Member Reviews
I thought this was book was worth reading and it had some advice. I thought it was well written.
I read and and reviewed an Advanced Copy of this book All thoughts and opinions are of my own. Thank you NetGalley and WaterBrock for letting me read this book.
Jennie Allen teaches with passion and wisdom, but somehow also feels like a friend. Her desire to see her readers find freedom is evident in every sentence as she shares vulnerably about her own life and shares her hard-earned lessons with us. I’m so grateful for Jennie and the work she has done to help us all live more like Jesus and experience more of His power and love.
Wow. This was a great and fast read.
It wasnt exactly what I thought it was going to be but I did like a few of the takeaways. The religious theme was a little heavy for my taste but stopping the toxic thoughts in our heads is for everyone.
I thought the essential part was the positivity, attitude of gratitude and the power of friendship.
Thank you so much for letting me read this one. I suggested it to my religious women's group of friends and they are so happy to pick it up.
I sort of enjoyed this book but feel I was not in the right place to read it.
It was informative in a readable way and gave good insights into the brain. Yes this book is a Christian and it had very valid points to make but for me at this time, not for me.
I thought that this book did not help me deal with the toxic thoughts, it just made me aware of them. She tells you why we shouldn't have them, but I felt guilty or bad for not being able to just give them to God like she advocates. I thought it was unrealistic. People have real problems - real things they need to deal with.
Okay, I'll say it - this book is so necessary for 2020! This book was real and practical and left me feeling like I had a very concrete spiritual path to follow. The roadmaps for the different sets of thoughts were very useful, as well. I would recommend to my friends, however, I believe it would be best understood and accepted by my Christian-based faith friends.
I have never read a self-help book that teaches you to let go of yourself and hold onto God until I picked up Get Out of Your Head! This book was a breath of fresh air because not only does it encourage believers to stop settling for their feelings and ailments, but it provides incredible tools to take our thoughts captive and make our minds submit to the Spirit! I feel as though I have gone on a spiritual pilgrimage after reading Get Out of Your Head. The content perfectly aligned with where I'm at in my faith walk, and Jennie Allen's wisdom really inspired me to draw closer to the Father, no longer allowing myself to listen to my flesh when it tells me that it's okay to procrastinate and lose control of my emotions!
Get Out of Your Head is unlike any book I have read! Though it is categorized as self-help, it does not contain content that will make your flesh feel better; rather, it provides your soul with real, nutritional food that will replenish your mind, body and spirit while pointing everything back to the Messiah! Touching on topics like anxiety, doubt, depression, loneliness, and more, Jennie Allen taps into the stumbling blocks that keep so many people from learning who their Savior is and getting to know Him on a personal level.
As I read this incredible book (one I cannot rave about enough), I followed along with the Made for This podcast and book club booklet. While I didn't agree with everything Jennie spoke about in the podcasts, the interviews and questions in-between chapters brought the words to life and added more testament to an already rich book. I have already shared Get Out of Your Head with most of my friends and family, and I will continue to encourage others to get a copy so they too can be inspired and build their faith on a stronger foundation.
Satan is using our minds to go to war against our spiritual beings, and so many people are unaware of what is happening! This needs to change. It's time to take control and stop listening to the world that is telling us that mental illness is normal and we just need to get in-tune with our emotions along with taking medication for the rest of our lives because that's the best and only way we can hope with the war going on in our minds! NO! Though there are absolutely instances when medication is beneficial, the only way to be truly free (and it is possible) is by coming to the Father and finding our identity in Him! You can go through the motions for years, but until we stop trying to control our lives and holding onto what the Bible commands us to lay at God's feet, we will never find true contentment and purpose! "There is no highway option," as Vin Diesel says in The Pacifier; it's God or our flesh, which are you going to choose today?
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a pre-release copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are entirely my own!*
Jennie shares her testimomy of a very difficult time in her life, where she was accepting and beleeving the lies that the enemy were wispering into her ears and that resulted in anxiety. She shares what happend once she realised she was hearing lies of the enemy and with with the truth from God started to batle the lies. Jennie reminds us that there is hope in Christ and that it's possible to take every thought captive and let Christ transform our minds.
I requested a copy of this book from NetGalley after a) seeing a number of friends post positive insights and feedback about its contents, and b) seeing Jennie Allen speak at a local (IF: Gathering) event.
In general, I believed the message of this book to be equal parts relevant and timely, though--as with any nonfiction work--there are some perspectives that don't necessarily align with what I personally believe to be true. I wouldn't say that's a negative of the book itself, however. Don't we all pick up a nonfiction read and approach its words with some degree of bias? I think the idea is to challenge that bias. And if you do so honestly, you'll get exactly what you need from whatever you read--Get Out of Your Head included.
I thought the book was well-written and relatable, which is probably more than I can ask for a work in this genre. I felt it challenged my thinking going into the book, some of which shifted a bit after reading, some of which remains steadfast. And I'm okay with that.
NOTE: As stated above, I received a copy of this book for the purpose of review. In the end, I actually ended up borrowing it from my library. Regardless, all opinions are my own and they are freely given.
4/5 stars
I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley and I’m voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Thoughts seem like small, trivial things, but they can actually have a huge impact on your life. Your thoughts affect your behavior, your emotions, etc. Once your thoughts turn negative, it can be easily to get stuck in a spiral of negativity. This negativity can easily start to hurt you; it’s a dangerous path to start down. Jennie Allen explains the way thoughts work, and with biblical support, she explains how one can turn these thoughts into more positive ones.
First off, this is a Christian non-fiction book. Readers who are not Christian will probably not find this to be a helpful read because of all the references to Scripture and God. However, if you are a Christian, I would definitely recommend this book! Without discrediting people with mental health issues, Jennie discusses the idea of taking our thoughts captive and fighting against the spiral of negativity. As she explains, the devil would like nothing more than to get us stuck in a spiral of negativity as it has a bad effect on our behavior and can often make us upset with God. I liked the graphics used to reflect the spiral that our thoughts can lead us into; overall, this was an informative book on winning the battle for your mind and keeping your thoughts positive.
In the end, I think this book is a rather helpful resource for Christians struggling with negative thoughts. I would definitely recommend it!
What a resource from @jenniesallen! She specifically talks about an experience from @fm72waco at @bayloruniversity, which makes the book nearer and dearer to my heart.
Get Out of Your Head(self help/christian): ★★★★
I have heard nothing but praise for this book since it was released, and have been meaning to read it for a while. I loved Jennie’s deep dive into how thoughts literally rewire your brain, and I would’ve loved a bit more of the scientific aspect of it. Her main idea is the point that when thoughts start to control our lives, we “have a choice” to take them captive and redirect them to focus on what is true. My initial thought was “if only it was that easy,” and her point is exactly that- that it IS that easy, lol.
It’s definitely made me more aware when I start spiraling down a negative train of thought, but I’m sure it would take practice to really apply it. She has a list of truths of what God says about us at the end that’s a pretty amazing complication- I plan to write it and hang it somewhere in my apartment as a way to fight off negative thoughts.
Overall, a great read! Thanks to @netgalley and @waterbrookmultnomah for the review copy :)
This is a wonderfully written book by Jennie Allen on a subject that many don’t consider to be important: your thoughts. She keeps it so real throughout the entire book. As Jennie walks you through her own mental spiritual battle, she also provides encouragement and hope for our own battles. A very necessary book for everyone to have in their arsenal.
Update: After the mess that 2020 has become, "Get Out of Your Head" has become an even more important read. Surviving the craziness of this year has truly become a battle of the mind.
God is amazing, y'all! I began reading this book by Jennie Allen simply because I enjoyed a recent Bible study she authored. Little did I know, I would be faced with a situation in which I'd desperately need the wisdom found in these pages. I, personally, don't struggle with spiraling toxic thoughts (right now), nor is depression an issue for me. However, in the midst of reading Jennie's book, an immediate family member revealed to me the immense, dark time she was going through. I know for a fact, that the timing of this book arriving in my life helped prepare me to go to battle on behalf of my family member...and I owe that perfect timing to GOD. These pages gave me an insight and a new perspective that helped me relate to, and give assistance to, some one dear to me who was struggling with the spiral of toxic thoughts, depression, and isolation. I realized now, that satan is constantly on the prowl, looking for any little weakness or doubt that he can start to chip away at and create a chasm of despair and ultimately rob us of the true joy we find in Christ. Jennie's gift to us within these pages will equip the reader to recognize, train for the war, and ultimately be victorious with God's grace, against these attacks on our joy. I highly recommend this book. Even if you aren't the one struggling, you may be the one who comes along side some one who is. And Jennie provides some great tools to assist you in the journey.
Mrs. Allen, a frequent speaker, writes about how we are hard on ourselves with feelings of anxiety and doubt. She mentions the recent of discoveries in neuroscience and how we can apply Biblical truths to bettering ourselves as who we are meant to be.
Recommended for small groups and public libraries.
Jennie Allen tackles the topic of stopping toxic thoughts and holding every thought captive in her book "Get Out of Your Head." Allen combines faith with science in a way that is engaging and practical. Being in the spiral is easy, fighting against it and choosing to change your thoughts is not. It all starts in your head. Are you ready to transform?
I love this book. I can't say enough good things about it. Allen is tackling a huge topic that I feel like is very prevalent. Especially in this time of quarantining and social distancing when you are spending most of your time at home with your thoughts. It's very easy to spiral when you don't have positivity being poured into your life.
Allen reminds us that being in scripture is crucial to our mind. (Not that every situation is a mind over matter situation, Allen addresses that there are some cases where medicinal intervention may be necessary). We will project what is poured into us, so we need to spend time in the places that bring positivity. This is a choice we must make everyday. There's no one and done kind of fix.
I gave this book 5 stars because there was so much I just loved about this book. Thanks to NetGalley and WaterBrook & Multnomah for the ARC of this book. I will definitely be encouraging everyone to check out this book!
Get Out of Your Head by Jennie Allen is an amazing book! The author so clearly explains how our brains work and how toxic thoughts affect everything. And oh the spiral! Don’t miss this book— it is such an important read for Christians today. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.
Excellent! Hit the nail on the head. Perfect for women (and men) all over. I feel like this is a necessary topic for so many recently. This book comes at a perfect time to meet a huge need. This is one I will read again and want to keep on my favorites shelf. I love how vulnerable Ms Allen is. She shares from her heart and that is refreshing. This book is practical too which is excellent. I love theory but when it comes down to it we all need some how do I make this happen in my life. This book is full of that.
I received a digital copy from netgalley. I was in now way required to write a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
This book is so life giving and truly every person would benefit from this message.
I have always battled stinkin' thinking and Jennie provides so many tools to defeat this battle.
Highly recommend to anyone needing a boost in confidence or power over they "I can't"!!
This is a Christian "self help" book that actually delivers on providing specific tools and strategies to use, rather than just talking about being free and becomong like Christ in sweeping general terms. You can feel the fire behind Jennie's word in every paragraph. In my former life as a therapist I would teach my clients about the connection between their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Jennie applies this model to the spirtual life and adds in how behaviors caused by thoughts and emotions actually impact our relationships and keep the negative spiral going. I read her previous book Nothing To Prove and like that one, I highlighted several lines to remind myself of later, like this one: "I have always believed lies. And not just believed them, but built entire chapters of my life around them."
I think I would have fully submerged myself into this book if it hadn't been for Harry Potter :)
Man oh man did I need this book right now. My mind has been hard at work for a year/year and a half now as God reveals all kinds of lies and misconceptions that I've been living under. The devil has been hard at work warping things in my life for years and I was totally unaware. It helps that I don't deal with things in a healthy way most of the time.
My thoughts are definitely a battleground. The biggest struggles of my life right now are all in my head. I was so excited to read this book and see what Jennie had to offer and I was not disappointed. I highlighted so much but I think my favorite things were how graceful and practical her tips were and how she constantly pointed us back to who God is. Let me explain.
Many books like this are vague and seem unattainable. Jennie's tips and advice are very practical, small, and simple enough, though they aren't easy by any means. And she is so gracious, acknowledging that this is hard and we will fail but we just move on and try again.
Then she is always pointing back to who God is, especially at the end of the book. Too many people forget or just don't mention that we have to know who God is to know who we are. Reframing our thoughts is impossible because we won't believe who He says we are if we don't know who He is. I'm so glad she made that point clear.
Great book! 100% recommend. Many thanks to Netgalley for a copy. All opinions are my own and a favorable review was not required.