Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Review of A Woman after God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George


I know this book has been around for at least a decade, perhaps longer. But when I set about looking for a book to use for the ladies' Bible study at our church, A Woman after God's Own Heart came highly recommended. Now after over six months of teaching through a chapter per week, we've finished it. Both I and the ladies who attended the Bible study loved it. Here's why:

1. It covers a wide range of Biblical subjects that pertain to married women. It has sections on growing spiritually, being a wife, being a mother, and caring for a home.

2. It teachings are rooted in the Bible. The author did a good job of backing up the principles she espoused with scripture. Plus there is a lot of encouragement for women to dive into the Bible on their own and not just use supplemental material.

3. It's written with by an experienced woman with a concerned heart. You can easily tell how passionate the author is about helping women become better wives, mothers, and Christians. You read about the authors past mistakes and triumphs, plus her warnings and advice.

Drawbacks: There are a couple drawbacks, though the majority of the book was so good I really have to be picky to point anything out. Some of the chapters are pretty practical in nature. Not that there's anything wrong with being practical, but suggestions for time management aren't exactly on the same level of importance as principles about caring for your children. As the ladies of my church studied the book, we delineated between what was a Biblical principle and what was merely a practical suggestion. Also, the author sometimes makes herself seem like Superwoman. Really. When she gets to listing everything she does in a certain area, one can easily get overwhelmed and think "Yeah right. It's not possible to do all of this stuff. If I even did a quarter of that, I'd be doing awesome."

Overall, this book was great. I can see why it's popular, and it's relevant to a large number of women despite their religious backgrounds. If you're looking for a book to encourage you spiritually and highlight the Biblical duties God has given married women, then this book is an excellent choice. It covers the basics of Biblical womanhood in a way that is fresh and relevant to our current times.

If any of you have read this book, I'd love to hear your opinions in the comment section below. Or if you've read another spiritual growth book recently that you really recommend, please share that as well.

3 comments:

  1. Eeeps! Well...this is why I never finished it, because instead of feeling encouraged, I felt overwhelmed.
    To use every minute doing something useful or practical...it's not me at all. It is definitely smart to use our time wisely, but with my kind of personality, I really couldn't relate to the some things in the books nor do I think that doing some of those things makes a person more Godly.
    BUT, like you said, she does seem to write from a caring heart, so that def. counts.

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  2. Yes, parts of the book get a little overwhelming, but the underlying principles are really good. Like putting your husband and kids before other priorities. Some of the how-to stuff can make your eyes bulge at times, though. Sorry you didn't get more out of the book!

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  3. i'm meant to make a review of this book soon. I'm not true reading it, but with this review i've read, not sure its for the right audience. All, or almost all are unmarried university students, and i'm not sure it will be of any use

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