Day: January 30, 2020

Book Review, Books

Get Out Of Your Head

Openly Bookish

Do you live in your head? I sure do. I’m a dreamer, worrier and the hamster is constantly doing laps in his cage. Sometimes I have to tell my mind to, “Shut up,” because it won’t be quiet. It’s exhausting. How can I tackle this? Enter in the book Get Out Of My Head.

The author, Jennie Allen is personable and forthright about her own journey to get out of her own head, to learn how to have a choice in the thoughts you think. She provides ways we can take our thoughts captive to Jesus versus allowing them to control our lives.

What we believe shapes our thinking and how we react to our life. One thing Jennie shares that hits home is one thing: “I have a choice.” It sounds simple, but I think may be a tad more challenging to remember every time we have a thought. We have a choice in how we will choose to react to the thought, or even if we’ll accept the thought we are having.

As a believer Jennie shares how we can take our thought captive to Jesus. Satan wants to keep our mind muddled, to keep us enslaved. The more mental distractions we can have the more we have trouble battling our thoughts.

I know the idea of having silence is unheard of. We constantly are bombarded with visual and audible distractions clamoring for our attention. Sitting in full quiet is not popular because then we’ll actually hear our inner thoughts, we just might be convicted if we get quiet. We just may hear God speak within our being silent.

I received my complimentary digital copy of Get Out Of My Head by Jennie Allen from Waterbrook/Multnomah, care of NetGalley. The views are mine and of my own will. This book is helpful, convicting and educational. In a world filled with anxiety being on the rise I’d highly recommend it. Even if you aren’t a Christian there are still helpful things you can glean from reading Jennie’s book.

Book Review, Books

Death Is But A Dream

Openly Bookish

First off the cover is unique. It makes me think of an old school composition notebook with the style of binding. The colors on the cover are vibrant. The topic of this slim volume is one we like to avoid: death. Not just death, but our dreams we have before we pass on.

Dr. Kerr is a doctor at Hospice Buffalo. He wanted to give a voice to those in the process of dying, to have these patient’s voices be heard fully. He shared cases of all different types of patients from children, to couples, to those with a rough and tumble past, as well as mentally/physically challenged. He wanted to share what type of dreams they are having and how these dreams helped the patient graduate towards accepting that they were going to pass.

If you are into dreams then this book may be of interest. Dr. Kerr wasn’t looking to interpret these patients dreams, but to see how they helped each patient in having resolution.

I think each patient who graciously allowed themselves to be interviewed was fascinating, insightful and comforting. How can dreams before death be of comfort? I think Dr. Kerr noticed a pattern how the person’s dreams helped the person come full circle regarding their life.

I received my complimentary copy of Death Is But A Dream by Christopher Kerr from Avery, care of FSB Associates. The views are mine and of my own choice. This book was hard to put down. Even though the topic we all have to face some day isn’t easy, this book I think is a great conversation starter and after finishing it I actually feel more comfortable with the topic. We don’t get to choose if our passing will be sudden or gradual, hence why we have to be spiritually prepared at all times.