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A New Revolution in Sexual Purity

“The Parable of the Ring,” an allegorical story, opens Kris Vallotton’s his book “Purity: The New Moral Revolution.” The ring is depicted as the symbol of your virginity. Vallotton’s purpose in writing this book is to provide a catalyst for a sexual reformation. It is his prayer that the book will “rock the planet and rewrite the sexual paradigms of our time!”

Kris uses illustrations and lessons from life to provide useful tips on establishing Christian values and higher standards while setting boundaries for maintaining purity.

Vallotton coaches young people in developing a plan for purity, for guarding their thought life by making a covenant with their eyes not to compromise their heart. He discusses hands-on matters; such as accountability and the danger of deception. He suggests guidelines for dating and courting and for establishing standards for appropriate behavior. He describes marriage as a covenant relationship which includes Holy love and Holy affection.

Kris uses poignant to illustrate the reward of victory, the devastation of defeat, and the promise of restoration, a second chance and forgiveness. In the final story called “Grace” we see the perfect example of God’s grace in the lives of those looking to Him for their strength.

“Purity: The New Moral Revolution” is written for a new generation, a generation on the brink of becoming participants of a sexual paradigm shift for sexual purity. It is also written for anyone who has failed and is caught up in guilt seeking God’s forgiveness and grace. The book is a bold statement of a new catalyst for a sexual reformation.

978-07684277110, Destiny Image Publishers, Inc.

As Reviewed for Midwest Book Review

Equipping Parents to Instill Abstinence in Their Children

Laura B. Gallier provides sensitive Godly coaching for instilling sexual purity in your children in her book “Choosing to Wait: A Guide to Inspiring Abstinence.”

Gallier’s focus is on training that will furnish parents with the tools to inspire sexual abstinence by cultivating and instilling personal convictions to maintain sexual purity. The study includes three steps which build on each other: Preparation, application, and motivation. These topics center on establishing a Biblical understanding of the purposes and sacredness of sex within marriage and the affects of sexual sin.

Each chapter contains thought provoking questions for self reflection. The application section provides a “Parent-Child Discussion Starter” and discussion road maps. These serve as spring boards for discussing sex and abstinence.

Appalling statistics about America’s high school students and youth appear throughout the book. Gallier’s demonstrates an understanding of the teen psyche, their natural instincts, and the temptations they face.

Chapter titles are clear and describe the actual content of the chapter. This feature adds to the value of the book for later reference or review. I found the “Steps to Inspiring Convictions” beneficial as they also provide principles for developing other important spiritual disciplines.

In a companion book for especially for teens entitled “Why Wait? The Naked Truth About Sex and Abstinence” Laura paves the way in an approach which encourages parent-teen dialog. Parent and teen will benefit from having their own specific material to read, study, and apply.

“Choosing to Wait: A Guide to Inspiring Abstinence” provides answers for parents, teachers, and all who love and want to protect the children in their lives. The book is Biblically sound, relevant, and timely. Putting into practice the proactive plan for inspiring abstinence in your children will be an investment in their future and in your future peace of mind.

Destiny Image Inc., 978-0768427400

As reviewed for Midwest Book Review

Everybody has ideas about how a (romantically) relationship should look like. We have strong expectations on what our partner should do and think. When these expectations don’t get met (as most of the time) we get disappointed, frustrated, insecure or even desperate. Not the best state of mind for a strong and healthy relationship.

About the book

-I need your love: Is that true?- is a book on how to stop seeking love, approval, and appreciation and start finding them instead.

Byron Katie is a true believer in the fact that hurt, despair, frustration and wretched feelings don’t come out of certain events but out of our thoughts about these events. If you start to see what is troubling you in a different light it enables you to let these disturbing thoughts go and live more lightly.

The book describes how you can learn to do this using The Work. It gives very recognizable examples and exercises to put it into practice.

About The Work-

The Work is simply four questions that, when applied to a specific problem, enable you to see what is troubling you in a different light.

In its most basic form, The Work consists of four questions and a turnaround.

1.    Is it true?
2.    Can you absolutely know it’s true?
3.    How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought?
4.    Who would you be without the thought?

Then turn it around (the concept you are questioning), and try to find at least three genuine examples of each turnaround. The turn around can be hard for people.

A short example

If I think -My husband doesn’t love me-

The answer to the first question will be -yes- that’s why I believe it.

The answer to the second question can be – well, I can’t get into his head. So no. I’m not absolutely sure he doesn’t love me. Maybe in his own, (disturbed) way he does love me.-

If I believe that he doesn’t love me, it makes me sad, unhappy, feeling that I’m not worth it.- That could be the answer to the third question.

If I wouldn’t think that my husband didn’t love me I would be happier, friendlier, unconcerned.

Possible turnarounds are: I don’t love myself. I don’t love my husband. My husband does love me.

Examples of a turn around: My husband does love me, he said so yesterday, he brought me flowers last week, he helps me whenever I have a problem.

I don’t expect you to get a grip on the full context and process of The Work from this article. I hope it made you curious about it and eager to learn more.  I can recommend it to everybody!

About Byron Katie

Byron Katie, founder of The Work, has one job: to teach people how to end their own suffering. As she guides people through the powerful process called the Work, they find that their stressful beliefs-about life, other people, or themselves- radically shift and their lives are changed forever.

Dr. Archibald D Hart’s Sleep, It Does a Family Good is by far the best guide I’ve read to date about sleeping and its effects on health. In today’s fast-paced society, sleep has been casually cast aside as unimportant, when in fact, neglecting sleep is very dangerous to people’s health and can also negatively impact relationships, families, and marriages.

With Sleep, It Does a Family Good, Dr. Hart has created a well-crafted and simple-to-read informative health guide on sleeping and how it is crucial and essential in leading a full, rich, and satisfying life. Many people today believe that napping and sleeping are self-indulging signs of mental weakness; whereas Dr. Hart assures us that these misconceptions will shave years off our lives by causing increased stress and generating lower levels of happiness. Dr. Hart also teaches readers strategies on how to overcome worries and anxiety while trying to fall asleep at night, which is ultimately helpful since the majority of people are impacted by this obstacle. From mastering sleep patterns, overcoming spousal sleep barriers, and to educating on sleeping pills, Dr. Hart leaves no stone unturned on the subject of sleep.

Sleep, It Does a Family Good is wonderful and informative to read because sleep really is more important than people give it credit for. Society’s neglectful views toward sleeping and the popular quote along the lines of “I’ll sleep plenty when I die” is too dangerous, and just adds to more common existing health risks such as obesity and poor eating habits. Another benefit of Dr. Hart’s book is that he explains how poor sleeping habits will affect family growth and marriages. I recommend this book to EVERYONE, especially those who are looking to enhance their health and well-being. Excellent book, and I intend on keeping Sleep, It Does a Family Good in my personal collection to share with friends and family.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Tyndale House Publishers as part of their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Siblings – if you have one or more, you probably know how that goes… Can’t live with them sometimes, and can’t live without them for sure. So often they are our mirrors – in which we see ourselves the way others see us, and at times the way we wish we would truly be. I just cannot imagine losing any of mine, and I realize all too well that they have helped shape me into the human being that I became, in many ways even more than my parents have.

Reading “Sixtyfive Roses” was incredibly sobering. I cannot imagine the courage Heather Summerhayes Cariou had to have to actually write this unbelievable story and have it published. But then, she had a lifelong training in “above-and-beyond” courageous behavior. Imagine knowing since early childhood that your baby sister is ill – and that she will never get better. Imagine promising her not to leave, and not to let her die alone. Imagine being her lifelong protector. Imagine living with this impenetrable black cloud surrounding you and your family. And yet, you have to grow up. And you realize all too well that one day your sister will be gone. Imagine the rage, the despair, the jealousy for not being the center of attention, the desperate desire to make your sister’s life easier… all those conflicting, oftentimes violent emotions. And one day the unthinkable happens… and your sister takes the last, labored breath. She is gone. And you are still here.

The story of how Pam, Heather’s younger sister, was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at the age of four, and how her family fought for her and other children with this debilitating disease is not a happy one, but definitely a positive and hopeful one. The strength and courage of everybody involved, from Pam herself to her family, her doctors and others with the same disease shows the world at least two perennial truths: that good does not necessarily win and that courage and fighting spirit can make an unbelievable difference. Back in those days children with CF tended to die very young, and Pammy’s prognosis was no better, yet she kept fighting for over two decades and lived to the age of twenty-six. And she did not merely exist in this world, she lived her life as fully as possible and she made a difference in many other lives.

Heather Summerhayes Cariou’s “Sixtyfive Roses” is a memoir, a tribute and a love poem, written in a clear, sometimes brutally honest and always sincere fashion. Her words are beautifully crafted, and her voice is distinct and unique. I have no doubt that Pammy is smiling at her big sister right now, and feeling mighty proud of her.

“Sixtyfive Roses” should be required reading for anybody dealing with a seriously ill person in their life, as well as anybody with any kind of a big or small problem. It certainly puts a lot of things in perspective, and it made me so very glad that I can go, pick up a phone and talk to my siblings right now, which is exactly what I am going to do tonight.

McArthur & Company (2008)
ISBN 9781552786789