The Girl De-Construction Project: Wildness, Wonder and Being a Woman

Rachel Gardner, Hodder & Stoughton (July 2018)

RRP £12.99

The Girl De-Construction Project by Rachel Gardner takes an humorous, open and raw look at what it means to be female in the 21st Century by de-constructing harmful thoughts, attitudes or stereotypes that may be ingrained in us, and then offering practical, godly re-construction.

Rachel encourages us to embrace who we are and who God made us to be – unique – while also acknowledging gracefully that we are flawed and not perfect human beings. Each chapter falls under one of four headings: Body, Mind, Soul and Strength, and it covers subjects from body image to dying-to-self to the pursuit of perfection to dealing with hurt; each subject is tackled with both well thought out research and Scripture.

At the end of each chapter, Rachel encourages reflection and practical steps towards deepening our relationship with God. It’s a book that doesn’t necessarily have to be read all the way through, as readers will probably find that some chapters resonate more than others. While the writing is aimed at teenage girls and young women, I think the range of topics make it accessible to women of any and every age.

Rachel’s background in youth ministry has really helped her to write something that is relatable; I found God prompting me to examine parts of my life that I had never really considered before in new ways, and more than once I was moved to tears by a sentence or notion or revelation that really resonated with me! This is a book that can be taken at the reader’s own pace as there is a lot to reflect on and digest.

While The Girl De-Construction Project may not solve all of your problems and erase all of your insecurities (which it’s tempting to assume when you first start reading it!), it will definitely help you to deconstruct the harmful parts of yourself and take on God’s perspective. Every girl – no matter how old – needs to know their value in Christ, and this book is a great starting point. I would highly recommend it!

Reviewed by Rebecca Coatsworth