"Julie, quit trying to be Greg's Holy Spirit. Allow me to change in you the things needing change, and allow me to change in Greg the things I desire to change. God's message, through not heard audibly, echoed loudly through my soul. His message resonated within me, I alone am God. I have called you to be Greg's helper (small "h"), not his Holy Spirit."
Wow! If that were the only thing I read in this book I would walk away with a message my heart needed to hear for years! But there's more. This book is one that every woman needs to read. Every young girl approaching dating age. Every young man who is getting ready to date and for every man who has been married and is still trying to figure it all out. This book is for everyone who will love and be loved.
Julie is totally transparent within these pages. She opens up her life for a world to see just how her Jesus has moved in her life to bring her from the young girl who once searched for affirmation to the woman searching for a fulfilling love in men who were not meant to be her prince.
This book is powerful and poignant. Julie doesn't leave out anything. She lays it all out for us. Words that we have needed to hear. Words that will set us free. Like Julie I didn't hear these words from my mother. I heard words much different. Words that caused me to travel down a road searching for a love to fill me. A love to make me feel important and needed. I had a father that I didn't hear the words, "I love you", from until he was close to his battles end with cancer. I knew he loved me, but my heart so needed to hear those words. There were no hugs or kisses goodnight in my home growing up. I missed valuable lessons on what love is suppose to be by witnessing what it wasn't. Yes, I was that girl with a distorted view of what love was and what I was suppose to do for love.
Julie takes us on a journey to finding ourselves in the arms of Jesus, our Prince, our Daddy, our first Love. She shows us that through Him we find a love that cannot compare. Here are just a few of Julie's words that stirred my heart deeply.
"In spite of growing up n a churchgoing family, promiscuity plagued my teenage years. In my hunt for compassion, I crossed lines I never intended to cross. Each instance diminished my self-worth and lured me into a deeper darkness of isolation and despair. My early twenties compounded my desperation to find love. I was so eager for acceptance that I fell in love with the idea of being in love, marrying the first man who proposed. In my desperation, I settled for someone God never intended."
"As a single woman, you may compromise your standards to accommodate a relationship. You may occasionally lower your standards and settle for someone God never intended for your life. Why? Because you don't want to be alone? Because your relationship is convenient? Because you need companionship?"
Julie's husband, Greg, shares some powerful words too!!
"I'm not saying you should dumb down what you want from your husband-quite the contrary. Don't "settle". But also take the time to ask God to give you the man of your dreams. None of us are Jesus, but the man God has for you will stretch you and complement you. Wait for him; he's worth it."
Within these pages we find chapters that speak about the lies we believe. "A Man Will Validate My Worth", "A Man Will Rescue Me", "A Man Will Never Let Me Down", "Men Only Want One Thing", "I Can Change Him", "I Can Control Him", "It's All His Fault", "All Men Are Perverts", "Men Are the Enemy", and "A Man Will Satisfy the Longing of My Soul".
Julie shares two truths we need to understand. "God Loves You Passionately", and "Men Are Worth Celebrating!".
One of my favorite aspects of this book are the letters from the Father. We are daughters of the King of kings and Lord of lords. He has nothing but greatness created for us. Through His Word we see what love is. We are valued through Him, not through men.
Julie shares scripture and quotes from others that complete these wonderful book. This is one of those books that is set apart from others. I wish I had enough of these books on hand to share with every young woman I know. This is a valuable tool for reaching women with the love of Christ. I encourage you to pick this book up. Julie is that girl you want to share coffee with and through her writing style at times it very much feels as if she is right there with you, opening up her heart, and sharing the love she has found to be true through her Jesus.
This book was a gift from Julie Gorman for sharing my review with you.
Julie Gorman is the founder of For Your Inspiration (FYI), a faith-based organization committed to strengthening the pillars common to every woman's life. She is certified by Dr. John C. Maxwell as an executive coach, trainer, and speaker, and graduated Summa Cum Laude from Central Bible College in Springfield, MO. Julie, a prolific blogger and writer, makes her home in southern Florida with her husband, Greg, and their three children.
