Lessons Learned

by Kaitlin Casey

August 12, 2012

@kaitlinmcasey

I picked this book because God has put the subject of singleness on my heart lately. I've come to the realization that marriage has been an idol in my life. Claire & Eli, the co-authors of this book, had similar experiences. This isn't your typical I Kissed Dating Goodbye or how to keep your heart & mind pure before you walk down the aisle. Please note, I really do love Josh Harris' writing and I support his ideas. I also believe modern day singles need a few lessons in emotion and physical purity. This book on the other hand offers a different perspective.

Most young-adult marriage / purity / dating books focus on "don't do anything in this list, just focus on Christ." For Claire & Eli, their point of view (as far as I can tell) is "let's remove marriage from our closet-shrines and focus on Christ." The important aspect of this book is that it brings our attention back to Christ and what He did for us.

However, this book did not offer all that I expected (and wanted) it too. First, it was disorganized. I did not understand the order of stories and lessons offered. The introduction stated that this was intentional... Well, it was simply distracting for me. The fastest way to lose my interest in a book is for it to be disorganized. Ick. Second, the anonymity threw me off. I understand the desire for privacy. But, maybe you shouldn't write a book then. My point is that the anonymity makes me question the legitimacy of this book - that's all.

Overall, I loved Claire & Eli's message. I agree full heartedly that we should completely remove marriage as an "end goal." This book has also pushed me to start living as if I may never get married. Example: I've questioned whether or not to receive a Masters degree, just in case I get married, have kids, stay at home, etc. Now I say, why not get a Masters degree in education??

In addition, there were several times where I noticed how my thoughts and beliefs about marriage became distorted through my journey of Christianity. So my final recommendation is to read this book. Just try it. You may not like every aspect of it, but I guarantee there will be at least one lesson learned.

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Here's a quick disclaimer: every thought & opinion posted here is my own. I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Also, be sure to check out the first chapter of this book FOR FREE here!