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readingwithmeredith 's review for:
Stop Calling Me Beautiful: Finding Soul-Deep Strength in a Skin-Deep World
by Phylicia Masonheimer
Having attended a Christian university where I studied Women’s Ministry, I was in a classroom setting where every class began with “turn to your neighbor and tell them they are a beautiful creation of God!” Oh how I despised that. So much of what was taught in my undergrad women’s ministry courses was centered around the role of a woman and her unique identity as being marvelously made by God. This focus frustrated me as a student and reading this book by Phylicia has been like someone took all my thoughts, feelings, and processing over those courses and put them into a book.
Women do not need more self-help, positive statements about themselves, or surface level bible teaching. They need real theology with real encounters with scripture so they can get to know the living God who wants to have a relationship with them. They don’t need more bible verses thrown at them but they need help shifting the focus toward looking at Jesus. Phylicia does an amazing job at that. At first glance you may think the content isn’t “new.” But when you dive deeper you realize that her goal is to shift the focus back to Jesus regardless of the topic. It’s not about self-help but an in depth relationship with Jesus. Women need the gospel that is for broken people.
This book is a powerhouse of wisdom for any woman because of the focus on Jesus. It also has the potential to transform those leading women’s ministries. I am so thankful for Phylicia’s strong presence to speak truth and challenge women to go deeper in their relationship with God. Upon finishing the book, I began to think if there has been any other female authored Christian book that has challenged me to pursue Jesus and truly left me feeling strengthened in my relationship with Him and I believe this may be the first. I know her target audience was those newer to the faith but this book connected deeply with me as a final year seminary student.
Women do not need more self-help, positive statements about themselves, or surface level bible teaching. They need real theology with real encounters with scripture so they can get to know the living God who wants to have a relationship with them. They don’t need more bible verses thrown at them but they need help shifting the focus toward looking at Jesus. Phylicia does an amazing job at that. At first glance you may think the content isn’t “new.” But when you dive deeper you realize that her goal is to shift the focus back to Jesus regardless of the topic. It’s not about self-help but an in depth relationship with Jesus. Women need the gospel that is for broken people.
This book is a powerhouse of wisdom for any woman because of the focus on Jesus. It also has the potential to transform those leading women’s ministries. I am so thankful for Phylicia’s strong presence to speak truth and challenge women to go deeper in their relationship with God. Upon finishing the book, I began to think if there has been any other female authored Christian book that has challenged me to pursue Jesus and truly left me feeling strengthened in my relationship with Him and I believe this may be the first. I know her target audience was those newer to the faith but this book connected deeply with me as a final year seminary student.