I think this book was great in the sense of letting you know that you can most definitely overcome hard and challenging times. You are worth more than you think and you deserve the things your heart desires even when you don’t always feel that way.

Really insightful! I did feel like this one was a bit redundant of other religious self help books I’ve read. Overall, I did enjoy it!!

Looking to free yourself from the chains that bind you. Those chains that you have given yourself that weigh you down and keep you bound? This book does a fantastic job at helping you understand who you are, the freedom giving to you by God through Jesus Christ and how to overcome. Built on scripture and personal takes from the author, this is a beautifully written self-help book.

Looking to free yourself from the chains that bind you. Those chains that you have given yourself that weigh you down and keep you bound? This book does a fantastic job at helping you understand who you are, the freedom giving to you by God through Jesus Christ and how to overcome. Built on scripture and personal takes from the author, this is a beautifully written self-help book.

A helpful book to those who perhaps feel chained and weighed down by the cares of this life by showing them where true freedom lies

This was a good self development book. It speaks about how we can overcome our issues and situations. Sometimes it takes us years to overcome them and sometimes sooner. This book is filled with great advice, Bible verses, and prayers that are relatable to almost any situation.

This book was like a shot in the arm. A reminder that we don't need to feel broken down, hopeless, or chained. We can have freedom and be whole in Christ. The author writes in a clear style, both confessional and informative. I would recommend this to any woman needing to move from beat down to lifted up.

I loved this book so much. At first, I wasn't sure. A book titled Freedom! implied that you could just will your way into healing and freedom. But nope. This book was honest and compassionate. It acknowledged the pain and struggle that comes with the pursuit of breakthrough -- yet it still cheered you on and challenged you to bravely take the next step. To mourn. To cry. To pray. To find some people to help you along the way. And to keep pursuing breakthrough. I also loved that it didn't stop at breakthrough but discussed what happens next. Jennifer Renee Watson was a wonderful guide. You could tell that she wasn't just preaching at you, she actually knew what she was talking about from personal experience. From her own brokenness.

This book was uplifting but also wonderfully, painfully honest. I feel cheered on, even though tears welled while I read. I did not agree with all of the theology, but I must have highlighted something to remember on every other page or so.

We all long to be free....free from anxiety, sadness, responsibility, and much more. That is what drew me to this book. I found Freedom! to read like a friendly conversation or pep talk from the author. It took me a little time to get into the book, but once I did, I finished it fairly quickly. There were 12 chapters, and each chapter included a "Truth Your Soul Needs section" which was sort of like a recap of the chapter, along with reflective questions and a prayer. I really enjoyed the personal testimonies included in the book.

Some quotes that stood out to me were:
-"God will use this for good and His glory, even if I can't see anything good or glorious in this right now. The enemy meant to destroy me with this, but God intends to employ me with it."
-"You don't have to measure up to be filled to overflowing with the abundance God has for you. Jesus Christ already paid your debt, dear one. It's time for you to open your heart (all the way this time) and receive it."
-"The Holy Spirit will always be more powerful than the moments that try to break us."
-"Often, we return to what is comfortable without realizing it is the very thing that has crippled us from growing stronger and is what keeps us from finding freedom in our lives."
-"No one is going to throw a parade in your honor because you've done the dishes for the third time and cleaned up after your messy kids, but you are doing the most important, holy work."
-"Putting on strength is a choice I make daily to chase away the fears and unrealistic expectation. We don't have to be perfect; we just have to be available."

I would recommend this book to anyone going through a tough time, and/or who needs to break free from a challenging past.

Within the first two chapters of this powerful book, I had made a mental list of over 20 “me too” links between my story and Jennifer Renee Watson‘s story. She openly shares her stories about her father wound, struggle with depression, lack of confidence, and other common problems Christian women face. You will read it and find yourself nodding your head while Jennifer unfolds her stories alongside God’s truths.

Jennifer has been in ministry for more than two decades, so you can trust that she knows what she’s talking about. I like the sass and transparency mixture in her writing voice, and the way she helped me feel pumped up after each chapter. Facing your deepest hurts isn’t easy, and Jennifer never pretends it is. She comes alongside you and helps you be honest about your struggles so you can find healing and freedom from them once and for all.

I love the pretty pearl finish of this book as well as the lines to fill in your thoughts. The reflective questions are great for personal application, and you could also use them for group study. I think this book would be an excellent resource for mentoring between women of different generations.

She is also one of the featured speakers on a new podcast, More Than Small Talk, with authors Suzanne Eller and Holley Gerth. I encourage you to check out the podcast and the book. You will find Jennifer’s candor to be refreshing and motivational.

Favorite Quotes from Freedom!:
You can’t be a victim when your hands are in the air praising God.
Seeds are planted by others who have spoken hurtful things to us, but only we can water and feed those thoughts.
There are treasures hidden in dark places, and sometimes we have to mine for diamonds in the stark, cold night.

Thanks to Bethany House and Netgalley for providing me a review copy of Freedom!.

“You are not alone. You are not the only one with more issues than Vogue, but I think it’s time we break up with some of those issues and let them know who is boss.”
Jennifer Renee Watson is totally relatable in her inspiring new book, Freedom! The Gutsy Pursuit of Breakthrough & The Life Beyond It. There were so many times while reading this that I was laughing out loud, nodding along vigorously and, yes, crying more than I’m comfortable admitting. Watson was both comforting and motivating, writing in a way that made you feel like you were reading a note from your best friend. If you are a Christian, heck even if you’re not, I highly recommend reading this book!

Freedom!
The Gutsy Pursuit of Breakthrough and the Life Beyond It

by Jennifer Renee Watson

Bethany House

Bethany House Publishers

Christian

Pub Date 19 Feb 2019

I am reviewing a copy of Freedom through Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley:

In this book the author reminds us that that Gutsy Faith is both noticed and rewarded by God. We are reminded too that intentionally reaching out to Jesus when we feel broken is the precursor to intentionally letting go of the pains of our past!

The author goes on to point out too that our pain isn’t intended to destroy us but to position us for God’s ultimate purpose in our lives.

We are reminded too that the word of God is our most powerful weapon.

I give Freedom five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

I really wanted to like this book, but it felt way too much "on the surface" and full of "fluff" to me. I really didn't like the introduction and was having a hard to continuing from there, but know that sometimes the introduction isn't a great preview for the book. After reading the first two chapters after the intro, though, I put it down. There are so many great books out there, I just couldn't keep going with this one. It was boring to me.

Brokenness. We wear it like a badge, proudly showing off the shattered pieces of our lives. And yet we still fight the same desperate battles, without moving forward. Brokenness was never meant to be the destination. Or our identity, for that matter. It was meant to be the catalyst for breakthrough.

To be honest, I never knew this was what I thought before I came across Freedom! and read through these words. Jennifer Renee Watson makes such a good point of how we carry brokenness like a badge, something that we are even proud of. That is a beautiful place to be in, in a way. But that isn't a place where we should stay.

In Freedom! Jennifer Renee Watson helps the reader take their eyes off the idol of brokenness and instead experience the God of breakthrough. This, I think, is such a needed message for so many of us these days. We truly wear brokenness, like it is something to celebrate. It might be, in a way. But it always more important to set our eyes on our Savior and the hope we have in Jesus. It is okay to not be okay for a while. But Jesus came so that we can experience healing. And with healing, we can bring glory to God.

In Freedom!, each chapter comes with reflective questions and a gutsy prayer. There are tools to truly think about change, and how to move forward. And I think Jennifer Renee Watson did a good job with these questions. I would recommend this book for anyone; but especially for us who are in a season of struggling.

This is a very raw, honest book. It was like Jennifer Renee Watson knew what I was going through and was walking with me through it. This is a book that you will read again and again. The questions at the end of each chapter makes you stop and really think about everything that has broken you and made you feel like you wasn't good enough. Grab this book and a notebook and get ready to say good-bye to brokenness. It's not easy and it it's not going to happen overnight, but it is so worth it. Thank you Bethany House via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. This is my honest opinion and I highly recommend this book.