Book Review: Just Friends: Guarding Your Heart for a Wonderful Someday by Mike Ray & Cary Schmidt

This book is written for the youth of today...

This book is written by Mike Ray and Cary Schmidt. Mike Ray has served as the pastor of Hopewell Baptist Church in Napa, California for the last 22 years. Prior to that hi was a youth pastor for 7 years in Louisana. Mike and his wife have 5 children.

Cary Schmidt is an associate pastor at Lancaster Baptist Church in Lancaster California, where he leads the student ministries and publications ministry. He and his wife Dana have 3 children.

Something that is so important and often overlooked by our youth, their parents, pastors, teachers and most everyone...is that our teens need to guard their hearts. My generation was taught to play the "dating game". Taught to play the field...ultimately taught to chop our hearts up and give pieces out to who ever would pay us a little attention for a time. It is sad the roller coaster ride my emotions took when I was a teen...many, many unnecessary heartaches. My focus should have been on God primarily instead of playing this destructive game of dating.

This book is the first book I have read that hits the heart of the matter of putting God first in your single years....I can't give it all away....

This book is inspiring and encouraging! Parents, Read This Book and Pass it To Your Teen.
This is an investment you won't be sorry you made.

I have read it and want to first just give you a few quotes that my friend Shivangi has compiled. This list of quotes from the book give a good indication of its direction:

• Nothing will give you a more settled heart, more stable emotions, and a more secure identity than time with God!
• (Referring to the person you're dating) IF you're not going to get married, Why act like you are married - especially with someone who will most likely be someone else's spouse!
• You should be a better Christian because of your friendships!
• The road that leads to marriage begins with real, authentic, godly friendships!
• You were once a sinful creature who was sometimes able to do right; Now you are a righteous creature who is sometimes able to sin.
• God is working on your "wonderful someday" just like He's working on you!
• GOD MAKES IT CLEAR THAT THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE WORTH WAITING FOR!
• It's not about finding the right person, It's about becoming the right person!
• In every area of your life, you're sowing seeds - and one day you will reap a harvest!
• God's ultimate vision for my guy relationships is to preserve, to protect, and prepare you for the right person at the right time!
• People with great lives didn't just get there by accident. They got there by listening to a lot of great advice!
• One of the greatest dangers of youthful relationships is emotional dependency.
• God desires you to rule your emotions, not your emotions rule you!
• Being physical never held a marriage together, being physical is the expression of what holds a marriage together!
• Divorces are mostly made-up of grown-ups who never learned restraint!
• Restrain you physical desires out of respect for you God and you future spouse!
• Chose true love over lust!
• Rather than obsessing over guys - obsess over God and growing into His image!
• Other people will see you misplaced priorities before you do!
• Guard you heart for a wonderful someday!

You can go here to purchase the book...you will NOT be sorry you did.
If you know a teen that is struggling...get them a copy. They will thank you.