Sex and the Single

As promised, some book recommends for singles on the topic:

• Every Single Man's Battle - a book dealing honestly with the temptations of lust.
• Every Single Woman's Battle - same idea, only a specifically female version.

I'm looking for more books on this subject. If you have suggestions, I'd love to hear them!

The Book List On Sex

As I promised in the message Sunday, here's a list of books that can help the conversation about your sex life, married couples (Singles, I love you, too, and I'll have a list for you later in the week, so check back). I will break them into two categories: Marriage books with good chapters on sex, and sexual relationship books. Here you go, enjoy!

Marriage Books:

• His Needs, Her Needs - one of the best marriage books around. Great for explaining to both partners the importance of taking care of each other's needs in marriage, including but not limited to, sexual needs. His are different from hers, and Dr. Harley does a great job of explaining both.
• Men Are Like Waffles, Women Are Like Spaghetti - a fun read for both men and women, with a lot of humor surrounding some great wisdom. Sex chapter is phenomenal.
• For Men Only/For Women Only - Two great books, one great idea: ask men/women what and how they really think, then write it down and share it with everyone. Great insights into how the opposite sex thinks. And you can read both the one for you and the one for your mate.

Books on THE SUBJECT:

• Sheet Music - A great begining book on sex for couples. Plenty to keep both parties interested, and answer some important questions you might be asking.
• Sex Begins In The Kitchen - Seriously, with a title like that, I need to comment?
• The Language of Sex - Relationship guru Gary Smalley gives couples much needed help to talk together about the subject of their sex life. Actually a very fun read!
• A Celebration Of Sex - A thorough treatment of the topic, starting with a biblical base of understanding and then proceeding into many helpful topics. A great resource for all things sexual for Christ followers.
• Intimate Issues - A question/answer format book for women. Everything from
  "what does God think about sex?" to "What's okay in bed?"

Here's why I can recommend these books: they all start with the three pillars I talked about on Sunday: God invented sex, God encourages sex, and God has a plan for great sex. Because all these books start with God, they are going to encourage you toward healthy, God-honoring sexual relationships. Enjoy the summer reading!!

Saturday in the Rain...

Some random thoughts as I try to shift gears on a rainy Saturday afternoon:

• This has been the weirdest month! I've been sick, Beth's parents were here, her dad wasn't feeling so well (he's better now, Maui will do that to a guy!), and the gloomy weather has made all of the rest of life seem darker and damper, somehow. Not only is this now officially the wettest month in recorded history in Pocatello, but we're only 2/3 through!!
  
• I got to do the coolest wedding in a long time on Thursday night (again, outside the 'norm'). I'll post about it later, but it was so amazing to see two people so well prepared and ready to face the unknown of their future together. And a nice turn out from the FBC family to share their special day. Good all around!!
• I've done more funerals this month than I've done in any three month period for a long time. There have been some moments of celebrating friends and family as they go home to Heaven, but funerals are still not easy, even after all these years of ministry.
• People are apparently talking about tomorrow's message. Some are inviting friends who have said they've never heard a message on sex in church before. This is where ministry gets to be fun - watching people hear from God on their favorite subject (or least favorite, depending).
• We have a baby dedication during 11:00 service. Yep, baby dedication on the sex message Sunday. Insert your own joke here... :)
  
• The food pantry is undergoing an overhaul. Check out the details here.
  
• Beth got a temp job in Blackfoot. Thanks for praying, and keep on, we'll see what else God has in mind for her/us/financial blessing.
• Mac leaves for DC/LA on Monday. Having a teenager in the house is taking some getting used to, and now he's going to be gone for a week. Praying for him to hear from God in a big way.
• Got to dance with my daughter at a wedding. Trying not to think about the day I dance at hers... They grow up so fast!!
• July 4 parade is coming faster and faster!! Be sure to sign up to help, and make it to the training dates. See the bulletin for details.
• Speaking of bulletin -- changes coming soon to the publications of a church near you. Keep your eyes open!
  

That's all for now. Gotta get after the message and get it finished. Keep praying, God is still doing some amazing things in our church despite the drizzle, the dampness and other less than fun issues. Turns out, He's still at work, even when we don't see it through the rain.

Progress Report: Man Series

I will honestly tell you, the feedback on The Man Series had been far better than I expected. I was hoping that we could help the men in our community see how to follow Jesus in an honestly masculine way, and that we could help the women see how to help the men in their lives to do that. I knew it would ruffle some feathers (honestly, God's Word will always ruffle someone's feathers), and it has, but for the most part, folks have heard what God was saying. I'm hearing from folks, both men and women, that they are seeing their relationship with God in a whole different light. Guys don't have to be wimps to follow Jesus. Turns out, that's part of the Good News, too!!

Ladies, I want to remind you that the day is coming when you get your own series, too. Don't feel left out!! We're going to talk specifically about the female way of following Christ starting on Aug. 23 (right after school starts up again), and I'm just as fired up about that series as I am about this one.

Okay, that being said, I am glad to hear from folks that they are learning a different way of thinking about being a man, and connecting to the idea of gaining a relationship with God without losing your manliness. It is a part of what we are doing as a church family, helping each other to follow Jesus. We all need help, and when we can look at what the Bible says and see the truth of it, not just what we've heard from others but the real truth, we all benefit. God loves men for being men, and He doesn't expect them to become eunuchs or effeminate in order to follow Him.

Now, it gets REALLY exciting!! I did say it: Sunday will be rated PG-13, parental discretion is advised. We will be talking about sex according to God's Word. For some folks, it will be the first time they've heard about sex from a Biblical point of view, and it's going to blow their minds. Some of you have heard it before, but we're going to talk about it again (and again, and again...) because the world talks about it ALL THE TIME!!! and they don't get it right very often. God created sex, and God's people need to have the freedom to talk about what God has created without feeling dirty, awkward or sinful. We need to learn how to talk about it from a healthy, godly perspective. That's the goal of Sunday, to start the conversation.

So, invite your friends, put the kids in the Children's Ministry, and get ready to laugh and learn about God's gift of sex!