While this wasn't the best writing, I appreciate Laura Story and the intense story of her life. I have always loved her music, and I am glad she wrote her story in book format for all to read and to be encouraged.

“Who sits on the throne of your heart?”

Laura Story has written an insightful book exploring our need to surrender it all to God. Using her own experiences going through heartbreaking personal issues as well as numerous biblical examples, she encourages the reader to dig deep and contemplate what place we have given Christ in our lives. Is he the ruler, do we allow him to be in charge of our lives? When we do, we begin to experience the change inside as well as how we relate to others.

Although we all can use a refresher course, I would particularly recommend this book to newer Christians as the biblical references especially help drive home the author’s desire to teach us how to learn to surrender to Him.

I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers through NetGalley and was under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. I love all of Laura Story’s music and was so excited to read her story. It was beautiful and will stay with me for a long time.

Laura Story pretty much picks up where she left off with her previous book, When God Doesn't Fix It. This time around she focuses on the areas she had to learn to surrender situations over to God. From unexpected pregnancies to miscarriage to living life with her growing family. She walks you through the struggles she faced, lessons she learned and areas God grew her.

I enjoyed revisiting her life. I love how open she was about areas where she struggled. She comes at them humbly and with humor. You can relate to her because much of her struggles are ones we all struggle with. Life didn't go the way she and her husband planned it to. They had to restructure their lives and rebuild dynamics. They had to let go of their ways to allow God to work in His ways.

I Give Up by Laura Story, is a wonderfully inspirational book. Laura music has touched so many lives, including my own. I love her insights and devotions that come wrapped around her own life experiences. I will be gifting this book several times over the next few months. Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read this book before it was published. The opinions are my own

Laura Story has the innate ability to speak God's truth in ways that are really easy to understand but hit you like a ton of bricks. I loved her first book and felt like I could highlight almost every sentence, and it is the same for I give up. I found myself reading a few pages and then making myself stop so I could let the words and truth sink into me. I feel like this book could almost be used as a daily devotional, reading and then letting God speak to you. I am thankful for Ms. Story's gift and will read and highlight anything else she writes!

Any fan of Story's will want to read this to learn more about her life and the "behind-the-scenes" of her songs. Lots of good devotional material here mixed in with her personal experience.

“As unnatural as it may feel, you and I are created to consciously surrender control of our lives—heart, mind, body, and spirit—to God.”

Laura Story has an interesting story that hooks you in the first chapter! Shortly after marriage and moving to Georgia to be a worship leader, her husband finds out he has a brain tumor that post-surgery leaves him not 100%. It is from then that Laura Story’s story continues to go in a direction she didn’t plan. After contemplating whether to have children, they have a daughter, then twins, and finally a child with a cleft lip (4 kids for those who are counting). On top of this, Laura is touring the country at times as a well-respected Christian artist. While this might not be the same as my story or your story, I believe we all go through a similar life story where we as humans try to plan our entire lives while God has other, and if you let him, better plans. The theme of this book, if you haven’t guessed from the title, is about surrendering to God. It’s a great theme and it’s a decent book, though could have been better executed.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not here to nitpick about spiritual or theological issues. My reason for the 3-star review is that I wished Laura could have dug a bit deeper in this book. I often found myself reading her words and thinking yes yes I already know this, I’ve already heard this before. Again, it’s a great message that is worth hearing over and over. But I felt this may have been (inadvertently?) geared towards either new Christians or those on the fence of faith. Those well rooted in the faith will probably find nothing new or life altering in this book.

So while I was hooked hearing about her story in the beginning, I found a lot of the material to be just okay. But I would recommend it to someone newer to the faith that is struggling with letting go of their own plans and looking to surrender to God’s will. Because I have seen firsthand the wonderful directions God can take you that you never imagined.


*I received this book free from Netgalley and publisher Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest review.

“The life God is calling me to requires living with open hands—trusting him day by day with the smallest of details and the greatest of struggles. He invites each one of his children to embrace this lifestyle of surrender, releasing control to him and believing he is, has always been, and will forever be faithful.” Laura Story Elvington

In Laura Story’s latest book, she practically tackles the topic of daily surrender in every area, and thoughtfully illustrates each with personal experiences. Her examples are impactful and backed by multitudes of scripture references.

Overall, I enjoyed and benefitted from Story’s newest title, but I believe it could have been slightly more condensed (perhaps 12 chapters instead of 14).

Delightful story of what Laura and her family have gone through and how they kept their faith in God and never gave up. Sometimes we have to trust God more than anything when our lives are in turmoil.

Reading this book was like sitting in a small group hearing Laura tell her story. Her writing style is warm, vulnerable, and personal. Her life has not gone as she planned: Her husband is still suffering the after-effects of a brain tumor. They had the sorrow of a failed adoption of a child. They had a daughter; then twins; and a new baby that was born with a cleft lip and the challenges that go along with that. But the author also gives much hope as she tells their story. She describes to us how she has anchored her faith daily in the promises of God. Scattered throughout the book are “white flag” prayers of surrender to God that are thoughtful and encouraging.

Young mothers who are going through their child-raising years will very easily identify with much in this book. However, as a senior citizen, it was a call to me to surrender this new season of my life in a new way to God. I’m glad I read this one.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Having just read Laura Story's second book (When God Doesn't Fix It) a week prior to beginning I Give Up, I expected this book to continue the story or at the least stand on its own. However, it felt oddly disjointed to me. In fact, it almost seemed like I was reading a book written by someone else entirely. Not only did the storytelling seem very different between the two books, but the tone changed as well. Perhaps this has something to do with the change in who wrote the book (along with Laura). It left me feeling like Laura may not have written much of it, and like I honestly didn't know what I had just written. The book doesn't flow well at all, in my honest opinion. I'm really sad to say that, because I very much enjoyed When God Doesn't Fix it! I was looking forward to talking about this book with friends, but I honestly can't recommend it.

I read and enjoyed Laura Story's first book, so when I saw that she had a second book out, I knew that I had to read it as well! I found the book to be inspiring and encouraging. Laura shared personal stories about raising her children and continuing to navigate through life with her husband's disability. Most of the book focused on the message of surrendering to God's plans for our lives. One of the messages from the book that stood out the most to me was where Laura talked about how worship does not always have to be a result of a joyful feeling or because we are having a good day. It can a choice to praise our God, who is always awesome regardless of our current circumstances.

"When we surrender, we invite God into our story as our King, and we take our rightful place in his story as beloved children and heirs...who wouldn't release their attempts to control life's crazy twists and turns to live like a fearless, well-loved child instead? I give up. How about you?"

This was a good book on learning to trust the Lord and let go of the things we want hold on to.
I received this book free from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review.

Laura Story has written another week written, captivating book! She is so real and honest in talking about her life and struggles. She doesn't sugarcoat her questions about life and faith, healing and living in the here and now. I loved it!!

The Bible says that our mouths speak what our hearts are full of. Since those are the words of Jesus, I believe it's true. And that means that Laura Story, in her new book, "I Give Up," speaks what's in her heart--a dedication to the Lord and surrender to Him in all things. She transparently shares her own story about the good, the bad, and the ugly. She doesn't sugarcoat anything, and she doesn't try to hide the dark thoughts or feelings she has faced. But she does show us how to cling to Christ in any and every situation and how that strengthens us and gives us hope even when times seem hopeless. She also includes a lot of biblical teaching along the way in this part memoire, part devotional, part Bible study.

Be warned. This isn't a book you'll finish in one sitting. Sometimes you'll stop because of sheer emotion and you need some recovery time. Other times you'll stop because you need to contemplate something and let the Lord use it as a balm for your soul. Still other times you'll have to put the book down to ask forgiveness for something the Lord has convicted you about. But no matter what, you won't be disappointed with this book at all. It's a wonderful story told by a great storyteller.

Laura Story openly and honestly shares from her heart what it's like to follow Jesus with all that you are in a messy world that's tainted by sin--and yet still helps you hold on to the hope of the eternal life beyond. It's all about surrender and that short phrase, "I give up."

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for this honest review. The opinons expressed are my own.