Many women are wired to control. You're the ones who make sure the house is clean, the meals are prepared, the beds are made, the children are dressed, and everyone gets to work, school, and other activities on time. But trying to control everything can be exhausting, and it can also cause friction with your friends and family. This humorous, yet thought-provoking book guides you as you discover for yourself the freedom and reward of living a life 'out of control,' in which you allow God to be seated in the rightful place in your life. Armed with relevant biblical and current examples (both to emulate and to avoid), doable ideas, new thought patterns, and practical tools to implement, Let It Go will gently lead you out of the land of over-control and into a place of quiet trust.
About the Author:
Karen Ehman is the Director of Speakers for Proverbs 31 Ministries' national speaking team. A five-time author, her books include A Life That Says Welcome, The Complete Guide to Getting and Staying Organized and the popular ebook Untangling Christmas: Your Go-to Guide for a Hassle-free Holiday. She is a favorite presenter at Hearts at Home moms' conferences and a sought-after speaker for women's events. She has been a guest on national television and radio programs, including The 700 Club, Engaging Women, The Harvest Show, Moody Midday Connection and Focus on the Family. Karen also is a contributor to Focus on the family's magazine Thriving Family. She lives with her family in central Michigan.
My Review:
I came across this book while searching for a book by another author, but as soon as I read the title, I knew it was a book I needed to read. I, like so many other women I know, struggle with letting go. With so much to do and so many responsibilities resting squarely on our shoulders, we women often act as if the entire world would crumble if we were to give up a single ounce of control. Besides, we're not doing such a bad job with this balancing act we call life. . . or are we? When we're stressed and frazzled, gloomy and grumpy, there's definitely a problem, and the problem is that we're trying to do everything, which simply isn't possible.
With a dash of wit and a sprinkle of personal experience, Karen Ehman tells it like it is in Let. It. Go.: How to Stop Running the Show and Start Walking in Faith. She confesses to being a card-carrying member of Control Freaks Anonymous (an organization I know all too well) and explains how the Lord has taught her to let go and let God. I could relate to many of the situations Ehman referred to and learned some valuable lessons on how to release my white-knuckled grip on life and its many circumstances. Several things truly hit home with me, so much so that I jotted them down in my devotional journal so that I could remember and meditate on them. But I think the thing that hit me the most was this paragraph: When we women try to be so on top of things--around the house, at work, in our marriages, in our parenting, and in community ventures--we think we're only taking our jobs seriously, performing our tasks with care, and carrying out the duties of our roles in a way that is excellent and thorough. So give us a break. We really are just trying to please God, right? I thought so. Sometimes I still think so. However, I happened upon a thought just a year or two ago that makes me wonder this: In attempting to be in command and control, are we trying to be godly or are we trying to be God?
That statement was definitely an eye-opener for me because I was playing the "godly" card on a regular basis. I chalked up my overly-controlling habits to a strict adherence to the verse, "God is not the author of confusion." But, Ehman has a point--a point that will stick with me for years to come.
I definitely enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to any woman who struggles to let go of the control button and simply enjoy life.
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