Book Review: Redifining Beautiful

I have been reading Redifining Beautiful by Jenna Lucado this week, and really enjoying it! I love ministering to teen girls and I highly recommend this book, it is TRULY a great resource! She has done such a great job packing a lot of wonderful BIG LESSONS into a really easy-to-read, non-confrontational format. Jenna doesn't shy away from using plenty of scripture and presents the gospel in a clear "girlfriend" way that is so effective with teens! She is vulnerable and honest in a way that is very real.

Most of all I love the way she provides plenty of opportunities to personally apply the lessons with questions and fill-in-the blanks - with just the right balance so that it still seems fun -not like homework. These little fill in the blanks and the great text boxes throughout featuring "beauty tips" will really keep the interests of girls and make them go deeper -they can't just read it, by making it personal, Jenna forces them to apply it. I would love to see this book become a full girl's Bible study! I've had a hard time finding studies like this book that approach the topic of "self image" in deep, powerful way!

I plan on having my daughter Ally read the book even though in my eyes she is far from being a teen! It is deep enough in its content that more mature, college age and well grounded girls will get a lot out of it, but this book would be great for girls who have struggled with their faith or who have not had the best relationship with their dads. Jenna focuses throughout the book on how your relationship with your dad, (and your heavenly dad) shape how you see yourself. As she says in the book, "Though our earthly dads will impact who we are, it's only our heavenly Dad's love that can define who we are. It's only this Dad's love that can make us complete and fill every need in or hearts. And it's only this Dad's love that can determine whether we see ourselves, others, and God according to the standards of a new kind of beauty - a beauty we may have never known existed."

Here's a link to see the author talking to girls about the book:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wrm6oi-v_J0