CRESTVIEW — Haleigh Watkins entered the publishing world recently with the release of “Daring to Date Differently.”
Published by WestBow Press, the book offers a fresh perspective on dating in a way that glorifies God.
The book is described by WestBow Press as follows:
"In a world full of messages promoting the hook-up culture, 'living your best life' and instant gratification fueled by the mantra that 'you only live once,' Christian young adults can struggle with glorifying God in their dating lives. 'Daring to Date Differently' aims to provide readers with Biblically-based truths about the realities of dating in a world that tries to lure Christians into settling for less than what God has for them."
Watkins wrote this book as a teenager, and she now shares it with other teens and young adults facing the constant struggle of not conforming to the patterns of this world.
This book would also be beneficial for parents, youth groups, and other Bible study groups.
Written in a casual conversational style, it guides readers as they navigate the dating scene in a way that glorifies God through careful consideration of the scriptures.
It presents discussions on popular topics relevant to dating such as attraction, love, commitment and, most importantly, marriage. A section for reflection and application at the end of each chapter is also provided.
“I pray that this encourages people to pursue Christ above themselves by honoring him in their dating life," Watkins said. “I wrote about things I wish I had discussed when I was in that season, so my prayer is that it helps someone before he/she learns the lessons the hard way.”
“Daring to Date Differently” by Haleigh Watkins is a softcover book that retails at $9.95, or as an e-book for $4.99. It is available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and WestBow Press.
Watkins and her husband, Christian, are Crestview residents.
The 2018 Crestview High School graduate earned a bachelor's degree in social work from Florida State University in 2020, and graduated with a University of West Florida masters degree in social work on May 8.
Watkins' parents are April and Joe Butryn of Crestview. Her siblings are Marissa and Joseph.
Her dad, an associate pastor for Joy Fellowship Church, said, "I believe this book would be a great resource for parents, youth groups or anyone else who wants to grow in their relationship with Christ."
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview resident Haleigh Watkins shares insights in book, ‘Daring to Date Differently’