Customer Reviews

Living Whole Without a Better Half

5 star:		(5)
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2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

WOW! Wendy does a great job of honestly going deeper on a difficult subject. Although she doesn't trivialize the pain involved in living with unmet Godly desires, she does uncover the fact that these struggles aren't new to mankind. This is a deeper bite than Table For One, but just as good. Not for the faint of heart--be ready to wrestle with God. Huge encouragement for singles. Even though the author is apparently young and comes from an amazingly supportive family she is no stranger to lonliness. Excellant job helping us stay focused on God. Hard to be disgruntled with your life when you have an attitude of gratitude, even if this isn't the life we had hoped for.

This is by far the best book I've ever read. I get so tired of hearing people say to me "God has someone special for you" or "What? You don't have a boyfriend? You're not married?!?" Why continue searching for your "better half" when you can live the life that God has for you. I can't tell you all of it. You have to purchase a copy for yourself.

This book is a general discussion of life's hardships in a heavily scriptual context. It has very little to do with the problems encountered by singles in day to day life. The author apparently considers herself an expert on being single due to a recent break-up with a fiance in her mid twenties. Unfortunately, her experience is not particularly relevant to people who have been single for many years or are single in their 30's or 40's, which is significantly different from being a single 20-something.

Even though I love my 30-something single life, I am always on the hunt for good encouragement as, let's be honest, it can still be lonely...and the older I get, the more I feel that biological clock ticking! I probably own at least a dozen or so of these types of books that have either been given to me, or that I've picked up on my own. This was one I picked up myself and rather than finding encouragement, it actually depressed me.

There were some good points I thought she had, and I know that many have probably found it encouraging, but overall it was not practical for me and the way I have approached my life and my current God-given gift of singleness.

A book like this I think should speak to all, and instead I think it surely speaks to some, but it certainly didn't to me or any of my friends (who I also had read it as I was afraid that maybe my take on it was "just me"). I kept it on my shelf for awhile, but eventually ended up getting rid of it completely.

There are so many of these kinds of books out there right now, I would highly recommend picking up another one and leave this as one of the last reads you do. One that I would highly recommend is Table for One: The Savvy Girls Guide to Singleness or Revelations of a Single Woman: Loving the Life I Didn't Expect.

Widder does an excellent job of approaching singleness with a fresh perspective. She writes from the heart, with a passion for the truth of scripture, and a desire to encourage her readers. The book balances real life experences and stories with scripture. You will laugh at Widder's humorous stories and be refreshed by her down to earth attitude. Enjoy!

Ms. Widder has a way with words. Her illustrations are so true to life. I felt as if she was in the same room talking to me. Such a good conversationsal writer. She should join the speaking circuit. So much practical information, not just for singles, but for anyone. Her words bring laughter, and understanding.

This book was, by far, perhaps the BEST book I have read for singles. Wendy Widder uses colorful examples and she is so down-to-earth and easy to relate to. I would recommend this book to any single, male or female, at any age. I urge you to read this book for a fresh perspective on being single..... this book will help you see your singleness, not as a curse, but as a gift and it will help you understand God's purpose for you.

This book puts emphasis on human effort to run the race/strive/pursue the prize, etc. rather than emphasis on the sovereign grace of a holy God who works all things according to his Glory. Widder does write about the fact that God, unlike Santa, gives only GOOD gifts -- ie, no "coal" in our stockings, even if we are likely to perceive our singleness in that way.

There are, in my opinion, FAR better options available to singles, single Christian women in particular.

Example: Short booklet "Singled out for Him" by Nancy Leigh DeMoss, the relatively new release with accompanying DVD "Sex and the Supremacy of Christ" edited/compiled by John Piper, and "Did I Kiss Marriage Goodbye" by Carolyn McCulley (member of Joshua Harris' church).

Also helpful, check out Carolyn's internet "Blog" -- gives lots of regular articles pertaining to singleness; that will be a better resource, also, than this well-intentioned book.

http://www.solofemininity.blogs.com/

Another brief comment: This book is very helpful, perhaps, to "beginners" on the journey towards contentment in singleness. Anyone, however, with a deeper understanding of God's grace will find it elementary at best.