Beauty in the Heart (Schoolhouse Review)

• Product: Beauty in the Heart: A Study of Godly Beauty for Young Women ($14)
• Publisher: Doorposts

Beauty in the Heart is a study on “true beauty” for girls or women, ages 10-12 and up. It is divided into 9 studies plus a review and includes 86 daily assignments. Each assignment takes from 5 to 20 minutes to complete. Using passages from 1 Peter, Genesis, Esther, 1 Timothy, Proverbs, 1 Samuel, and Ruth, the student covers these aspects of beauty:

1. Beauty in submission
2. Beauty in the Hearth
3. Beauty in Trusting God
4. Beauty in Humility
5. Beauty in Modesty
6. Beauty in Serving
7. Beauty Without Discretion
8. Beauty in Crisis

Beauty in the Heart helps young women focus on an important principle, that of inner beauty. We live in a world that obsesses on outer beauty, but tends to ignore the much more important development of inner beauty.

The study also teaches the student how to study the Bible. Through the use of a Bible atlas, commentary, and concordance, she will dig deeply into scripture, developing skills that will be useful for studying any passage of scripture. Throughout the study, the student will be looking up words, making timelines, highlighting key words, doing word study, summarizing, and writing chapter titles.

I felt like this study was a real step up for Emily in the area of Bible study. She’s done studies that focus on stories and facts; she’s done studies that focus on the application of Biblical principles to her life. But this is the first time she has been required to really dig into the Word. Beauty in the Heart does include comprehension questions on the Bible text and it helps young women apply the lessons to their personal lives, but it teaches how to analyze words—to look them up in the dictionary, or to examine the Greek meaning, or to use a concordance to find out what else the Bible says on the subject. It teaches the reader to understand the passage in a larger context-Biblically or historically, and to look at the small details. These skills will be very valuable later on, when Emily wants to study another passage on her own.

The study is meaty, but is not difficult to use. Each chapter has boxes in the margin that include:

• outlines of the activities to be done in the chapter
• materials needed (such as colored pencils, concordance, etc.)
• additional informational or historical notes
• suggestions for further study

It was absolutely easy for Emily to do on her own. I just looked over her answers and asked her a few questions about what she was reading and doing. I think the theme of “becoming a beautiful woman—God’s way” is critical too—something that all young Christian women should think about.

I think this was a wonderful study for young teens and highly recommend it.

Doorpost publishes a variety of Bible study and character training resources, including Because You Are Strong: A Study of Godly Strength for Young Men, which was reviewed by some of my fellow Schoolhouse Crew members.