“We desire to possess a beauty that is worth pursuing, worth fighting for, a beauty that is core to who we truly are. We want beauty that can be seen; beauty that can be felt; beauty that affects others; a beauty all our own to unveil.”
There is a wonderful, awe-inspiring, and breathtaking book for every woman who has a desire to understand the workings of the feminine heart more fully. This tender, yet powerful book is called Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman’s Soul by John and Stasi Eldredge. John Eldredge is the well-known author of the bestselling book titled Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man’s Soul which digs deep into the forest of a man’s heart while Captivating unveils the mystery and beauty of a woman’s heart. This enchanting book changed my life at a pivotal crossroad in my discovery of what it means to be a woman made in the image of God who is in the world but not of the world. This book was handed to me and quickly became a wonderful mentor and guide to my soul when I did not have a woman in my life to show me what it meant to be a strong and confident woman of God, yet wonderfully tender and peaceful.
Women across seas, lands, cultures, nations, and ethnicities have wondered where the heart of their worth and value lies. They have wondered what makes them unique not only as an individual, but what makes them breathtaking as a woman. They wonder if they are desirable. They wonder if the depth of their beauty is worth pursuing. They wonder if they are too much or too little. They wonder if those around them find them to be a life giving source or a draining one. Deep in their hearts they ponder if it is okay to have a heart that desires to be a warrior fighting for the preservation of what is good, right, and true. They ponder if the desire to be on an adventure with God is good, right, and okay. These mothers, daughters, and sisters want to know if they play an irreplaceable role in a profound and wild adventure. Many desire to be romanced, desire to bring a beauty to the painting of their lives that no one else can, and have the desire to play an irreplaceable role in the movement of Christ and His kingdom’s movement on the earth.
The heart of this book is this, “We think you’ll find that every woman in her heart of hearts longs for three things: to be romanced, to play an irreplaceable role in a great adventure, and to unveil beauty. That’s what makes a woman come alive”. This book gave me the permission and freedom to long for these things and not feel ashamed. I believe this message is one that women need to hear to be able to more freely enjoy and express being a woman made in the image of God. It is good to be made in the image of God, either male or female. There is an immense beauty to femininity in the heart of every woman that this book helps us uncover while not taking away the ability of a woman to express her strength. Just as Wild at Heart unveils the strength of a man without taking away the ability of a man to express great tenderness and love to those around him. Hope you find this book and enjoy reading it!
Here are a few powerful quotes to give you a taste of this stunning work of literature:
“A woman is a warrior too. But she is meant to be a warrior in a uniquely feminine way. Sometime before the sorrows of life did their best to kill it in us, most young women wanted to be a part of something grand, something important.”
― Stasi Eldredge, Captivating: Unveiling The Mystery Of A Woman’s Soul
“That longing in the heart of a woman to share life together as a great adventure-that comes straight from the heart of God, who also longs for this. He does not want to be an option in our lives. He does not want to be an appendage, a tagalong. Neither does any woman. God is essential. He wants us to need him-desperately. Eve is essential. She has an irreplaceable role to play. And so you’ll see that women are endowed with fierce devotion, an ability to suffer great hardships, a vision to make the world a better place”
― Stasi Eldredge, Captivating: Unveiling The Mystery Of A Woman’s Soul
“Beauty is transcendent. It is our most immediate experience of the eternal. Think of what it’s like to behold a gorgeous sunset or the ocean at dawn. Remember the ending of a great story. We yearn to linger, to experience it all our days. Sometimes the beauty is so deep it pierces us with longing. For what? For life as it was meant to be. Beauty reminds us of an Eden we have never known, but somehow our hearts were created for.”
― Stasi Eldredge, Captivating: Unveiling The Mystery Of A Woman’s Soul
A Captivated Heart Unveiled
