Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul

Every woman was once a little girl. And every little girl holds in her heart her most precious dreams. She longs to be swept up into a romance, to play an irreplaceable role in a great adventure, to be the Beauty of the story. And yet―how many women do you know who ever find that life? Most women think they have to settle for a life of efficiency and duty, striving to be the women they "ought" to be but often feeling they have failed. Sadly, too many messages for Christian women add to the pressure. "Do these ten things, and you will be a godly woman." The effect has not been good on the feminine soul. The message of Captivating is this: Your heart matters more than anything else in all creation. The desires you had as a little girl and the longings you still feel are telling you of the life God created you to live. He offers to rescue your heart and release you to live as a fully alive and feminine woman. A woman who is truly captivating. Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly John Eldredge became the Robert Bly of evangelicalism with his blockbuster Wild at Heart. Now he teams up with his wife, Stasi, to encourage women to connect with their deepest desires. To facilitate this, the Eldredges reveal in the first chapter what every woman's three core desires are: to be romanced, to play a role in her own adventures and to display beauty. (This formula will be familiar to Eldredge's fans, as Wild at Heart offered a similar tripartite model of men's desires.) The rest of the book is an extended reflection on these three impulses. Drawing heavily on popular films to prove their points, the Eldredges warn that most women tend to become either controlling or needy. Godly women, in contrast, should see God as the ultimate lover, and look to Eve (and not, say, J. Lo) as their model. Also, women should form close, intimate friendships with one another, à la Ruth and Naomi or the ladies in Fried Green Tomatoes. These are all unoriginal themes, which evangelical women's writers have been recycling for years. Christian readers who embrace a robust egalitarianism will not find the Eldredges' perspective congenial. Regardless, the book is likely to fly off the shelves, purchased by all those women who gave Wild at Heart to their husbands, brothers and dads. (Apr. 14) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Review "Authors John and Stasi Eldredge interpret their own work with a brisk cadence that switches from John's clear tones and pitch to Stasi's youthful, vibrant vocal personality. Their energetic delivery captures their feminine view of women in relation to God with contrasting voices that match voice to mood with a male-female technique. Their depiction of assorted characters from movies and books supports their theories, which seem to border on pop psychology, rather than biblical content. They deftly deliver vivid but simple character sketches with a versatile range and skill that humanize God as a "lover" and "romancer." Their lightly accented enunciation animates and freshens the entire reading, which emphasizes their woman-centered point of view." G.D.W. ® AudioFile Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.