She's Got Issues Review (and so do I)

She's Got Issues.  Never heard that one before, right?

I've not only heard it before, but I have to admit that I've said it about people a time or two.  But hey, I've said it about myself, to myself, maybe a gazillion times or two.  Admit it, you know you've got issues.  Who of us doesn't.  If you don't have any, please email me,and let me know.  We’ve all got our issues!  Most of us just don't let people know about them,  if we can help it.

In "She's Got Issues" author Nicole Unice explores five (and a half) everyday issues that can hold you back from living free and loving well: 

• control
• insecurity
• comparison
• fear 
• anger (along with its cousin, un-forgiveness) 

Nicole is a mom, ministry leader, counselor, and friend, who has spent over a decade studying and teaching about the way women relate to God. 

I wanted to review this book because of the topic and the author.  I like the fact that she's not a clinical psychologist but a Christian woman, and a blogger who reminds you more of a next door neighbor.  Someone who shares her issues and discoveries with you.

These issues steal our joy and keep us living in self-doubt and confusion.  Who needs that, right?  Nicole reminds us that the power of Christ can transform us.  As Christians, we don't face these issues alone, we have access to the power of Christ.  
The important, game changing point is that we decide to face them.  We teach our children that ignoring a problem never makes it go away.  Isn't it time we followed our own advice.   We don't have to keep feeling like we're never living up to what others think or even what we think, we should be.  Nicole shares with us, her search in dealing with her issues.

My hope is that other women, like me, will pick up a copy of this book and use is a guide tool.  Sometimes the problems we think we have are so overwhelming because we've spent so much time wringing our hands over them.  If we could just step back and look at them through someone else's eyes, we'd be able to see how insignificant they really are.  Let's take the power away from the mind gremlin and give it to Christ where it belongs.

I also, really like the quizzes and other personal assessment tools that were included in this book.  I recommend it for anyone who struggles with self-worth issues.  Yeah, I'm talking about you.
 
Disclosure: I received this complimentary copy of She’s Got Issues, for reviewing purposes from Tyndale House.  All opinions are 100% mine.

A Christian Self Help Book: My Own Worst Enemy Review

By: Janet Davis

Do you have it all together? 

Do you think everyone else has it all together? 

Add me to the latter group.  I know it's not true, everyone has issues but somehow I've always had the misconception floating around in my head, that almost EVERYONE else but me has it all together.  Silly isn't it?  I knew it wasn't true, but just like fairy tales we grew up loving, sometimes we just can't let that idea die, even if we don't love it.  That's way I choose to review the book, My Own Worst Enemy, how to stop holding yourself back, by Janet Davis.

The author uses her own stories along with others to help us gain insight on problems many people, especially women struggle with.  She shares Biblical verse to aid in our search for the long sought answers to questions that we have, but sometimes push out of our mind. 

A good example is, the confusion in our Christian culture about pride and shining as well as hiding and humility.  I really liked this comparison that she used with the verse of Matthew 5:14 -16:

    "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine."  That song is not idle chatter; it is based on Scripture.

           You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)

Now this is a verse that I could stand to read daily as a reminder to let Gods love shine, and also not be ashamed of our own accomplishments. 

Janet is reminding us, or maybe even informing some for the first time, that it is okay to shine.  It is okay to take credit.  To accept a compliment without feeling like we are taking away from God's glory.  God is at work within all of us.  It's not about being prideful but about recognizing that God create us to partner with him in the doing of great works.  Without him we are nothing.  With him we are capable of doing great things.  Remember we are made in the image of God.  That doesn't say that we mean to imply that we are God. 

So many women, especially the ones from my era, when it seemed more of us grew up with stay-at-homes moms than those who didn't, were taught that it was not lady-like are proper to toot our own horn.  I always had difficulty accepting compliments, not that I didn't enjoy them.  Who doesn't want to feel like they do something well?

Janet's book provides a jumping off point for examining your own thinking.  How do you perceive yourself?  Your positive or negative view can lead to your own freedom and help break the shackles of your mind that may be holding you back.  All this is done in a friend next door manner with a gentle hand and not a club.  This isn't one of the new, nonsense books telling women to rise up and become a B.

I love that the book has study questions at the end of the chapters, which encourages a little self-analysis. 

I really think this book is not a end-all, fix-all but it does give you a good starting point and a perspective outside your own.  Using this as a book club read would be useful.  The book has a perfect format for that.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Bethany House publishers in exchange for my review. opinion here is entirely my own.