Unseduced and Unshaken
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Dignity.
It’s a word we don’t hear too often in Sunday School or late-night slumber party conversations. But it forms a central theme in Rosalie de Rosset’s book Unseduced and Unshaken: The Place of Dignity in a Young Woman’s Choices. According to Dr. Rosset,
To be a Christian woman of dignity, a woman must know who she is before God… Dignity is a strong, chosen, deliberate way of life, the result of the totality of a person’s choices and worldview.
Rosalie de Rosset is a professor of literature at Moody Bible Institute, and she writes with an intellectual yet accessible style. Along with several other contributors, Dr. de Rosset has compiled the lectures she has given young women over the years into Unseduced and Unshaken. She challenges readers to rise above the culture’s expectations of women and realize their true identity in Christ.
Christ so loves us that He wants our entire selves (body, soul, and spirit) to be His dwelling place, setting us free not to sin, setting us free from the enslavement of cultural pressures and the lies we are told and which we tell ourselves.
As a literature professor, Dr. de Rosset uses characters from books such as Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice to describe women of dignity who are also concerned about their intellectual growth. Christians cannot “separate spiritual life from the life of the mind,” and she encourages women to educate themselves in the things of God. The book also covers the topics of sexual dignity and modesty in an honest yet graceful manner, calling women to follow Christ’s leading rather than either the culture’s example or man-made rules.
The chapter “Mindful or Mindless” encourages women and girls alike to establish a theology of leisure. Facebook, chick flicks, and ever-popular Christian romance novels often serve as an escape from the busyness of life. However, Dr. de Rosset questions the lasting benefits of pop culture’s entertainment and instead challenges women to pursue pastimes that cultivate the mind and soul. Instead of hopping on Pinterest during a free evening, she challenges women to read a timeless novel or watch a classic movie.
Unseduced and Unshaken calls women to pursue God with body, mind, and soul, embracing the dignity we can find only in Jesus. With follow-up questions and suggested reading lists, this book gives readers tools to examine themselves and strengthen their walk with Christ. As the cover reads,
Being intentional with your choices, cultivating your intellect, and taking seriously your voice determines not only what kind of person you are, but also what kind of woman you will be.
How do I intentionally cultivate my mind? I feel like I’m still very much learning that myself, but one thing God has been showing me recently is the high necessity for the focus to be in the right place in my life–on Jesus Christ and Him crucified…to focus on living for Him and worshiping Him with my life…that focus sharpens through intentional times of worship, reading Him word, times of prayer…and overall, abiding in the ever-presence of Jesus….
This book sounds fascinating!
I love to read. Especially books about Christian living and womanhood. (Elisabeth Elliot is one of my favorite authors!)
I have wanted to try my hand at writing for several years and I think this will be the year I attempt it. I have no idea if I have any talent or not, but I do want to try.
I also just started taking Fiddle lessons. I have been playing for over ten years but taught myself and have never had the extra money for lessons until this year. I have been given the wonderful opportunity to spend the next few months taking lessons under a multiple world champion fiddler, and am so excited about learning more techniques that will improve my playing as I play at church almost every week.
I love to read intelligent, non-fiction books. I can’t even remember the last time I read a novel, although I appreciate a well-written one. This type of reading has fed a passion for truth. I also try to use my spare time to study languages and read professional journals related to my profession. When questions come up during the day, I try to tuck them away in my mind so I can research them later. I’ve started using Kindle so I can read books while running around the city – that way I can read books every day again! I think the most important way to cultivate the mind, however, is to start the day in God’s Word. There is just no substitute for wisdom that comes straight from God.
Through God’s Word and good, challenging books. I was going to say also by debating spiritual subjects with others…but I think I gain far more wisdom by just having a heart to heart with much older and wiser Christians than I. Those “grandparent figures” in my life. 🙂
This book sounds excellent! I’m surprised I hadn’t heard of it before.
I have not read any books like this one and would love to her this perspective!
This book sounds a bit unusual and that piques my interest. Reading is my main means of learning and cultivating my mind. I am also trying to “get out of my box” by taking/making opportunities to have new experiences and develop new skills.
A great way to cultivate one’s mind is through the Word. I’ve been enjoying the benefits of this resource http://scripturetyper.com/
I intentionally cultivate my mind by reading God’s Word (first of all), and other books that are more than just novels. I read concordances, the dictionary/thesaurus, information books about a wide variety of subjects. Learning these things can help with a great and interesting conversation and even help with daily life. Plus, reading is a much more fun brain exercise than math 😉
Sounds like a great book! 🙂
I’m not sure how I intentionally cultivate my mind. But i would like to read this book. 🙂
This is very interesting, and I would love to read the book. I don’t think I’ve ever really thought about how to cultivate my mind before. I’ve worked to keep things out, but I’ve never considered how I can cultivate it.
Read the Bible, discuss theology/Christian living topics with my family and friends, read good books (I’m currently reading an excellent book called Biblical Foundations for Manhood and Womanhood) and always be trying to stretch myself to learn more through various avenues.
This book sounds like an excellent and challenging read! 🙂
Prayer and Gods word
Would love this book
This book sounds great! Not many books encourage Christian women to cultivate their minds. Personally, I try to take advantage of every opportunity to learn something new or to improve on my skills. The internet can be a great resource.
I love reading books on all sorts of topics from relationship with God to romantic relationships to healthy sexuality. And then getting to have discussions on some of these topics with friends or professors is an additional thing I do to stimulate and expand my mind.
This book sounds excellent!
I don’t know that I’ve ever considered that question before….food for thought! I do try to read books that challenge me and make me think. I’m attending a history class taught by an incredibly intelligent person, and I’m involved with a Bible study group where I’ve had the opportunity to be mentored by many women older and wiser than myself where I’ve learned and continue to learn so much.
Discussing philosophical topics with my husband! 🙂 Best way ever to spend time…. 😀 So excited to see this; a good friend was just recommending it to me!
I’d love a chance to read this book. My favorite way to cultivate my mind is by studying, engaging in being mentored by Godly individuals older/wiser than me and by introducing myself to different styles of literature/authors.
Wonderful review! Makes me want to read this book. Dignity and grace are truly forgotten virtues in our culture. Thought-provoking encouragement! 🙂
I love to read uplifting books, do something creative with my hands or study the Bible!