the story could have happened a year ago as easily as they could happen tomorrow.

Overall this is an excellent novel for readers looking for something that can be enjoyable, simple to follow, and informative. Woodsmall gives readers the opportunity to indulge in a good fiction story as well as get lost in it's pages (and isn't that why most people choose fiction?!) Her sentence structure, word mastery, and the ease with which she weaves together the stories of her primary characters make this book easy to read but her capacity for story-telling make it difficult to put down.

Click here to download the first chapter for FREE!

For a chance to win a copy of this book, please rate my review!


I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Nursing Moms: A Greatest Hits List

Today marked the last day of World Breastfeeding Week 2011. There have been events all week long- some of which you might have heard about through a local media outlet or social networking sites. What an great way to share and celebrate the awesomeness that nursing a baby is! Yesterday La Leche League USA sponsored "The Big Latch On" event where Moms and nurslings came together in public places to promote breastfeeding and aid in public awareness of breastfeeding. Over 4000 mamas and babies participated in this event at over 294 locations world-wide! Some La Leche League chapters sponsored picnics and moms around the world promoted nursing through Facebook and Twitter by announcing their participation in status updates or by posting pictures of themselves nursing their babies.

In recognition of World Breastfeeding Week and of the unbelievable joy I have found in nursing my own baby, following are a few lists of "Bests" of breastfeeding, according to me, at least.

Best Nursing Products: You don't need a million products to breastfeed your baby. In fact, you really only need your boobs, and, well, your BABY! But some products are fun and can make life easier!

1. Undercover Mama: No one wants to show off their post-baby belly to the world while nursing and shirts designed for breastfeeding with special openings or panels can be very costly - and not too cute! These tops turn any shirt into a nursing top and cost much less!




2. Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle: These supplements (herbs) have been used throughout history to help nursing mama's increase their milk supply. This is especially helpful for moms who want to increase their stockpile of milk or moms returning to work who plan to pump frequently.

3. Loved Baby Nursing Shawl: Breastfeeding is very special between mothers and their little ones. But sometimes we want to keep it that way--between us and our little one and not share everything we've got with the world. This shawl is very versatile and has many other uses; I've used it as a blanket, burp cloth, a playmat on the floor, and in a pinch, in a public diaper changing area where I didn't want to lay my baby down. The shawl comes in several colors and is a casual cover for nursing in public - unlike some covers that more closely resemble the shower curtain Halloween costume from The Karate Kid movie. In addition to being very useful the shawl is beautiful, washes very nicely and doesn't wrinkle!

4. Lansinoh Lanolin Cream: This is really a miracle cream for sore or cracked nipples. It's great for dry skin and chapped lips too! Available at most major retailers.

5. Washable Nursing Pads: Even though disposable nursing pads are available- washable ones are more comfortable and absorb better. And they come in awesome prints like these!

6. Electric Breastpump. There are several brands available and they vary in price. Medela pumps are housed in discreet black bags and are often preferred by moms who will need to take their pump to work. If they seem too expensive for you look for a good used pump and purchase new tubing, valves, and membranes through a retailer like Amazon. Sometimes hospitals and birthing centers rent breastpumps to moms who don't have funds to purchase their own.

7. Boppy Pillow: Some moms prefer the "My Brest Friend" pillow but the Boppy seems to have more long term use - like propping baby up and aiding in sitting up on the floor when baby gets bigger.

8. Nursing Tank Tops: These are great for sleeping and wearing around the house. The clasps allow for good coverage but quick and easy access for nursing your little one. (Much better than hiking up your sleep shirt or nightgown!) Check out this brand for pretty tops around $15 each.




Best Advice from Other Moms: When it comes to having a baby, everyone (EVERYONE!) has advice for the new mom. In my experience, successful breastfeeding moms have some of the very best advice though. This is what I learned:

1. Attend a La Leche League meeting BEFORE your baby is born.

2. KEEP GOING to La Leche League meetings AFTER your baby arrives! Moms in these groups can help new moms be successful and overcome problems or discomforts with nursing.

3. Smile and nod! Others are bound to make insensitive or irritating comments about your choice to breastfeed. Sometimes its best to just smile and nod and let the comment pass. (Disclaimer: This is much easier said than done!)

4. Don't buy a stockpile of nursing bras before your baby is born. Purchase one or two comfortable bras ahead of time and the rest after baby arrives. It's hard to know when you're pregnant exactly what will fit you once your milk comes in. You can save a lot of hassle by waiting until a few weeks after baby is born to purchase as many bras as you think you will need. The best kind to start off with are soft sleeping bras or sport-style nursing bras.

5. You don't necessarily have to spend a lot of money to get a good nursing bra. Check out stores like Target and Motherhood Maternity for a good selection of low-cost nursing bras.

6. Drink plenty of water! Keep a large cup or water bottle with you all of the time and refill it often! Staying hydrated is key to breastfeeding success.

7. Don't worry about losing the baby weight right away. Nursing your baby and drinking plenty of water will help you lose the weight safely over time and not at the expense of your health or milk supply.

8. Make friends with other nursing moms! Their support and friendship will be invaluable. If you can't find someone in your local area, join an online forum through a site like Mothering.

9. Change nursing holds frequently. This can help ease engorgement and maintain milk supply. It can also help relieve the symptoms of mastitis.

10. Learn the side-lying nursing hold. This position allows you and your baby to relax together.

11. Find and utilize a lactation consultant. Try to find a consultant who can come to your home and help you learn proper latch and nursing positions in your own environment. We spent about $120 for this service when our baby was born but my husband declared it to be the best $120 we ever spent! If you have your baby in a hospital there is sometimes a consultant on staff. (Be sure to ask if she is IBLCE certified though as more moms are reporting nurses with only workshop hours in lactation posing as consultants!)

12. Consider co sleeping with your baby. This can help maintain adequate supply and help mom and baby BOTH get more rest than getting up and going to the baby's room several time each night to nurse.

12. Read The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding.

13. Wear your baby. Babywearing has many of advantages including bonding, some hands-free time for mom, and babywearing can help soothe a fussy baby. Some research also indicates that babywearing can help mothers produce and adequate milk supply.




Best Breastfeeding Websites: Sometimes a Google search can render more results than anyone can begin to search through or decode. These websites offer great advice for getting started with breastfeeding, finding solutions for issues, and getting the support moms need.

1. La Leche League International: Established by seven women in 1956 (after breastfeeding rates in the United States dropped to nearly 20%) to help, support, and educate mothers who wish to breastfeed.

2. La Leche League in the USA: the U.S. branch of LLLI. Offers links to local chapters and a Breastfeeding Helpline.

3. Mothering: Mothering Magazine was created in 1976 and continues today as a web company. Moms can find information on many natural parenting related topics, including breastfeeding.

4. Peaceful Parenting: A blog devoted to kind parenting offers many breastfeeding related articles.

5. Ask Dr. Sears: William Sears, MD and Martha Sears, RN. Pediatrician and parents of eight children, Dr. Bill and Martha offer advice on many parenting related issues they've encountered in their own family and through 40 years in pediatrics.

Still Waiting For the Big Reveal: Blogging for Books: What Are You Waiting For: The One Thing No One Ever Tells You About Sex. A Review.

The following is a book review for the Blogging for Books program through Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing. The publisher's posting of this review can be found here.

What Are You Waiting For: The One Thing No One Ever Tells You About Sex by Dannah Gresh, is the author's newest book in her campaign to encourage women to maintain sexual purity until marriage. Gresh covers a variety of topics relating to sex and sexuality in sixteen chapters and 178 pages. Several of the chapter titles seem particularly riveting including "The Lesbian Question", "Friends With Benefits" and chapters designated for topics including pornography and masturbation. Gresh claims that her book holds the secret to fulfilling sex and the reason that women should hold sex as sacred and reserved for their husbands.

In this book Gresh adequately answers some relevant questions about sex and aids readers in navigating issues complicated by pop culture and media. Her conversation regarding the effect of pornography on love and marriage illustrates that a brain addicted to porn can lose it's sensitivity and capability to love because it is overcome by lust. She uses scientific explanations to describe how the porn addicted brain is desensitized to love and becomes hooked on the need for pornographic stimulus. Gresh also gives readers advice concerning relationships in which pornography is an established problem.

The author gives useful advice to young women seeking to maintain their sexual purity and helps readers to not cross "the line" into premarital sex. She discusses kissing, fondling, and the burning question of whether or not oral sex is really sex. She offers readers helpful advice for refraining from situations in which their intentions could be compromised by physical desires. She also urges young girls to practice modesty in their clothing choices to avoid creating situations in which sexual temptation is more difficult to resist.

Gresh carefully weaves scientific information throughout the book and explains how the female human brain reacts to sexual stimuli through the creation of oxytocin which creates a chemical attachment to the sexual partner. Gresh calls this chemical attachment "emotional glue" (p. 114) and asserts that this is why casual sex is not possible; every sexual encounter causes the participants to be emotionally bonded whether they choose to be or not. Gresh also uses scientific evidence to illustrate how physical love is biologically emotional and that human sex is biologically different than sex between animals. (p.43-44) She also explains to readers that "not all sex is the same" (p.35) and encourages readers to search for the experience of sex that goes beyond only the physical act.

One of the author's more triumphant moments is her illustration of the standard that Christian women are called to. She demonstrates that communion with God is not a pious attitude and living as close to the sexual line as possible without sinning. She indicates that closeness with God comes from living honestly and performing regular self-checks to maintain an honest and strong relationship with God. She calls her readers to pursue "a life that is free from any hint of sexual sin." (p.118)

The book falls short in several instances though including rather simple theology that does not leave readers with much sense of spiritual growth. Although her discussion of the Hebrew language and her examination of the Bible's original meaning in verses relating to sex and sexuality are interesting, they are not quite deep enough to be more than somewhat impressive. The point of this book, the secret that Gresh promises to share, is not revealed until chapter four of the book, and when revealed, does not really offer anything particularly mind-blowing.

The author's writing style is also somewhat distracting as she seems to be overly intent on connecting with a younger generation rather than communicating her ideas. Words and phrases such as "girl", "push pause, push play" (p.112) and references to establishments in her immediate locale (p.134) make it difficult to focus on the topics she believes are important. Although this writing style may be appropriate for teenaged readers it is probably not appealing to readers at the college level or beyond. Additionally, Gresh tries to add relevance to some of her topics through inclusion of comments made and questions posed by young (college age) women. Unfortunately her research pool is not very broad and in chapter 12, "The Line", her conversations with college age girls seem to be restricted to only her two interns. (p.111)

The work is not free from the commonplace Christian guilt on this particular subject either. Gresh relates a conversation she had with a young woman who had allowed a recent boyfriend to get "under her shirt" (p. 45) and the woman's deep sense of guilt and shame regarding the incident. Gresh indicates that she encouraged this young woman by reassuring her of "how much of herself she still had to give to her future husband." (p.45) While this seems like an excellent point of consolation, it seems that some reference to God's forgiveness and a repentant spirit might be more relevant to spiritual growth than a conversation about one's future spouse. In a later chapter, Gresh uses verbiage that seems condescending and sententious when she discusses "preparing your heart to confess (sexual sin) to your future husband" (p. 125). Additionally, her advice regarding sharing past behaviors with a boyfriend until "you are certain that the relationship is headed toward marriage" (p. 123), although well-meaning, may disappoint young women who wait too long to share important details of their lives with future partners.

What Are You Waiting For, regrettably, left me waiting for something of a little more substance. This book claims to be more ambitious than it actually is and, although it covers relevant topics, it only minimally does so. Sixteen chapters in 178 pages does not leave much room for real depth and spiritual growth. The author seems to be more intent on convincing women to maintain sexual purity than on fostering a deeper relationship with God.

The book is probably best for girls between 13-17 years old. The writing style and minimal spiritual depth will probably cause disappointment in older readers. I would recommend this book to young girls interested in this topic and who are beginning question the biblical significance of sexuality and encounter the many sexual issues and questions that are prevalent in modern culture. It would also be a useful tool for parents (particularly mothers) of teenage girls who are looking for an avenue to discuss these issues and questions with their daughters.

For a chance to win a FREE copy of this book, please rate my review here.

I received this book from the publisher.