Beautiful in God's Eyes: The Treasures of the Proverbs 31 Woman

by Elizabeth George

Beauty is more than skin deep —
it starts in the heart and works outward Exploring the timeless wisdom of Proverbs 31, Bible teacher Elizabeth George reveals how you can become a woman of true beauty—a woman who desires to honor God in all that she says and does. Beautiful in God's Eyes helps you make each day immensely meaningful as you delight in God and discover how to... You can experience a richer, more exciting spiritual walk as you embrace God's design for true beauty in your life.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Christian Living, Christian Non Fiction, Faith, Womens, Christianity

264 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Elizabeth George is bestselling author and national speaker dedicated to helping people live a life after God’s own heart. For over 30 years, the teachings and steadfast example of Elizabeth has helped countless men and women:

- Simplify life by focusing on God’s priorities.
- Appreciate God’s Word and apply it to everyday situations.
- Respond to circumstances with confidence by seeing yourself through God’s loving eyes.
- Increase closeness in marriage by serving and honoring each other.
- Powerfully shape the hearts of children and teenagers.
- Enjoy greater intimacy with God.

Women around the world are drawn to Elizabeth’s approach of daily starting with the Bible to handle life’s challenges. Her ability to weave biblical truth into everyday issues has led readers to make over 15 of her books bestsellers. Elizabeth’s distinctive work, A Woman After God’s Own Heart, has sold over 1 million copies and received the ECPA Platinum Book Award. Likewise, her delightful book, A Girl After God’s Own Heart, remains a treasured gift for moms and grandmothers and made the CBA Bestseller List for fourteen consecutive months.

Elizabeth also encourages women through her radio broadcast, “A Minute for Busy Women,” featured on Christian radio stations across America and at www.OnePlace.com. She is also a regular keynote speaker at women’s conferences and retreats.

In the midst of their busy writing schedule, Elizabeth and Jim love spending time with their two married daughters and eight grandchildren, taking daily walks along golden sands, and enjoying the beautiful Hawaiian sunsets. They divide time residing in Honolulu, Hawaii and the Washington State coast.

Reviews

[Elisabeth (Bets) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one that is definitely very counter cultural when it comes to what a woman’s role is and what defines a beautiful woman. But its biblical and biblical teachings and beliefs often are counter cultural. I highly recommend this book to any young ladies out there. I also recommend it to any married ladies out there.

It’s very much directed towards married women but I found so much to glean from it as a teen and it’s definitely one I want to reread once I am married with a family of my own.

I love Elizabeth George’s books a lot. She always has them so packed full of truth that it can feel hard to remember everything.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

All you need to know about the Proverbs 31 woman. This is an extensive study of a woman who feared God and cared for her household and family. It is convicting and I have to admit I felt overwhelmed after reading this. None of these things can be accomplished unless God is foremost in our lives. Along with this book is a study guide for each chapter which I find quite helpful.

[Jaime · Rating 3 out of 5]

Exploring the timeless wisdom of Proverbs 31, Bible teacher Elizabeth George reveals how you can become a woman of true beauty—a woman who desires to honor God in all that she says and does.

Elizabeth George uses verse 10 of Proverbs and uses each line so that the reader has an example on how to implement the scripture into her life. This is an enlightening novel about becoming a virtuous woman and a Godly woman all the while having the scripture as a guide. I really liked how the author laid it out for me as a reader to easily follow along.

[Megan Miller · Rating 1 out of 5]

DISCLAIMER: I didn't actually finish this book. So maybe, if you're willing to stick through to the end, she resolves some of the things I'm going to point out. But...

I couldn't make myself do it. My mom and I were reading it as a book study together and neither of us could handle it. There were so many issues just in the first three chapters.

(In no specific order:)
1. Her writing style is soooo stilted. So many unnecessary commas and dashes and interjections. It was hard to read past that.

2. Some of her main points were, "A woman must be the sparkling jewel of her home, the fountain of joy for all who live with her, a solid rock for her husband." (And more like this.) And, that's some strong, strong idolatry and misplacement of responsibility. All I can ever be is the kid in the back pointing at God and saying, "Wow!" I can never be a fountain of joy for my family, that is God. I can never be a solid rock for my husband, only God can. This was my biggest issue that I encountered.

3. Sometimes she'd make a point and then list a Scripture reference to back it and the verse would have absolutely nothing to do with what she was saying. Which is just, poor research and more poor writing.

That's about all I have to say. Do with it what you will. I will be putting my copy into the recycle bin and out of circulation.

[Joanne | wellreadcoffeeaddict]

Great companion guide to Beautiful in God's Eyes: The Treasures of the Proverbs 31 Woman!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful book that kept me thinking. I always come away blessed by Elizabeth George.

[Taryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the next best book to A Woman After Gods Own Heart...also a great book about how a woman should conduct herself.

Again ELizabeth George shares the truth gently but firmly.

[Shiffra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book to dig in deeper to the Proverbs 31 woman. I did my own study in addition to this book and between the two, it was amazing!

[Joanne | wellreadcoffeeaddict · Rating 5 out of 5]

All women, single or not, should read this book! This book depicts what a godly woman looks like, with practical insight applicable to any stage of life. It's the best book on womanhood I've read so far. Highly recommend.

[Jana Henderson (Reviews from the Stacks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank goodness for 2x speed on audiobook library copies that are about to expire 😅

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

WARNING: Don't read or listen to this book unless you want to be convicted about being a truly Godly woman who looks well to the ways of her household. I wouldn't call it heavy-handed, but it's hard-hitting nonetheless.

[99Kylies · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually like Elizabeth George's books a little more than I probably should, for how...odd they can be at points. (Talking about Abigail only in terms of when she was married to Nabal and never talking about her marriage to David, some misunderstandings of scripture, and a dash of scripture twisting to boot.) Nothing heretical, just...stretching things to fit her agenda. So, I'm a bit sad to be able to only give it three stars.

Overall, I think this book has a lot of encouraging things to say, some really good tactics, and, even if it's a bit, uhm, mushy, a sweet tone towards other women. It has some great passages on basic instructions. And some of the quotes are actually going onto my wall or some encouragement notebook. She really convicts me of some stuff, and I'm so thankful for that.

To give an example of how useful this book has been for me, I've got tabs in it for 'encouragement' and 'advice', and I'm sure that I'll continue adding tabs as I continue to flip through the book! I've already read one of her books, and fully intend to read more of them. Nothing in this book has dissuaded me from reading her other books.

I also appreciate Elizabeth George's ability to bring the Proverb's 31 woman into this day and age and give practical instructions on how to be a productive, God-honoring woman. It's difficult to read a text like this and apply it, but with George's help, the task becomes so much easier.

Now...for the bad.

Again...sometimes she twists stuff around to make it sound like the bible is backing up what she's saying when it's not - not that I disagree with what she is saying. But I'd so much prefer if she just said 'I'm an older woman and this is the knowledge I've gained' instead of 'this is exactly how scripture meant it and all of what I'm saying can be extrapolated from the text'. When you're writing an instruction book with one verse per chapter, it's understandable that you couldn't make the entire chapter 100% backed up by literal translation, so don't claim that it is. Just...talk about what bible actually says and THEN add your wisdom. That's what I'm here for. I feel like maybe she thought her points weren't valid if they weren't backed up by the literal text.

And this book is so...heavily focused on being a wife and mother. I'd say maybe half the book is only applicable to married women. Mmmaybe a third, depending on how much you're willing to twist to fit a single life. I get that Proverbs 31 talks about a married mother, but at the same time...Mm. I wish she'd said 'this book is written primarily to married mothers and women who intend to follow that path' and didn't even try to make it include single women. The parts that say 'BTW this applies to single women' are almost worse, because there's this sort of...implication and attitude that every Christian woman, every woman who strives to be 'Beautiful in God's eyes', is going to get married and have kids eventually. It really comes across like she's saying 'it's ok if you're not married yet, because you will be'. Mmph. To be clear, being a mother is VITAL work, and I 100% agree with her opinion that it's 'worth the dignity of hard work' and worthy of being called a job. But I can't get married, and...idk, at points, it feels like another book saying I'm less than of a Christian than other women because of that.

But perhaps that's just me being sensitive. If that's not an issue for you, fantastic! I think this is a really good book for married women/women who want to get married, especially those with Christian husbands. (A bit dubious on the 'don't worry if you don't get your husband's praise' part, leans a tad towards 'women should stay with their abusers' ideology you get from a lot of hyper-conservative churches, but assume that the women has a Proverbs Man, and I agree with a lot in this book.)

In conclusion: passable book with some really good passages. Quite convicting and quite helpful. I'll be flipping through it for some time to come for encouragement. I just wish it catered more towards single gals who aren't ever going to get married.

[Bree · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is totally amazing. A couple friends and I read this through the summer and met weekly {for the most part} to discuss the book and life.

Mrs. George is sugary sweet in her writing and at some point I think I may have called her a Robot. But her writing is amazing. It's like she's writing you a letter and you are her closest friend. She totally lets her difficulties to attain the "Proverbs 31 Woman" status show. She hits it straight on many points about why you'll struggle and encourages you as you would an old friend. I LOVED IT.

The book was overall a challenge to women today, to strive to be exactly as God intended you to be. But it won't happen all at once, and you're BOUND to overwhelm yourself. Don't give up. Step back and try again.

Some advice:

Don't try to do it all at once. It's a good idea to read one or 2 chapters and integrate it into your life for a week or 2 and then add something else.

Continue to be in prayer while reading this. It's not easy, and Satan does come after you.

Don't do it alone! Things are much more fun if you do it with friends and can get together for a cup of coffee {or tea} and discuss how easy {or hard} it all is!

Good luck and God Bless!

[Saroum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every woman, married or not, should read this. Some of the concepts seem a bit dated but if we look at the bigger picture, we will see how wonderful God has created us and what His plans are for us. Great book for the feminist perspective as it gives us a different take on how submission to our husbands is not negative. You will argue with some of the author's explanations but overall I felt a deeper understanding of my role in my marriage, and God knows I was struggling with that. LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE if you are reading this book.

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing! Elizabeth George brings the Proverbs 31 woman to life in an extremely inspiring and insightful way.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to receive a free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I both loved and hated this book. I loved it because Elizabeth George clearly laid out what a "proverbs 31" woman should look like. I hated it for the same reason. Studying the Proverbs 31 woman exposed some real weaknesses in my life as a wife and mother that I did not care to change. It is not comfortable when the Holy Spirit reveals areas that you are weak in. However, Elizabeth George has accomplished what a good Christian writer should - to create a book in line with the teachings of God's word that, through application and God's help, changes the reader.

I now have a more clear vision of what I want to be as a wife and mother thanks to the encouragement through these pages.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful in GOD's Eyes is a smart book. It is about becoming the beautiful woman GOD wants you to be as he outlined in Proverbs 31. He had the mother of the King when he was younger described to him what a beautiful woman should be and what have her like GOD's beautiful woman is:
Pure
Industrious
Thrifty
Strong in Character
Wise
A powerful body
She works willingly with her hands
These willing hands work the vineyards
She nurses the needed
She weaves the clothes for her family's clothes
Never idle, watches over and builds her home
How awesome this morning is and the author teaches us how we can become a proverbs 31 beautiful woman. How wonderful. I received a copy of this book from the Publisher and Netgalley; all the opinions expressed in this review are all my own.

if you would like to read more of my Christian book reviews go to christianlybookreviewers.blogspot.com

[Maria Saxon · Rating 3 out of 5]

At one point, some of the ideas sound overwhelming, because it suggests you should be doing something nonstop all day & night, every day & night, & at one point says even while attending to other things such as life, your husband, & children (if you have) you should still have your hands working on something. Although you have joy in what you're doing it seems less focused on just choosing something you actually enjoy as a hobby etc sometimes, without having to worry about making money off of it. It does encourage time with friends, so I'm sure it's saying "to everything there is a season" & if there is a time you need to be continuously at work, you do it with pure joy. Overall this book is a great break down of the Proverbs 31 Woman, verse by verse & with mindful, impactful actions. Certainly a great read, & Reread.

[Crystal books_inthewild · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is complicated for me. There are MANY amazing pearls of wisdom, a deep dive into scripture, and practical applications. I read this book as part of a weekly book club, so I truly appreciated digging deeper into it and hearing others experiences & discussions.
However.... If you would describe yourself as a feminist or even a strong, independent woman.... there will be many times that this book will hit a nerve for you. I think that if you can look past those moments, you can come away with some really great advice & Godly wisdom.
If I had read this on my own- I would have put the book down angrily in the first few chapters! But because of the book club I kept at it. And I’m glad I did.
So there’s my complicated review! ❤️

[Michelle Castaneda · Rating 5 out of 5]

What does it mean to be beautiful? Our culture defines beauty in many different ways and it can be very confusing. In Beautiful in God’s Eyes, Elizabeth George goes through God’s definition of beauty as described in Proverbs 31. Using anecdotes and illustrations, the author writes so gracefully about concrete examples, it feels like you are sitting down with her and having a conversation with a great mentor. I would highly recommend this book to women, both married and single. It is not one to be missed! I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

[Rosie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book breaks down the character traits of the Proverbs 31 woman and how women can model various areas of their life after this extraordinary woman. Many of the concepts discussed in this book may be familiar to readers who read A Woman After God's Own Heart. For teenage/college readers, there is a similar study geared towards applying the principles of Proverbs 31 to young women. Depending on your age and situation (married, single, mother, etc.), either book may appeal more to your life, but both studies definitely offer readers the encouragement to be godly women in all areas of their lives.

[Cessia Gonsalves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hermosa A los Ojos de Dios es un libro que me hace soñar en convertirme en esa mujer de Proverbios 31, muy detallado por la autora versículo por versículo y además da consejos muy prácticos y personales para convertirnos paso a paso en la mujer hermosa... a mi me tomó bastante tiempo terminar de leer el libro más que todo porque leía una parte y después dejaba días sin leer para interiorizar lo que leía, e ir digiriendo poco a poco la información, porque a veces se siente imposible imitar ese carácter que Dios quiere que tengamos

[Katesscrapyardgmail.Com · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful study for all women on the Biblical Proverbs 31 woman! The author takes a chapter for each verse, outlining and giving tips on how to become God's beautiful woman. Each chapter was detailed and full off down to earth and practical applications. It was both challenging and convicting, I enjoyed this book so much and was sad to see it end. Each chapter was the perfect length for a daily devotional.
This is a must read for any lady striving to become the Proverbs 31 Woman!

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore George's writing and always find her books inspiring. For me, this one was no different. The woman described in the book of Proverbs is explored and analyzed with helpful tips and a study guide for readers. I think this will be a book I will want to reread for years to come to help me improve myself and scriptural understanding. I highly recommend it!

[Kellie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I struggled through this book. What does being a Proverbs 31 woman look like at different stages of life: single, divorced, widowed? I understand honoring your husband, but I felt like this book was geared towards those who are married. I felt like she missed an opportunity to reach a bigger audience.

[Jackie Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

The historical context, biblical references and modern application of the Proverbs 31 woman weave seamlessly together. Elizabeth’s writing style is uplifting and encouraging.

I first read this book 15 or so ago as a college student. I’ve hung onto this book ever since, which tells you how highly I think of it. I just reread as a married (12yrs) mother of 3, and I still rate it 5 stars.

[mRose · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only problem i had with this is there was a lot of repetition. certain concepts were repeated in various ways. I loved however how she presented the Prov. 31 woman as a prototype to follow, with actually attainable virtues for the everyday busy woman. overall i enjoyed it and wouldn't mind reviewing it again sometime. I used it as a group study for other moms.

[Andrea Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is an absolute gem! It beautifully explores the qualities of a Proverbs 31 woman, reminding us of our incredible worth in God's eyes. The author's relatable writing style and personal anecdotes make it an enjoyable and uplifting read. It's like having a heart-to-heart chat with a wise friend. Highly recommend it to all my fellow Christian ladies!

[Damaris Santiago · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for women who need change

This book ministered to me from start to finish. I even used its principles for a class and a woman's retreat. I was at a point where I needed something new to help shape me into the woman and wife that Christ created me to be, and this book was a great help.

[Diana Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great advice to learning how to be Beautiful in God's eyes. The book is easy to read and she gives great exercises throughout the chapters that you can apply to your life. It gives you a new perspective on how to react to different seasons of life. A great tool for your walk with Jesus!