The Bare Naked Truth
Whew! It has been a while since I've posted.
But this read was worth coming out of the woodwork for. I'd never heard of Bekah Hamrick Martin before requesting to review her book as part of a Litfuse blog tour. Then I realized that it's because this is her first book! Yay! Now I think I might have to keep her on my reading list. Her and many of the women she spotlighted in her book.
Bekah's book outlines the ten lies the world tells us about sex and waiting for marriage. Every chapter has a spotlight or two (stories from another perspective/person), a quiz, and journal prompts. While some of the stories and references are tied together across chapters, the topics or sections could easily be used as stand-alone conversation starters for a small group or discussion with a teen. She ends with references and information about each spotlighted individual.
It's not a secret to most of you who have read this blog for some time that I was not an innocent teen or young woman. It's also not a secret that I have a beautiful, precocious, spoiled-rotten little girl. Four, going-on-sixteen (as she informed me the other day). So, if you know those two things, you can probably easily infer that I am terrified that my little girl will make the same mistakes I did. I pray daily over her. I pray for her safety and her innocence. Pray that she will make Bible-based, healthier, more-informed choices than I did. I also pray those things for my two boys... but in a different way. It's a scary thing to be a parent....
God hasn't just placed my little girl on my heart. He has blessed me with the gift of being a part of the lives of quite a few girls over the years, as a Missionettes leader. As I watch my girls grow the three years they are with me and part with them at the end of their fifth grade year, my heart longs for them to grow into young women who follow His plan for their lives and never have pain or suffering or temptation. But that's just plain naive and I, of all people, should know that.
I've requested other books on how to talk with teens, how to raise kids who are confident in God's plan for them, etc. I've requested them because I want to be prepared for discussions with the girls I lead and have a game plan for discussions with my kids as they grow up. This book was unique to me, because Bekah is talking just to teen girls. She talks in a way that is plain, blunt, honest and engaging. She lightens up really heavy topics... especially the ones we avoid the most... like *gasp* masturbation *blush* with random, funny parallels about spray-on tans and beady-eyed squirrels. She is sarcastic and serious in a way that I think teens would appreciate.
Although, I'm not a teen anymore, I attempted to read this book with the attitude of a teenage girl. There were times, at the beginning that I kind of rolled my eyes and tried to stay cool without admitting I was a little interested. Her footnotes weirded me out at first, and then I found myself purposely going back and reading through them for a second snicker. (Do teens snicker?) By the time I was on Lie #5, I was hooked. Not only was I reading, I was reflecting on my own life.
Then my brain snapped back into adult mode. I realized that this book was good, not only to read as an adult wanting to have a better focus on how to talk to and pray for teen girls, but also as a book to recommend and hand out to girls with questions. This isn't the cross-stitched pamphlet our moms handed us about purity and our period. This is real and honest and down to the nitty gritty. We can't avoid the topics that make us blush or gloss over the grit, and I appreciate that Bekah laid it all out there when she wrote this book. I appreciate her and all the women who had the courage to tell their stories.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Litfuse book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
But this read was worth coming out of the woodwork for. I'd never heard of Bekah Hamrick Martin before requesting to review her book as part of a Litfuse blog tour. Then I realized that it's because this is her first book! Yay! Now I think I might have to keep her on my reading list. Her and many of the women she spotlighted in her book.
Bekah's book outlines the ten lies the world tells us about sex and waiting for marriage. Every chapter has a spotlight or two (stories from another perspective/person), a quiz, and journal prompts. While some of the stories and references are tied together across chapters, the topics or sections could easily be used as stand-alone conversation starters for a small group or discussion with a teen. She ends with references and information about each spotlighted individual.
It's not a secret to most of you who have read this blog for some time that I was not an innocent teen or young woman. It's also not a secret that I have a beautiful, precocious, spoiled-rotten little girl. Four, going-on-sixteen (as she informed me the other day). So, if you know those two things, you can probably easily infer that I am terrified that my little girl will make the same mistakes I did. I pray daily over her. I pray for her safety and her innocence. Pray that she will make Bible-based, healthier, more-informed choices than I did. I also pray those things for my two boys... but in a different way. It's a scary thing to be a parent....
God hasn't just placed my little girl on my heart. He has blessed me with the gift of being a part of the lives of quite a few girls over the years, as a Missionettes leader. As I watch my girls grow the three years they are with me and part with them at the end of their fifth grade year, my heart longs for them to grow into young women who follow His plan for their lives and never have pain or suffering or temptation. But that's just plain naive and I, of all people, should know that.
I've requested other books on how to talk with teens, how to raise kids who are confident in God's plan for them, etc. I've requested them because I want to be prepared for discussions with the girls I lead and have a game plan for discussions with my kids as they grow up. This book was unique to me, because Bekah is talking just to teen girls. She talks in a way that is plain, blunt, honest and engaging. She lightens up really heavy topics... especially the ones we avoid the most... like *gasp* masturbation *blush* with random, funny parallels about spray-on tans and beady-eyed squirrels. She is sarcastic and serious in a way that I think teens would appreciate.
Although, I'm not a teen anymore, I attempted to read this book with the attitude of a teenage girl. There were times, at the beginning that I kind of rolled my eyes and tried to stay cool without admitting I was a little interested. Her footnotes weirded me out at first, and then I found myself purposely going back and reading through them for a second snicker. (Do teens snicker?) By the time I was on Lie #5, I was hooked. Not only was I reading, I was reflecting on my own life.
Then my brain snapped back into adult mode. I realized that this book was good, not only to read as an adult wanting to have a better focus on how to talk to and pray for teen girls, but also as a book to recommend and hand out to girls with questions. This isn't the cross-stitched pamphlet our moms handed us about purity and our period. This is real and honest and down to the nitty gritty. We can't avoid the topics that make us blush or gloss over the grit, and I appreciate that Bekah laid it all out there when she wrote this book. I appreciate her and all the women who had the courage to tell their stories.
I'm so glad you enjoyed the book. Thanks for sharing! Bekah
ReplyDeleteBekah - Very much! After a lot of praying, I have agreed to move up to lead our high school Girls Only group... I will definitely have this book with me! Thank you!
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