This is the sentence that convinced me that I was holding a must-read book.

“Do I want my headstone to read, ‘Well, on the days she was nice she was really nice. But on the days she wasn’t, rest assured, hell hath no fury like the woman who lies beneath the ground right here’?”

I laughed. But then . . . I wasn’t laughing. I’ve rarely had a book have me in tears so early on, but this one did.

Because I struggle so much with coming completely unglued over the most ridiculous things and then regretting my words and actions. 

With feeling helpless to stop myself from exploding and spewing all over the people I love the most. Because let’s face it, there’s very little chance you’ll see that side of me unless you live in my house—or possibly if you’ve made the very unwise decision to refuse to split the fruit smoothie I just ordered into two cups…but, um, that’s a story for another day.

But speaking of stories, one of the things I admire about Lysa TerKeurst is her willingness to be painfully transparent. She tells things that are shocking. Not because I can’t believe them or have never done anything like them.

They are shocking because I certainly would never admit to them in print!

Maybe you have no issues with coming Unglued. If not, I’m truly happy for you. I don’t believe you, but I’m happy for you.

If, however, you might admit to occasionally losing it when someone decides to eat chocolate ice cream on the couch or run their spaghetti sauce covered face all over your pants…then read on.

What I liked:: I’ve already touched on this, but Unglued is full of very real, very practical, very relatable stories of people coming unglued in a variety of ways. And while no one is saying it’s okay to come unglued, there’s no sense of condemnation. Only a call to imperfect progress.

What I loved:: Unglued isn’t just a book that points out all the many ways we come unglued and then leaves us with a nice “you need to pray about it” platitude. Not that prayer isn’t important, but that’s a Christian-speak bandaid. I wanted to find some specific tools to help me in my unglued moments, and this book delivered.

I’m not saying I haven’t come unglued since I finished reading this book. I think it’s a little less often. I think I’m choosing to extend grace, to change my perspective, to lean into Jesus just a little more often.

It’s imperfect progress, but it’s progress.

The post Book Review :: Unglued by Lysa TerKeurst appeared first on Lynn H. Blackburn.

Can you picture this scene? A young, young-ish, um, a mom with young children is standing in the checkout line. The baby is crying. The toddler is whining. The big sister is screaming at the top of her lungs that she wants to go home.

The mom keeps the smile pasted on her face but after the last item is placed on the counter, she backs up a pace and plucks the Hershey Bar with Almonds from its perch. It’s only a few more steps to the cooler full of cold Cokes. Her hand wraps around the familiar curve of the bottle and her fake smile relaxes.

This will make her feel better. She deserves it.

And who would disagree?

When the last child is buckled into their seat and the reusable bags are tucked in the back, she twists the lid, takes a long drink, and exhales long. Much better. The chocolate melts in her mouth, and the frustrations of the past hour ease.

So what’s the problem?

If you don’t want to know, you need to stop reading. Right now. And you definitely don’t want to pick up a copy of Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst. With honesty and transparency that made me both laugh and cringe (seeing yourself on the page will do that), Lysa TerKeurst dives into a territory few Bible-thumping preachers would dare to enter.

Because gluttony is a sin. And needing that Coke? Ever heard of idolatry?

(I warned you to stop reading…)

Made to Crave is not a diet book and it’s not a how-to manual. It’s not a book that’s written to make you hate food or go on a starvation diet. And it never says Cokes and brownies are sinful.

Because craving isn’t wrong. We were made to crave. What’s wrong is when we fill that craving with foods that are not good for us, instead of taking that heartache, that loneliness, that embarrassment, that fear, and running straight to the only One who can fill us. The only One who can ease the pain. The One who wants us to enjoy good things, but never intended for food to become an idol.

Because anything – chocolate included – that takes the place of God in our lives? You guessed it – that’s an idol.

I’ll be honest. This is one of those books that part of me (the part that has a serious Oreo issue) wishes I’d never read. Because now that I’ve read it, I have to decide what to do about it.

Made to Crave didn’t make me feel guilty or defeated. Lysa’s openness about her spiritual journey was empowering and eye-opening. Because, as she explains, this is first and foremost a spiritual issue. And that’s a new concept for me.

Is it really possible to turn chocolate cravings into a soul level craving for God? When the day goes south, can I find the strength to “stop circling this mountain and turn north” (See Deut. 2:3) instead of turning to those salty sticks of deliciousness, otherwise known as McDonald’s french fries?

I’ll let you know.

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