God's Gift to Women : Discovering the Lost Greatness of Masculinity

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Summary: God's view of masculinity
Review: Finally! Eric Ludy wrote a book that just for us guys. Not to say that girls can't get anything out of it, but now we young men have a book from the Ludys that solely addresses the things we face. I've read most of the Ludy's books (including some from so far back, you won't find them in stores anymore - ever heard of "His Perfect Faithfulness"?), and they've all been both entertaining and enlightening. This one is no exception.

Eric, throughout this book, talks frankly about the common traps that any guy can fall into in his relationships with God, family, and his wife. We learn how pride and selfishness, two sin patterns often tolerated in the name of "masculinity," actually have nothing to do with how God created men to be. God created us to be "warrior poets" - strong, persevering fighters in times of conflict and struggle, but also tender and servant-like in our relationships with the important women in our lives (not just our wives, but also sisters and mothers), and to some extent, with everyone around us. Thankfully, Eric gives some great application ideas for all this, so that we can begin to take action now, even before wedding day.

This book's only fault, in my opinion, is its predictability for those who have read Eric and Leslie's previous books, especially "Romance God's Way" and "When God Writes your Love Story." Put simply, the themes and messages of those books run through this one as well. To his credit, Eric uses new examples from his life and new application points, making this book worthwhile for any guy, regardless of how many Ludy books he's read. But only readers with no previous exposure to Ludy books will encounter entirely brand new principles for living as a Christian man.

Bottom line: If you're a young man interested in cutting through the world's view of masculinity to see how God views it, you should read this book. It will help you grow toward a masculinity that isn't self-serving and rude but is strong and thoughtful - the masculinity that is "God's Gift to Women."

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Summary: 20-year-old girl: "The Secrets to Winning a Woman's Heart"
Review: I'm a 20-year-old girl, but as an avid reader of Eric and Leslie Ludy's other books, I wanted to see what Eric had to say in "God's Gift to Women." I just finished reading it, and all I can say is, "Amen! Preach it, Eric!" If guys would take to heart what Eric says in this book, the world would be filled with happy women! I recommend that every guy read this book, and find the secret to winning a woman's heart (it's not flowers and chocolate, but those do help! :)). Eric did forget to mention one of the most key elements of being a warrior poet: opening the door for ladies, especially your mom and sister! Otherwise, he covered all the bases. So whether you haven't a clue at how to be tender to a woman, or you think you have it all figured out, you guys need to read this book. It will point you towards the path of becoming God's Gift to Women.

P.S. Girls, if you want to read this book, go right ahead! It's obviously geared towards guys, but I got a lot out of it as well. It helped me understand our "wild at heart" men a bit better, and gave me a vision of the kind of man I'm waiting for: a tender warrior poet.