Stephanie welcomes Ainsley Britain to discuss teen and college dating. This conversation also welcomes anyone who plays an active role in the life of a teen or college girl--parents, mentors, friends, youth group leaders! In this Gospel Spice episode of our "Summer Inspirations with publisher David C Cook”, Ainsley explains that many young women enter or stay in relationships out of fear of being alone, shame, or insecurity which may cause them to lower their standards or expectations. What they find are men they normally would never have tolerated. Men they would have told their friends to avoid. What they find are BooBoo Dudes. While the term BooBoo Dude might be light-hearted, the concept behind them and the damage they cause women is serious. This term describes a man who portrays narcissistic and abusive behavior, which leads to confusion, shame, and eventual isolation.

In her book, Ainsley describes red flags and also green flags - what to identify as harmful behavior, and what to look for in a healthy dating relationship. She explains to her teen and college-aged readers that they are worth fighting for--she connects them to Jesus in authentic, deep ways and challenges them to work through their pain towards wholesome healing. She and Stephanie also discuss the lies that these dear girls believe, and how being deeply rooted in our identity in Christ is the key to fulfilled living. Finally, Ainsley invites her audience to lend a hand and help someone else through their pain. She paints a stunning picture of grace and the purpose and power of a Christ-sized vision for her girls. She describes what dating can be, and gives advice to mentors of all ages!

Before Ainsley ends the conversation by praying a beautiful blessing over you as you listen, she ends with practical tips to mentor teens and young adults:

- establish the rules: trust is key!

- ask the question WHY

- be open to flexible conversations!

- know the resources available to you

- sometimes, go to the professionals!

- warn them that you will disappoint them, and remind them that anything good is not from you as the leader, but from the Lord!

Related through Ainsley’s humorous and vulnerable personal experiences, in the book you’ll learn about:

- the often-unbelievable behaviors of BooBoo Dudes

- how to exit a futureless relationship with higher standards

- keeping or restoring your identity through Jesus

- and reaching others trapped with BooBoo Dudes

With wisdom rooted in the gospel, Ainsley tenderly brings the reader along her own journey toward confidence found only in Jesus. She embraced her identity and left BooBoo Dudes behind. Every woman can do the same.

CONNECT WITH AINSLEY BRITAIN:

Ainsley Britain has helped thousands of young adults embrace their confidence, date healthy, and discover their identity in Christ through her written words, podcast, and speaking engagements. Through extensive training from Belmont University, She Speaks Studio, Youth Speaker University, Compel Training, and more, she has advanced her God-given mission to help young adults all over the country. She is an Enneagram Coach through YourEnneagramCoach.com and is as real as one can get when it comes to talking about hard topics and fighting for oneself. Ainsley and her husband travel often and currently live in her home state of Louisiana.

buy the book: "Don't Date a Booboo Dude" on Amazon

website: http://www.ainsleybritain.com/

Facebook: Media and Parents Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MediaAndParents

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ainsleyb/

We invite you to enjoy a Christ-centered summer by experiencing Jesus through the lens of the body of Christ. We bring you a diversity of viewpoints on several issues, and invite you to discover Jesus through their own journey with Him.

Our Summer series invite you to ponder important topics for daily living. Stephanie and her occasional guests tell us about the importance of our definition of success, the key elements of leadership roles, the traps of comparison, the importance of theology, and much more! These stand-along episodes are meant to encourage you and challenge you to experience deeper fruitfulness in your various roles and ministries, in all the relationships and areas of your life. The topics we discuss are eternal and apply to both genders, across time and space and culture and age. So, join us for deep conversations with inspiring Christ-followers, conversations that will flavor your summer with the Gospel.

Conversations about culture, leadership, success, dating, gender, and struggles with comparison, pride, and more: that is your Gospel Spice summer!

You are invited to join us on the Gospel Spice Prayer Bible Study, titled "The heart behind prayer" starting September 20, 2025! Details and registration here: https://www.gospelspice.com/prayer 

There are a few things in our Christian life that we know we should do more, or at least better – and prayer just might top the list. Prayer is a mystery. Why would a conversation with a human have any influence on God’s eternal, sovereign plan? It defies logic, and beckons love. How can God, the Almighty Lord of Hosts, be this close, this personal? It defies understanding, and beckons involvement.

But, lack of time, inspiration, and discipline, combined with the ruthless tyranny of our busy lives, push prayer to the periphery, to the “one day I’ll get to it” pile. And yet, we can excel at what we endeavor to undertake. So, why isn’t prayer more of a spiritual priority? Could we develop a mindset around prayer that made it attractive, inspiring, even maybe delightful? What if we attuned our spiritual ears to listen to God, and our spiritual eyes to see His provision?

As an unassuming student, I’m going to humbly offer to share the little I have learned from others about the joy of prayer. I will give us theology, practical tips, and useful resources, sharing what works for me as we, together, learn to pray.

If you find prayer intimidating, or if your lack of prayer makes you feel guilty or “less than,” then this is the place for you! If you have been a student of prayer for many years, this is the place for you too! If you have breath in your lungs, then prayer can become one of the deepest joys of your day. Don’t miss out!

A PERSPECTIVE ABOUT PRAYER

To pray is to believe that God not only hears, but that He responds. It is to stand in the gap for a broken world, wielding the authority of Christ, empowered by the Spirit, and trusting in the goodness of the Father. The question is not whether prayer works, but whether we are willing to pray the kinds of prayers that invite God’s Kingdom into the darkest places of the earth—and of our own hearts.

We may never fully understand the mechanics of prayer, or how it intersects with God's sovereignty, but we are not called to understand everything. We are called to be faithful. And faithfulness means showing up—in prayer, in persistence, in expectation.

So today, let us pray not only for the comfort of our hearts, but for the transformation of the world. Let us take our place as image-bearers, co-laborers, and co-heirs. Let us believe that God is still listening—and still acting. Because He is.

There’s only one way to find out what might happen when we truly pray like this.

Let’s begin.

THE MINDSET BEHIND THIS COURSE

Before we begin, let me tell you the obvious: I don’t really know how to pray. I’m a humble student and absolute beginner at the holy endeavor that is prayer. So, this course isn’t really about what I’ve learned, or any wisdom I might have gathered. But, I’ve sat at the feet of many prayer warriors over the decades, through books and teachings.

So, I’ll share what I learned from them. Humility is going to be our primary heart posture! With each lesson, I will offer a few thoughts, practices, and ideas – with much humility, and not taking myself too seriously. I will also share her favorite books and resources about prayer. FInally, I will introduce you to some of the most influential prayer warriors of our history as the Body of Christ.

Most importantly, I will invite YOU to pray! Learning to pray comes from praying. Our humble ambition is to inspire you to pray, and to give you a few tips on how to do that. Then, it’s up to you! Prayer is a lifelong endeavor. Let’s make it delightful together!

So, let’s get started.

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