Book Lists

Sexual Purity, Dating & Godly Romance

Passion & Purity by Elisabeth Elliot: this book is the poignant story of the author’s first love and loss. Elliot shares their quest for purity and God’s will in their relationship. She writes with depth, humor, and genuine transparency. A must-read for every young adult!

The Mark of a Man by Elisabeth Elliot: written especially for men, this book encourages young men to embrace their God-given roles in life and marriage.

Let me be a Woman by Elisabeth Elliot: combines insights from the author’s three marriages to address issues relevant to single, married and widowed women in their quest for godliness.

When God Writes Your Love Story by Eric & Leslie Ludy: tells a modern romance story that will captivate your attention and make you long for God to write your story too!

I Kissed Dating Goodbye by Joshua Harris: is especially suitable for earliteens and highschoolers. At publication, the author was young and single, and offered an fresh perspective on purity for youth who are not yet old enough to marry.

Boy Meets Girl: Say Hello to Courtship by Joshua Harris: is ideal for college ages and above. This book builds on the principles in I Kissed Dating Goodbye, to provide a foundation for healthy romantic relationships.

I Loved a Girl by Walter Trobisch: is a collection of letters between the author and a young African man who struggled with sexual purity in a culture of mixed messages on promiscuity among young men. This is an outstanding book – very Scriptural and yet compassionate.

My Beautiful Feeling: Correspondence with Ilona by Walter & Ingrid Trobisch: approaches masturbation and sexual addiction using Scripture, through a collection of letters between the authors and a young woman. This book is excellent for parents, teachers, and counselors to read although perhaps inappropriate for children below the mid-teen years.

Not Even A Hint: Guarding Your Heart Against Lust by Joshua Harris: reminds readers that lust isn’t just a man’s problem - it’s a human problem with the power to destroy and maim even the most dedicated Christian. A fabulous book that also comes with specific study guides for both men’s and women’s groups.

Every Young Man’s Battle by Stephen Arterburn, Fred Stoeker & Mike Yorkey: is written by men and talks openly about the struggle for sexual purity in the heart’s and minds of modern young men. Presents biblical principles to help achieve purity.

Every Young Woman’s Battle: Guarding Your Mind, Heart & Body in a Sex Saturated World by Shannon Etheridge & Stephen Arterburn: addresses similar topics as the companion book for young men. Modern society continually encourages young women to compromise their sexuality – this book helps girls seek purity.

Modesty & Chastity

Return to Modesty: Discovering the Lost Virtue by Wendy Shalit: is a book for the deeper, philosophical and more discriminating reader. Not a personal story or fluffy collection of ideas, the author digs deep and untangles the knots of modern views on sexuality and modesty. Best for young adults and older readers or those with a special appetite for philosophical literature.

Christian Modesty and the Public Undressing of America by Jeff Pollard: is a gentle yet purposeful journey through the historical patterns of replacing modesty with nudity and brazen sexuality.

The Look: Does God Really Care What I Wear? by Nancy Leigh DeMoss: challenges the modern idea that God has no opinion on how we look and what we wear. Specifically for women, old and young, who want to explore more about God’s desire for them to reflect Him in everyday appearance.

For Engaged & Married Couples

Getting Your Sex Life Off to a Great Start: A Guide for Engaged & Newlywed Couples by Clifford and Joyce Penner: is a fabulous book for engaged couples to read in the last weeks before the wedding. Tactfully written by a Christian husband & wife, it is designed for virgin couples who want to carefully understand their bodies and the God-given gift of sexual pleasure within marriage.

His Needs, Her Needs by William Harley: was written to help couples avoid affairs, but is wonderful for encouraging deeper understanding and communication between genders during engagement or marriage. Focuses on the different basic needs of men and women and how to meet the needs of your mate in a selfless and loving way.

I Married You by Walter Trobisch: tells a story of one of the author’s speaking trips in Africa. He must overcome deep cultural boundaries to present God’s plan for loving equality and support within marriage and sexuality. Amazing illustrations, deep logic and wonderful Scripture – all in a simple story.

Letters to Karen & Philip by Walter Trobisch: is a collection of letters to the author’s daughter and to her fiancé. Touching and simple, from a father’s point of view. Great reading for young people or parents.

Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian: is written to guide women through an journey of learning to pray for our husbands, and let God do the remodeling work. Powerful, practical and purposeful. Great for individual reading or in a married women’s bible study group.

Gender Identity for Christian Men & Women

Let me be a Woman by Elisabeth Elliot: combines insights from the author’s three marriages to address issues relevant to single, married and widowed women in their quest for godliness.

The Mark of a Man by Elisabeth Elliot: written especially for men, this book encourages young men to embrace their God-given roles in life and marriage.

All A Man Should Be, and What a Woman Should Know by Walter Trobisch: written to help men see through the emasculation of society and to help women understand the hearts of their men. Simple and easy to read, but with profound depth and insight.

Wild at Heart by John Eldredge: encourages men to be more than just “nice” – to instead stand strong for what they believe, to risk everything to follow God and to reclaim the God-given role of servant-leadership in the home and the church.

Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman’s Soul by John & Stasi Eldredge: discovers the inner desires of every woman’s heart. A great book on the journey of finding true Christian womanhood and applying godly feminine traits in relationships. A must for women and girls who want to find the freedom to be an uninhibited daughter of God.