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Just Friends: Guarding Your Heart for a Wonderful Someday
What is this thing between guys and girls? Do we call it Dating? Attraction? Interest? We all know it's there, but no one really knows what to call it, and for some strange reason everyone is afraid to talk about it! So what do you call it? You've probably said it. 'We're just friends!' Sometimes you mean it; sometimes you mean something a little stronger, but a bit harder to define. Whatever you call it, it's time to understand a reasonable and biblical approach to guy/girl relationships. This book will help you protect your heart as you journey through the dangerous minefields of young emotions and early attractions. And it will help you understand the biblical principles that will ultimately lead you to true love and a 'wonderful someday.' Includes a study guide for personal application!
264 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
16 people are currently reading
101 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 1, 2017
Review coming soon! :)
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First of all, this was a great, simple read for teenagers! I enjoyed every moment of reading it! :)
I loved the whole book, but some particular things stuck out to me. I really appreciated the questions and points Mike Ray and Cary Schmidt wrote.
How you treat your parents will be how you treat your spouse section: page 154
A friend helps through trials section: page 172
How Girls Can Prepare section: page 178-179
Basic Rules of Etiquette section: page 204-212
Learning to Communicate section: page 225-227
Mr. Ray and Mr. Schmidt give so many great examples to help teenagers understand what they're trying to say! And they don't say just whatever they think is best, they use God's Word to point different things out! :)
I recommend this book to any teenager and I hope they stop to read this and receive the good, moral things that are in the book!
1. Choose "the right person at the right time"
2. Choose to stay in God's will
3. Choose Holy Spirit controlled emotions
4. Choose to stay pure until marriage
5. Choose not to touch each other
6. Choose to keep family first
7. Choose true love over lust
8. Choose the "just friends" approach
Once again, I enjoyed this book immensely and I'm so happy I read it!
~~~
First of all, this was a great, simple read for teenagers! I enjoyed every moment of reading it! :)
I loved the whole book, but some particular things stuck out to me. I really appreciated the questions and points Mike Ray and Cary Schmidt wrote.
How you treat your parents will be how you treat your spouse section: page 154
A friend helps through trials section: page 172
How Girls Can Prepare section: page 178-179
Basic Rules of Etiquette section: page 204-212
Learning to Communicate section: page 225-227
Mr. Ray and Mr. Schmidt give so many great examples to help teenagers understand what they're trying to say! And they don't say just whatever they think is best, they use God's Word to point different things out! :)
I recommend this book to any teenager and I hope they stop to read this and receive the good, moral things that are in the book!
1. Choose "the right person at the right time"
2. Choose to stay in God's will
3. Choose Holy Spirit controlled emotions
4. Choose to stay pure until marriage
5. Choose not to touch each other
6. Choose to keep family first
7. Choose true love over lust
8. Choose the "just friends" approach
Once again, I enjoyed this book immensely and I'm so happy I read it!
May 23, 2016
Instead of focusing on finding the right person, focus on becoming the right person. This is the main premise to Just Friends. It is very true...especially for those in their teenage years.
This book really impressed me on my first read through. At the begining it is light and full of a few laughs, but the more you read, the heavier it becomes. Yet it is so readable that you can't stop reading! I love the focus on having godly friendships with the opposite sex, instead of focusing on feelings and relationships while still too young to begin a serious relationship. Toward the end there are some practical chapters about just acting godly in general.
Not everyone can relate with everything that is brought up in this book. For instance there are two chapters focusing on being pure. I agree completely with that, but because I was brought up from young to stay pure it hasn't been as big of struggle for me. But nothing in this book I disagreed with, even though everyone's definiton of "friends" might vary!
The chapters about not touching before marriage were REALLY good. I think their explanation for not doing so is extremely wise. The chapters surrounding emotions were great too! We can so easily get carried away by feelings, but although God has given them to us, we have to control them.
I highly recommend this book! Since sexuality is touched on, I'd say recommended for 15/16+. It just all depends on the maturity level of the reader. I think this would be a great book to read with a parent or church teen group!
This book really impressed me on my first read through. At the begining it is light and full of a few laughs, but the more you read, the heavier it becomes. Yet it is so readable that you can't stop reading! I love the focus on having godly friendships with the opposite sex, instead of focusing on feelings and relationships while still too young to begin a serious relationship. Toward the end there are some practical chapters about just acting godly in general.
Not everyone can relate with everything that is brought up in this book. For instance there are two chapters focusing on being pure. I agree completely with that, but because I was brought up from young to stay pure it hasn't been as big of struggle for me. But nothing in this book I disagreed with, even though everyone's definiton of "friends" might vary!
The chapters about not touching before marriage were REALLY good. I think their explanation for not doing so is extremely wise. The chapters surrounding emotions were great too! We can so easily get carried away by feelings, but although God has given them to us, we have to control them.
I highly recommend this book! Since sexuality is touched on, I'd say recommended for 15/16+. It just all depends on the maturity level of the reader. I think this would be a great book to read with a parent or church teen group!
August 16, 2012
This book helped me to understand more fully the importance and value of godly relationships. It encouraged me to keep myself pure because God is planning a wonderful someday for me! The book describes how happy and fun relationships should be, without the worry and heartbreak that so many relationships have. One of the reasons I enjoyed reading it so much is because Mr. Ray and Mr. Schmidt know exactly what young adults are going through in this stage of our lives. One of them will give an example, and I'm thinking, "Wow, that's exactly what I was doing." They give exactly the right advice for most any situation!
April 3, 2018
I enjoyed it! I got saved just after miserable teen years(age 19 almost 20), this book exposed the lies I learned from this perverse and apostate culture, then it points to the Saviour!
I'm not sure if the plan of salvation is mentioned in this book just incase of unsaved readers.
Overall I would highly recommend it.
I'm not sure if the plan of salvation is mentioned in this book just incase of unsaved readers.
Overall I would highly recommend it.
May 6, 2019
Not a bad book.
Not too good either.
Ages: 12/13+
Not too good either.
Ages: 12/13+
June 30, 2023
Wow! What an amazing book..
I was going through a situation with my son and I prayed and told the Lord “I have no idea what I’m doing here. I need help! A day or two after, He led me to this book. The authors were on point and said everything that I wanted to say that I didn’t know how to say. The extras like etiquette and dress code were added bonuses. Our God is so amazing! He gives us just what we need exactly when we need it. My son hasn’t read the book yet so I have no idea what he’ll think about it but to me it was an answer to prayer.
I was going through a situation with my son and I prayed and told the Lord “I have no idea what I’m doing here. I need help! A day or two after, He led me to this book. The authors were on point and said everything that I wanted to say that I didn’t know how to say. The extras like etiquette and dress code were added bonuses. Our God is so amazing! He gives us just what we need exactly when we need it. My son hasn’t read the book yet so I have no idea what he’ll think about it but to me it was an answer to prayer.
April 2, 2021
Another great book from these two men
I always enjoy these pastor's writing style. They are clear, concise, practical and very biblical. We used this book as a devotion for our teenage children. Their insight into this subject was helpful not just for the teen but also for the parent.
I always enjoy these pastor's writing style. They are clear, concise, practical and very biblical. We used this book as a devotion for our teenage children. Their insight into this subject was helpful not just for the teen but also for the parent.
July 23, 2022
This is a book about Christian dating and courting for teens and young adults from a independent fundamentalist baptist perspective. Most of the content is biblical save the chapters on no touching as well as the general missing idea that humans are completely unable to follow any of this advice without the grace of Jesus. Four stars as such!
July 18, 2013
This book provides easy-to-read, interesting teaching that urges teens and young adults to navigate boy-girl relationships wisely and purely. I thought it was excellent! I will recommend it to both young people and those who parent or work with them.
I do feel it was a mistake to include the final chapters on etiquette. I think the authors could have maintained their connection with the readers with their counter-cultural yet wise perspective up until that point. Throwing in the etiquette may just push some readers over the edge into, "These guys are a little weird..."
The book is still worth reading.
I do feel it was a mistake to include the final chapters on etiquette. I think the authors could have maintained their connection with the readers with their counter-cultural yet wise perspective up until that point. Throwing in the etiquette may just push some readers over the edge into, "These guys are a little weird..."
The book is still worth reading.
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August 10, 2016What a great book for parents and teens at this stage of life! I wish that I had read it and had the wisdom to apply it as a teen. Understanding relationships and romance can be very challenging. It's easy to make big mistakes. This book encourages teens to embrace God's model (becoming the right person) over Hollywood's model (finding the right person). So teens should focus on preparing for marriage by being the kind of person they want to marry. It is packed with helpful advice to navigate teen relationships in a way that honors God. Highly recommended!
September 22, 2011
A book a recommend for all parents with children to read no matter what their children's ages are. This will help aid greatly when you begin talking to your children about dating/courting and how to find the one person God has in mind for them. I recommend all parents with teenagers require your teen to read this, it is a good tool in letting your child know it is okay not to be like every other person with a girlfriend/boyfriend, save yourself for God's best.
April 11, 2011
Great book for high school students...great biblical advice for waiting and finding the right husband/wife...instead of rushing into a relationship that will most certainly be doomed...
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews