Breaking the Fear Cycle

     BOOK REVIEW:   The Bible calls us to "fear not" on many occasions. But just how do we accomplish that when every news item seems designed to get us wringing our hands? Using her own story as a catalyst, Maria Furlough discusses how to overcome fear for good. With practicality and passion, she shows us the steps we can take to bring those fears to God rather than act on them and to trust God with the future.
     When we give God full control over our lives, choosing His sovereignty over our own ability, we can break the cycle of fear, grow though suffering, and trust God to fulfill His promises of protection and peace. If you are filled with anxiety about your personal circumstances, the state of the world today, or even your fear-clogged social media feeds, you'll welcome this hands-on journey from fear to freedom.

     MY REVIEW:   I enjoyed this book, even though I don't feel like I struggle with the kinds of fears portrayed in this book. And yet, there are many things that I could take from it. The book felt honest and down-to-earth. Maria was not afraid to uncover her personal fears and trials. And I liked that the last section has several stories of different people who overcame their fears, which is always nice to see as it attests to the realness of a book and its author.
     A few quotes that stuck out to me are:
*Do not spend one precious moment of joy focusing on fear of pain. 
*...in my experience, peace is not something that is poured out over us until we first determine to jump into it. Obtaining peace is not a blissful walk in the park; it is a hard-won battle, and peace is the prize. 
*Our fears are not trustworthy. They are not based on truth, they do not know facts, and they are guilty of vast exaggeration. 

     Maria covers many things in her book, from realizing the lying character of fear, to realizing Who holds your future, to giving God control of your life (and your fears), to facing your fears head-on, to resting in God's Peace and being willing to go through whatever He has in store for you. It is quite the book.

  I received a copy of this book from REVELL and was not required to write a positive review.