Netgalley Review: Becoming Myself by Stasi Eldredge

I've written before about Captivating, the book that Stasi Eldredge co-authored with her husband John. Despite what some perceived as its narrow picture of womanhood, it really resonated with me – the "too much and not enough" dichotomy is still one of the most spot-on summaries I've ever read. So when I heard that Stasi was releasing her own new book for women, Becoming Myself: Embracing God's Dream of You, I was eager to check it out.

If you're familiar with the Eldredges' other books (I've read almost all of them), you know that their instructive writing is warm and emotional, and invokes as many cinematic and literary references as Biblical references. Becoming Myself is no exception, and it's probably the most personal volume yet. Stasi shares about her own past (distant and recent), personal struggles and failings, and what she's discovered about her own identity and how God sees her. Her voice is so kind and relatable that I felt like I was reading a letter from a friend. Chapter by chapter, she encourages other women to fully embrace our unique selves, dream big dreams for our lives, and trust in God's love for us. She addresses many common women's issues in depth, including fear, beauty, friendships, and mother-daughter tension. One chapter focuses on the Marys (Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary of Bethany, and Mary Magdalene) and what we can learn from them – it was my favorite part of the book. Most chapters end with a suggested prayer or activity relating to the topic. I did several of them, and it was enriching.

I'm not ashamed to say that I highlighted about half of Becoming Myself. This book isn't high theology or rocket science, but it's a balm that my soul desperately needed. It's easy for Christians (at least this one) to get so caught up in life and/or the Big Issues that we forget the core of the Gospel and start to feel adrift. If you're in a similar place, I highly recommend this book! An accompanying group study is also available.



I received these books from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.