Between Modesty and Marriage

Topical Resource List (Revised 03-18-2005)


Modesty

Beautiful Girlhood, by Karen Andreola. Great Expectations, 1993. First penned decades ago by Mabel Hale, this classic primer for becoming ladylike has been gently edited by Karen and improved with today's conservative Christian girls in mind--though the elegant prose and timeless morals remain the same. Preteens will learn about friendship, modesty, honesty, ambition, and much more. This edition is widely embraced by the homeschool community!

Christian Modesty and the Public Undressing of America, by Jeff Pollard. Vision Forum, 2003. The Church is being destroyed by sacred cows. A "sacred cow" is an untouchable subject that we are not supposed to discuss. To do so impinges upon another's "Christian liberty." Certainly, there are few sacred cows quite as sacred as the right of modern Christians to dress however they please. But in this groundbreaking work, Jeff Pollard challenges us to embrace God's standard and to understand the historical roots of the rise of nudity and immodesty in modern culture. His perspective is thoughtful and balanced. Most importantly, he accomplishes what few authors on this subject have achieved: a treatise that avoids both license and legalism. A courageous booklet.

The Companion Guide to Beautiful Girlhood. Shelley Noonan, Faithworks Publications. Mothers and mentors of today are both desperately searching for ways to cultivate a closer relationship and instill godly character into the young women in their lives. This book fills this need. This flexible study tool was designed to amplify the godly wisdom given in either version of the Christian classic, Beautiful Girlhood. Thirty-two character training lessons, Bible study and activities, and journaling exercises create memorable moments for girls, age 9-14, on their journey into womanhood.

Life Lessons from the Princess and the Kiss. Jennie Bishop and Susan Henson. Life Action Ministries, 2004. This book is a companion guide to The Princess and the Kiss that will help plant the seeds of purity in the heart of your precious princess. This easy-to-use study guide covers biblical life lessons on relationships, the gift of purity, God's plans for marriage (or singleness) and other lessons in a non-threatening and age-appropriate way. These life lessons are short, practical studies packed with activities and biblical wisdom. They contain truths that every young girl needs to know as she grows. You can use this tool to help your princess build a godly heritage. Suggested age: 6 and up.

My Heart Belongs to Him, by Nancy Butkowski and Leslie Barner. Family Life. To whom will your heart belong? Your peers are tugging on your heart to influence your beliefs about who you are and what you stand for. Can you feel the pull to look a certain way, to act a certain way, or to hang around certain people in order to fit in or belong? God Himself is also tugging on your heart. He's calling you to be different, to rise above society's standards and to make a difference in your world. He's calling you to courageous womanhood! This unique study has been designed for you and your mom to work through together! You are sure to grow closer to each other and to God as you explore topics such as self-esteem, radiating true beauty, communication and conflict resolution, choosing friends wisely, peer pressure, guarding your purity, music and movie choices, and managing time wisely. For young women ages 11-16. There is a separate mother’s guide and a daughter’s guide.

The Princess and the Kiss. Jennie Bishop. Warner Press, 2000. This is a marvelous parable of God's gift of purity that will touch the heart of parent and child alike. A loving king and queen present their daughter with a special gift from God—her first kiss—to keep or to give away. There is much to be learned as you observe the wise young princess following the counsel of her parents, keeping her kiss safe for the man she will perhaps someday marry. This simple story reveals that purity is a special gift from God which is given to every precious princess. It will also help every king and queen begin to explain the importance and beauty of a pure heart to their little princess, and it will encourage her in her pursuit and desire for purity. Suggested age: 3 and up.

The Secret Keeper: The Delicate Power of Modesty, by Dannah Gresh. Moody Press, 2002. Low-rise jeans, belly-button rings, backless shirts, bare midriffs---immodesty is today's fashion statement. It's also a sin, says Gresh, but you can help your daughters learn the lost art---and power---of modesty. Discover the connection between external appearance and internal humility; and why God cares about every aspect of our lives, including clothes. Find Dannah’s website at www.purefreedom.org.

Secret Keeper Girl Kit: 8 Great Dates for You and Your Daughter, Dannah Gresh. Moody. Secret Keeper Girl promises to be one of the greatest tools contemporary moms have to connect with their 8-12 year-old daughters while at the same time teaching them vital truth about beauty in a world that bombards them with lies. But don’t count on this Bible study to feel like homework! Secret Keeper Girl is the most fun you and your daughter will ever have digging into God’s Word together. (Think: facials, tea parties, shopping challenges.)

The Squire and the Scroll, by Jennie Bishop. Warner Press, 2004. A sequel (for boys) to "The Princess and the Kiss," this captivating adventure follows a young squire who travels a long, dangerous road beside his brave knight, on a quest for their king. The action builds until the final face-off with the monstrous, evil dragon. Only then does the squire learn of the secret beyond the cave that ends in a joyous celebration for the entire kingdom. Children will gain valuable insight as they learn, along with the young squire, what it means to face the dangers of temptation, and what it takes to guard one's heart from all that is impure.

Total Image: Personal Development Inside and Out, by Linda Murphy. Winepress Publishing. Girls, do you tend to spend most of your time focusing on your outward beauty? Have you considered how a person can become inwardly beautiful too? This book brings into harmony the two parts that compose a person's beauty--the inner and outer person. Starting with the outer girl, Total Image covers practical, hands-on activities to build confidence in the areas of clothing, hair, posture, skin care, and make-up. It teaches skills for social situations, public speaking, etiquette, and making friends. The heart of Total Image, and its most important aspect, teaches you how to discover your true identity in Jesus Christ and build "God-confidence." Learn biblical principles on modesty, forgiveness, dating, love, sex, and living a balanced life. The Total Image philosophy is that outward beauty can only truly shine when the inward heart is dedicated to God. This book can be used individually or in a group setting. The true life examples, bullet points, and quizzes create and easy-to-follow guide to creating your total image.


Emotional and Physical Purity

A Passion for Purity. Carla A. Stephens. In this powerfully insightful book, Carla Stephens reveals the meaning of, and God's original purpose for virginity. By showing girls that their mind is where virginity starts, readers will be ready to fight temptation by taking control of their thoughts. Through Scripture, personal testimony, and practical illustrations, she shatters the stigma of being a virgin and outlines the steps necessary to keep readers focused on God and all that He has for them. For middle age girls

Against the Tide: A Curriculum Guide to Raise Virtuous Children in Today's World. Generations of Virtue (Julie Hiramine and Megan Briggs). God calls His people to be set apart from the world; more importantly, God calls us to be sanctified. In a passionate effort to accomplish this requirement, Julie Hiramine and Megan Briggs have organized a curriculum guide for the preschool to fourth grade years designed to train your children in purity and to solidify the process of character development. Against the Tide is a year-by-year guide covering the basics of where babies come from, modesty, manners, and character development through assignments from resources Generations of Virtue feels are on key with God's design for relationships and eventually courtship. This guide focuses on building a solid foundation for the road to biblical courtship.

And The Bride Wore White: Seven Secrets to Sexual Purity (Celebration Edition), by Dannah Gresh. Moody Press, 2004. With its conflicting and seductive messages, today's society is an intimidating environment for young women---especially regarding sexual intimacy. Gresh exposes our culture's lies about sex, teaches your daughters to resist peer pressure, and shows them the freedom from remorse that they’ll experience by maintaining sexual purity! Now filled with dozens of personal testimonies. There is also a leader's guide available which equips you to lead a group of girls through the book in the format of a ten-week Bible study or an overnight slumber-party-style retreat.

Emotional Purity: An Affair of the Heart, by Heather Paulsen. Winepress Publishing, 2001. After years of silent acceptance of the American dating culture, Christians are finally returning to biblical patterns of marriage preparation. Yet behind the rhetoric of terms like "courtship" and "betrothal" are important principles God has designed to safeguard young men and women. For example, we often hear about purity in relation to the body, but what about the heart? Proverbs 4:23 says, "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." But how does this passage practically work out in friendships between single men and women? In Emotional Purity: An Affair of the Heart, Heather Paulsen boldly addresses this unspoken and virtually undefined problem of "heart intimacy" that is rampant within "innocent" male/female relationships and offers practical solutions. A must for every parent and young man or woman.

Gift-Wrapped by God: Secret Answers to the Question “Why Wait?” Linda Dillow and Lorraine Pintus. Colorado Springs, Colorado: WaterBrook Press, 2002. Did you know that you and your purity are a gift? God gift-wrapped you from birth so that you could one day present the gift of your body to your husband. And no matter how that gift has been treated in the past, you can lovingly present it to your future mate with confidence and a clear conscience. Whether you’ve held onto your sexual innocence, have been prematurely sexually active, or have lost your purity through force, you can arrive at your wedding day-- and live out every day--sexually pure and whole.

No Apologies: The Truth About Life, Love, and Sex. Focus on the Family. Is there such a thing as "safe sex"? Why does the Bible say to wait until marriage? Is premarital sex really wrong? These are the questions today's teenagers are asking. Where do they find the answers? This powerful video from Focus on the Family offers frank, biblical answers to these and other troubling questions, with gripping testimonies and expert advice.

Passion and Purity: Learning to Bring Your Love Life Under Christ‘s Control. Elisabeth Elliot. Baker Books, 2002. In Passion and Purity, Elisabeth Elliot emphasizes the need to commit daily to Christ all matters of the heart and to wait upon Him. She teaches this often painful yet rewarding discipline by candidly tracing her love story with Jim Elliot as evidence that she has been there. Through letters, diary entries, and memories, she shares the temptations, difficulties, victories, and sacrifices of two young people whose commitment to Christ took priority over their love for each other. Passion and Purity gives honest direction in such areas as: loving passionately while remaining sexually pure, whether or not to marry, who is the right one, the man's and woman's role in relationships, how far is too far physically, and putting God's desires ahead of personal desires.

A Passion For Purity: Your Best Destiny in Mind, Body and Spirit. Carla Stephens. Harrison House, 2003. In this powerfully insightful book, Carla Stephens reveals the meaning of, and God's original purpose for virginity. By showing girls that their mind is where virginity starts, readers will be ready to fight temptation by taking control of their thoughts. Through Scripture, personal testimony, and practical illustrations, she shatters the stigma of being a virgin and outlines the steps necessary to keep readers focused on God and all that He has for them.

Passport to Purity--Weekend Retreat Kit. Dennis and Barbara Rainey. Family Life. Here's your preteen's ticket for a journey to maturity! Plan a "getaway" weekend, where you and your child will connect heart-to-heart on life's most intimate issues (puberty, dating, peer pressure). Help your preteen decide in advance what his/her convictions will be, based on God's Word. Includes parent/student manuals, commemorative passport, and four audio cassettes. Ages 10 to 15. There is a replacement kit for using with more than one child.

The Princess and the Kiss, by Jennie Bishop. Warner Press, 2000. This is a marvelous parable of God's gift of purity that will touch the heart of parent and child alike. A loving king and queen present their daughter with a special gift from God—her first kiss—to keep or to give away. There is much to be learned as you observe the wise young princess following the counsel of her parents, keeping her kiss safe for the man she will perhaps someday marry. This simple story reveals that purity is a special gift from God which is given to every precious princess. It will also help every king and queen begin to explain the importance and beauty of a pure heart to their little princess, and it will encourage her in her pursuit and desire for purity. Suggested age: 3 and up.

The Princess and the Kiss, Coloring Book. A story coloring book of God's gift of purity. This is a reproducible, intermediate, activity book.

The Princess and the Kiss, Diary. This diary is a companion to The Princess and the Kiss story book about God's gift of purity. The diary is a great way for girls to express themselves, record basic day-by-day thoughts, and reflect on the gift of purity that God has given them. All pages are lined and have gray ivy borders. At the bottom of each page is "1 Timothy 5:22 Keep yourself pure." Includes lock with two keys.

Quest for Love: True Stories of Passion and Purity by Elisabeth Elliot. Baker Books, 2002. In Quest for Love, the companion to Passion and Purity, Elisabeth Elliot shares many of the letters she has received from her readers. She responds to their confusion and heartfelt needs with sound, biblical guidance. She dusts off "antiquated" concepts such as commitment, integrity, honor, and servanthood and applies them to dating and singleness today. Intertwined with the questioning letters are hopeful stories of how men and women discovered love through God's direction. As you read their honest revelations, you'll be able to "discern the better way" by discovering what happened when they put their love life under the authority of Jesus Christ.

Setting a Paradigm for Purity: A Biblical Age Appropriate Approach to Purity for Parents of Preschool and Elementary Children. Julie Hiramine. Generations of Virtue. Founder and leader of Generations of Virtue, Julie Hiramine gives her biblically-centered and thoroughly researched advice regarding raising morally pure children. Mother of four girls, Julie shares her trials and triumphs concerning raising children in today's culture during her 90-minute discussion. On this CD, parents will learn what to talk about with their kids at every stage of development. Also included is information on how to set the paradigm for purity and courtship beginning in preschool, how parents can begin now to open the lines of communication in preparation for adolescence, and the art of media discernment.

Wait for Me, by Rebecca St. James. Thomas Nelson, 2002. Looking for a great role model for your teens? Here's Exhibit A--Grammy and Dove Award-winning pop superstar Rebecca St. James! Drawing on Scripture, pop culture, and the lyrics to her chart-topping song "Wait for Me," Rebecca speaks to teens where they are---including those who've already made mistakes----and shows why "waiting" is worth it.

Wait for Me Journal: Thoughts for My Husband. Rebecca St. James. Thomas Nelson, 2003. In her groundbreaking book Wait for Me, Rebecca St. James challenged young women to hold fast to their purity and to their hope of a husband worthy of that gift. The Wait for Me Journal is a place to collect the prayers, thoughts, hopes, and dreams a young woman has for the man she will one day marry.

Who Moved the Goal Post? by Bob Gresh with Dannah Gresh. Moody Press. This is one of the first books to address the subjects of mental temptation and pornography for the teen boys. In a casual and humorous writing style Bob Gresh exposes Satan's three sex lies, shares God's three powerful truths and outlines seven winning strategies to live by each day. Bob reveals his own struggles with rare transparency. Who Moved the Goal Post will challenge today's teen and college-aged young men to a life of integrity by helping them to understand that they are not alone. There is also a retreat leader’s guide available.

Why True Love Waits: A Definitive Guide Book on How to Help Your Kids Resist Sexual Pressure, by Josh McDowell. Tyndale House. It's no secret that our culture places immense pressure on young people to be sexually active before marriage. In this updated and revised edition of his classic Why Wait? McDowell equips parents and youth workers with information and answers to help kids resist; and provides teens with the reasons and benefits of remaining pure.

Why Wait? Pamphlet: 24 Reasons for Abstinence. Why Wait? gives twenty-four reasons for abstinence before marriage. This pamphlet makes people think twice before risking their health and happiness on sex outside of marriage. Includes twelve biblical reasons and twelve medical reasons for waiting. Emphasizes God's perfect plan for marriage and God's prohibition of sex outside of marriage. Shows sobering statistics on incurable sexually transmitted diseases. This pamphlet measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", and unfolds to 33". High school students as well as adults will appreciate this 12-paneled guide that fits inside a Bible cover.


Purity Jewelry

Princess Prayer Box Necklace. This is a precious gift to present to your little princess. It symbolizes God's gift of purity. It is also representative of a parent's love, desire, and prayer for their princess to choose a path of purity and to keep her "kiss" safe. The symbols on each side of this beautiful Prayer Box will help your princess remember key life lessons. It will also be a wonderful reminder of your love, support and prayers every time she wears this lovely necklace. The necklace and 18" round chain are made of quality sterling silver. Available from www.reviveourhearts.com.

True Love Waits--Sterling Pendant Give your teen an elegant reminder that purity is one of God's most precious gifts! Fashioned of solid sterling silver, three rings suspended on a 24" chain read True, Love, Waits. Comes in a black velvet gift pouch.

True Love Waits--Sterling Silver Ring. The officially licensed True Love Waits collection, designed in solid sterling silver, is an elegant way to express a young person's commitment to purity. The words encircle this band ring. Comes in a black velvet gift pouch.

True Love Waits--Sterling Silver Tag Pendant. True Love Waits Tag Pendant is sterling silver and comes on a 24" ball chain. Based on the Josh McDowell series True Love Waits, promoting sexual purity until marriage.


Sex Education from a Christian Perspective

Before I Was Born (Ages 5-8), by Carolyn Nystrom. NavPress, 1994. Designed for parents to read to their child ages 5 - 8. This book is one of a series designed to help parents shape their children's character, particularly in the area of sexuality. Our children are exposed to many different messages about the nature of sexuality and the place of sexual intimacy in life, through the media, discussions with their friends, and public school sex-education programs. God wants parents to be the primary sex educators of their children. And if we are going to have a powerful impact, we must start early to help children understand their sexuality before they learn from other sources. First messages are the most powerful; why wait until your child hears the wrong thing and then try to correct the misunderstanding? God made sexuality, and He made it as a beautiful gift; why not present it to our children in the way God intended? This book is very, very descriptive for young children.

Beyond Abstinence: Helping Your Teen Stay Pure, by Dennis and Barbara Rainey. This groundbreaking audio series helps parents to openly and honestly discuss sex with their teens. The Raineys challenge parents to go beyond teaching abstinence as the goal of sex education, making strong moral values and character the end result. Help your teen gain a godly view of his sexuality, and equip him to properly handle the temptations he'll face.

Facing The Facts (Ages 11-14), by Stan and Brenna Jones. NavPress, 1994. More changes occur in your body and brain during puberty than any other time in your life. And puberty marks the beginning of big changes in your relationships with your parents and the opposite sex. It's a wonderful and exhilarating time, because you're finally becoming an adult, but it can be a stressful and overwhelming time, too. If you don't understand what's happening to you, or why, your early teenage years can be scary. Facing the Facts was written to give all the information you need to understand exactly what's happening to your body and why God planned it that way. You'll learn: the role of puberty in the development of sexuality; how girls' & boys' bodies change; how a woman gets pregnant and gives birth; why God wants you to save sex for marriage,; and love and dating.

Foundation for Moral Purity, Audiobook on Cassette. Dennis and Barbara Rainey. FamilyLife. Children should first learn about their bodies and sexuality from their parents. However, parents need to have a plan--and that plan needs to be from God's Word. How will you teach your children, from toddler to age 11, about sex? Have you thought about what you'll say or when you'll say it? Part one in a two part audio series designed to help you teach your children about sex, Dennis and Barbara Rainey provide training to help you deal with this sensitive topic. Parents of six, the Raineys help you replace the "sweaty palms and lump-in-the-throat" approach with deliberate character formation. Learn about the biblical foundation and goals for teaching your children about their sexuality, what to say and do as a parent during the critical, formative years, how to develop a proactive sex-ed strategy as a couple for the inquisitive years, and why kids, ages 10 and up, are in the most important years for shaping convictions. 4 cassettes.

How and When to Tell Your Kids About Sex: A Lifelong Approach to Shaping Your Child‘s Sexual Character, by Stan and Brenna Jones. NavPress, 1993. This book will help you move beyond the "sweaty palms and lump-in-the-throat" approach to discussing sex with your kids. It will give you the tools you need for building the kind of Christian character in your kids that will enable them to stand on their own and make the right choices.

Raising Them Chaste. Renee Durfield. This book helps you teach the importance of remaining pure until marriage. It explains covenant commitment, talks with teens, and the ring symbol of a covenant commitment to remain chaste until marriage. The covenant commitment places the responsibility of remaining pure until marriage in the hands of the person entering into that covenant with the Lord--your child, not you! Must reading for families with children ten years old and up, although it is better to read while children are younger so they know your goal. Tina Farewell adds: “This book will introduce you to some terrific ideas, but we found it did not go quite far enough. While physical purity is very important, emotional and spiritual purity for a lifetime is just as important, if not more so. Therefore, this book served as a great thought provoker, but when Elizabeth, Bob, and I wrote her covenant, we emphasized all the areas of chastity.” Order from Lifetime Books and Gifts.

Setting a Paradigm for Purity: A Biblical Age Appropriate Approach to Purity for Parents of Preschool and Elementary Children. Julie Hiramine. Generations of Virtue. Founder and leader of Generations of Virtue, Julie Hiramine gives her biblically-centered and thoroughly researched advice regarding raising morally pure children. Mother of four girls, Julie shares her trials and triumphs concerning raising children in today's culture during her 90-minute discussion. On this CD, parents will learn what to talk about with their kids at every stage of development. Also included is information on how to set the paradigm for purity and courtship beginning in preschool, how parents can begin now to open the lines of communication in preparation for adolescence, and the art of media discernment.

The Story Of Me (Ages 3-5), by Stan and Brenna Jones. NavPress, 1994. This is the first book in the God's Design For Sex series, written to be read to children ages 3-5. With candid, age-appropriate language and realistic illustrations, The Story of Me explains: God's love and the goodness of all He has made, the nurturing family as God's context for love, why God wants each baby to have both a mommy and a daddy, pregnancy as God's way to care for a baby until birth, the specialness of being made a boy or a girl, and proper names for private body parts.

What is God’s Design for My Body? Susan Horner. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2004. Author and homeschool mother, Mrs. Horner gives Christian parents an informative and sensitive tool for talking about godly sexuality with their children. This book, for ages 9 and up, discreetly introduces the subjects of male and female anatomy, marriage, intercourse, pregnancy, and sexual purity. Key biblical principles and encouraging testimonies from young adults reinforce the proper understanding of God’s original design.

What's The Big Deal? (Ages 8-11), by Stan and Brenna Jones. NavPress, 1994. You know what sex is. You've heard other kids joking about it, and maybe you've seen actors talking about it on TV. But you probably still have some questions, and that's great. What's the Big Deal explains the basic facts about sex and such related issues as: why God made adults so that they want to have sex; why God designed sex to be shared only within marriage; what God actually says about sex in the Bible; the amazing changes ahead of you during puberty; and how to respond when you feel sexual pressure from peers, TV shows, movies, and magazines. Your parents will read this book with you or discuss it with you as you read it on your own. They'll answer any leftover questions you might have and help you understand what a beautiful and exciting gift from God to you sexuality is meant to be.

The Wonderful Way Babies Are Made, Updated Edition, by Larry Christenson. Bethany House, 2000. Having difficulty discussing the reproductive process with your kids? Consult Pastor Christenson-he's been making "the talk" easier for parents for nearly 20 years! Updated with new watercolor illustrations, this classic helps you convey the Christian perspective on life and sexuality using rhyming text (for ages 3 to 8) and detailed prose (for ages 9 and up).


Dating and Courtship (Alternatives to Dating)

Before You Say, I Do, Revised. H. Norman Wright and Wes Roberts. Harvest House, 1997. Before you say "I do," ask yourself, what do "I know" about my future spouse and the Christ-centered commitment needed in a successful marriage? This handbook features surveys, questions, and examples to help you answer these questions and establish a solid foundation for marriage! Discover how to adjust to personality differences, clarify role expectations, handle finances, and more!

Best Friends for Life, by Michael and Judith Phillips. Bethany House, 1997. The state of marriage is alarming- -not only in society at large but among Christians as well. Young people need a whole new strategy for finding lifetime mates. Michael and Judy Phillips present bold, surprising, sometimes even controversial alternatives to dating as the means for choosing spouses. Families who want to choose God's best will find here a strong prescription for wise, sensible, and lasting Christian marriages.

Bible Principles That Relate to Getting to the Marriage Altar, by Dr. S. M. Davis. This message so strongly supports the message "God's Plan for Finding a Mate" that some have referred to it as a "how-to" video. Using much Scripture, along with testimonies of six different couples, Dr. Davis weaves together six Bible principles to help people get safely and joyfully to their wedding.

Boundaries in Dating: Making Dating Work. Henry Cloud and John Townsend. Zondervan, 2000. Dating scene got you down? Try a new approach! Discover how to take responsibility for your life, behavior, and values as God intended. Organized by principles such as honesty, freedom, and respect, this guide helps you develop self-control and intimacy in healthy dating relationships so you're better able to find and commit to a marriage partner. FYI: This book was written to specifically counteract “The Seven Habits of Highly Defective Dating” from Joshua Harris’ book I Kissed Dating Goodbye.

Boy Meets Girl: Say Hello to Courtship. Joshua Harris. Multnomah, 2000. A dynamic sequel to I Kissed Dating Goodbye! In a celebration of romance and the God who created it, the author reflects on discovering God in relationships; biblical courtship---being more than friends, less than lovers; protecting pure sex; and preparing for a lifelong affair. Woven throughout is his own personal love story.

Choices: Finding God's Way in Dating, Sex, Singleness. Paula Rinehart. NavPress, 1996. In Choices, Stacy and Paula Rinehart review many of the principles about relationships in the Bible and show you how to make decisions based on all the information. If you have questions about sex, dating, marriage, or singleness, Choices has concrete answers. You'll learn how to date with discernment, remain celibate before marriage, become content in singleness, and more!

The Courtship of Sarah McLean. Steve and Susie Castleberry. Sarah McLean is a nineteen year-old girl who longs to become a wife and mother. The book chronicles a period of two years, in which she has to learn to trust her parents and God fully in their decisions for her future. For older elementary ages and up. Order from Lifetime Books and Gifts.

Dating and Waiting: Looking for Love in All the Right Places. William Risk. Kregel, 2000. An open and refreshing look at issues that concern single Christians. A solidly biblical study that shares how one can be drawn into a more intimate relationship with God and learn how to prepare for a relationship with a future spouse. "Bravo! Very readable, very wise, and very biblical".

Dating: Is It Worth The Risk? Reb Bradley -- Booklet. There is a recent trend in the area of premarital romance to move away from modern dating and return to the tradition of parent-involved "courtship." This rejection of dating seems too radical for some, but because twentieth-century dating is linked to increased sexual promiscuity and a growing divorce rate, conscientious parents will welcome this eye-opening examination of modern dating practices and their effects on children. For senior high school age and up. Order from Lifetime Books and Gifts.

Dating vs. Courtship: A Vision for a Generation. Paul Jehle. “In this study manual, prepared for teenagers and their parents, Paul Jehle documents the failure of today’s ungodly dating game and blueprints its replacement based on biblical analysis and principles. Here is a vision for young Christians who, armed with God’s truth, will arise to build a new foundation of purity and love which will influence generations to come.” (Back cover of book)

Devotions for Dating Couples: Building a Foundation for Spiritual Intimacy. Ben Young and Dr. Samuel Adams. Thomas Nelson, 2001. You've found your soul mate and are deeply in love! But have you made a spiritual connection? Together you'll enrich your inner lives while building a strong foundation for a lasting marriage as you focus on basics of love, prayer, Bible study, forgiveness, and more. Includes a 9-week study, individual daily lessons, and weekend "couple" studies.

God's Plan For Finding A Mate. Dr. S. M. Davis. For young Christians looking for a spouse, the best strategy is not dating, says Pastor S. M. Davis, but "going to sleep." Examining Adam's "deep sleep" before encountering Eve, and chronicling the stories of two young couples, Davis encourages young adults to rest and wait for God to bring them a mate. Four key principles to getting married are illustrated with on-screen graphics. Video: two 50-minute sessions.

Her Hand in Marriage: Biblical Courtship in the Modern World. Douglas Wilson. Canon Press, 1997. Viewing the modern dating system--which encourages emotional attachments without covenantal fences--as the cause of most broken marriages, Pastor Wilson unearths the pattern of biblical courtship and outlines how it should be applied in our society today. Biblical courtship is based on the involved authority of the father and rooted in the public lives of families. For parents and their preteen sons and daughters.

How to Evaluate a Suitor. Doug Phillips. There he is in his splendor. What a guy! He’s the man who hopes to walk off with your daughter ... hold on a moment. Maybe he isn’t the best thing since sliced bread. Maybe he is trouble with a capital “T.” Or maybe he is a great guy, but just not the great guy God intends for your little girl. How can you tell? In this fast-paced message on CD, Doug Phillips explains that the greatest gift a dad will ever give away is his daughter. He examines the biblical qualifications for suitors and concludes that the Bible does not anticipate perfection, but minimal threshold requirements must be met. He examines the need for careful discrimination for determining if two are “equally yoked” and the doctrine of the “bride’s price.” Doug also points out biblical examples of wickedness by fathers toward suitors and urges dads to act decisively, but with charity, respect, and love.

I, Isaac, Take You, Rebekah. Ravi Zacharias. We roared in laughter at some of the stories on this audiotape by Ravi Zacharias. Most memorable is his brother's dynamic betrothal/wedding story. This is a great way to introduce the courtship model to family and friends who are slightly interested, but not ready for some of the other resources on the subject. For junior high age and up. Order from Lifetime Books and Gifts.

I Kissed Dating Goodbye, Updated Edition. Joshua Harris. Multnomah, 2003. Since 1997, Harris's bestseller has challenged today's dating practices and presented a fresh approach of practical, biblical alternatives. Still encouraging young adults to maintain relationships of love, purity, and purposeful singleness, this newly updated text offers new content--including reassurance for those struggling with past sins.

Jeff McLean: His Courtship. Steve and Susie Castleberry. Follow the story of Jeff McLean as he seeks God's direction for his life. This book is the newest in our courtship series, and is written from a young man's perspective. A discussion of godly traits to seek in young men and women is included as part of the story. For older elementary ages and up. Order from Lifetime Books and Gifts.

Of Knights and Fair Maidens. Jeff and Danielle Myers. When God brought them together, Jeff and Danielle Myers had both been searching for alternatives to the dating game. Of Knights and Fair Maidens is the funny, heart-warming story of how they got to know each other through courtship--the way people used to meet and fall in love before dating was invented. They offer a radical new approach to this old-fashioned way of developing relationships. There is also much practical advice and many ideas for creative ways to get to know each other, ways to develop character together, ideas to help a guy get to know a girl's dad, six things a guy needs to know before getting serious (and six things for girls too), sixty-one questions to help you really get to know each other.

Old-Fashioned Courtship. Jeff and Marge Barth. Jeff and Marge Barth have two sons who have now married using the courtship model. They provide insight in their little book that is not found elsewhere.

Preparing Your Children For Courtship & Marriage: From Toddlers to Teens. Reb Bradley. We are in an age when promiscuity runs rampant -- both outside the church and in. A recent national survey revealed that forty-three percent of teens in evangelical youth groups lose their virginity by their eighteenth birthday. What has caused such an increase in sexual activity among our young people? How do parents increase the likelihood of their children's failure in this area? This tape series exposes for parents which practices of modern dating contribute to sexual promiscuity and increase the likelihood of unstable marriages. It offers a plan for shaping children's sexual and romantic values from the time they are young. Especially valuable for parents of young children. For more than twenty years Reb has been teaching this seminar to singles and parents. Consequently, it has become probably the most comprehensive and practical guide on the subject. Available on audiotapes. Order from Lifetime Books and Gifts.

Pure Excitement: A Radical Righteous Approach to Sex, Love, and Dating. Joe White. Tyndale, 1996. This book equips you to make wise decisions regarding dating and sexuality by teaching God's standards. Many of your choices will have lifelong consequences, and this book reveals insights to help you develop godly character. Everybody talks about sex. But Joe White is making sense. Learn how you can experience the Pure Excitement of God's plan. After all, abstinence makes the heart grow fonder and stronger.

Questions & Answers About Betrothal. Dr. S. M. Davis. Dr. and Mrs. Davis and their 16-year-old daughter, Jeanna, answer the following questions: Do parents go on all "dates" with the betrothed couple? How do you know when the boy is "old enough and mature enough"? What do you say to a parent who says, "You can't stop kids from liking each other."? And sixteen more! This videotape should help you answer the questions you still have about betrothing after viewing Dr. Davis's other videotapes.

Scriptural Betrothal: God’s Design for Pre-marital Romance. Jonathan Lindvall. Bold Christian Living. On this audiotape, betrothal is presented as an incredibly romantic and scriptural alternative to the dating (or courtship) & engagement scenario most assume to be healthy preparation for marriage.

Scriptural Romance. Jonathan Lindvall. Bold Christian Living. This is a three-Audio Tape album challenging parents and youth to question the world's assumptions regarding the legitimacy and health of experimental romance (emotional promiscuity) as preparation for marriage.

Shamefaced Romance. Jonathan Lindvall. Bold Christian Living. This sequel to "Youthful Romance: Dangers of Dating" presents the Biblical strategy for acquiring a spouse.

Seeds of Disintegration Planted by the Boyfriend/Girlfriend Philosophy. Dr. S. M. Davis. This is the first in a series of six messages dealing with getting safely and biblically to the marriage altar. "Seeds" may be the most important of the six because it lays a foundation for the subsequent messages. The boyfriend/girlfriend game of our western culture is like an idol. This idol is erected not only in our society, but also in our homes and churches! It is not possible to build an altar to the Lord without first destroying false idols. This video message gives little direction in relation to finding a mate, but it destroys the idol so that people are then able to hear God's truth. Dr. Davis’s website is www.SolveFamilyProblems.com.

Seven Bible Truths Violated By Christian Dating. Dr. S. M. Davis. Even "Christian" dating as it is practiced in churches and youth groups violates seven clear Biblical truths. This videotape or CD explains how most Christian dating puts up a fence to protect from physical harm, but does not protect from emotional defrauding. Our youth will not be safe until we erect fences where God says to do so! With on-screen graphics, Dr. Davis shows that Christian dating has no Biblical basis! If you're looking for scriptural backing against dating, this is the message for you! This message is the fifth of nine sermons in the "Betrothal Series." The other titles in the series are #1 "Seeds of Disintegration," #2 "Bible Principles that Relate to Getting to the Marriage Altar," #3 "God's Plan for Finding A Mate," #4 "Victory Over the Dating Spirit," #6 "Questions and Answers about Betrothal," #7 "Timeless Bible Teachings About the Bride Price," #8 "How to Avoid Confusion Concerning Betrothal," and #9 "How Betrothal Worked for Us."

Seven Secrets of a Healthy Dating Relationship. Les Parrott. Beacon Hill, 1995. Choosing who to date--and ultimately finding true love--is one of the most important decisions you'll ever make. Now Dr. Parrott reveals seven "secrets" that will help you identify biblical principles for building loving relationships. He's included several self-tests to learn about yourself and your needs so that you can choose someone who's right for you.

So, You Are About to Be a Teenager! Dennis and Barbara Rainey, with Samuel and Rebecca Rainey. Do you ever wish someone would let you in on the secrets? Do you wish someone would tell you about love, dating and sex, why your parents seem so clueless, and why sometimes you just want to hide from people at school? So You're About to Be a Teenager is like a friend who isn't afraid to spill the beans about it all! When brother and sister Samuel and Rebecca Rainey were teenagers (not too long ago), they were curious about kissing, shaving, parties and pornography. They also remember feeling self-conscious and worried about things they didn't want to talk about with anyone. Now that they've made it through their teen years, they along with their parents, who are finally cool in their eyes, will talk about all those things you've been wondering about. They'll even tell you some wild things you didn't know you wanted to know. Right now, you're probably thinking of something that's been worrying your, a question you'd like answered. Maybe you've asked a friend about it, or maybe no one knows what you're dealing with. This book is full of answers. Don't believe it? Keep reading.

Starting Out Together: A Devotional for Dating or Engaged Couples. H. Norman Wright. Gospel Light, 1996. As a couple just beginning your life together, there will be many things vying for your attention and many critical decisions to be made. Here is a way to stay focused on God's will by spending time together, prayerfully working through important issues. This book contains two months' worth of devotionals filled with practical wisdom and sound biblical advice.

The Ten Commandments of Dating. Ben Young and Dr. Samuel Adams. Thomas Nelson, 1999. Are you tired of wishy-washy, feel-good dating advice from so-called relationship experts? Here's something much more reliable! Combining street-smart dating insights with clinical knowledge and counseling expertise, Young and Adams offer clear, black and white guidelines for Christian singles. Learn to avoid common pitfalls as you maintain healthy relationships and search for a potential mate!

To Have and To Hold: Preparing for Courtship and Beyond. Richard “Little Bear” Wheeler. Video. Do you desire your children to repeat your own dating experiences or those of your friends from the “Me First” generation? If your answer is a resounding “No!”, and if you are seeking an alternative to the heartaches of the deceptive and destructive dating scene, this series is for you. In To Have and to Hold, Richard “Little Bear” Wheeler offers a challenging, yet practical, strategy on how parents can guide and protect their sons and daughters as they seek to choose a mate. Drawing from the Scriptures, the Pilgrim tradition, and personal testimony — involving the courtship and marriage covenant of his daughter Noelle to Joshua Goforth — “Little Bear” affirms the generational blessing of preparing for holy matrimony as a life-long commitment.

TruthQuest: Am I the One? Clues to Becoming and Finding a Person Worth Marrying. James Lucas. Broadman/Holman, 2003. People speak today of making it harder to get divorced. While saving troubled marriages is an admirable feat, as a prescription it is working from the terminal end of the relationship disease. James Lucas takes a very different approach to this crucial life decision. Instead of beginning with questions of dating, courtship, compatibility and relationship "tools," Lucas starts with you. Who are you becoming? Are you taking the steps to become a person worth marrying? In order to find the right person, you have to first be the right person. Then, and only then, can you make clear decisions about the rest of your life.

Victory Over The Dating Spirit. Dr. S. M. Davis. This is the third video in a series of seven video messages by Dr. Davis to help families get youth safely, properly, and biblically to the marriage altar. Many teens make a courtship commitment but still wrestle with a "dating spirit", always looking, and wondering, "Is this the one?” Struggling with their emotions and giving their heart away before God's one perfect choice comes doesn't have to happen! Dr. Davis gives specific guidelines to parents and teens to follow in order to have victory in this area! Your teens will learn how to save their emotions for that one person God has chosen for them.

Waiting for Her Isaac. Steve and Susie Castleberry. Sixteen year-old Beth Grant is quite happy with her life and has no desire for any changes. But God has many lessons in store before she is ready for courtship. The story of Beth's spiritual journey toward godly womanhood is told along with the story of her courtship. For older elementary ages and up. Order from Lifetime Books and Gifts.

When Dreams Come True. Eric and Leslie Ludy. Multnomah, 2004. This daringly real, intensely moving love story gives vision and hope to everyone in search of a love worth waiting for. In their best-selling When God Writes Your Love Story, Eric and Leslie Ludy described the breathtaking perfection of God's plans for each young person and offered fresh guidelines for being Christ-like in relationships with the opposite sex. This book shares the Ludy's personal story, illustrating how they lived out the principles of the first book in their own romance and marriage. Includes an all-new chapter from Eric Ludy, "What Happened Next?"

When God Writes Your Love Story. Eric and Leslie Ludy. Multnomah, 2004. Singles, here's a challenging and refreshing approach to relationships in a culture where love has been replaced by pleasure. Discover God's way to true love, which brings fulfillment and romance in its purest, richest, and most satisfying form. This updated edition features an extra chapter from Leslie about the surprises of life after marriage!

Youthful Romance: The Dangers of Dating. Jonathan Lindvall. Bold Christian Living. Using his own courtship experiences as an illustration he proposes that the typical dating practices in contemporary American culture, including in our churches, are counterproductive to later marital happiness.


Dealing with Lust

Every Young Man's Battle: Strategies for Victory in the Real World of Sexual Temptation. Stephen Arterburn. Random House, 2002. From the authors of Every Man's Battle comes a survival guide for male teens and young adults engaged in a high-stakes struggle with sexual temptation. Learn how to help these young men implement a practical, realistic "battle plan"--exchanging their shame and confusion for a positive, thriving relationship with Christ.

Every Young Man's Battle Workbook. Stephen Arterburn. Random House, 2003. Sexual temptation. It's everywhere you look. On TV, in the movies, on the Internet. And sometimes it seems you can't escape its clutches. But God wants his children to be sexually pure. How? Here's powerful ammunition from two counselors on the front lines: Stephen Arterburn and Fred Stoeker. It's the companion to their challenging book Every Young Man's Battle. And it's all about how to guard you eyes and your mind - every moment of every day. How to handle the guilt God's way. How to clean up your thought life. And how to develop a battle plan that really works - even in the sex-drenched culture you live in. Get started with Every Young Man's Battle Workbook, by yourself or in a group. And prepare to declare victory.

Every Young Woman's Battle: Guarding Your Mind, Heart, and Body in a Sex-Saturated World. Shannon Etheridge and Stephen Arterburn. Random House, 2004. Guys aren't the only ones fighting for purity in today's sex-saturated society! Girls who just want to fit in and look attractive can be swept up in destructive relationships and behaviors--paying a terrible cost. Ethridge and Arterburn offer interviews, research, and godly advice to help young women avoid these pitfalls and achieve sexual integrity.

Every Young Woman's Battle Workbook. Shannon Ethridge and Stephen Arterburn. Random House, 2004. An 8-week workbook for withstanding the greatest pressure young women have ever faced. In today's sexually charged world, it's easy to compromise in lots of little ways only to discover that you've given away something you don't know how to get back. In the Every Young Woman's Battle Workbook you'll find 12 practical, biblical lessons to help you guard your body, mind and heart.

Not Even a Hint: Guarding Your Heart Against Lust. Joshua Harris. Multnomah, 2003. An equal opportunity destroyer, lust targets male and female alike. Discover the enemy's secret strategies--and fight back to win lasting freedom! Straightforward without being graphic, Harris's handbook offers practical advice for combating unholy urges, preparing young people for a lifetime of resisting temptation, and embracing godly desire. Ages 15 and up. There is a separate study guide for men and one for women.

Preparing Your Son For Every Man's Battle. Stephen Arterburn. Random House, 2003. Every Christian man knows what a challenge it is to figure out how to help his son learn the path of a sexually pure heart. How do I bring it up? What do I say when we talk about it? Most of us want to help our sons in ways that our fathers were too uncomfortable to help us. Here's a guide with trustworthy and sensible approaches, by which fathers can pass on to sons a legacy of purity in this vital area.


How to Lead Your Child to Christ

God's Great News for Children: Leading Your Child to Christ. Rick Osborne and Marnie Wooding. Tyndale House, 2002. Extra, extra, read all about it! Here's an "early edition" resource for sharing God's great news with your kids. Colorfully illustrated and written so that your 5- to 9-year-olds can grasp the ideas quickly, this engaging collection of seventeen Bible stories helps explain God's exciting plan of salvation. Includes suggestions for discussing each chapter.

How to Lead a Child to Christ. Daniel Smith. Moody, 1987. This guide will help you discover effective ways to gently point children toward Christ and the salvation He offers. Learn first the doctrinal basis for witnessing to children, then the psychological needs and wants of a child. A third section on methods and techniques lists do’s and don'ts of child evangelism. Real life examples illustrate the principles involved in leading children to Christ.

I Believe In Jesus: Leading Your Child To Christ, by John MacArthur. Thomas Nelson, 1999. Do you feel ill-equipped to lead your children to Christ? Now you can feel confident with the help of this trusted author. John MacArthur tells the story of salvation from creation through the resurrection, and helps children see God's plan for their lives. Includes a special prayer and a signature page to record your child's decision.


Hope Chests

The Hope Chest: A Legacy of Love. Rebekah Wilson. Hope Chest Legacy, 2003. Store up memories with your daughter! Mother of seven, Rebekah Wilson shares the history of the hope chest, what to put in it---from books and quilts to a first aid kit---and how to pack it. She offers ideas for showers, the trousseau, and developing practical skills, such as sewing, cooking, and letter writing.

More Than a Hope Chest. Amber Dawn Moeller. How can we be prepared for the calling of being a helpmeet to our husband? What are some things that we should do in our maiden years? This book explores many aspects of what it means to be prepared, and some ways that we can cultivate valuable life-skills, and more.

Preparing Your Hope Chest. Pearables. What is a hope chest? We have heard about hope chests, but do we really know what they were and how they were used? This book will answer many questions regarding how hope chests were influential in Christian womanhood and also help your daughter prepare for her future as she uses this wonderful marriage preparation tool! Written for girls ages 9+.

www.hopechestlegacy.com Hope Chest Legacy is dedicated to providing parents and children with information on and about hope chests, and to do this as inexpensively as possible. We offer a wide variety of books, booklets and patterns - building plans and directions for making a chest -- antique embroidery patterns -- free simple project directions -- below retail supplies and lots of insight and encouragement!

www.kyhillscedar.com Hope chests, crafted by a homeschooling father of cedar, oak, cherry, and walnut. Kits are available for you to craft your own hope chest.


Miscellaneous for Daughters

Authentic Beauty. Leslie Ludy. Multnomah, 2003. Refreshingly candid and hopeful, Ludy challenges young women ages eighteen to thirty-two to rise above culture's mediocre expectations of femininity and to explore the boundless opportunities God has for anybody who is willing to let Him shape every aspect of her life. A personal application section follows each chapter. Includes frank language about sexuality.

Beautifully Made, edited by Julie Hiramine. Generations of Virtue. Written by the founders of Generations of Virtue (various women and teenagers), this set of booklets is specifically designed to help guide girls and their mothers through the passage from girlhood to womanhood. Basically, these are period books. They focus on the first period and what a beauty and wonderful time that is. These books explore the idea that women are blessed with God's gift to be able to give life. Our culture has made a women's period out to be a burden, but our desire was to write something that really celebrated the period and emphasized the positive aspects of womanhood, not the negatives. Both mother and daughter can go through the first two booklets together. Approaching Womanhood-- Discusses topics such as "Your Changing Body", and what to expect for your first period. This booklet would be great to give to your daughter before she starts her period. Celebrating Womanhood-- Having your period is something to celebrate. This booklet explains why. It also covers subjects like "PMS", what to do if it happens somewhere other than a bathroom, what to use, and tips on health. This booklet is appropriate when your daughter starts her period. Women's Wisdom: A Mother's Guide-- This booklet contains a fabulous section on the biology behind women's bodies, it also contains sections about when to tell your daughter about her period, what to say, and what your daughter will go through (ex. mood swings).

Becoming a Girl of Faith. This booklet will show you what the Bible says about girls being different than boys and how God gives them each different responsibilities. This 28-page, easy to read and understand book is written for girls of all ages who want to know the special plan God has for their life! Mothers will enjoy reading to younger girls who cannot read themselves. It is small in size but is filled with the information needed to get you seeing God's way and not the world’s. All scripture is KJV. This short, non-intimidating study includes six easy-to-read chapters (What is a Christian, The Bible and Prayer, Faith Builders, Faith Stealers, The Fruit of the Spirit, and A Godly Woman), Bible memorization suggestions, some end-of-chapter questions, a craft to put together, and a commitment certificate to be filled out.

Daddy’s Blessing. Randy and Lisa Wilson. Cook Communications, 1997. This attractive tin box with a gift book and scented candle combination is a truly practical resource for parents to create a lasting tradition at home. The book tells the story behind Daddy's Blessing, offering the encouragement and example to try this life-changing ritual with their children. When Mom lights the candle, the children know it is time to receive a blessing from Dad. It is a simple, yet profoundly moving way of communicating the biblical blessings of love, honor, value, and identity to the children. Based on a biblical tradition; strengthens leadership of fathers; builds children's spiritual perspective and purpose; and integrates faith in family life.

Dad’s Everything Book for Daughters: Practical Ideas for a Quality Relationship. John Trent. Zondervan, 2002. No other man will influence your little girl like you, Dad. The relationship you build with her will shape the very course of her life. And these precious years between ages eight and twelve are the time to forge bonds of care and nurturance that will weather your daughter's potentially stormy teenage years and give her the enduring legacy of a father's love. But how do you build that kind of close-knit relationship? This book is filled with ideas on how to connect your daughter during father/daughter talks, school days, and everyday life. You'll also find an entire section containing twenty-one prayers you can pray for your daughter. The closeness you'll build with her will be the greatest gift you can give.

Daughters of Destiny, edited by Noelle Wheeler Goforth. With the skill of a woman who herself was nurtured in the garden of beautiful womanhood by loving Christian parents, Noelle Wheeler reveals to the reader the many character qualities of the woman of God: her love of home; her servant-like spirit; her confidence in Christ; her fervor in defense of family and freedom. The reader will meet frontier wives, patriot daughters, and faithful ladies who labored in the cause of Christ. This book is a compilation of true stories, some harrowing, and each more thrilling than the last, of those past women of faith and fortitude who comprise that great cloud of witnesses which God Almighty has given as a holy testimony of courage to those daughters of destiny who will stand in the 21st century.

Gentle Passages: Guiding Your Daughter into Womanhood. Robin Jones Gunn. Looking for a special way to welcome your growing daughter into womanhood? Here's a treasure chest packed with creative, faith-building ideas! Mother-daughter traditions such as choosing a beautiful china pattern and discussing 2 Timothy 2:21 or picking wildflowers as you dream of (and pray for) her future husband will make her coming-of-age an unforgettable celebration.

God's Wisdom for Little Girls: Virtues and Fun from Proverbs 31. Elizabeth George. Harvest House, 2000. "Sugar and spice, and everything nice" plus the Bible is the recipe for godly little girls, ages 4-7. The author encourages daughters to follow Proverbs 31 and seek the same qualities their mothers strive for: helpfulness, confidence, thoughtfulness, prayerfulness, creativity, and more. A great read-along book with charming illustrations.

His Chosen Bride. Jennifer Lamp. The author encourages young women to put aside fears about being single and completely trust God with your future, serving Him wholly while awaiting the revealing of His plans for you. Shows how a single woman can devote herself to the Lord's priorities. Much insightful comment on Proverbs 31 for single women.

I’d Be Your Princess. Kathryn O’Brien. This endearing story is especially appropriate for Valentine’s Day. This father-daughter story highlights the importance of godly character. Taken from scripture, the story follows a young girl and her desire to please her father by becoming everything Jesus asks of us. This story focuses on virtues such as humility, generosity, love, and much more. Your daughter will love the wonderful pictures and catchy plot. For elementary ages.

Lady in Waiting: Developing Your Love Relationships. Debbie Jones and Jackie Kendall. What are you waiting for? The perfect husband? Job? Home? Whether you're single or married, waiting can be one of the most difficult situations you face. In this insightful bestseller, Jones and Kendall explore the life of Ruth to help you find true fulfillment as a woman of God, while you wait on His will.

Letters to a Daughter on Practical Subjects. William Sprague. Loaded with obvious connections to the book of Proverbs, this wise father and 19th-century pastor skillfully enriches his daughter's life with letters of guidance. Not light reading! Covers: friendships, education, reading, conversation, amusement, humility, and more.

A Little Book of Manners: Courtesy and Kindness for Young Ladies. Emilie Barnes. Harvest House, 1998. There's more to having good manners than knowing which fork to use. Ultimately, manners are an outward expression of a loving attitude. In this charming book, Barnes teaches your 6- to 10-year-olds proper etiquette for mealtime, meeting and greeting strangers, answering the telephone, and more--all in the context of caring for others.

Mom’s Everything Book for Daughters: Practical Ideas for a Quality Relationship. Becky Freeman. Zondervan, 2002. Spice up your mother-daughter relationship with this potpourri of usable, fun advice and activities. Practical and entertaining, Becky's real-life manual helps you become a true role model! The wide-ranging topics include lifetime bonding, leading your daughter to her heavenly Father, helping her become a lifelong learner, emphasizing her inner loveliness, puberty, friendships, and more.

Personal Help for Girls. Pearables. This book is a must for those of you who are wanting to instill beliefs of chastity, purity, graciousness, kindness, femininity, and other important feminine virtues! Designed for ages 9-16, but can also be read out loud to younger girls who cannot read well. Mothers and daughters can use this book to study and grow together! This book would also work well in a group setting. Includes discussion questions at the end of each chapter.

Precious Daughters. This set of forty-eight pocket-sized Bible flashcards is printed on soft yellow card stock and laminated to last for years. Each King James Version Bible passage is surrounded by a border of little hearts; a reminder that to walk with God, is to walk in His love. Includes verses from the Old and New Testaments to help your daughter conquer negative peer pressure, choose godly friends, honor her parents, understand the importance of purity, serve others cheerfully, keep a thankful and sweet spirit, and much, much more.

Stepping Heavenward: One Woman‘s Journey to Godliness. Elizabeth Prentiss. Barbour, 1998. "How dreadfully old I am getting! Sixteen!" So begins Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss, the journal-like account of a nineteenth century girl who learns, on the path to womanhood, that true happiness can be found in giving oneself for others. "This book is a treasure of both godly and womanly wisdom told with disarming candor and humility, yet revealing a deep heart's desire to know God," says noted Christian speaker Elisabeth Elliot. "I do not hesitate to recommend it to men, who need to understand the wives they live with, and to any woman who wants to walk with God."

10 Things I Want My Daughter to Know: Getting Her Ready for Life. Annie Chapman. Harvest House Publishers, 2002. “As I was preparing for our daughter’s wedding, I began to evaluate my job as her mother. Had I fully prepared her to take on the enormous responsibility of being a wife and, hopefully, someday a mother? Was she ready to be launched into the challenging world as a young woman? With the help of forty experienced, well-grounded women who were willing to share their successes and failures both as daughters and mothers, I sought to fill in the gaps for an un-mentored and, too often, un-mothered generation of daughters. This book is to serve as encouragement for mothers raising daughters of all ages. It is also meant to give practical instruction to daughters struggling to become the women God intended them to be.” - Annie Chapman, author

Verses Of Virtue: The Poetry and Prose of Christian Womanhood. Elizabeth Beall Phillips. Vision Forum, 2002. The long-awaited, complementary volume to Poems For Patriarchs, this collection of poetry sings the praises of motherhood, extols the blessings of being a girl. This is a generation which needs books which restore to young women a joyful, unabashed aspiration to serve their households devoutly to the glory of God. This is such a book!

What a Daughter Needs From Her Dad: How A Man Prepares His Daughter for Life. Michael Farris. Bethany House. “Michael Farris, father of six daughters, is also President of Patrick Henry College and chairman of the Home School Legal Defense Association. Farris has been a wise counselor on parenting issues for years now, and this new, hardcover edition of his previously-released, outstanding book How a Man Prepares His Daughter For Life is one of our favorites. Full of practical strategies to train a father to know how to build character and spiritual strength in your growing daughter, from infancy through the teen years.”

What’s A Girl To Do? How to Wisely Invest Your Daughter’s Time. Doug Phillips. Vision Forum. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. The same is true of double-minded parents. Across America we have met evangelical parents who desperately want their daughters to grow to be virtuous women with a love for home. Notwithstanding these good intentions, many of these same parents continue to build their daughters’ future on a feminist model. Frankly, most Christians are unaware that the Bible offers clear guidelines for how wise parents can invest their daughters’ time for the glory of God. This audiotape or CD offers hope and direction for the woman of God who desires to cultivate virtue while fully exercising her gifts.

The Young Lady's Guide to the Harmonious Development of Christian Character. Harvey Newcomb. A superb companion book for young women, to Thoughts For Young Men by Ryle, but much more extensive in scope. This author (1803-1863) wrote 178 books, mostly for children and young adults, and this was by far his most popular work, covering every conceivable area of a young woman's spiritual and personal growth. A wonderful gift for graduation from high school or college. This will speak directly to the heart of the young women you know who desire to serve Christ with all their being.

A Young ‘Woman After God’s Own Heart. Elizabeth George. Harvest House, 2003. A new, valuable book for young girls from Elizabeth George! What does it mean to pursue knowing God in everyday life? As you learn and follow God's perfect plans for your friendships, your family and your faith, you will discover the joy of growing in His wisdom and finding the best desires of your heart fulfilled in so doing!

The Virtuous Woman. “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.” (Proverbs 31:10) This famous passage in Proverbs is referred to in almost every Bible-based book for Christian women. These pocket-sized flashcards are printed on soft purple card stock and laminated to last for years. Comes complete with a Proverbs 31 memorization checklist and mastery certificate. Great for morning devotions and personal study. Makes a nice gift item for young ladies, married women, and sons, as they begin to consider what to look for in their future wife.


Miscellaneous for Sons

Boyhood and Beyond: Practical Wisdom for Becoming a Man. Bob Schultz. Great Expectations, 2004. “Our newest book for the training of young men! Wisdom fills over thirty brief chapters covering topics such as authority, honesty, temptation, fear, inventiveness, coveting, worship, finding a wife, even when it's time to take a stand and fight! The author knows it all must be founded on a relationship of depth with God. A book for boys ages 10 and up to read, and which can be read aloud to boys ages 6 and up. Works well in group settings and each chapter closes with several discussion questions. One of Grace & Truth Books' best new finds this year.” This would be comparable to Beautiful Girlhood for a dad to go through with his son(s) or for men and boys to go through as a group.

Daddy’s Blessing. Randy and Lisa Wilson. Cook Communications, 1997. This attractive tin box with a gift book and scented candle combination is a truly practical resource for parents to create a lasting tradition at home. The book tells the story behind Daddy's Blessing, offering the encouragement and example to try this life-changing ritual with their children. When Mom lights the candle, the children know it is time to receive a blessing from Dad. It is a simple, yet profoundly moving way of communicating the biblical blessings of love, honor, value, and identity to the children. Based on a biblical tradition; strengthens leadership of fathers; builds children's spiritual perspective and purpose; and integrates faith in family life.

Dad’s Everything Book for Sons: Practical Ideas for a Quality Relationship. John Trent and Greg Johnson. Zondervan, 2003. It is crucial for dads to cultivate strong personal relationships with their sons while they are young so that when the turbulent teenage years hit, the bond will be so firm that nothing can separate them. Following the pattern set in Luke 2:52, fathers need to keep a balance by focusing on all four areas of their son's lives: mental, social, physical, and spiritual. Dad's Everything Book for Sons is filled with: fun ideas on what to talk about (and how to talk about it); special "adventures" dads and sons can go on together; guy "getaways"; how to have Bible studies they will both enjoy; how to teach and nurture through Bible study; creative ways to bond-including things he likes to do as well as things Dad likes to do; ways to branch out into new life experiences to create memories; suggestions for volunteering and helping others together; and prayers to pray for sons.

God’s Gift to Women. Eric Ludy. Multnomah, 2003. Deep within the rugged soul of every young man, there is a warrior in search of his sword and a poet in search of his pen. But heroic, prince-like masculinity is something most women only dream of in today's perverse and self-serving world. With contagious passion and boldness, Eric Ludy challenges you to forsake modern male mediocrity for Christ-built, warrior-poet manhood--manhood that will capture the heart of a woman and change the course of history.

God’s Wisdom for Little Boys. Jim and Elizabeth George. Harvest House. Following the success of the best-selling God's Wisdom for Little Girls, now the wonderful teachings of Proverbs come to life for young boys, age 4-7, too! In this book, memorable rhymes by Jim and Elizabeth George play alongside watercolors by Judy Luenebrink for a charming presentation of truths to live by. With each turn of the page, parents and their children discover that God's little boy is: prayerful, brave, kind, responsible, thankful, truthful, and so much more! This charming book is a gift that will make an eternal impression on every special boy in your life.

I’d Be Your Hero. Kathryn O’Brien. This is a charming story for mothers and sons. Similar to I'd Be Your Princess, this book follows an imaginative boy and his mother as they discuss key godly characteristics every boy should emulate. Based on scripture, the story focuses on virtues such as strength, humility, love, and courage. Your son will love the daring pictures and catchy plot. For elementary ages.

Letters To Young Men. William Sprague. Relying on the life of Joseph (Genesis 37-50), this book springs into moral lessons on living in a corrupt society, how to handle living away from home, possession of wealth, and detailed sections on integrity, dignity, sympathy, and more.

Lintball Leo’s Not So Stupid Questions About Your Body. Dr. Walt Larimore. Zondervan, 2003. Finally, everything you wanted to know about your body, but you've been too chicken to ask. This is the first book for boys that gives honest answers to real questions about your body from a biblical perspective. No, you're not falling apart -- you're just growing up! But there's no need to fear, when Lintball Leo is near. He's your personal guide to understanding your body. With information about everything from steroid use to body parts, there's not a question Lintball Leo hasn't heard. These aren't questions some adult made up, but they're real questions asked by real boys just like you. You want to know the truth? Now you can, because Lintball Leo's Not-So-Stupid Questions About Your Body gives you the facts -- no holds barred! Recommended for ages 8 to 12.

A Little Book of Manners for Boys. Bob and Emilie Barnes. Harvest House, 2000. All parents want their boys to become respectful, courteous young men---and here's just the help children need! Using godly wisdom and whimsical illustrations, the Barneses teach your kids the basics of proper manners, covering everything from appropriate language to table etiquette, sportsmanship, good grooming, hygiene, and more. Ages 4 to 7.

Mom’s Everything Book for Sons: Practical Ideas for a Quality Relationship. Becky Freeman. Zondervan, 2003. Moms--those turbulent teen years are just around the corner, so establish an unbreakable bond now with your 8- to 12-year-old sons. Freeman offers terrific ideas on what to talk about with young boys, studying the Bible with them, utilizing creative teaching moments, creating memories, serving others, and more. Includes sample prayers for your sons.

Personal Help for Boys. Pearables. Do you have young men in your family who are in need of some encouraging help with in regard to character building? Personal Help for Boys is a wonderful tool to use with a group of boys, a father and son, or for a young man to sit alone and complete as a character study! It will definitely aid in building a firm foundation that will help them grow from today's boys into tomorrow's godly men! Designed for boys, ages 9 and up.

Poems for Patriarchs: The Verse and Prose of Christian Sons, edited by Douglas W. Phillips. Vision Forum, 2003. One reason men lack vision is because they lack poetry in their lives. Men no longer sing or recite inspirational verse. Our boys are no longer required to memorize the great psalms, hymns, and poems of Christian manhood. This should come as no surprise. The twentieth century has wreaked havoc upon chivalry and manhood. The transformation of poetry from the ennobling to the coarse, the banal, or the irrelevant is as much a sign of our national loss of manhood as it is of the decline of decency and civilization. But poetry is essential to a man's life. We should never forget that God chose to communicate through the language of poetry. A large portion of the Scripture from Psalms to the Song of Solomon--even the book of Isaiah in the original language--was written in verse. Why? Because poetry and song allow us to use the beauty of language to paint mental images of victory, of devotion, and of the beauty of life in Jesus Christ. In Poems for Patriarchs, Doug Phillips has compiled favorite inspirational and vision communicating selections. This collection includes poems and prose both obscure and popular, but selected because of the profound way they speak to the most important issues in a man's life. They are neither fluffy nor frilly, foppish nor foolish, but virile and often sage, both as to their composition and character. Each chapter in the book contains a generous number of selections, some new, some ancient, but all designed to address the various biblical roles, relationships and seasons in a man's life, from early boyhood to his twilight years.

Raising a Modern-Day Knight. Robert Lewis. Tyndale House, 1999. Discover how fathers can help their sons become modern knights--young men with a vision of masculinity, a code of conduct, and a godly cause. Learn how ceremony can teach your boy to reject passivity, accept responsibility, and lead courageously.

Thoughts for Young Men. J. C. Ryle. Vision Forum. Peer pressure, lust, idleness---there's nothing new about the struggles young men face. Help them stand firm! Filled with wise guidance and pithy advice, this slim volume prepares and equips your teens to resist temptation and grow strong in character. Penned by England's "last Puritan" in the late 19th century, Ryle's practical counsel rings as true today as ever.


Websites

www.boldchristianliving.com Jonathan Lindvall’s website

www.booksonthepath.com James and Stacy McDonald, Family Reformation, LLC.

www.brightlights.info Being Radiant In Godliness Holiness and Testimony--for girls 10-13

www.canonpress.com Books by Doug Wilson and others

www.christiancourtship.com Highly recommended! Has excellent, thought-provoking articles on God’s design for scriptural romance

www.courtshipconnection.com Similar to the website listed above

www.drsmdavis.com Dr. S. M. Davis

www.familylife.com Dennis and Barbara Rainey’s FamilyLife website

www.familyministries.com Reb Bradley’s website

www.generationsofvirtue.org Excellent resources! A ministry of a family in Colorado Springs!

www.girlsoffaith.com Helpful website for mothers and young girls particularly

www.graceandtruthbooks.com Christian bookstore

www.lifetimebooksandgifts.com Christian and homeschooling bookstore

www.mantleministries.com Richard “Little Bear” Wheeler’s website

www.preparingdaughters.com An excellent listing of where to find modest clothing

www.preparingsons.com

www.purefreedom.org Dannah Gresh’s website

www.virtuouswomanhood.com Dedicated to encouraging young women in godliness

www.visionforum.com Doug Phillip’s website