Raising Children In Purity

"Dating,  even Christian dating, generally results in a series of emotional attachments or bonds with different partners. To express this in the language of romance, a young woman gives a piece of her heart to a young man when she becomes involved with him.  By the time she meets the man she will eventually marry, she will only have a fragment of her heart left to give.  Even without ever going on a date a young woman can give pieces of her heart to several young men during her youth, so that by the time she marries she is no longer a one man woman. (1 Timothy 5:9) 

Yet Paul's analogy of Christ and the Church  in 2 Corinthians 11:2-3 explains that a pure maiden saves her love for one man only, not just physically but emotionally too. The goal is not just physical purity, but emotional purity ~ only one romance for life!"


~John W. Thompson as quoted in So Much More by Anna Sophia and Elizabeth Botkin


"For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." 2 Corinthians 11:2

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,  that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:25-27


Women are to do their husbands good and not evil ALL the days of their lives (Proverbs 31:12) and one way we can do this is by letting our bodies, minds, emotions and affections be devoted to our future spouse BEFORE marriage, as this is God's will for our lives."
~More from So Much More


I'm thankful the Lord opened my eyes to this truth while my children are still young. While this book (which I HIGHLY recommend) is aimed at daughters, I think all parents who want to raise God honoring children can glean from it as well. I'm prayerfully raising my sons AND daughter to realize  that our culture's disregard for purity is not an acceptable choice for the children of God.

A friend asked me to send this list (I got it at a homeschool meeting years ago), and I figured others may be interested as well.
I'll (*) the ones I personally recommend as well, since I have not read them all.

Courtship and Purity Resources

Elementary Ages:
The Princess and the Kiss: A Story of God’s Gift of Purity by Jennie Bishop (young girls)
*The Squire and the Scroll by Jennie Bishop and Preston McDaniels (young boys)
Before You Meet Prince Charming by Sarah Mally (girls, 8+)

Middle School:
*I Kissed Dating Goodbye book and study guide by Joshua Harris (young men and women, 13+)

High School and Young Adult Years:
When God Writes Your Love Story by Eric and Leslie Ludy
When Dreams Come True (sequel to above title) by Eric and Leslie Ludy
I, Isaac, Take Thee, Rebekah by Ravi Zacharias
Emotional Purity: An Affair of the Heart by Heather Arnel Paulsen

Older Teens and Young Adulthood (May Contain Mature Content):
Sex is Not the Problem, Lust Is by Joshua Harris
*Boy Meets Girl (sequel to I Kissed Dating Goodbye) by Joshua Harris

Parents:
The Dating Trap: Helping Your Children Make Wise Choices in Their Relationships by Martha Ruppert
What He Must Be if He Wants to Marry My Daughter: Voddie Bacham

Who moved the Goal Post. This is the boys version of And the Bride Wore White


                                   Formation of Godly Character

Girls:
Raising Maidens of Virtue by Stacy McDonald (8-10+)
Let Me Be a Woman by Elisabeth Elliot (high school)
Authentic Beauty: The Shaping of a Set-Apart Young Woman by Leslie Ludy (older teens—some mature content)
*Beautiful Girlhood by Karen Andreola (8-10+)
*So Much More by Anna Sofia and Elizabeth Botkin (high school)
A Girl of Beauty by Carol Fiddler

 Boys:
Created for Work by Bob Schultz (10+)
*Boyhood and Beyond by Bob Schultz (10+)
The Mark of a Man by Elisabeth Elliot (older teens)
God’s Gift to Women by Eric Ludy (older teens)

Keepers at Home- A Handbook for Young Ladies--KeepersoftheFaith.com  They also have 'Little Keepers at Home' for ages 4-6 and they have a book also for boys-'Contenders for the Faith')

*Polished Cornerstones—Doorposts.com (a mom and daughter study on being a Godly woman, homemaker, etc.)