Single. Dating. Engaged. Married. — Book Review [TMP #40]
An Unfiltered Review
A heartfelt review, darlings.
Short Take
I love this book. While I’ve read it, I know this is a book I would re-read several times because it tells an important story. It does not serve as a manual but provides the building principles to pursue, have and maintain a satisfying relationship with a partner in the liberty and context of a relationship of and for God.
What a wholesomely blessed book. Glad I read it!
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Feel My Heart
Man, I love this book. And the best part is I didn’t set out to read it. I was in the mood to read something that touches my heart, that goes beyond accumulating information to permeating senses. (I know, an intense description.) Only, I wrongly interpreted that into something that makes me cry or get frustrated aka reading a romance novel. I ended up reading a romance novel that — just not doing that again.
Anyways, add in a conversation with a friend and I came to the right conclusion that I have questions regarding marriage and consequently relationships, I need answers and I am most definitely not looking in the right places even though I know where to find them. I still did not find them (obvs I need help) but isn’t God a good Father?
Single. Dating. Engaged. Married found its way to my Pinterest and the cover captivated me. (Yes, I judge books by their covers; that’s why there is something called cover design, but I digress.) The cover was interesting but the subtitle did it for me. It says ‘navigating life + love in the modern age’. It seemed like a book that could help me, yeah? It did.
The Actual Book
The language and tone of the book deserve commendation. It sounded right, it was natural, and it was good. This is the first book I’ve read in months that felt easy to read. I didn’t have to do mental gymnastics to understand the content or finish the book.
Now, the content of the book! Is it just me but when a book hits the right places and it moves you to take action, you form a bond with the book? Even if you haven’t felt that, this book made me desire a life of service for God and people. There were points I stopped reading to pray bruh.
But the book is about love so what’s up? Some way along reading, it became clear that I do not know marriages that are built from and on Jesus. I do not know marriages that take cues from God and I want that. I want a Christian marriage. When I marry.
I’d include relationships but thank God for YouTube and creators like Ezinne Zara.
I am not a relationship/marriage person. That should be in past tense now though. Once upon a time, I honestly believed relationships were an unnecessary bother and marriages were flowing rivers of pain. Ok, ‘flowing rivers’ is an exaggeration but I thought marriages were a source of pain and restriction, especially for women.
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But, but — this book! I actually pray God blesses the author, Ben Stuart. I’m not going to go into the many nuggets of gold in it — you have to read it to find out — but it’s such a good book. It clarified misconceptions, at least that I had, it answered questions and clarified some more. It’s research and Scripture-backed (I’m a Christian).
It’s crazy how I didn’t believe in love because I believed I had not seen it but chose to hang on to the thread that because I know the love that God has for me as expressly demonstrated in the death, burial, resurrection and continued partnership with Jesus, true love has to be real. It just has to be. Somehow, that thread got thinner because I read too much Twitter, saw too many poor images and read too much nonsense. (I have seen ‘bad’ books in this life!).
Anyways, the point I’m trying to make is that this book is wholesomely good. It doesn’t just talk about marriage though. Good thing because it was the ‘Single. Dating.’ part that made me read it but look how it turned out to be a complete blessing.
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Rating
It’s a season → topic → case study book. That’s how each chapter progresses and there are only four chapters. Oh, it’s also a short book. In order words, check it out. Even if relationships are not on your radar. Best to know how to before entering than knowing after you’ve and trying to do damage control. Lmao, even if you’re in a relationship, serious or not, it’s worth reading.
So my rating. I am highly suspicious of people who easily give 5 stars so without further ado, I rate this book 5 stars.
Would you look at that :)
So to realizing and admitting issues, and working towards them in the right places,
Dayo 🥂
Have a lovely weekend!
Flowing rivers of pain 😂💀💀💀