Having been learning so much about my identity as a women in Christ from these books and I am truly thankful to the amazing author for portraying something so intricate in such a relatable and applicable way!

Captivating by Stasi and John

1. The Heart of a Women
   • The longings and desires of a Women.
   • Desires: Beauty to Unveil, Shared adventures, To be romanced (Relationships/Friendships, etc)
2. What Eve alone can tell
   • Biblical example of the women in the Bible.
   • Setting aside the “Christian Women” (Proverbs 31 Women) mindset.
3. Haunted by a question
   • The desires of a women are not met and this leads to women feeling tired and weary in search of someone or something to meet those desires of a women’s heart.
   • Gives a good description of desires of man and women, how they both go hand-in-hand and both shows God’s heart of feminuity and masculinity.
4. Wounded
   • Identity
     • Passive Father: Violent and Passive/Silent Father. Leads to feelings of being a failure.
     • Mother Wounds: Lonely and Busy Mom, not present. Leads to her identity as a women being flawed.
5. A Special Hatred
   • Due to our wounds (as we start believing those lies), we feel lonely and that we have failed as a women.
     • We seek acceptance in other places and put the blame on ourselves, that we are not good enough.
     • We start to lose respect for ourselves and are unsure who we truly are.
     • We start to numb those wounds and put on a front.
     • We don’t feel worthy of pursuit.
   • Truth
     • We are passionately loved by the God of the Universe.
     • We are passionately hate by His Enemy.
6. Healing the Wound
   • Jesus has set us free and also wants to restore us.
     • Invite Him into scattered places in your heart. Rebuke those lies and fill it with the truth.
7. Romanced
   • God loves me as a lover does
     • “A women becomes beauty when she is pursued.”
     • “She is lovely and inviting when pursued.”
   • We regain our passion which sets our hearts on fire.
   • God speaks to us personally. It is a gift from God’s heart to yours.
8. Beauty to Unveil
   • Beauty flows from a heart at rest.
   • When heart is not at rest, in strive, this “Beauty” impresses but does not invite.
   • Trust God,
     • We have beauty.
     • When it hurts.
     • When we have seen and enjoyed.
   • Our hearts grow in capacity to love others when filled with the love of God
     • ” Experience of sorrow in no way diminishes the joy living but enhances it!”
9. Arousing Adam
   • Adam’s wound: Passivity, deemed unmanly (not enough)
   • Result of the Fall:
     • Dominating women – controlling, uninviting.
     • Desolate women – overly inviting, over dependent on Him, lets him take advantage.
     • Arousing women – Needs him (for His strength) and believes in him as a man.
10. Mothers, Daughters, Sisters
    • Mother – “Having a child is like having your heart walk outside of you.”
    • Daughter – Many good women make the desperate mistake of believing her daughter is an exact reflection of herself. This might unintentionally wound her daughter. Mother tries to “set thing right” (the way she believes is right) but daughter/son pulls away finding her/his own identity
    • Sisters/Woman Friendships – Women friends become the face of God to one another (grace, delight, mercy). Friendships between women provide a safe place to share in the experiences of life as a women. We love our friends by pursuing them, there is a need to be nurtured, guarded and fought for. It is important to have honest communication of love, God invites us to risk trusting Him and enter redemptive friendships with others.
11. Warrior Princess
    • “God desires the women’s spirit to raise up in His strength.”
    • Fighting back
      • Spiritual attacks: Dizzy spells
      • Relational attacks: Spirit of accusation
      • Self: Your heart is needed to be present, to be precious to someone, to be romanced, to unveil beauty to glorify Him.
12. An irreplaceable role
    • What’s God’s calling for you?
    • Women are needed to protect relationships.
    • Issues of headship and authority are intended for benefit of women.
    • “You will find that as God restores your heart, you will recover long lost passions and dreams.”

Being Myself by Stasi Eldredge

1. Does anyone ever change?
2. Looking Back with Mercy
3. The landscape of our lives
4. Our mothers, ourselves: Part 1
5. Our mothers, ourselves: Part 2
6. From accepting to embracing
7. From fear to desire
8. the company of women
9. beauty forged in suffering
10. stumbling into freedom
11. becoming a women of faith
12. becoming a women of worship
13. becoming our true name
14. Take heart