Captivating

Thank you to Extravagant Grace (http://www.extravagantgrace.net/) for your post on the book Captivating.  This book has also changed my life and has been a defining moment in my christian walk with God.  Your every word resonated with my soul, so I would like to take this opportunity to share it on my blog also......

Few books have had a greater impact on me than one written by John and Stasi Eldredge.  Captivating* unleashed the healing work the Lord began through revealing the truths of Scripture with emotional and physical application.

Over the last 2 years, I have had the honour and privilege of facilitating a Captivating course 3 times and I am currently half way through my 4th time.  I would recommend this course to every women.  We usually have a group of women up to ten at a time and meet weekly for ten weeks.  The course involves watching a 45 minute DVD with Stasi and her friends navigating their feelings towards the complexities of a women's heart.  We then discuss different questions which lead us to a deeper level in God and our relationship with Him.

The very words and examples penned in Captivating translated into definitions for principles the Spirit of God was revealing to me over a period of years.  The confirmation was life-changing, providing a launching point to move forward in spiritual and emotional growth.

In the chapter entitled, "Wounded," they write,

"Our wounds strike at the core of our femininity.  The damage done to our feminine hearts through the wounds we received is made much worse by the horrible things we believe about ourselves as a result.  As children, we didn't have the faculties to process and sort through what was happening to us.  Our parents were godlike.  We believed them to be right.  If we were overwhelmed or belittled or hurt or abused, we believe that somehow it was because of us--the problem was with us."

This was a life-changing perspective:  to acknowledge that my thinking was shaped so many years earlier and that the process of changing my life habits now -- the ones working against me -- begins with finding God's truth to replace the lies I built my life upon.

The Eldredge's not only identify how we ended up "here," but also give clear instruction in how to move forward.  Each chapter is rich in Biblical teaching, examples, and hope.

I believe that every single woman, from the age of 14 through 104, should read Captivating.  God will use it to change her heart and fill her with compassion, enabling her to touch the hearts and souls of those women around her as she minister's His truth in love.

If you would like to follow Stasi Eldridge's blog or find out about her course, follow this link http://blog.ransomedheart.com/