4 stars

“Join popular Bible teacher and counselor Nicole Unice to discover why the struggle is real and what to do about it. Nicole offers practical tools to help you navigate the daily ups and downs, and ways to rewrite your struggle into a new, God-centered life story. The Struggle Is Real is an invitation to take the hard, hurtful, and confusing moments and turn them into opportunities to grow in wisdom, strength, and joy.”

There is so much to like about this book. Unice shares personal struggles and how to rid yourself of the negative inner dialogue and enjoy the life Jesus died to give us. She is incredibly Biblically based and theologically on point, so that alone is a HUGE benefit! I can easily see myself re-reading this book on a regular basis just to refresh on the points she makes within these pages.
The only reason I am giving this book four stars instead of five is because she references and quotes Beth Moore. I would recommend this book for any Christian who is trying to gain freedom from the negative self-talk.


I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. The views given are my own. #TheStruggleIsReal #NetGalley #TyndaleHousePublishers

As I have been reading this book I am in the middle of huge change & struggle, so I have read, heard God & wept my way through. I am not yet in my new story but on my way there acknowledging God's hand and grace as I grieve the past anod look forward to the future.

A helpful and encouraging book, especially for women, The Struggle Is Real discusses the trials we face in life and offers ways to turn them around so we grow rather than despair. Its ten chapters share personal stories of the author and others and how they overcame hardships, with the help of God. She believes we can find beauty in all of life, including our struggles. Why do we expect things to go well when so often the opposite holds true? I felt this book dealt with our unrealistic expectations in a sound way. The author’s approachability, honesty, and vulnerability make the text easily accessible. I especially like “The Rewrite” chapter, which teaches how to rewrite our stories by following “the Freedom Cycle.” Changing our mind-set can set us free from the bondage and burdens of our everyday troubles. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit. all opinions are my own.

Yes, my friends, the struggle is real. We struggle at work, at home, with family and friends. How are we coping? Do we sit and wonder why we are struggling? The author Nicole Unice states it so clearly when she says “Our struggles are the training ground for wisdom”. Yes, God uses our struggles to teach us wisdom, to teach us patience and humbleness. Nicole shares her struggles and stories in such a beautiful way that you feel you are sitting with her at your kitchen table and are finally seeing the light for the first time. Things start to become crystal clear. We are not alone, God is with us. Our struggles are what make us who we are. We can take down the façade of pretending as Nicole says “that our particular circumstances are harder than we deserve, but outwardly pretending we are too spiritual to get worked up about them”. She keeps it “real”, everyday real, real life “real”.
I found this book refreshing. I let down my guard and searched deep within to face my reality and to gain wisdom. The fog of pretending was disappearing and life was making sense again. There are many layers left to peel away, but I found this book soul searching and it makes you want to open up and see what lies beneath all the layers we have been hiding behind. A solid five stars for this book. Thank you to Tyndale House for an advanced copy of the book to review.

This is a good book for Christians who want to understand why life is hard. Unice reminds us that God has provided the way for us to grow stronger and smarter by going through difficult experiences. God desires to transform us and obstacles are what He uses. That may not be welcome truth but Unice helps us understand it with the heart of a counselor.

I like that Unice challenges us to look at life from God's perspective. She also challenges us to be self aware and to recognize the life God intended for us. In the section on our stories, I was again reminded how important our childhood is in influencing our adult life. She encourages us to live out a freedom cycle as we move into a new story. There are many stories included from Unices' own life and from the Bible to illustrate her teaching. She has also included questions for thought at the end of each chapter.

I recommend this thought provoking book to Christians who feel overwhelmed with life. You'll be challenged to think biblically and to live out your new story in God's love.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book though Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent and honest review.