Book Review

I want to recommend a fabulous book I recently read. God Loves Ugly by Christa Black. I wish I could put up a picture of the cover, but alas, I am just too illiterate on our new Mac to make it happen. You can link to her website though by clicking the title of the book. Christa is a violinist, singer, songwriter, speaker - not to mention wife, daughter, and Jesus follower. This book she has written is beautiful. It is poignant in its honesty and bittersweet in its detail. When I read her words I can relate to them. I can relate to them in my own battle of growing up and I can relate to them as I painfully watch my daughter navigate the wild waters of womanhood. We all handle our insecurities in different ways, so even though Christa's story is not my story exactly, nor is it yours - it is universal in many respects. We all long to be loved. We long for someone to fight for us. We long for the Knight in Shining Armor - whether we are willing to admit it or not. When we feel unworthy, which during our hormonal teenage years, is most of the time, we turn to things that we dream will fill us, give us power and control. These things may be food issues, drugs, alcohol, sex. It may be the euphoria of being the best at something - a sport, an instrument, academics. It is only when we find the only true source of love, Jesus Himself, that we can finally be free. Free from the bondage of insecurity and free to love and be loved in return.

Christa's Knight in Shining Armor came to her in the form of a young man that I knew personally when I was a teenager. I don't remember how old Lucas was exactly, but I know that I often babysat for him and his older sister. Their dad was my youth pastor growing up and I remember this cute little dirty blonde headed boy who liked to follow all the big kids around. Who would have thought that now he is all grown up, with a wife of his own? I have not personally met Christa yet, but I certainly hope to some day.

I highly recommend that you get yourself and any teenage girls in your life a copy of this book. It is powerful and it will bring you face to face with your issues. It will also give you practical helps to get one on one with Jesus and allow Him to change you from the inside out.