Every Woman's Battle by Shannon Ethridge

There are few books that I read more than once, but this is one of them!  Shannon Ethridge's message of purity is presented in an authentic and honest way, and I have yet to read another book or hear a sermon that delves into these issues.  This book has had a profound impact on my life.

Every Woman's Battle is about the battle for purity, especially pertaining to sexual and emotional integrity.  Often times sexual integrity is a message directed only to men, which leaves women feeling very alone in their struggles.  Shannon puts it this way, "Men and women struggle in different ways when it comes to sexual integrity.  While a man's battle begins with what he takes in through his eyes, a woman's begins with her heart and her thoughts.  A man must guard his eyes to maintain sexual integrity, but because God made women to be emotionally and mentally stimulated, we must closely guard our hearts and minds as well as our bodies if we want to experience God's plan for sexual and emotional fulfillment.  A woman's battle is for sexual and emotional integrity."  By sharing her own struggles, the stories of others, and most importantly Scripture, Shannon sets forth to show women how to renew their minds, guard their hearts, control their tongues, set healthy boundaries with the opposite sex, connect with their spouses, and retreat with Jesus.

I would highly recommend this book to any adult woman (there is also Every Young Woman's Battle for teens).  The author isn't afraid to talk about subjects that are normally too embarrassing to bring up in conversation such as impure thoughts/fantasies, masturbation (I am blushing just typing that word!), and emotional affairs.  We need a clear, scripture-based viewpoint on these topics so that we can walk in the purity and integrity God calls us to, knowing that we are not alone in our struggle.  There is also a workbook included at the back of the book.  For each chapter there are questions for personal reflection and discussion questions that can be used in a small group. 

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.  Click here to read the first chapter!