Resources

Trigger warning (please don’t drop your laptop or phone and run away screaming.) I’m about to mention the “M-word”: Modesty.

As a mom of two daughters, modesty has been a regular topic of conversation since they were about a year old and we had to buy their first swimsuit. Now I find it continues on an annual cycle. “What about this dress for Homecoming? Christmas? Prom?” “How about these shorts for Youthcamp or this uniform for cross country or track?” “Can I wear this to school?” And before you know it, they are asking the same thing about bridesmaids and wedding dresses.

For me, as a mom with a bunch of kids, there have been days where I have spent quite literally all my time and energy looking to serve and bless my family. But rather than rejoicing at that grace, I’ve been haunted by a vague guilt that I’m not doing enough.

I recently read Eve in Exile: And the Restoration of Femininity by Rebekah Merkle. Okay, I actually listened to the audio book while I washed dishes in the evenings. It was the time this mom had, but I’m pretty sure it still counts as reading.

Rebekah’s basic premise is that we have lost our understanding of what biblical femininity is, partly due to the culture’s all-out efforts to promote a form of feminism. It has seeped into our daily function in ways we don’t even realize.

The first time I read Life Together by Deitrich Bonhoeffer, I was longing for community and fellowship. In only five chapters, Bonhoeffer comprehensively describes the blessing of and need for community, how community is bound by our mutual affection for Christ, and what our fellowship together ought to consist of…

Made For Friendship: The Relationship That Halves Our Sorrows and Doubles Our Joys by Drew Hunter encouraged and convicted me through every chapter. As an outgoing person, friendships have always been a big part of my life. I spend time with others often and get energy from being around people. Because of this, reading a book on friendship seemed like a helpful thing for me to do.