Written by Sheila Walsh
Published at Baker Books
About the book
We've all experienced that moment where we wish we could start all over again. Failed marriages, lost friends, addictions, lost jobs. This is not the life we imagined. Yesterday can sometimes leave us stuck, sad, shamed, scared, and searching. Sheila Walsh encourages readers to face the pain head on and then start again, from right where they are. She shares that when she discovered "I'm not good enough and I'm good with that," everything started to change.
In It's Okay Not to Be Okay, Walsh helps women overcome the same old rut of struggles and pain by changing the way they think about God, themselves, and their everyday lives. She shares practical, doable, daily strategies that will help women move forward one step at a time knowing God will never let them down.
My Thoughts
I was hesitant in getting this book for review because I didn’t thought it would touch me. I knew of the author and had heard her speak at a Women of Faith event in the past so I knew that I could gleam some gems of advice in the pages of the book. The book arrived after a women’s retreat I attended. Interestingly enough we had talked about the fact that self-help books would not provide the help we need – the help directly coming from God. So when I received the book and I flipped it over to read the back cover these words were right at the top of it – “Not Self-Help. God Help.” I thought it was an interesting coincidence having these words written there and it got me thinking that effectively God has been there to help me from day one, he is still there today and he will be there in the future as well.
I started reading the book and I was hooked by the writing style of Sheila Walsh. It was as if she was sitting in my living room and speaking to me. She is honest and direct in her writing to make her point go through your mind. You will find eight uplifting chapters to encourage you to realize that it is okay to feel downward and to struggle in life. But you will also realize that God is there with you through it all.
Sheila Walsh offers personal insights and stories to illustrate the points she desire to share with the reader. Not only that by at the end of each chapter you will find a section titles “One Step at a Time” where you can find exercises or activities that will help you to meditate on the chapter and how it applies in your own life. For example, in chapter one you will be encouraged to write a letter to God to tell Him the whole truth. This exercise and many others found in the book will allow you to connect on a deeper level with God.
The author also highlights numerous scripture from the Bible through the pages of this book. I have found the book really uplifting in a season of life where I start to doubt myself and sort of beat myself up some days. As I approach the age of fifty (yes I am going to be half a century in 2019!), I am wondering if my past decisions were wise one, if I am worth anything, and so many other questions popping out every now and then that makes me self-criticizing myself. This book has brought some encouragement and made me realize that I am not alone. I knew it deep down in my soul but reading it helps me to cement this notion in my brain. God is with me always. He provides me strength and knows everything about me. I do not have to be okay all the time because it is during these times of struggles that I can grow even more in my faith.
If you are wondering about the decisions made in the past. If you experience pain and wonder was it worth it? If you struggle with sadness, shame, and fear then this book could be a blessing for you. The words within the pages of this book will help you switch your mindset about God, yourself and life in general. It is okay not to be okay but it is also possible to heal and become better. God is there to help you.
It’s Okay Not to be Okay is available for purchase at your favorite bookstore, even on amazon.ca and amazon.com.
Disclaimer: The book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.
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