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Intimate Issues: Twenty-One Questions Christian Women Ask About Sex

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Women have questions about sex. Christian women in particular are often uncertain when determining what God's parameters for married love are. It is only right and good to examine each and every aspect of our life with the guidance of the Holy Ghost as we ask God to examine our heart and reveal any areas that may be unpleasing to Him. This task can be daunting when we begin to explore the most intimate areas of our lives. Raised in homes and churches where the subject was largely taboo, or feeling uncomfortable asking questions, many women find determining God's will for their sex life a lonely, awkward road.

Delving into both the mundane and the sacred, co-authors Linda Dillow and Lorraine Pintus have stepped up to the call, providing women with a guide to discovering God's glorious, joy-filled vision for marital sex. The title seems to imply a work filled with dos, don'ts and suggestions; while all these are present Intimate Issues: Twenty-One Questions Christian Women Ask About Sex digs much deeper into underlying thought patterns, forgiveness, sexual healing and much more.

The authors are ever gentle as they encourage women to seek the scriptures for themselves, to repent and get right with God, to seek Him for healing in the places they've been so deeply wounded. Their heart is well depicted in the cover art, a cup of coffee that symbolizes a warm conversation between friends as they share openly, honestly and respectfully.

I've had the opportunity to read several titles aimed for Christian women on the topic of sex, each seeking to portray the act of love in the positive, life-filled context we find expressed in the word of God. Many of these works provide helpful advice, but never have I read a book that provides such a deep transformation of the mind by drawing upon scripture, prayer and true-life examples. Each chapter is a mini-therapy session in and of itself.

With the section "Change My Heart, O God" additional scripture readings, reflection questions and action points are shared. Chapters exploring sexual pain from the past provide additional spiritual guidance through areas of bondage and limitation. Imagine a beloved and trusted friend praying with you through the pain of past abortions, sexual sin, and memories of abuse; Dillow and Pintus are those friends and their words in print provide much needed loving, grace-filed support. A 12-week Bible study is also included for use singly or in a woman's small group setting, providing additional journaling, prayer and reading opportunities.

While the book's entire emphasis is upon the spiritual and calling on God to renew our minds and hearts in this area, if you have questions regarding the mechanics of love-making, you'll find answers here as well. While not a comprehensive manual, the questions most-asked by women regarding the physical aspects of their intimate relationships are related here as well. A wide variety of common concerns are addressed in clinically accurate language without ever descending into the vulgar and crude. As an aside - I love comprehensive indexes, and Intimate Issues provides both an index of scripture references used throughout the text as well as a topical one, should you need a specific answer immediately.

Sisters, do take note of this work. It delves deeper and provides much more than comparable titles. Though written expressly for women (with the exception of the activities which involve your husband), I found myself sharing new understandings with my husband in joy and delight. I'm adding their work for couples (co-written with their husbands) Intimacy Ignited: Conversations Couple to Couple: Fire Up Your Sex Life with the Song of Solomon to my wish-list. If the quality displayed in Intimate Issues follows through in their work for couples, it too will be a powerful tool for the examination and transformation of marriages and an effective agent of spiritual growth.

Authors Linda Dillow and Lorraine Pintus created more than conversations, woman to woman, in their book INTIMATE ISSUES: 21 Questions Christian Women Ask About Sex. This is not a clinical book. The authors say, "We are not sex therapists, psychologists, or sociologists."

When you read the book you have a sense Dillow and Pintus are women like you and me, married to men like our husbands. Men desire an intimate relationship with their wives. The authors give clear direction and examples of how to develop a more desirable togetherness in a marriage setting. They also address issues of how to find forgiveness when a spouse is unfaithful, whether with another person or pornography; how to accept yourself when your body is aging and still allow your mate the pleasure of your body, lumpy or not; how to renew the love you felt for your spouse on your wedding day, to build a bridge into his world when everyday life demands all of your energy.

INTIMATE ISSUES is a book backed up with Scripture and many other authors and clinical studies. A great book for the pastor's library, or to give as a tenth anniversary gift--something to rebuild the fire when the romance has cooled.

The good news is, Intimate Issues is a book with answers--a much needed book for today's women. Thanks Waterbrook Press. The book has a 12 week study guide in the back of the book, also.

Intimate Issues, 21 Questions Christian Women Ask About Sex, by Linda Dillow and Lorraine Pintus, is a book about God's intentions for your sex life. "What do you mean? God cares about my sex life?" You betcha. Not only does He care, but He created sex as part of His gift to you and your spouse; He intended for it to be a crucial part of marriage.

Believers routinely become too religious for their own good. By that I mean they worry about their image to the point that they stop being real and authentic. They're so busy being a "good Christian" they hide behind a facade which is far different from the human being underneath the mask. As a result, they shy away from honest conversations about how they feel, what they think, their struggles in following Jesus, asking honest questions about God, etc. When you add to that the taboo subject of sexual relations, every Christ-follower feels completely alone on topics related to intimacy.


Intimate Issues is a great book to address all the questions you were afraid to ask or, in my case, all the questions you didn't even know to ask! When I started to read this book, I was a little irritated. I thought, "Why am I reading this book? I don't need to read this. I have an extremely open and healthy attitude about sex. I know God intended for us to enjoy sex within the union of marriage." Then I came to the subject of forgiveness for past sexual sins. Wow. I had no idea the condemnation I felt for things I did before I became a believer. I had asked God to forgive all my sins; I thought I'd forgiven myself. Boy, was I wrong! This book is leading me to freedom in that regard (I say "leading" as opposed to "led" because for many women, it's a process.)

It's true that the world is too permissive when it comes to sex, but it's also true that most in the church are too repressed, rejecting God's gift of marital intimacy and the important role it was intended to play in marriage. Intimate Issues by Linda Dillow and Lorraine Pintus gives the reader an opportunity to have honest conversations about sex in a God-centered environment. It's like talking to your two best Christian friends about the topics you may not be comfortable discussing face-to-face. In addition to talking about what God intended for the marriage bed, difficult subjects are covered such as healing from sexual abuse, what to do when your husband's sex drive is low, dealing with impotency, recovering from guilt of a past abortion, pornography, and other tough topics. This book is a great resource, one I dare say any married woman should read!

Intimate Issues by Linda Dillow and Lorraine Pintus is subtitled 21 Questions Christian Women Ask About Sex, and boy, does it deliver! I think that many people have the idea that Christians think that all sex is bad and that even happy Christian marriages are boring and cold in the bedroom. The authors are determined to put that myth to rest, and if it isn't a myth in your marriage, to teach you that it's absolutely ok to have a vibrant and happy sex life. By incorporating Scripture and personal anecdotes the book explains that sex was created by God to enhance marriage and should be a beautiful part of it. The authors use The Song of Solomon to illustrate exactly what a wife's role in sex should be, as well as what is acceptable biblically (a lot more than you'd think) and what's not. They also tackle issues that may be causing trouble in the bedroom like self-image issues and physical problems. Sex can be a determining factor in whether a marriage survives. Whether your sex life is fabulous or floundering, there's a lot of great info in this book for everyone.

I'm preparing for marriage, and I was curious about a lot of the issues in this book. Despite different portions of the book being super conservative and quoting some verses of the Bible that I think are translated a bit too literally, given the context of the scripture, I think it is a great book with a lot of solid information and advice that I will utilize in the future!

I highly recommend this book. I wish I would have read this book 8 years ago when I first married. My husband actually read the book first and highlighted specific parts of it for me to read more closely( I of course had to rebel and put off reading for a few weeks when he did that). When I finally did read it I was transformed. I had such a negative view about sex and had to face my own issues. The Lord really helped me to see sex from His perspective and my husband is very appreciative. Now I no longer view sex as another thing on my list. I look forward to it. This book will change your life. PLEASE READ IT!

My mom's Bible study group went through this book about the time I was getting married. The ladies told her to give me a copy. Now, I give it to all my friends as a wedding gift. They handle the intimacy issues so well, so delicately, yet thoroughly. Read it!

I recommend this book to all wives or women who want to be the wife that God has called them to be. It's not necessarily about what you think it's about. It opened my eyes to the importance of intimacy to my husband. It literally keeps him alive!!! God wants us to have phenomenal sex lives with our spouses! Free yourself! I'm so glad I read this book and so is my husband!

This is a great book about how God designed true lovemaking to be! It's definitely geared toward women, but I have even discussed some things with my husband. It definitely opened our conversation up to a wide variety of topics. Great investment if you desire to be a sensual wife for your husband!

This book showed me what sexual intimacy is supposed to look like and what an incredible gift it can be. No matter how painful our circumstances, no woman is beyond the healing touch of God. Whether you're a newlywed or someone like me and well-passed your silver anniversary, it will just plain teach you how to be a good lover. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go buy ALOT of ribbon!