So, what's a milky-white, middle-aged, married man doing reading a book about dating written by a single, sassy, African American woman? That's a reasonable question with two answers: I know the author and my rule is that if I know someone who is published, I read their work. The other reason is that I was curious as to how Ms. Robinson was going to approach the issue of intimacy in dating relationships between two Christians.
The Christian Single Woman's Guide to Being a Player God's Way is exactly what it claims to be; a practical guide which is written in good humor. Although it's merely a "tidbit" as books go (24 pages), it is full of good advice and useful information which Ms. Robinson has drawn from interviews and her personal experiences as well as from Dr. John Grey's, Men are from Mars; Women are from Venus and The Bible.
I really like the way this book is organized and particularly like the chapter entitled "The Dating Stages." When reflecting on my own experiences, I can personally vouch for what is written in these pages. As for the loop hole that provides a way to enjoy sexual relations and "be a player God's way," it doesn't exist. Furthermore, Ms. Robinson advises us to "surrender...sellout to the Lord, totally in every area of your life." She acknowledges that resisting the temptations that arise in a dating relationship requires personal strength and sometimes council from good friends, but that we owe it to God to try to live as he has shown us to live and that if we do we will be rewarded with peace of mind and "satisfaction." As most of us know, honest, practical advice usually isn't easy to follow so we're reminded of God's mercy and the power of forgiveness. Clearly though, forgiveness is not a loophole.
Although it's serious stuff, Ms. Robinson manages to keep her book light and entertaining while treating the subject with dignity. I enjoyed reading this book because it gave me further insight into Ms. Robinson's character and it is truly written in her voice. I also liked her frank discussion of accepting Jesus as personal savior. Many times that is presented as a dull life of commitment filled with compromises and an abstract reward upon death. This book reminds us that God has a plan for us, and living our lives as he asks us is to fulfill that plan and replace frustration with satisfaction. And, it can be fun.
Janice has really written a good book that is a practical guide to educate women and men how to mangage a relatioinship as single christian. She exlpains how we(singles) tend to compromise our relationships with God in order to build a relationship that may not be benificial for us spiritually. Janice's guide lets us know that there is a way for chritians to get to know one another without giving everything away before there is a chance to get to know one another. This book is an excellent read and I hope that everyone purchases a copy.