Becoming the Woman God Wants Me to Be: A 90-Day Guide to Living the Proverbs 31 Life <Donna Partow, Revell, 2008> is a mixed bag. It has definite strengths and some distinct weaknesses.
On the plus side is Becoming's originality, readability, style, tone and format. Partow's style is brisk and engaging. Her tone is warm, congenial and passionate. Becoming offers readers numerous strategies for change in different areas including physical health, daily routine, family relationships, finances and spiritual growth in a format that's clear and easy to follow.
In the Beginning...
This book begins with an introduction featuring a Program Overview and "what you can hope to accomplish on this 90-Day Jumpstart." Areas include: Faith, Family, Fitness, Personal Appearance and Fashion, Finances and Retirement Planning, Household Management, Ministry, Business, and Self-Management. Also a "What You'll Need" List.
Chapters average three to five pages in length and are easily digested. Also included is a daily Scripture to memorize, a Bible passage, and a guided prayer, followed by Personal and Practical sections. Each week wraps up with a Weekly Check-Up, a Practical Checklist, and a Weekly Reflection and Evaluation.
Sound or Silly?
There is much to commend in Week One, Faith Foundations, and Week Two, Godly Habits. Chapters include discussions on Time Alone With God, Meditate on God's Word, Focus on the Positive as well as Becoming "Consciously Selective", Stay Planted in the Word of God and Devote Yourself to Prayer. However, bits and pieces of "excuse me?" seep in occasionally. Some readers may file the recommendations on Day 11, Sleep in Peace (p. 56), and Day 12, Be Diligent (p. 59), under Micro-Managing Minutia or Just Plain Silly:
"I'm sure the snooze button was inspired by the devil. It's his secret weapon against Christians... if he can get you to snooze away the thirty minutes you would have, could have, should have spent with God, the devil has the upper hand against you for the rest of the day." (p. 61).
(Various sources attribute the invention of the modern snooze button - a concept which may have been around since ancient Greece - to Lew Wallace, the man who penned Ben Hur.)
Insufficient and Curious?
Becoming the Woman God Wants You to Be stumbles in two areas: sourcing and biblical exegesis. Support from credible sources and/or credentialed experts in areas that form the backbone for plans, strategies, guidelines or assertions within this work is insufficient or M.I.A. It also offers some curious biblical exegesis. Since it is beyond the scope of this review to undertake an intensive page-by-page analysis of this book, we'll focus primarily on these two areas.
Sources?
Alert readers may want to give some of the sources noted in Becoming a second look before buying what they're peddling.
Take a look at Week Three, for example, Healthy Eating (pp. 68 - 88). Chapters include: Purge Your Pantry of Harm, Resolve to Control Your Eating Habit, Limit Your Sugar Intake, Eat Reasonable Portions, and Plan Ahead for Healthier Eating. Some great ideas and guidelines here, but a fair amount of this material is either attributed to sources with questionable or unlikely credentials (if any), or not sourced at all. In this week the author lays out what foods to eat and avoid, urges a ten-day vegetable and water only diet, and lands at Day 17, Limit Your Sugar Intake (pp. 74 - 77).
Day 17 references data from www.drbob4health.com/FoodsToAvoid. The information on this site is credited to Dr. Robert F. DeMaria, D.C. (Doctor of Chiropractic) of "Drugless Healthcare Solutions." The site focuses primarily on "correcting the spine and aiding the nervous system... so the body will draw upon its own ability to heal itself" - not on nutrition or healthy eating specifically. (Dr. Bob's Foods to Avoid list also includes: Chlorine, Liquid Candy, Milk, NutraSweet,(tm) Peanuts, soft drinks, synthetic vitamins, "genetically modified" food or food "containing modified organisms." The longer list includes pretty much everything on the typical grocery store shelf. "Dr. Bob" lists sugar as a "food to avoid," not "limit.")
Wouldn't a registered dietician or nutritionist make a more credible source here? Additionally, declarative statements such as the following cite dubious sources or appear to be unsourced (further information may be available in other Partow books or resources, but we're not reviewing the gamut here - just the single title noted.):
-- "The up and down motion of rebounding stimulates the lymphatic system, promoting more efficient cell-cleansing processes." (p. 101)
-- "In addition to eating right, one of the kindest things you can for yourself... is taking time to bathe. Did you know that bathing is important for your physical well-being? A shower may be convenient, but it doesn't accomplish the same degree of cleansing a bath can." (p. 104)
-- "A cleansing bath can purify your body from the toxins that have built up in your body. This is especially important when you start to exercise and eat foods that promote detoxification." (p. 104)
-- "Furthermore, if toxins are not rapidly eliminated from the body, they can become reassimilated." (p. 105)
"Points to Ponder"
Speaking of questionable sources, Week Six, Financial Planning (p.134-155) is perhaps the weakest part of this book. The author makes huge assumptions regarding income level, homeowner status, assets and liabilities, investments and the like. Partow tosses dollar amounts around like orbs in a pin ball machine. Often in the ten of thousands, these dollar figures may leave some readers shaking their heads.
Some readers may detect a sneering attitude toward "the poor and middle class" (see p. 139 for an example). The number of times the word "millionaire" appears in this segment borders on rapacious. This reviewer also questions the numerous "get rich quick" and "become a millionaire" schemes or proponents referenced. Again, sources such as Robert Allen, David Brach and Robert Kiyosaki are problematic.
In Day 51, Developing Multiple Streams of Income (pp. 189 - 192), Partow points out financial guru Robert Allen and his two books, Multiple Steams of Income and The One Minute Millionaire. A visit to Allen's web site includes the following:
"Robert G. Allen Is Working On His Latest Profit-Making Challenge And Needs YOU To Be One Of HIS Success Stories! Let me Teach YOU my Secrets to Creating Wealth The Multiple Streams of Income!"
This is followed by a "challenge application" which includes question #30: "Yes, I am willing to make a financial investment for this opportunity to work with Robert G. Allen." A quick "Google" of Robert Allen shows why he's earned the title of "con artist," "snake oil salesman," "fraud," and "scammer," among others. (Check out the Business Program Reviewer for one example. You can find more on your own.)
"Financial guru" and former Morgan Stanley Vice President, David Bach, author of The Automatic Millionaire, is noted in Days 40 and 79 and elsewhere. Click here for some feedback on Bach's figures and techniques:
http://www.thetaoofmakingmoney.com/2007/05/31/383.html.
What's Ringing?
"Scam", "fraud" and "one of the worst" are linked with Robert Kiyosaki (Days 37 and 51. Also see p. 139, etc.). Kiyosaki's 'Rich Dad' organization recently joined with the Russ Whitney Information Network, "a provider of postsecondary education focused on individual wealth creation and personal success." This organization's marketing activities came under grand jury investigation by the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia in 2006. (http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/226/RipOff0226341.htm. Information also available from: 2006 Business Wire, and the Gale Group.)
Does this ring any warning bells? If some of the sources for this portion of Becoming are dubious, marginally ethical/credible and possibly illegal, how sound are the principles and practices they promote?
Direct What?
In Day 52, Try Direct Marketing, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Pampered Chef and Creative Memories are mentioned (p. 193). Not mentioned is that each company requires a start-up fee or a similar capital investment, some of them hefty. Consultants for these companies typically offer credit and payment plan options to potential clients unable to pay cash for their purchases, contradicting Partow's advice in Days 38 and 39, Reduce Your Debt (pp. 141 - 144) and Pay Cash (pp. 144 - 147).
Look Before You Leap
The section on "Home Enterprises" (pp. 184-201) may be risky. Legitimate "work from home" businesses can be hard to find. These "opportunities" are rife with scams, cons, and rip-offs, so much so that they've spawned a secondary industry "exposing" the cons and come-ons. Look before you leap - or invest. (As noted above, Robert Allen and Robert Kiyosaki-isms referenced here may give cause for pause.)
Don't Forget
Also keep in mind that If you choose to participate in and practice all the routines and advice within this book, you'll need to buy:
- A personal notebook, daily planner, filelr paper, calendar, diverder, pocket pages, etc.
- Good quality walking shoes (p. 93)
- Nalgene bottles (p. 96)
- A rebounder (p. 102)
- "Cleansing bath" ingredients - p. 105
- A new mattress (if yours is 10 y.o. or more) - p. 58
- Lemons, cranberries, protein powder, ground flaxseed, etc. - see p. 104
- Ten plastic storage containers - p. 124
- A new wardrobe if your current one is the wrong color - p.
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