The Gentle Ways of a Beautiful Woman by Anne Ortlund

When I declare, “Oh Anne, you’re so cool,” or “You’re so clever,” or “Anne’s talking to me again,” my daughters know I’m talking about my all-time favorite author, Anne Ortlund.  (They might also think I’m talking about Anne of Green Gables. She’s another fav…but that’s for another time. 🙂 ) Why, you might ask, is she my all-time favorite? It’s because she touches on every part of a Christian woman’s life! Do you have a favorite book? Tell me what it is, I’d love to know. Would you like to know what mine is? The title is,  The Gentle Ways of the Beautiful Woman,  a practical guide to spiritual beauty, by Anne Ortlund. Actually, this book is a compilation of three small books: Disciplines of the Beautiful Woman, Disciplines of the Heart and Disciplines of the Home.

When I’m peering into my over-stuffed closet with disgust, I think of Anne. When I’m running up and down my basement stairs, I think of Anne. When I steal away to a quiet place for my quiet time, I think of Anne. When I think about how to show love to my husband, I think of Anne. Anne writes with much vulnerability……perhaps that’s why I love this book so much! You feel like she is your best friend, mother, daughter and sister, all wrapped into one, when reading her books. She truly opens up her life and let’s you step right on in. She feels that through her experiences she just might help the reader out, and boy she has in this household! My daughters and I have learned so much about womanhood, about relationships, about homemaking, about organization, about being a wife and being a mother and being a friend. I could continue……. 🙂

Funny story about how this book got into my hands. I was praying over and pondering which direction to take the bible study girls as I was debating on the next bible study to do. I was stuck, even after much prayer. I mentioned it to daughter, Annie. She immediately replied, “That Beautiful Woman book by Anne Ortlund! Everyone will love it!” So, I looked it over and made the decision to use this book for the next women’s study. It was a hit.

Daughter, Annie,  was feeding her Olivia in the pastor’s office/library because that was the only place to go during worship service where she could have privacy. The book shelf was right behind her, so she pulled down this particular book and started reading. She checked it out and that is the beginning of how this important book entered into our family. Found out later that a special friend did some spring cleaning in her home and gave a bunch of books to the church library. This was one of the books. Yes, she, too is very familiar with author and pastor’s wife, Anne Ortlund.

So…..if you’re looking for a great women’s book with many helps on the Christian life, my suggestion is this one. Did I tell you it’s super easy reading and the chapters are only 4 or 5 pages long? There are even questions at the end of each to use for your own self-help or a women’s gathering. The last I looked you could still order at: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=the+gentle+ways+of+a+beautiful+woman+by+anne+ortlund

Hope you’ll enjoy it and keep it as a resource for all the women in your life!

Happy Reading in this new year. You just might make a few resolutions after reading how to become a beautiful woman…..an admirable woman, according to God’s Word: “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.” Proverbs 31:30

Denise