A Bounty of Books

How to Overcome Worry: Experiencing the Peace of God In Every Situation by Dr. Winifred Neely is a short, practical guide to dealing with worry and anxiety. Based on a sermon Dr. Neely preached out of the book of Philippians, How to Overcome Worry is a great resource for Christians dealing with what can be a confounding topic.

Dr. Neely equates anxiety and worry, which he defines as, "concern turned inward and deformed, divorced from the grace of God and rooted in unhealthy fear" (pp. 29-30). He makes the helpful distinction between worry, proper concern, and clinical anxiety, noting that concern is appropriate, and a normal part of life and clinical anxiety is the result of living in a fallen world.

Using Paul's letter to Philippi, Dr. Neely provides tips to overcome worry. Keeping one's focus on God by using prayer and scripture meditation, Dr. Neely says that we can find God's peace which, "is the awesome well-being, the glorious serenity, the inexpressible wholeness, and the inner tranquility that characterize the infinite being of God Himself" (p.68).

As one who has dealt with anxiety, I found How to Overcome Worry extremely helpful. It is practical, biblical, and doesn't trivialize or dramatize the subject. It is short and easy to read, and is a great resource for Christians dealing with the topic.

I received this book free from Moody Publishers as part of their Moody Publishers Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, See Part 255

Enjoy: Finding the Freedom to Delight Daily in God's Good Gifts by Trillia J. Newbell is about learning to enjoy all of the gifts of life God has given us. Newbell discusses nine different areas of life such as work, possessions, and creation in which children of God can find delight in Him.

Newbell does a good job of pointing out the broad ideas of enjoyment in each area without crossing into legalism. She always does a good job of mentioning common objections which can prevent people from finding enjoyment in each area. At the end of each chapter, there is something called "The Enjoy Project" that gives practical steps to take to find more enjoyment in the area of life the chapter discusses. Newbell advises the reader at the beginning to keep a journal, or do "The Enjoy Project" with a partner or small group for accountability. There are also discussion questions in the back to use if one does go through Enjoy with a small group.

Overall, Enjoy is a good resource for those who take themselves too seriously, or who have a hard time consistently enjoying life. Joy needs to be cultivated, and this book is a great resource for that.

Blogging for Books provided this book to me for free in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255