Shannon Ethridge Ministries

The anchorwoman asked the spokesperson for the website, “Don’t you feel bad at the end of the day?” to which he replied, “We think we’re providing a much needed service. Instead of seeking out a prostitute or lying to someone about your marital status, we allow you to simply connect with other like-minded individuals in such a way that both of you get your needs met.” I thought, Gee, what a humanitarian you are (not!).

A few days later, a friend sent the following which I thought both men and women would find incredibly interesting…

Men, listen up. When it comes to sex with you, women want one thing more than any other and that is quality over quantity. No matter how much women have changed in the past 50 years, they still have not adapted to frequent, casual sex, according to researchers from the UK’s Durham University. More than half of the women surveyed for this study admitted they had negative feelings about one-night stands. Men, on the other hand, greatly enjoyed fleeting sexual encounters. Want more?

80% of the men had a positive feeling about the one-night stand, compared to just 54% of the women.
Men were also far more likely than women to want their friends to secretly hear all about the casual sex. This makes men feel successful because their partner is then desirable to others.
Men reported having greater sexual satisfaction and contentment following the one-night stand, as well as a greater sense of well-being and confidence about themselves.
Women complained about feeling “used.” They were also more likely to feel they had let themselves down and were worried about their reputation if others found out.

While you might think that extramarital affairs are a symptom of too much sexual confidence, I think the opposite is true. I believe affairs are an indicator that you no longer have sexual confidence at all, especially with your marriage partner.

Perhaps you’re reading this and thinking, “I’d never have an extramarital affair!” Granted, most of us would never be so bold as to go to a website for cheating spouses. But I hope you’re not prideful enough to think that an affair could never happen to you. In the words of our marriage mentors, “Perhaps you’ve simply not met your David or Bathsheba yet.” Even men and women after God’s own heart can get bitten when they naively stick their heads in the lion’s mouth. Paul wisely admonishes us that just when we think we’re standing firm, be careful that we don’t fall. “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

What's one of the best ways to be self-controlled and alert? First, to make sure you're guarding not just your body, but also your heart and mind against sexual compromise (the topic of Every Woman's Battle). Secondly, make sure to keep the home fires burning! By cultivating a rich, rewarding sexual relationship with our spouse, we're able to keep extramarital temptations at bay. And if you need help in that area, The Sexually Confident Wife will help you do just that!

Are YOU Ready To Be A Sexually Confident Wife?
Shannon's newest book The Sexually Confident Wife will be released September 23^rd, and in anticipation we've just launched www.sexuallyconfidentwife.com. Check it out and spread the news!
Here's another excerpt from Shannon's blog page...
"I first began longing to write a book on healthy female sexuality for the mainstream market in 2005. Finally, three years and lots
of blood, sweat, and tears later, the dream is almost a reality!
The Sexually Confident Wife releases September 23^rd, and I
have to say that I've never been more excited about the potential impact of any book in my entire life!"

By the time you receive this newsletter, Shannon and family will be en route to the Land Down Under, where she’ll be speaking in the Sydney, Brisbane, and Gold Coast areas on a mission to impact Australian teens and adults!

Please pray for the following events -- that God would be glorified and the audience would be receptive to the message of sexual integrity and intimacy with Christ:

For more information about these venues and how to attend if you’re in the area click here.

Shannon will be blogging regularly to introduce readers to some of the women she'll be ministering to along the way.

Copied from Shannon's new blog found at www.sexuallyconfidentwife.com
"I wonder what the women will be like… what the college students will be like… how the teenagers will respond to the messages God has laid on my heart for them. I wonder how many “little Shannon’s” I’ll meet along the way — young girls who are just looking for love in all the wrong places for lack of knowledge that there is anything richer, more real, or more rewarding and ultimately fulfilling than the Joe-Schmoe-types they’ve been dating. Will they be open to surrendering their lifestyle of sexual and emotional compromise and embracing a lifestyle of sexual integrity? Will the married women catch the vision of how wonderful it would be to become a more Sexually Confident Wife? Oh Lord, I hope so!

I'd appreciate your prayers for this mission trip, as well as for the downtime we’ll get to enjoy as a family as we spend our last week overseas traveling across New Zealand in an R.V. (which I’ve heard stands for “Ruined Vacation,” but we’re hoping to dispel that myth by having a MARVELOUS time!"

Mark Your Calendars - Shannon Is Coming To...

Sterling Heights, MI - October 16, 2008
Ladies Banquet at Community Christian Church.
For more info contact terese.rea@cccsterling.org.

Saskatoon, SK - October 31 - November 1, 2008
Women's Journey of Faith Conference at TCU Place.
For more info contact odi@wjof.com.

Garden Valley, TX - November 6 - 9, 2008

The Next Generation Team Leadership Experience.
For more info contact David.Growden@teenmania.org.

Colorado Springs, CO - January 5 - 6, 2009
Shannon & Greg will be leading a "Taking Your Marriage Over the Top" one-day conference on January 5th (open to the public) followed by several sessions on January 6th for the National Conference on Youth Ministries (NCYM) for the Churches of Christ (this event is open for public registration). Contact Mike Brown at mike.brown@lafayettechurch.org for more info.

Cozumel, Mexico - February 5 - 9, 2009
Sail with Shannon's family and other speakers on a Premier Christian Cruise from Mobile, AL to Cozumel, Mexico! Save the date today!

Lebanon, TN - February 12, 2009
Mother/Daughter Banquet at Friendship Christian School. For more info contact Brooke Akin at brookeakin@friendshipchristian.org

We love hearing from you about what God is doing in your life as you read! Listen to these cool testimonies from all over the globe, and praise God with us…

"After stumbling upon Every Woman’s Battle a few years ago (I know God was directing me), not really knowing what the book was all about, I read it and can honestly say I’ve learned more from this book than just about any other I’ve ever read. I NEVER knew that other women struggle with the same things (thoughts & feelings) that I struggle with. I thought I was completely alone, and that maybe something was wrong with me. I knew men struggled, but not women. Thank you, thank you, thank you for writing this incredibly honest and straightforward book – and changing my life in the process along with thousands of others I’m sure. I cannot say enough… I am re-reading it again, because I feel that my knowledge leaks like a sponge and needs refilling, and also that Satan knows our weaknesses. This newfound knowledge is such a blessing to my marriage."

"Every Young Woman’s Battle is an amazing book! I bought it and took it with me when my family and I went camping this past weekend. I couldn’t put the book down. This past March I was saved and my life has changed so much now that I have an intimate relationship with the Lord. I am 15 years old and I go to high school, so of course I know and hear about all kinds of unfortunate things that are happening to girls my age. I am very thankful that the whole sex thing has not been an issue of mine, but I know many girls that it is. By reading your book, I learned important things like sexual integrity and how to protect myself. Your book is a true gift to me! Thank you so much!"

If God’s doing something in your life, marriage, family, or ministry as a result of reading one of Shannon’s books, let us know so we can praise God with you!

If you have a prayer request we can lift to God on your behalf, please let us know by clicking here.

You can also click here to post prayer requests or connect with other readers on the Every Woman’s Battle Message Board.