I recently read one of the most unique books!  I admit, it took me a long time to read it. A very long time. It forced me to think about myself, my life experiences, and my God so differently, that it was difficult to take in.  I had to read it in small chunks, to digest what the author was saying.

Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman’s Soul was written by John and Stasi Eldredge. This husband and wife team take a couples’ approach to writing this and it’s companion book Wild at Heart (the men’s book). It was so interesting to have the man’s perspective on the subject of women.  They so beautifully illustrated that our beauty comes almost entirely from inside, and that most women just don’t even feel worthy of showing their true beauty.

They address why we strive for beauty, how we strive for it, and what the unintended consequences of the striving are.  What we miss as women is that each one of us is beautiful, because we were made in the image of God.  We try so hard to be beautiful for ourselves, for men, for others, but we either aren’t aware or we ignore the beauty that God instilled inside of us that would shine through if only we let it.  It is the inner beauty that makes us captivating.

From the book:

“Women want to impact their world for good. As corulers with Adam, we are created to do so, and one of the key ways we influence our world is in making it a more beautiful place to live. We decorate our homes. We put flowers on the table. Pioneer women brought china teacups into the wilderness, and I bring a pretty tablecloth to eat on when my family camps. we wear perfume, paint our toenails, color our hair, and pierce our ears, all in an effort to be ever more beautiful.

Beauty is the most essential and, yes, the most misunderstood of all the feminine qualities. We want you to hear clearly that it is an essence every woman carries from the moment of her creation. The only things standing in the way of our beauty are our doubts and fears, and the hiding and striving we fall to as a result.”

Captivating made me think. It was hard for me to read because the subject matter was so different than any book I have ever read. It made me examine myself, my motives, my hurts, and my fears. It hit right in the heart, and forced me to pray. It also helped me to begin to see myself differently. Through the entire book, the authors bring us back to what the Creator whispers to our soul, if we would listen. You are beautiful. You are captivating. You are worth it.

DISCLOSURE: I received one review copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers, as part of their BookSneeze Review program. I was not required to write a positive review, and the opinions expressed here are my own.