I have a deep love for good books. When I was twelve, my family evacuated from our southern Louisiana home as Hurricane Katrina made her way inland. Instead of packing my suitcase with clothing, I stuffed in as many of my favorite books as possible. This resulted in superfluous loads of laundry for my mom—but also a treasure trove of some of my dearest possessions, saved from the waters that ravaged my childhood home.
I still have those books on my shelves and am now sharing the stories with my own children. The collection has grown over the years, and the genres have expanded to include parenting, education, and theology. Some of the novels I simply enjoy; others I immediately recommend to a friend. And a few have been so impactful that I buy them for my best friend and shout from the rooftops to everyone who will listen: “Read this book! It will change you!”
A must-read for Christian women: Sincerely, Stoneheart
Let me tell you about one of those life-changing, perspective-shifting, must-read books: Sincerely, Stoneheart, by Emily Wilson Hussem.
Inspired by C.S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters, Hussem uses her years of experience in women’s ministry to poignantly craft letters between a senior demon and their protégé, discussing the best tactics to lure a woman away from God. It is an in-depth look into the spiritual warfare waging right now for a modern-day woman’s heart and faith. Brilliantly conveyed, Hussem shows how the Enemy seeks to deceive women by targeting their unique fears and insecurities.
Spiritual warfare and the battle for female identity
As a testament to Hussem’s extensive women’s ministry experience, no stone goes unturned – shame, motherhood, purpose, authentic femininity, comparison, technology. The innumerable ways the Enemy might attack are thoughtfully and powerfully addressed.
One of the most chilling chapters is a letter that the senior demon, Stoneheart, writes about identity. “Identity is central to our subject’s life as a human being, and we must do everything we can to manipulate and warp her comprehension of who she is,” Stoneheart warns Belphegora, the junior demon.
And what is a woman’s truest identity? A beloved daughter of God. The chapter explores how the demons work to prevent the woman from living freely in that God-given truth.
Tech, distraction, and the lies women believe
Several chapters explore how the Enemy uses technology to distract women from their vocation, keep them from building community, and breed feelings of resentment and inferiority. Hussem’s insights into the far-reaching effects of social media were both hard (and necessary) to read.
Stoneheart writes: “Addicted to gazing incessantly at the faces of people she doesn’t even know rather than the faces of the children she loves (and who love her), may she look back in the years ahead with such self-loathing that it will affect the rest of her life—and theirs.”
Doesn’t that make you want to throw your phone out a window? I felt deeply convicted during those chapters, and many others. But Hussem doesn’t leave the reader sitting in guilt or discouragement. What’s remarkable about this book is how she illuminates the very real spiritual battle over women’s hearts, while continually pointing to the truth that God’s grace is greater.
Victory in Christ and the call to belovedness
The book is empowering, filled with practical insights on how women can resist the tactics of the Enemy. I didn’t finish it feeling disheartened or afraid; rather, I felt more acutely aware of the subtle ways I might be distracted from the love of my Creator. Most importantly, it reminded me that the best defense against spiritual attacks is to immerse myself in Scripture, live in the light of Christ, and joyfully embrace my identity as God’s beloved daughter.
Just imagine me on the rooftops, shouting to everyone who will listen:
Read this book. It will change you.