Captivating

I received a book for my birthday this year and I have to say, I have a good feeling about it.
I always adored the idea of being a "bookworm", but I never really had the time to open a book up. Wait no, actually I had plenty of time... but the books that I've picked up never really seemed to appeal to me. No matter how hard I forced myself to read, my mind would just doze off until the next page where I'd realize that I didn't understand anything I had just read. I've picked up - I don't even know how many books - in the past year, and dropped all but two. The two that I read the whole way through were both required novel studies for English class, so that really doesn't mean anything either.

Again, this book is different, and I have a good feeling about this book because it hits home.
I'm really tempted to highlight every single sentence in this book, but I've decided not to because I am incapable of drawing a straight line. Whenever I highlight notes for school I always accidentally highlight the line above and below. Curse unsteady hands!!

Instead, I've decided to just write out every thing that catches my eye. At least this way I can share and hopefully inspire others as much as i've been inspired.

"Every woman I've ever met feels it - something deeper than just the sense of failing at what she does. An underlying, gut feeling of failing at who she is. I am not enough, and I am too much at the same time. Not pretty enough, not thin enough, not kind enough, not gracious enough, not disciplined enough. But too emotional, too needy, to sensitive, too strong, too opinionated, too messy." (7)


"Aware of our deep failings, we pour contempt on our own hearts wanting for more. Oh, we long for intimacy and for adventure; we long to be the Beauty of some great story. But the desires set deep in our hearts seem like a luxury, granted only to those women who get their acts together. The message to the rest of us - whether from a driven culture or a driven church - is 'try harder.'" (7)


"Every woman in her heart of heart longs for three things: to be romanced, to play an irreplaceable role in a great adventure, and to unveil beauty." (9)


"Women love adventures of all sorts. Whether it be the adventure of horses or white-water rafting, going to a foreign country, performing on stage, having children, starting a business, or diving ever more deeply into the heart of God, we were all made to be a part of a great adventure." (12)

"Now we know - many of those desires have gone unmet, or been assaulted, or simply so long neglected that most women end up living two lives. On the surface we are busy and efficient, professional even. We are getting by. On the inside women lose themselves in a fantasy world or in cheap novels, or we give ourselves over to food or some other addiction to numb the ache of our hearts. But your heart is still there, crying out to be set free, to find the life your desires tell you of." (19)