Think Again By Jared Mellinger

Do you have a tendency to over-analyze everything you do?  Do you continually use introspection trying to figure out how you can do things better or be a better Christian? If you suffer from thinking too much about everything you do in life, then this book will be a good read for you!  Jared Mellinger's new book, Think Again, will challenge how you see yourself and the dangers of thinking too much about yourself.

About the book: 

Evaluating yourself-being mindful of who you are and what you are doing-is necessary and can lead to positive change.

But what about the dark side of introspection? Do you ever feel weighed down and exhausted by your own self-analysis? Perhaps you made a mistake, said a careless word, or even messed up big time. Your self-examination spirals into a full-blown cross-examination. You keep revisiting what happened. Your mind circles around the event, fruitlessly trying to somehow make the outcome different so you don't feel the embarrassment, shame, and regret.

The modern self-esteem movement has left us empty and self-focused. We exhaust our healthy introspection and pervert it into constant self-evaluation, wrong views of ourselves, self-accusation, and false guilt. Introspection was never meant to bear such weight.

Think Again offers real relief from the burden of introspection that so many of us carry each day. Pastor Jared Mellinger, who tends to overdose on self-analysis himself, shows us how the hope of the gospel can rescue us from the bad fruit of unsound introspection. Mellinger's short, story-filled chapters help readers identify and turn away from unhealthy introspection.

There is an outward-focused God who delights to rescue an inward-focused people and lead them into a better way to live. When we truly understand it, we'll see that the gospel actually sets us free from thinking about ourselves too much. We can seek after and pray for the peace and joy-the sanity-that comes from thinking about ourselves less often. 

Think Again includes practical instructions for self-examination, fighting false guilt, breaking free from hyper-introspection, and more. Ultimately, Think Again demonstrates that the solution to thinking too much about ourselves is to look to Christ, and it gives readers the tools to begin to turn from the mirror.

My Review:

I appreciated how the author could identify with the issue of introspection.  And I thought he did a good job of getting the reader to identify this issue in their lives.  The author doesn't just stop there with the identification of the problem, but points the reader to the answer which is Christ.  I struggle with introspection and it's easy to over-analyze every situation of my life to exhaustion. This introspection only produces insecurity and fear in my life which is far from my actual goal. This book was a great reminder of what I already know, quit focusing on yourself and get your eyes upward on Christ and outward on serving others.  Sometimes we just need to be reminded of what we already know.

I will say that at about chapter 8 or so, I was thinking, "hmmm... I thought I already read this." So I would say that some of the material is rather repetitive.  Other than that, it was a good read that will remind you of where your focus should really be.

If you'd like to read other reviews of this book, you can click here to see the blog tour page.

***I received this free book from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review.  All opinions are my own.

Learn more, purchase a copy, and read a sample here.

About the author:

Jared Mellinger joined the Covenant Fellowship Church pastoral team in 2006, upon graduating from Pastors College of Sovereign Grace Churches. He became senior pastor in 2008. Jared graduated from Kutztown University in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Art Education. He enjoys reading, rollerblading, poetry, drinking coffee, building fires, and listening to Josh Garrels. Jared is the author of Think Again: Relief from the Burden of Introspection. He resides in Glen Mills, PA with his wife Meghan and their six children.

 

The Women of Easter by Liz Curtis Higgs

A new book came out just in time for Easter this year by Liz Curtis Higgs called The Women of Easter.  In the book, Liz highlights the stories of Mary of Bethany, Mary of Nazareth, and Mary Magdalene Beginning with the story of Lazarus' resurrection, Liz proceeds to tell the story of Christ's last days on earth surrounding the Passover, and brings the reader's attention to these special women who followed Christ.  There is also a study guide included at the back of the book.

This was such a great book to read during the Easter season, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved how Liz brought out the women's roles as they followed and served Jesus. It was so encouraging as I read again the story of Jesus death, burial and resurrection, but this time seeing how the women played such an important part to the story.  Liz does a great job putting together the 4 Gospels to get the whole story from 4 different perspectives. She also gives background information that helps the reader to understand the culture during that time period.  Her use of different translations is a help as our English language doesn't always capture what the Greek word is trying to get across in the text.  If you are looking for a great book that will take you through the Easter story or to give as a gift, pick up Liz's new book.

Click here to learn more about the Author.
Click here to read more about the book.

***I received this complimentary book from Blogging for Books.  I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.