Media and 50 Shades of Grey

Dear Moms,

Last Friday I went to JAM heavy hearted because I wanted to send out a word of care and perhaps caution to each of you sweet ladies.  Being a mentor mom to me is just like having a gift of many daughters.  Praying for and trying to encourage when possible isn’t part of the job only, but becomes a part of our hearts.

When John began to speak about media and monitoring it for our children all I could think of was how we are ALL in need of that wisdom in monitoring for ourselves and each other. Afterward, I spoke to John and Emily about some media that is gaining the interest of many, but so demeaning and destructive, the movie "50 Shades of Grey." When I explained my fear

for each of the young women in that room they suggested I send my thoughts to you.

Well, I hesitated, wondering if I should broach this subject or not. Last night, when I 

saw Robin's post on Facebook about the Pulling Back the Shades webinar, I was convinced many young women want to know a better way and the importance of truth.

Please know that God made each of you with worth and beauty that is from His extravagant love for you.  He made us with desire for our husbands that has purpose. Besides pleasure and procreation, it teaches us to love each other and seals our relationships to enjoy life together in good times and bind us together in trials.  It teaches us to respect and protect each other, not demean, harm or cheapen what God himself designed.  

There is an answer to the lies of this movie and what media works so hard to portray, which is in the book called, Pulling Back the Shades by Dr. Juli Slattery and Dannah Gresh. 

In His Love, with Blessings to each of the sweet young women of JAM,

Sandy Brown

Mentor Mom  

Remember the verse that John shared with us as an opening to his presentation on media, "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16) John also encouraged us to Be Intentional, Be Involved, and Be Informed as we ourselves consume and monitor our children's consumption of Media.

One of the biggest media hypes right now, as we approach Valentines Day, is the release of the "50 Shades of Grey" movie. Perhaps you are wondering what the "50 Shades" phenomena is and what it's all about, or perhaps you've read the books, or are planning on seeing the movie. In any case, we would encourage you to be informed, and guard your heart as you consume these messages. 

There are a lot of resources out there that have been put forward by the ministries of Dr. Juli Slattery and Dannah Gresh, the authors of Pulling Back the Shades. In a nutshell, the book Pulling Back the Shades seeks to acknowledge that women have legitimate longings that the Church has been afraid to talk about, and books like Fifty Shades of Grey exploit. The book teaches how Christian women can be both sexual and spiritual.

Here are a few links for you to check out:

www.pullingbacktheshades.com. - Find videos talking about the book, what the dangers of erotica are, how to share this truth with your friends, and much more. Read the first chapter of the book, and purchase it if you like (It is sold out on Amazon!). There is even an opportunity to "Trade Your Shades"! You can send in any of the "50 Shades" books and you will receive a copy of Pulling Back the Shades for FREE!

Click HERE to view the video of the webinar "Will you see Mr. Grey?" which was recorded last night. Dr. Juli and Dannah discuss their book, the dangers of erotica and S&M, how to evaluate what is "ok" for your own marriage, and how to talk to your friends about erotica.

Click HERE to read a blog post by Dannah entitled "Will you see Mr. Grey? (2 reasons you might, but shouldn't)"

Click HERE to listen to a podcast, "Java with Juli," where Juli and her guests boldly discuss the underlying issues in the culture about female sexuality, and how the questions women have are answered in the book Pulling Back The Shades.

www.authenticintimacy.com - The ministry founded by Dr. Juli Slattery with Linda Dillow, designed to minister to women on all topics related to intimacy in marriage and intimacy with God. There are many books, and book study resources available.

Also, remember the resources that John mentioned in his presentation to help you monitor your kids media consumption: www.cpyu.org and www.digitalkidsinitiative.com