Hey Everyone,
I was talking with some friends today about the books singles often read regarding Christian dating (such as the infamous "I Kissed Dating Goodbye, which I have never read.) This book seems to be mentioned so often that I have purposely chosen not to read it (but hey, I might change my mind... someday.) I'm just someone who tends to run in the opposite direction when everyone says, "You need to read/see/do this!", because I usually find material like this to be a bit of a passing fad.
I think there comes a time in every Christian single's life when they are lovingly bombarded with a well-meaning list of Christian books regarding dating/romance/finding a purpose that would easily rival the Library of Congress.
And so, whether it be out of hope, obligation, or desperation, many of us finally give in - with, I'm guessing, mixed to sometimes downright frustrating results.
For instance, we talked about the absolutely insane "advice" some of these books give, such as, "Marriage will be A LOT easier if you marry the right person."
Because of course, it takes at least 3 PhD's in chemistry, biology, and rocket science in order to figure that one out . Surely, NONE of us singles would EVER have enough brains to be able to see that on our own.
As we were discussing various titles we had either chosen to read or had been nearly forcibly subjected to, one woman summed it up perfectly, "Oh, I've been through that 'Single Ladies Christian Book Phase,' too."
It's the time in nearly every single Christian's life where they eagerly scoop up any Christian dating/romance/marriage/family book they can get their hands on, all hoping to meet their "right one" before they even finish page 2 (which happens to be the Introduction.)
And when you find that reading all that good Christian advice (which starts repeat itself around page 7) STILL hasn't landed you the Godly Person of Your Dreams, you pick up yet another title, only to find it's like a Never-Ending Christian Infomercial that carries you around the dating merry (marry)-o-round... all. over. again.
And so, you find yourself with nothing else to hold on to... except, of course, the next Recommended Reading title at the end of the book you just finished.
Have you gone through "The Single's Christian Book" phase, too? How did it go, or how has it been going, for you?
PLEASE NOTE, I AM BY NO MEANS TRYING TO CUT DOWN OR CRITICIZE THESE BOOKS OR ANYONE WHO CHOOSES TO READ THEM. Maybe you can recommend some titles or aspects of these books that have truly been inspiring to you, which I'm sure would help the rest of us as well.
But as someone who's been part of the singles scene for a few years, I have to wonder if I'm the only one who gets more than a little frustrated by the same (and frankly, not very helpful) "Christian" material that is constantly being repeated, repackaged, and re-preached into yet another "bestseller" that we are told to add to our ever growing "must-read" list.
How about the rest of you?
* What books about love, romance, dating, marriage, etc. from a Christian perspective have you read?
* What books/advice did you find helpful, and what things (if any) made you feel that your time and money could have been better spent elsewhere?
* Do you find these books to be very realistic? What aspects of dating/single life do you think they gloss over, and that really need to be addressed?
I'm looking forward to your recommendations and reviews!
And please, if you have a different view or opinion about the books/materials that have been discussed here, feel free to share how and why you see things differently. We all connect in different ways, so your point of view might be speaking to someone in a way that no one else could.
And, you might just convince me to read that Christian dating book I've never taken down off the shelf, simply out of the sheer stubborn belief that it won't state something I've already heard about 777 times.
I was talking with some friends today about the books singles often read regarding Christian dating (such as the infamous "I Kissed Dating Goodbye, which I have never read.) This book seems to be mentioned so often that I have purposely chosen not to read it (but hey, I might change my mind... someday.) I'm just someone who tends to run in the opposite direction when everyone says, "You need to read/see/do this!", because I usually find material like this to be a bit of a passing fad.
I think there comes a time in every Christian single's life when they are lovingly bombarded with a well-meaning list of Christian books regarding dating/romance/finding a purpose that would easily rival the Library of Congress.
And so, whether it be out of hope, obligation, or desperation, many of us finally give in - with, I'm guessing, mixed to sometimes downright frustrating results.
For instance, we talked about the absolutely insane "advice" some of these books give, such as, "Marriage will be A LOT easier if you marry the right person."
Because of course, it takes at least 3 PhD's in chemistry, biology, and rocket science in order to figure that one out . Surely, NONE of us singles would EVER have enough brains to be able to see that on our own.As we were discussing various titles we had either chosen to read or had been nearly forcibly subjected to, one woman summed it up perfectly, "Oh, I've been through that 'Single Ladies Christian Book Phase,' too."
It's the time in nearly every single Christian's life where they eagerly scoop up any Christian dating/romance/marriage/family book they can get their hands on, all hoping to meet their "right one" before they even finish page 2 (which happens to be the Introduction.)
And when you find that reading all that good Christian advice (which starts repeat itself around page 7) STILL hasn't landed you the Godly Person of Your Dreams, you pick up yet another title, only to find it's like a Never-Ending Christian Infomercial that carries you around the dating merry (marry)-o-round... all. over. again.
And so, you find yourself with nothing else to hold on to... except, of course, the next Recommended Reading title at the end of the book you just finished.
Have you gone through "The Single's Christian Book" phase, too? How did it go, or how has it been going, for you?
PLEASE NOTE, I AM BY NO MEANS TRYING TO CUT DOWN OR CRITICIZE THESE BOOKS OR ANYONE WHO CHOOSES TO READ THEM. Maybe you can recommend some titles or aspects of these books that have truly been inspiring to you, which I'm sure would help the rest of us as well.
But as someone who's been part of the singles scene for a few years, I have to wonder if I'm the only one who gets more than a little frustrated by the same (and frankly, not very helpful) "Christian" material that is constantly being repeated, repackaged, and re-preached into yet another "bestseller" that we are told to add to our ever growing "must-read" list.
How about the rest of you?
* What books about love, romance, dating, marriage, etc. from a Christian perspective have you read?
* What books/advice did you find helpful, and what things (if any) made you feel that your time and money could have been better spent elsewhere?
* Do you find these books to be very realistic? What aspects of dating/single life do you think they gloss over, and that really need to be addressed?
I'm looking forward to your recommendations and reviews!
And please, if you have a different view or opinion about the books/materials that have been discussed here, feel free to share how and why you see things differently. We all connect in different ways, so your point of view might be speaking to someone in a way that no one else could.
And, you might just convince me to read that Christian dating book I've never taken down off the shelf, simply out of the sheer stubborn belief that it won't state something I've already heard about 777 times.
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