Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge
Captivating is the complimentary book for women to the book Wild at Heart for men by John Eldredge. In it the Eldredges describe the things that every woman longs for: to reveal beauty, to be romanced, and to be a part of a great adventure. They dig down to examine things like why little girls like to twirl around and play dress up. Another component is the discussion of relationships and how women are very much relationally oriented and many times define their well being by how their relationships are going. These may include relationships with friends, a husband/significant other, those they act as a mother to (whether their own children or other people), or their relationships as a daughter.
The Eldredges describe how vital it is that a woman develops foremost her relationship with God and fills up the desires of their heart with Him rather than seeking it from other relationships whether those be their husband, children, parents, or friends. Ultimately, they must get those heart desires answered by The Bridegroom.
Throughout the book, they use examples from both the Bible and popular movies/books. Some may be uncomfortable with the large number of examples from fiction vis a vis strictly Biblical examples. My feeling was that some of the examples from fictional stories may help the reader gain a perspective on femininity from stories they enjoy outside of the Bible.
I was not able to personally identify with some of the components of the book but believe it would be a good read for any female to gain a greater understanding of the desires of her heart or men who want a glimpse into how women work.
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