Uninvited - Review

Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely

By: Lysa TerKeurst

Publication: August 9th 2016 by Thomas Nelson

240 pages

Genre: Non-fiction

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

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Goodreads description--The enemy wants us to feel rejected . . . left out, lonely, and less than. When we allow him to speak lies through our rejection, he pickpockets our purpose. Cripples our courage. Dismantles our dreams. And blinds us to the beauty of Christ’s powerful love.

In Uninvited, Lysa shares her own deeply personal experiences with rejection—from the incredibly painful childhood abandonment by her father to the perceived judgment of the perfectly toned woman one elliptical over.

With biblical depth, gut-honest vulnerability, and refreshing wit, Lysa helps readers:

Release the desire to fall apart or control the actions of others by embracing God-honoring ways to process their hurt. Know exactly what to pray for the next ten days to steady their soul and restore their confidence. Overcome the two core fears that feed our insecurities by understanding the secret of belonging. Stop feeling left out and start believing that "set apart" does not mean "set aside." End the cycle of perceived rejection by refusing to turn a small incident into a full blown issue.

I really enjoyed Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst so when I saw that she had a new book coming out I was excited to check it out. Yet when I read the title and description, I felt like maybe this book wasn't exactly for me. See, I don't tend to get my feelings hurt when others don't invite me to specific events and while I definitely have my struggles, I'm pretty comfortable with who I am and don't feel like I need the approval of others to make me feel valuable. But then I saw it on NetGalley and thought it would be a good one for me to review. And I'm glad that even though I wasn't initially approved, the publisher changed their minds and let me review this one because it was about so much more than not being invited to places or events with others.

The truth is that we have all been rejected in one way or other in various aspects of our lives. Maybe it was a relationship that didn't last, or one that never started, or a job that you didn't get, or a parent that left, or any number of rejections. Lysa shares her personal rejections in the areas of a relationship she once thought would be her forever, a friendship that ended, her father who left, and ministry opportunities that didn't pan out. Her own personal vulnerability in sharing her struggles and her heart helps the reader understand that they are not alone with their own rejections. Ms. TerKeurst's writing style is as easy to read as her stories are relate-able. I highlighted a ton from her wording and her message.

Favorite quotes:

-In the quiet of an early morning, honesty finds me. It calls to me through a crack in my soul and invites the real me to come out, come out, wherever you are.

-As long as I suspect that honesty's intention is to expose me and hurt me, it will always feel like a dangerous thing.

-Rejection steals the best of who I am by reinforcing the worst of what's been said to me.

-Things of this world all eventually reveal what incapable anchors they really are.

-I couldn't keep my old broken beliefs, nail a little Jesus truth to the side, and expect stability.

-We must tie our identities to our unchanging, unflinching, unyielding, undeniably good, and unquestionably loving God.

-...when we go to the truth instead of our feelings for the answer to this question, we can understand God's goodness in a whole new light.

-What consumes my thinking will be the making or the breaking of my identity.

-"God, I want Your truth to be the loudest voice in my life. Correct me. Comfort me. Come closer still. And I will trust. God, You are good at being God."

Truthfully I highlighted so much that I wish I could share them all with you, but I had to cut them off somewhere.

All of this to say that Uninvited was so much more than I first assumed it would be based off the title. Lysa TerKeurst writes in a way that is beautiful at times, moving, and certainly relate-able to all. I'd highly recommend Uninvited to all women (and men too really). I love how she approached the questions "Is God good? Is God good to me? And is God good at being God?" Uninvited gets 4.5 Stars. Have you read Uninvited? What did you think? Let me know!