THE FRIENDS WE KEEP

Monday, August 10, 2009

BOOK REVIEW - THE FRIENDS WE KEEP--A Woman's Quest for the Soul of Friendship by Sarah Zacharias Davis

Why are women's friendships so tricky? During a particularly painful time in her life, Sarah Zacharias Davis learned how delightful--and wounding--women can be in friendship. She saw how some friendships end badly, others die slow deaths, and how a chance acquaintance can become that enduring friend you need.

The Friends We Keep is Sarah's thoughtful account of her own experiences and those of other women in navigating friendship. Her revealing discoveries tackle the questions every woman asks:
*Why do we long for women friends?
*Do we need friends like we need air or food or water?
*What causes cattiness, competition, and co-dependency in too many friendships?
*How do we foster friendship?
*When is it time to let a friend go, and how do we do so?

With heartfelt, intelligent writing, Sarah explores these questions and more with personal stories, cultural references and history, faith, and grace. In the process she delivers wisdom for navigating the challenges, mysteries, and delights of friendship: why women need friendships with other women, what it means to be safe in a relationship, and how to embrace what a friend has to offer, whether meager or generous.

Being a man I hesitated to read and review a book about a woman's quest for the soul of friendship. But two things convinced me to give it a try: 1. Sarah is a senior advancement officer at Pepperdine University. I have had a love affair going with Pepperdine since I received my Master's Degree in Bible from there and my son and daughter are both graduates. 2. She is the daughter of best-selling writer Ravi Zacharias, who is one of my favorite people. I am so glad I decided to read this excellent book. I recommend it to any woman wanting to be a friend and have friends.

The Friends We Keep is a part of the 40 Minute Bible Study series from beloved Bible teacher Kay Arthur and the teaching staff of Precept Ministries. Each book in the series includes six 40 minute studies designed to draw you into God's Word through basic inductive Bible study. Learn more about this series at RandomHouse.com.

4 comments:

Heart2Heart said...

Clif,

WOW so many books to chose from, I wonder how I will ever keep up!

Love and Hugs ~ Kat

Mevely317 said...

I'm at once intrigued and apprehensive.

The "BFF love" I share with two incredible ladies came about by accident. We're quite opposites ... yet it clicks. Like magic, perhaps I'm concerned if I look too closely behind the curtain, that magic will disappear?

But yep, you guessed it - I'm going on-line to see if I can't reserve a copy at the library!

Thanks, Clif!

Loren said...

I love how you can read a book like this and then share it so positively. Not that you wouldn't, but just that this book is for AND about women ....just wondering if you had 3 books to choose from would you have picked this one up? LOL

thanks for doing your book reviewing so well regardless of the subject matter ;)

love and blessings

Mary said...

Thank you for reading this book for us gals, Clif. I have a couple of friends and a couple of female family members that say they don't like women, or don't get along with them. I don't know how to respond...I love my friends...they are my support in prayer, in laughter, in living. I'm going to suggest this series for our bible study...I think it might be very much needed.