And The Bride Wore White Part 1

Dave and Bethlie discuss the book And The Bride Wore White. 

And The Bride Wore White takes the “purity talk” to a whole new level. Dannah Gresh is conversational, humorous, vulnerable, and frank, all while supporting every point with Scripture. Reading the book is like hearing from a loving big sister. It’s written for high school through college aged girls, and we recommend that moms and their girls (or youth pastor’s wives and teen girls) read it together. Charity and I read it together, and we had some great conversations. Be advised that Dannah is careful but frank about cultural struggles and purity issues. If we’re being honest, our children, even if we feel they are totally protected from outside influences, are hearing what our world has to say about sexuality. It is worth it to prepare them with truth for the lies that our culture presents.

Dannah is also open and honest (again, carefully) about her own purity failure as a teen. My fear when I first picked up the book, was that it would present her “fall” or “struggle” in such a way that it would give license to sexual sin because, after all, that’s what grace is for, right? But that is not at all Dannah’s heart. Her desire is to keep girls from the shattering heartache and years of guilt and shame that Satan and our world never promises, but always delivers. The book also addresses how to allow the Lord to free you from sexual sin and to live in victory and healing grace.

*Charity told me that she felt the frankness of the book is needed to make sure every area of purity is well-covered and there is no room for “loop-hole” mentality. She said, “Mrs. Gresh makes sure she tells you every area that is wrong.”

Chapter Titles Include:

And the Bride Wore White:

Deciding to Live a Lifestyle of Purity

Satan’s Big Fat Sex Lies:

Learning to Recognize the Truth

Satan’s Biggest, Fattest Sex Lie:

Resisting the Lure to Sin

Breakin’ Up is Hard to Do:

Breaking off Sinful Relationships in Three Steps

Purity is a Process:

Defining Innocence and Purity

Purity Dreams of Its Future:

Envisioning a Godly Husband

Purity is Governed by Its Value:

Discovering Your Value in God’s Eyes

Discovering Your Value in the Eyes of Others

Purity Speaks Boldly:

Preparing Your Tongue for Dates

Purity Loves Its Creator at any Cost:

Pursuing a Love Relationship with Jesus 

Purity Embraces Wise Guidance

Inviting your Parents into Your love Life

Purity Watches Burning Flames:

Finding M.O.R.E. to Help You

Each chapter begins with a testimony from a teen or college student who is walking or learning to walk in purity. One of the teen girls to whom I gave this book said that those testimonials really spoke to her.  

Every Chapter also begins with Scripture, the very first passage being Titus 2:11-13, “For the Grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” And so chapter one starts with saying NO to ungodliness and worldly lust, but emphasizing that we cannot maintain that purity on our own.

Every chapter ends with a reflection prompt allowing the reader to journal some ways that the Lord is convicting or encouraging them.