No More Christian Nice Girl, Paul Coughlin & Jennifer D. Degler, PhD

This is a must have for all christian women. I think to some extent each of us battles with being God's good Woman and just the traditional "sugar and spice" nice girl. The title of this book was what caused me to want to read it. I realize that submission is a taboo word in today's culture of "me-first" mentality. I was afraid this book was one that would mislead women to such a mentatlity with the use of watered-down scripture. However, it is just the opposite. The author's seek to empower women in the scripture to lead virtous lives for the glory of God by standing firm in His word. This sometimes means not being the "nice girl", but being instead the woman of God's Grace and Power, by lovingly and firmly defending the ground that God has given you to defend (even when it is just a bean field - this is an old testement reference to one of David's mighty men). I loved the references to women of the bible that where not christian nice girls but were God's good women such as Deborah, Jael, Ruth, and Mary of Bethany. I found the set up of the book very interesting to. The book opens like a novel about Nicole. Thereafter, each chapter is filled with wisdom and insight ending with another insert of the story of Nicole, followed by study questions and further bible readings. It was interesting to see the transformation of Nicole from CNG to God's good woman. Thank you Bethany House for this review copy.