An (unfortunately) Unusual Happening

The other day I thought Nadia was awake, but she wasn't.  My mistake however has started a trend that I'm trying to keep going.  I went ahead and got up, and I got so much done!  I got to read my Bible, reply to some emails and even finish a book!  And that's what brings me here, the book.  I want to tell you about it.

Elyse Fitzpatrick has written several books, but I've only had the pleasure of reading this one:  Helper By Design, and I greatly enjoyed it.  I appreciated her honesty.  Sometimes I read this type of book, you know, a book for Christian women about how to be a better Christian woman, and I get a weird feeling from the author.  It just sounds fake to me.  I realize that's probably more about me than about the author, but that's how I feel.

This book feels like a conversation.  About half way through the book I talked to one of my friends about it.  She told me about actually hearing Elyse Fitzpatrick speak, and then she sent me a clip.  From that point on I could hear Elyse's voice "talking" to me - don't panic, I'm not going crazy.

An author will often give examples from his or her own life in books such as this one.  I often find those examples tedious or bragging in some way (again, I know that has a lot to do with me), but with Elyse's book, it felt natural and open.  I really liked that.

Elyse begins by looking at the essence of who people are.  We are created in the image of God.  You can't go wrong with that foundation!  She then goes on to talk about different aspects of being a woman in general and being a wife in particular, highlighting what God has called us as women to do.

Every little girl (I suppose) dreams of meeting her true love and living happily ever after.  Elyse focuses first on the true love of God and how that should change all of our relationships.  Realizing God's amazing love for us changes the way we relate to others.  This love-filled life doesn't start with my contemplating my own goodness or even the goodness of my husband.  It begins with my remembering my great need and God's indescribable love -- and immersing myself in it. (129)


She wrote a great chapter on submission, explaining first what submission is not while also reminding her readers that a wife's submission flows out of our sincere, faith-filled submission to the Lord. (152)

There are plenty of other good points about this book.  I'm sure that each reader will find some nuance that she appreciates or that she disagrees with, but on the whole I appreciated this book, and I recommend it.  I don't remember who gave it to me, but I'm grateful.  And I'm really glad that I finally got to finish it!