Sexuality and Holy Longing: Embracing Intimacy in a Broken World Lisa Graham McMinn (Jossey-Bass)
McMinn provides a helpful framework for single-Christian sexuality that reckons equally with the reality of embodiment, the Bible, and our cultural moment. She's especially insightful on subtler dynamics, such as the ways women compete for men's attention.
How to Avoid Falling in Love with a Jerk: The Foolproof Way to Follow Your Heart without Losing Your Mind John Van Epp (McGraw-Hill)
Singleness often means keeping one eye open for romantic prospects. But the American church has provided much conflicting and confusing advice on the search for love. Counselor and Christian Van Epp has the best advice I've read on finding a partner.
Passion and Purity: Learning to Bring Your Love Life under Christ's Control Elisabeth Elliot (Revell)
Some books on singleness and chastity downplay the strength of desire one may face, but Elliot grapples candidly and boldly with both her sexual and romantic longings and the God she loves. Rightfully a classic.
Hinds' Feet on High Places Hannah Hurnard (Wilder Publications)
Though not a traditional "singleness" book, anyone struggling through a protracted and unwanted romantic dry spell may draw strength from this memorable allgory about the painful but worthwhile journey of following Jesus. This encouraged me to trust him more deeply.
Book yet unwritten
I'm waiting for a "singleness" book that moves beyond sexual longing and celibacy to provide a hopeful, trust-deepening perspective on a season of life all of us will experience.
Anna Broadway, author of Sexless in the City: A Memoir of Reluctant Chastity (WaterBrook Press, 2008)
