The following are Web Site links and descriptions of resources on the subject of sex before marriage. We pray they will be of help in your relationship.

Photoclub Resources Links

• Boundless.org This is a Webzine put together by the ministry of Focus on the Family that aims to cast a vision for the single years, helping you navigate this season while preparing for the challenges and responsibilities of the one to come. That requires living intentionally with purpose by bringing your gifts, talents and Christian worldview to bear on your whole life. Their contributing authors are renowned journalists, scholars and thinkers from around the globe to help you enjoy the journey. If you go to the box on the top of the Home page that says “Best of” and mouse over it, you can select “sex” and it will bring up quite a few articles for you to read.

• Premaritalsex.info This web site page is dedicated to those who are committed to premarital sexual abstinence and to maintain sexual purity. Most of the materials presented on this web site are taken from variety of resources such as books, the Internet, and other people’s experiences, and is actually quite extensive as you explore the different links.

• Todayschristianwoman.com This is a resource of Leadership Journal and Christianity Today International. Its mission is to equip women to use their gifts, take responsibility for their spiritual formation and the discipleship of others, and to fulfill the work God has called them to —through the power of his life-transforming and life-sustaining Spirit. You can mouse over the “Friends + Community” topic to find the drop down box, “Singles + Dating,” which you can choose for more information.

RESOURCE DESCRIPTIONS:

• And the Bride Wore White: Seven Secrets to Sexual Purity -by Dannah Gresh, published by Moody Press. This book comes highly recommended. “It’s well-written and is interesting without being ‘preachy’.” It gives guidelines for dating and friendships, dealing with regret, healing a broken heart, and a 3-step plan to break off destructive relationships. It may be used alone or with a 10 session workbook designed for small groups and retreats.

“The incredible thing about this book is that as you read, it feels like an intimate conversation with a close friend. I encourage you to completely and wholeheartedly dive into this book. I know it will be an encouragement for you as you stand strong in this world of pressure and confusion.” (Jaci Velasquez)

• Love, Sex, and Happily Ever After: Preparing for a Marriage That Goes the Distance -written by Craig Groeschel, published by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing. In this book, “Groeschel covers a wide span of topics that many modern Christians face. He debunks some myths, such as living together is a good way to test if you’re good for each other (he has some awesome wedding vows to show why this is bad that would be worth the cost of the book alone!) and how various myths about sex and intimacy just don’t hold true. This would be a great book for any couple considering marriage, even if one of the partners is not a Christian.” (Review from an anonymous reader)

“Craig Groeschel’s practical book should be a mandatory read for anyone who wants to be happily married someday. It is a rare author who can lead you into some very challenging places and have you laughing out loud while he does it.” -Shaunti Feldhahn, nationally syndicated columnist and best-selling author of For Women Only

• Love, Sex, and Lasting Relationships -by Chip Ingram, published by Baker Books. This book is for singles, divorcees, and those who are widowed, as well as for those who are married. Regardless of your current relational status, if you don’t understand romantic relationships from God’s perspective, you’re destined to a life of severe disappointment and significant frustration. In fact, this book’s greatest value may be for people who aren’t yet in relationships. The principles in this book are tremendously helpful for those who as single who are considering what kind of relationship they want and how to go about it.

If you’re married it will provide a reality check on your expectations. It will help direct your energy and focus toward the aspects of your relationship that will build increased joy and deeper intimacy. It will also help you address attitudes and practices in your marriage that may be putting relational roadblocks between you and your mate. If you’re divorced, this book will help you discover what may have gone wrong in your marriage and how to prepare yourself now to build healthy, positive relationships in the future.

• Real Sex: The Naked Truth about Chastity -by Lauren Winner, published by Brazos Press (available on Kindle). From two reviewers: “You’re familiar, no doubt, with the statistics on Christian sexuality. We don’t stand out as very different in our sexual behavior, which means our basic beliefs and ideas about sex must not be that different either. If all those books in the “Christian living” section of the bookstore aren’t helping us develop ideas regarding our sexuality that differ from social norms, if they aren’t helping us believe that what the Bible has to say about sex is relevant and true, something isn’t right.

So what makes Winner different? Real Sex offers an alternative to the magazine-like “Seven Secrets to Sexual Purity” by stretching beyond spoon-fed “dos and don’ts” derived from proof-texted Scripture, and instead presents the case for sex within marriage from a holistic, biblical view of who we are and how we relate in the world sexually.”

… This book “offers a theologically grounded understanding of sex and an honest exploration of the merit of chastity when decreed in scripture. And it does so without being glib, sanctimonious, or saying, ‘just wait’… REAL SEX offers a compelling example of how all of us —single or married —can reframe our thoughts on sex and chastity within a more holistically biblical framework. And it does so in an honest, thoughtful way that I hope will help refresh the larger conversation about chastity and sexual fidelity in Christian circles. I highly recommend it to all.”

• Sex Is Not the Problem (Lust Is): Sexual Purity in a Lust-Saturated World written by Joshua Harris, published by Multnomah. This book discusses the fact that lust isn’t just a guy problem — it’s a human problem. And unless we honestly confront it, lust will destroy our relationships and our lives. Joshua Harris, author of the bestseller I Kissed Dating Goodbye, calls a generation bombarded with images of sexual sin back to the freedom and joy of holiness.

This book —straightforward without being graphic —speaks to those entrenched in lust or just flirting with temptation. Honestly sharing his own struggles, Harris exposes lust’s tactics and helps readers create a personal plan for fighting back. Most of the content of the book is aimed for the younger generation and those who aren’t married yet. It’s a book for a single man or woman who may benefit from reading material to help fight lust and celebrate sexual purity since the enemy of our faith is increasing the attack to corrupt our youth.