ALIVE Gospel Sexuality for Students Review

ALIVE: GOSPEL SEXUALITY FOR STUDENTS
Author: Cooper Pinson/Harvest USA
Publisher: New Growth Press
ISBN: 9781645270918
Paperback
Pages: 167
$15.99 (discounts on publisher's website)

Note: This study uses the English Standard Version

About the Book:

Alive: Gospel Sexuality for Students gives teenagers and young adults a biblical, gospel-centered framework to understand sexual issues. In a changing culture where feelings about our identity inform our sexual choices, this ten-week small group resource by Cooper Pinson of Harvest USA, applies biblical truth in a compassionate way to sexual struggles.

Cooper Pinson, with years of experience working with students, aims to bring the theological truths of our union and communion with Christ into the world of sexuality. Students are met where they are and encouraged to talk about the issues that are part of their everyday world. At the same time, they are guided to learn robust, deep, and strengthening theological content that will help them follow Jesus in how they express their sexuality.

Out of this framework, topics addressed include God's good design for sexuality, gender-related issues, singleness, dating, marriage, masturbation, pornography, and same-sex attraction, among others. Students are shepherded to understand their sexuality in the light of who Jesus is and to approach these issues with truth, faith, and compassion.

Author

Harvest USA is a non-profit that has been ministering to individuals and families affected by sexual struggles since 1983. With over 100 years of combined direct ministry experience, Harvest USA staff also seek to equip the Church with their writing and teaching on biblical sexuality and how to help those who struggle sexually.

My Thoughts:

Sex and sexuality is probably one of the most thought about and talked about subjects in the world of a teenager. Society hits teens from all sides - be it gender, relationships, media, etc., our children are getting told lots of things through every aspect of their life. What they learn from their friends, schools, movies, books, special interest groups and other worldly influences is certainly not what we, as Godly parents, want our children to hear or worse - believe.

Alive: Gospel Sexuality for Students is a wonderful resource to help guide our youth to the Biblical truth about sex and sexuality. This leaders guide/student workbook looks at God's design for us and tackles many very sensitive issues. The leader's guide is laid out in a very user friendly manner for the youth leader (or even the parent who wants to use this as a guide to talk to their teens). There are questions to discuss, scenarios for the students to read, issues to cover and even touches on abuse and rape. This is designed for a group setting and would definitely be best in a gender specific group. I know, as a female, I certainly wouldn't want to talk about these things in front of a male!

I'm not sure how I feel about this book having both the leader's guide as well as the student workbook in one volume. It is nice for the leader, but the students have all the answers and information at their fingertips, taking the thinking and spontaneity away from the discussion. These kids really need to sit and think and consider how serious sex is and how God's design works for us!

I received a copy of these books from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, but instead, one that gives my honest opinion.

Life is Good!

Married life has certainly changed since the last time around. We have grown and I know that I've probably grown the most. Those years on my own gave me a greater perspective on what actually goes on in life. I never was truly on my own before - where I had no safety net. I went from my parents home, to rooming with someone to being married. Flying to another country and being 11,000 miles from home, away from anyone I knew, certainly put a new light on things.

Working, too, as an older person, was a challenge. Trying to find a job after being out of work for 26 years was difficult. No one was interested in hiring someone that "didn't do anything" for all that time. Homeschooling and doing other odds and ends just wasn't of interest to those that interviewed me. Finally, I found something that was not only a job, but a fun job... demoing products at Sam's Club. That got me the experience to get hired at a grocery store and then on to a job at the University.

I loved the job at the University, but after many hours of Bible Study, decided that after we remarried, that I would leave it and return home as a housewife. Both of my decisions were frowned upon by most of my friends. I was questioned over and over about the remarriage and then told I was crazy to leave my job - my source of independence!

You know, as much as I loved my job at the University, I don't miss it. It's funny, really. I do miss the people - they were a great team to work with, but I stay in contact with those that I made good friends with. The same with my past jobs. I may go back to demoing at Sam's a day or so a week, but right now, I just don't have the time! There are so many things I want to do and so many things that keep me busy right now, that I just don't seem to have enough time in the day, let alone adding work to it. I guess you could say I'm living the life of luxury now. I'm doing things I've been wanting to do that I couldn't with living in an apartment and with working all the hours I did.

Now, I am back doing those things I love: gardening, canning, dehydrating, knitting, reviewing, blogging, taking classes, working on making my house a home, trying new recipes, working on making a place for a craft room, etc. Most important, is having time for church, Bible study, family and friends. Those were the things that I missed doing most of all. I couldn't attend church because of my schedule at work and the time spent with visiting and enjoying the company of others was few and far between.

I am so lucky to have a second chance. I learned a very large lesson from all this - what is most important in life. God is soooo good!

More Than I Could Ever Hope For

GOD has a way of putting surprises in our lives that we would never expect. As I continued to read the Bible and pray, my eyes were opened and I softened and began to really HEAR what He was telling me. I guess he must have decided I was receptive to His plan because He started implementing it well before I could see it happening.

Every once in a while, I would run into my ex-husband. We were always civil and decent to each other. If he found out I needed something like the car fixed or tech advice, he'd always offer to help. I always declined. He's my ex, so why would I have him continue to help me?! But one day, he made a point of driving to where I worked, just to check my car because of some odd tire wear. I couldn't believe he'd go out of his way just for that and for me, so I bought him dinner as a thank you.

As time went on, we would go out for dinner every once in a while, but in late fall, we started actually spending more time together, going to the movies, dinner and talking. Then we did day trips and all the while I was still reading the Bible and praying. I discovered in many places in Paul's books and especially 1Cor 7:10-11 that even though we are divorced, in the eyes of God, we are basically still married and should reconcile or never marry another. My ex came across the same thing.

10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:

11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

This weighed heavily on our hearts and one day, it came out - both of us were contemplating the same thing. After many long discussions we decided we should reconcile. We will be getting remarried on our anniversary date!

Since this has been decided, I cannot tell you the peace we've both felt. Unfortunately, others around us are not so thrilled and have tried discouraging us. My closest friend, who is a Christian, believes that we are doing the right thing. She said she sees how we are together and how miserable we have been apart. She believes we needed the time apart to grow and see what is was most important - God. When God was lost in my life and I started listening to the ways of the world, I lost sight of things. How true this is! I needed the total breakdown and heartache to find what was most important.