User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
First sentence: I attended my first Bible study when I was 16 years old. I came into the house clutching my copy of Beth Moore’s Believing God and spent the next sixteen weeknights glued to my pastor’s TV screen.
I have a confession to make. I may do a decent job of not judging a book by its cover. Most of the time. But. When it comes to christian books--especially nonfiction books--I tend to judge a book by its publisher. Stop Calling Me Beautiful is published by Harvest House. Yet the description of this one sounded GREAT. Like the author and I would get along well. For she too opposes "pink fluff" theology written by women, for women, that consists of little real substance.
She addresses three problems that she sees in typical women's ministries: 1) Christian women are being taught a message that is theologically deficient. Modern women’s ministry’s framework for presenting and understanding God contains pieces of truth, but these pieces do not present an accurate picture of God and the gospel. 2) The message we’re hearing is self-focused. Flawed theology always turns attention away from God and onto ourselves, and that’s exactly what has happened with women’s ministry today. 3) The message is superficial, watered-down.
She concludes, "Theological education—learning about God, the Bible, and how these truths apply to life—is not just for men or for those called to ministry. Women must be spiritually equipped with the knowledge of God through His Word so they can minister to the people around them...The true gospel is available to all of us through God’s Word. We must learn to study it. We must know it well enough to rightly divide the truth and check teachings against the Word of God as the Bereans did (Acts 17:11). In other words, we must cultivate a holy curiosity." I couldn't agree with her more!
The book doesn't focus, however, on how everyone else is doing it wrong. Far from it. Most of the book serves either as a first introduction or a refresher course on the Christian faith, on how to live the life and walk the walk daily.
I found myself highlighting passage after passage. I guess you could say I was nodding my head and going, YES.
Here are some of my favorites:
Desire and delight become an endless circle in the presence of the living God.
Our self-discovery is not God’s goal. We are meant to know God and make Him known. This is the great adventure for which our hearts long!
We need the full gospel—the gospel that began in Genesis and runs to Revelation like a “scarlet thread”, a continual story written in blood—in order to find a deeper spiritual life in this shallow world. Finding this life is not easy. It takes diligence. But diligence is what a student of any kind must cultivate in order to gain knowledge. And that’s what we, as believers, need to do.
We can’t draw near if we don’t open our Bibles and read them ourselves, if we don’t put ourselves into godly community, and if we don’t receive discipleship and accountability. We live abundantly when we regularly expose ourselves to the work and Spirit of God. When we do, the things that used to bore us take on the color of abundant life.
The goal of time with God is worship of God.
God is the most valuable, worthy person we will ever know. Yet we often attribute more worth and value to sleep, social media, and friends than we do to Him. Our worship is naturally revealed through our daily habits and behaviors. The things we think, say, read, watch, and do reveal what we’re worshipping.
There is no quick fix for a soul-deep struggle. Though it’s not easy and certainly not quick, Jesus never makes a promise He won’t bring to fruition.
You don’t have to like your circumstances to depend on God in the midst of them.
You can’t love someone and condemn them at the same time!
We think in terms of the big picture, but our lives are actually lived in the mundane moments, and our legacy is less about the world at large and more about our immediate communities. But here’s the kicker: We can’t impact our communities if we’re constantly playing whack-a-mole with our sinfulness. And we can’t overcome our sinfulness—or the difficulties of this world—apart from Jesus. To truly make a difference in the world, we have to know the Creator and Redeemer of the world on an intimate level. We have to be women of spiritual depth.
Rating: really liked it
Hi, yes it's only been two months and I've read this book again. I had to read my own copy. I will review this one soon!
5 stars. I loved this. This book isn't out yet and I've been hyping it up to everyone. Review to come! (Yes, I even pre-ordered my own copy.)
Rating: really liked it
One of my favorite books I’ve read all year! The chapters on anxiety, grief, and fearing man in particular had a big impact on me. Thank you Phylicia!
Rating: really liked it
Stop Calling Me Beautiful is a strong, clear call for Christian women who long for a deeper, richer life and yet find themselves caught up in a feel-good, self-help, image-obsessed culture. So for those of you who sense something is missing -- and want to be so much more than beautiful -- get ready to powerfully experience the thriving, transforming faith God intends for you. I highly recommend Phylicia's breakout message for today's Christian woman.
Rating: really liked it
This is the best book I've read all year!
Rating: really liked it
I've been following Phylicia online for years now, but what she has been talking about recently, especially about discernment and the Holy Spirit, have really helped me grow in my faith journey and walk with the Lord. I went to Verity Conference the first year (when it was Driven Women) and I read Safe to Feel, which also helped me a lot.
I was very excited to learn that Netgalley had her forthcoming book available and I was thankful to be approved. This book pulls all her main topics and talks into concise formats. I really felt like she was corralling things that were discussed over many days on Instagram Stories or many posts and pulling them together in a summary. I liked that because when a discussion happens over time, you can have a hard time formulating thoughts and opinions on what to do with the information. Now, we have it in a solid chapter.
Each chapter ends with points for consideration and action. Phylicia's goal is to help you change. She does not want you to read her book, nod your head in agreement, and then continue on the way you were going. No. She wants you to experience freedom.
In pursuit of that goal, she talks CONSTANTLY about being in the Word, listening to the Spirit, and letting Him lead. Almost to the point of becoming a broken record, but it's not because so few people are talking like this. Everything Phylicia does is to point you back to the Scriptures and push you back towards your Father.
This is an excellent book for women who are tired of what is traditionally offered and available to women. I even think it would be good for teens so that they can get started on the right path instead of having to correct later in life.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy. A favorable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
Rating: really liked it
Out of the nine current reads I have going on 🥴 I managed to fly through this one in the matter of a few mornings.
Phylicia answered to the wanting echoes between each pink fluff Christian women’s book and delivered the tools to help you prepare a feast.
A key difference in her message both on Instagram and her book is that she doesn’t tell you what to think. She won’t give you a hundred resources and claim those will all change your life. In a world where planners and checklists are the ultimate accessory to feeling accomplished, she continually reroutes every thing to Jesus. To the Word.
At first, when I began following her, I was honestly frustrated. “Where’s the best commentary? Why won’t she tell me where to go?! I need to know more like she does!” It isn’t about the best commentary, or the plethora of amazing Christian or theological books. It is fundamentally about cultivating a rich relationship with God and developing a firm understanding that will grow each day as we act on our gratitude for His grace and love.
Essentially this book is counter culture in the best of ways. It simplifies the market for the thirsty soul: you don’t need matcha or health shakes, you need living water.
Unexpectedly found my soul convicted and pierced, and I didn’t appreciate that, Phylicia 😆 Kidding. I didn’t anticipate that and I very much appreciated that she didn’t drone on. The book was concise and for that, a hearty meal delivered. Thank you.
Rating: really liked it
This book was very good. I'm looking forward to reading it again and taking time to think deeper going through chapter at a time. She covers hugely relevant topics for Christian ladies in an engaging way with great wisdom.
Rating: really liked it
I love the concept behind this book. It's one I first heard from Jen Wilkins and one I support wholeheartedly: let's offer more than just "milk" theology to women who are able to handle solid food.
Now maybe I used a more stringent statement standard while reviewing this book because of the author's claim that too many books for women are really just watered-down sermons, but I really wanted more.
In many ways this book felt like a series of disconnected ideas that were kind of smushed together in this book. While there were some interesting lessons, I felt as though the author did what she accused other writers of doing: hinting at something greater without telling us how to do it.
The greatest piece of irony for me was found in the chapter on overcoming legalism. It was in this quote which I really hope will be corrected before publication:
The scribes and Pharisees took God’s broad principle— the command to set aside the first day of the week to honor the Lord— and made it a heavy, legalistic burden.
There is no commandment to set aside the first day of the week to honor God. All biblical occurrences of this commandment refer to the Sabbath as the seventh day of the week.
Know God--Ms. Masonheimer makes a good point, we should be reading the Bible to learn more about the God who wrote it. Only when we know him will we give him the honor and glory due to his name.
Know yourself--if we are to have a more intimate relationship with God, we have to be aware of the state our present relationship is in. Only then will we know that change is needed.
Run your race--it's great to attend Bible study and conferences to learn more about God but ultimately each person needs to put in the work to know more about God.
One thing I have taken away from this book is that when reading the Bible, I always look for an attribute of God and what the passage teaches about him. I received an advanced readers copy from NetGalley; a positive review was not required.
Rating: really liked it
I found this book to be helpful, challenging, and everything that is missing from typical Christian ministry books for women.
It's the antithesis of "Girl, Wash Your Face," and hallelujah for that!
Christianity is more than skin deep, more than social media posts, more than daily devotionals, more than showing up on Sunday, so MUCH MORE! And, much of women's Christian ministry stuff is platitudes and shallow catch phrases. This book isn't that! The author will challenge you to let go of shallow Christianity and WORK for a deep, abiding relationship with God, one that takes sacrifice, prayer, and in depth Biblical study.
I didn't 100% agree with her approach to getting rid of the shame of sin that can weigh us down as we move forward. Her solution was to share her struggles with the world in a public blog post and in her published book. I don't think the Bible says you must confess to the world. However, confession is found in its pages and vital for moving forward from the shame and setting up proper accountability.
I'll probably buy this this book, and I'll definitely read it again!
Rating: really liked it
I have been following Phylicia on instagram for years and have always been encouraged and challenged by her. she inspired me to go deeper with my Bible study; to go beyond the aesthetically pleasing snapshots of shallow faith you often see on social media.
being one of those young women pulled in by the aesthetic of Christianity and the feel-good messages in my late teen years, this book intrigued me when she first announced it. I have read bits and pieces of the content before having followed her for so long, but I still loved to see her expand on what can usually only be covered by one or two paragraphs in an instagram caption. the chapters are short but rich in content and covers each topic of said chapter so well for being only 15 or so pages.
I highly recommend this book to any woman who wants to dive deeper in her walk with the Lord.🤗
Rating: really liked it
I give this book somewhere between 2-3 stars for a couple of reasons
1) The title is misleading. You think it’s going to be a fair amount about giving women meat of the Word or issues with the current way of doing things. Instead, it’s about that a little, and then it’s mostly about how God’s word met her in her particular struggles. Maybe it’s what she wished someone would have said or encouraged her to do. If you share her struggles, it may be encouraging to you.
2) She is more creative in her interpretation of scripture in some places than I’m comfortable with. Sometimes she acknowledges that, and sometimes she goes further with what could be a possible interpretation as it is the actual interpretation.
It’s not bad, just very much not what I was expecting from the title.
Rating: really liked it
The title grabbed me and I was excited for some depth in our shallow social media world, but I was disappointed. I couldn’t finish it; from the title I was expecting something to create revival, but it was all stuff I feel I had heard before. The content wasn’t bad or incorrect, but it didn’t grab me.
Rating: really liked it
Excellent and important read for Christian women (and all women).
Rating: really liked it
Easily one of the best books I've read about the gospel and studying the Bible.
Short, succinct, readable and thorough.
In Part One the author gently but firmly dissects where so many popular women's ministries fall short of presenting a complete gospel to struggling women, and gives the reader the confidence to approach Scripture correctly on their own.
In Part Two she applies gospel truth to many common struggles - anxiety, sexuality, community, fear of man, and more.
Each chapter was deep without drowning the reader in unfamiliar terminology and approachable without dating the content with excessive slang/pop culture references and included study questions to take the material further.
I cannot say enough good about this book! I immediately went to the author's website and signed up for her Theology Basics email course and cannot wait to learn more from her.
