Captivating

I've been told to read the author of this book, Captivating, for a few years. The name of his first book escapes me right now, but the authors are John ad Stasi Eldridge. At first I thought this was going to be an allegorical book and wasn't interested when my friend Daks told me about it a few months ago. I didn't want to read another Hind's Feet on High Places or The Chronicles of Narnia. While these are fabulous reads, I need something that is non-fiction and talks about the Christian walk. A week or so ago, I was urged by the Spirit to go to Barnes and Noble after work and sit there and read a few pages of Captivating. The other B&Ns I've gone to never had it in stock, but somehow I knew this one would. And I found out in the first two pages it is nothing at all what I expected. In the week I've been reading this, I'm on Chapter 6 or 7, it is definitely a good read for both men and women, though this book is written for women. Needless to say, I have been "captivated" (grin) by the book.

Though I have been reading this as a cover to cover book right now, it is not really a book to do that with. Anyone reading it should ponder the truths written... slowly. There is so much to consider and it does no justice to read it in one or two sittings. Especially when you are so caught up with nodding your head "yes, that's exactly how I feel" and miss the points being made. The first few pages I read, lumps started forming in my throat. And in the privacy of my car a few days later while waiting for church to get out, tears formed. This book examines the heart of a woman and explores some of our deepest needs. The bottom line that I can already see will be echoed through the rest of this book ? GOD FINDS US (women) CAPTIVATING !!! From what I read so far in this book, Wild at Heart is just like this (but written for men) so I'll read that next. It can only help me. :)

I had to kind of laugh at one section in the book when the authors were talking about Adam and Eve. I already have decided that after talking to Peter the apostle when I get to heaven, the first person I want to talk to is Eve. Why Eve, you ask? Why not Adam, King David, Paul, or Moses? Or, even my grandmothers? Isn't Adam the one who started this whole sin thing? I think the contrary. I'm not saying this to pick on women (hehe), but it was actually Eve... Eve is the one who took the first bite if you recall. Though I will admit that Adam had a big part in it and could have stopped her from making the biggest mistake of their lives. I had never noticed this before. Genesis 3:6 says "When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it." I definitely want to comment more on this, but I will take care of this in future blogs. I also want to outline Captivating, chapter by chapter, but that will be in two weeks or so.

* allegorical: Merriam Webster defines this as "having hidden spiritual meaning that transcends the literal sense of a sacred text"