What Are You Waiting For? by Dannah Gresh (giveaway post)

To be honest, I'm not quite sure what to make of What Are You Waiting For?, the latest book by Dannah Gresh. (I'm pretty certain I read And the Bride Wore White way back when, but since I wasn't writing a blog or keeping a book list at the time, I'm not totally certain. But I'm pretty sure.

I don't really know what to make of this book because she is far less discrete in her presentation than I would choose to be. However, when offered a copy by Waterbrook Multnomah, I thought it would be an interesting title to read and discuss. Now that I've read it, I'm at a loss for how to discuss it. Because yes, I choose to be very discrete when it comes to the topic of sex. I am so not the type that you would sit down with and gab about particulars with in any form or fashion. I become incredibly uncomfortable around people who discuss any aspect of it in the same manner as if they are talking about making pancakes. Prudish? Some would say so. I choose to use the word discrete and like it that way. That said, when I sat down to read this book, I felt like I was at a table full of women without hesitations or restraint in talking about sex. (See? At least I can type the word. It took me awhile to get there!) And because I would never choose that type of conversation for myself, I felt uncomfortable. That - and I am very. clearly. not the target audience for this book.

Dannah Gresh wrote What Are You Waiting For?: The One Thing No One Ever Tells You About Sex specifically for high school girls and college aged students who are pondering what is Biblically allowed in this department and what is not. She references the Greek words used in scripture to talk about knowing and being known and how we can guard our hearts and emotions by understanding how God designed a relationship between a man and a woman to be. Honestly, I have no qualms with anything she said at all and would support the message to the audience she is talking to. Hence I'm willing to write about this book (and host a giveaway for it.) I think it is relevant to females in society and fully acknowledge that my social circle was different than others growing up. I did not face the temptations or conversations that it would seem goes on, on a regular basis, on college campuses today. I discovered that there are a lot of glowing reviews of this title written by college girls that make me think this book hits the mark quite well. I'm just coming at it from a different background and a different perspective which makes it harder for me to connect.

Her style of speech is different from my own. Her presentation is more blunt than I would personally prefer or feel comfortable with. She's just different. But the message? The message is abstinence and I think society could use a good dose of that kind of talk! When I look around at society I see girls whose hearts have been broken needlessly and whose lives have gone down different paths than they might have hoped. Why? Because they bought into the message than having sex is "no big deal" and is just about fun and doesn't mean anything. Waiting to build an intimate relationship with a spouse is considered old fashioned, as is the idea of marriage in general. Because this book takes the idea of marriage and the marital relationship seriously, I find it useful and necessary.

Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group has offered an extra copy of this book to one of my readers here and if this is a book that you think you would be interested in reading, please leave a comment below. This contest will be open through Tuesday, February 15th and is open to U.S. Residents only.

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. THE WINNER (as selected by random.org) IS #16 - KATIE Congratulations!

Is this book good for conversation? Yes. But just don't try to engage me in one. Again, the whole discrete thing. I think this book is better for others, but I just had a hard time with the presentation of the material for myself.