How I love to get books in the mail!
After being away for two months this summer, we had quite the mail stack to sort through. Most of it was typical—bills, newsletters, magazines, and the like. But then there was this from Moody Publishers*, containing Confessions of a Boy-Crazy Girl by Paula Hendricks. So fun!!
Paula and I met a few years ago—she works for Revive Our Hearts/True Woman, an organization I’ve done some writing for. It’s been great to hear her first-book highs and lows over the past year! Seeing this book in print made me smile, not only because of the delightful design but also because I know how much Paula poured into it.
Upon reading it, I am even more impressed by Paula’s heart. She is candid and forthright, giving her heart for the good of many. Excerpts from her journals mark each chapter, inviting us to know her inner-life. If I still had my journals from way-back-when, I do believe the words would match! Oddly, some of her references DO match references I have in my writing project . . . which is not for boy-crazy girls—whew!—but rather for comfort-addicted gals. Perhaps, great minds think alike? Or we at least read the same books . . .
Anyhow, Paula’s book is about dating and boys, but it isn’t only about dating and boys. It’s also about something Paula dubs soul neediness—something we all have, no matter our age or relational status in life. With gentle precision, Paula cuts through the ways we seek to get our deepest soul needs met apart from Christ. She has achieved that tricky balance of being engaging while being deep theologically, leading the reader through journal application exercises that touch on:
- yielding to Jesus
- seeking God as our perfect Father
- learning to protect your own heart
- taming your thought life
- obsessing over fairy tales
Although I did not work through the exercises, I found them to be the sort I would want to ponder and discuss if I were leading a group of gals through the material. The structure and application questions would make this perfect for a small group.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Paula is an engaging writer—I could hear her voice in every line and it read like a conversation with a dear friend sharing her heartache and triumphs. But even more so, this is a dear friend sharing how she has seen God’s loving hand in her love life.
Learn more about Paula here, and get a copy of her book for all the young gals in your life . . . the young and the young at heart!
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Moody Publishers. While it was sent to me without charge, there was no obligation for me to write a review nor did I receive compensation for doing so. I just really like Paula and loved her first book!
