The Book That Calls Me

  The book calls to me. When I read this author's words I feel like I am breathing again.


 His book called, and I answered it last summer. What new and amazing story was about to unfold before me? What writing techniques would I learn from him? His last book was like magic, and I was anticipating sparks again.


 As soon as I got home from the library, I began to read, and his writing was just as amazing as his other book. But it was also filled with profanities. Not one or two randomly sprinkled in the book, but a ton of them on the first few pages, like they were going to be their own character in the book. I skimmed ahead and there was more. I looked even further, and the swear words hadn't stopped. And I knew in my heart that I could not read this book. I made myself return it unread, though I longed to know the story on its pages.


 Six months passed. The book still called to me. And with that beckoning came the excuses. It couldn't be that bad. You're remembering it wrong. It will help you become a better writer. Stop being so ultra conservative. It's just a few swear words. You know you want to, so just do it.


 So I checked it out again, excited to read it. I read my other book first, always one to save the best for last. Then I pulled it out ready to savor all of the clever words riding on the magical plot. But it was smothered in swear words. Swear words that didn't stop after page three. Swear words that were continuously repeated. And I felt the Holy Spirit telling me to stop.


 There is a book that calls to me. It sings a haunting melody that I want to hear. It tempts me with the promise of genius writing techniques hidden within its pages. But I will never know that technique or hear that melody, even though it calls my name.

Book Review: Who Has Your Heart?

Synopsis

 Who Has Your Heart? by Emily Ryan is a book

written for single women on how to practically live a

godly life, using the story of Jephtha's daughter

in Judges 11. Jephtha vows to God that the first thing to come out of his house when he returns from war will be given to God as a burnt sacrifice. Sadly, the first to greet him is his daughter. Taking the point of view that Jephtha's daughter's sacrifice is figurative (remaining a virgin her entire life) Emily Ryan uses this young woman's journey as an example for how single women should live their life.

What I Liked

I loved Emily Ryan's honesty. I loved how she desribes
the story of Ruth in the Bible. "...Not to sound bitter, but I haven't even had one chance at love and marriage, and this lady gets two!" (29). Because though Ruth has a beautiful story that points us to Christ, our kinsman redeemer, I have often felt the same way. Also, I loved her honesty in the personal story she shared about her sister marrying before her.


 Finally, I loved her conversational writing style. I felt like she was an older sister talking to me, sharing her story, and trying to help me with mine. Not preachy, but loving. Not judging, but accepting.

What I Didn't Like

Emily Ryan says in her book that as a single woman, she was looking for a role modal in the Bible, but everyone was married, except Jephtha's daughter, so she became Emily Ryan's inspiration. But my question is what about Jesus? Isn't Jesus our standard, our perfect example, and our Savior? Why did she pick Jephtha's daughter who is mentioned in only one chapter of Judges when she could have picked Jesus, the theme of the entire Bible? I understand the desire for a female Biblical role model, which is probably the reason why Emily Ryan chose Jephtha's daughter, but Jesus made us and died for us. I think he is more than capable of understanding women. Jesus also remained single for his entire life, making Him in my mind the perfect role modal for a single woman and anything else in my life I will face.


  Also, the book goes through Jephtha's daughter's story, each verse and aspect of her character how single women should live their lives. I agree with the principles Emily Ryan is teaching and did learn from them, but felt that it was a huge stretch relating it so closely to Jephtha's daughter's story. For example, the Bible says in Judges 11:34, "Then Jephthah came to his home at Mizpah. And behold, his daughter came out to meet him with tambourines and dances" (ESV). Emily Ryan notes that "Jephtha's daughter knew her identity. She was a tambourine player. And because she knew who she was, she also knew what she was to do" (50). This is referring to the fact that as Jephtha's daughter was a tambourine player and therefore played the tambourine, we need to know who we are (single) and know what we are supposed to do instead of chasing after things that are not ours to do. A good lesson, but one that was lost on me because of the somewhat corny message taken from one verse in the Bible that may or may not have been its' purpose.

Conclusion

 In conclusion, Who Has Your Heart? was a good read and not a bad or un-biblical book. I have no regrets reading it and was encouraged to know that my thoughts are not that different from other single girls. But I would recommend choosing another book about singleness if that is a topic you are searching for. There are many other books about singleness that I have found to be more worth my time that I hope to share with you in the future! 

10 Things to Expect at College

 

 1. Expect to be nervous

     You are in a new situation with new people, a new stage of life, and maybe you are far away from home and family. But don't worry, because every other freshman will be just as nervous as you.

2. Expect to be clueless 

     Every freshman that enters a college campus for the first time has to learn the ropes. But use this to your advantage. Ask questions. Ask for help. Learn about all of your possibilities now while all of your fellow freshman are also clueless. You won't be alone.

3. Expect to make lifelong friends

    Over the next four years you will make wonderful friends. Friends that are completely different from you, friends that compliment you, friends that could be your long lost twin. You will love them all and will weep at your graduation when you all go separate ways.

4. Expect to lose friends

    College is a transitional time of life. Students leave school. Students transfer. Schedules change. One semester you will see certain people every day. The next semester you won't see them at all. It is only natural that some friendships sadly fade.

5. Expect to have fun

   This is the one time in your life you will be treated like an adult but you can still act like a kid. Marco Polo in the hallway. Dorm pranks. Sledding on whatever you can find to sit on in whatever clothes you don't mind getting ruined. Take full advantage of this.

6. Expect to work hard

  Though you will play hard, you will also work hard. Actually read those textbooks. Start those papers at least two weeks before they're due. Make the library your second home. College is a lot of money and an amazing opportunity that shouldn't be wasted. Though it gets hard and you will want to quit (especially during finals week) don't give up. Someday you will miss the luxury of academic studying, so don't miss this opportunity.

8. Expect to succeed

   College may be scary and weird at first, but you can make it and there are so many people to help you succeed. Your parents, your friends, and even your professors all want to see you succeed and are on your side as long as you do your best.

9. Expect to fail

   You may not fail a class. You may not drop out of school. But you may get a lower grade than you wanted. You may not get a second job interview, You may forget a lunch date. You may get sick and fail an exam. There will be times when you can't do it and fail. But you will get back up.

10. Expect to be nervous, clueless, make lifelong friends, lose friends, have fun, work hard, succeed, and fail over and over again throughout your college years. 

    Because college is like life. We are always learning, making mistakes, and trying again. As soon as you are a college graduate, (aka completely knowledgeable in all things of the college world), you may have to navigate the work force, become a freshman again at graduate school, or enter the foreign world of marriage. And you can expect to be nervous, clueless, make lifelong friends, lose friends, have fun, work hard, succeed, and fail over and over again for the rest of your life.