I like to know the qualifications of an author before I read anything that could potentially influence my life, my faith and my health. In this case, I am glad that the author Edward T. Welch has the background to ensure that he knows what he is talking about. He is a counselor and faculty member at Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation, having earned a Ph.D. in counseling (neuropsychology) from the University of Utah and a Master of Divinity degree from Biblical Theological Seminary. What's more - he has been counseling for over thirty years and has written many books and articles on biblical counseling.

Written with sound theology and a voice full of warmth and reassurance, these 50 days of meditations will be very helpful for the person who is facing anxiety, a condition that is so prevalent even without the pandemic that is currently ravaging the world. I hope to go through the book slowly soon.

This short little book is a Godsend - literally and metaphorically!

As someone who struggles with anxiety, I am always looking for people to help me sort through it and live with it. Even more, I am looking for someone who might be able to help me thrive despite my anxiety. I think Welch is on his way to getting us there.

Even though it's short, Welch uses his space well. (I think he must've had an excellent editor behind his writing!) This book packs a lot of good information, with a careful, pastoral heart into his work. A lot of times reading books about anxiety make me feel bad for having it, but Welch is not like that. Even though he doesn't know me, it feels like he cares about me and cares to see my anxiety helped.

Now, I wouldn't say that this is the end-all, be-all book on anxiety, but if you're working toward managing it, I think this would be a blessing.

I have long since enjoyed Edward T. Welch's books. This was no different! Filled with intuitive insight into an anxious heart and easily broken into manageable reading bites, this book is perfect for helping anyone with anxiety or who is prone to worry. I highly recommend it as an easy ready but also an important one.

I am never disappointed with Ed Welch. This book is very legit because it addresses the issue of anxiety. I have come to a place in my life realizing that our problem in the world is that we just don't know how to deal with issues in a healthy biblical way. It is why we spend so much money on medicines and coaches. I am not down-playing those, but how about if we try to tackle our issue in a biblical way first? This book definitely highlights the beauty of just that. I read and re-read this book because of how it focused directly on anxiety. I am so thankful for this author's ability to tackle legitimate issues in life. He wants to help us find wholeness in Jesus. I appreciate that greatly.

I received an advanced/review copy of this book. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content and honesty of my review.

I struggle greatly with anxiety and I'm always looking for ways to help. I especially appreciate it when it comes from a biblical standpoint as my faith is very important to me. Sometimes the only true comfort I feel comes directly from the Creator, and I felt like this book had a great way of showing how to minimize the need for perfection and amplify the need for Jesus. I'd like to purchase a physical copy of this book so I can more accurately fill out the responses and get something deeper out of it.

I highly recommend this book for any fellow Christians who struggle with feeling anxious and need a reminder of just Who they belong to.

If you struggle with anxiety, stress, or fear, this could be a helpful book to check out.


The book has fifty meditations, slightly devotional in nature. The book covers a variety of topics, such as: fear, loneliness, forgiveness, prayer, grace, hope, death, and more. Unlike a devotional, the readings don't begin with a Scripture verse, but relevant verses are included in the message. Each entry ends with a couple of questions for reflection or journaling. I read an ebook copy of the book, and it has a clickable Table of Contents, which makes it easy for the reader to choose the topics that interest them, in case they do not want to read the book in order or if it is used for a small group study. The book provided practical action steps to help the reader keep their anxiety in check.

It is written rather stilted, like you are preached at, not spoken to. It was a good book, but I wouldn't call it great.

I received a free copy. All opinions are my own.

Sometimes we want a quick fix for anxiety - mindfulness techniques or a talk with a good friend will help you there. However, if you are tired of anxiety owning too much of your headspace, this book will help. It is a 50-day devotional on anxiety. It isn't a 'self-help.' I didn't see a lot of practical tools. Instead, I'd say this book is a heart re-writer. Sometimes, we need to set a new perspective. We need to see the enemies that we face (in this case, fear, anxiety and worry) from a new perspective. What you'll find is that the people in the bible faced these enemies of the heart too - and they learned to lean into trust - the enemy of fear is trust in God.

What you'll find is that the people in the bible faced these enemies of the heart too - and they learned to lean into trust - the enemy of fear is trust in God.

Note: I received a promotional copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. -AR

When the email announcing Ed Welch’s new book hit my inbox offering me a promotional copy, I was very interested. Anyone familiar with counseling from a biblical perspective has surely benefited from an article or book of his over the years.

As his bio notes, Ed Welch, MDiv, PhD, is a licensed psychologist and faculty member at CCEF. He earned a PhD in counseling (neuropsychology) from the University of Utah and has a Master of Divinity degree from Biblical Theological Seminary. Welch has been counseling for over thirty years and has written extensively on the topics of depression, fear, and addictions. In other words (my words) Welch is one of the most well-known figures of the second generation of Biblical Counselors.

Instead of trumpeting all that, the marketing for the book humbly suggests, There is no quick fix for fear and worry, but the new devotional from Edward T. Welch seeks to help.

The simple question before us then is, Does it?

A Long “Small Book”

A Small Book for the Anxious Heart is just that, a small book. It is 50-day devotional, with each day’s reading around 500 words, plus two or three short “Response” questions to help stir the reader to quiet reflection or beginning steps of action. Why 50 days, I don’t know. Why not 30? Why not 60? Fifty may well be an even number, but for a devotional book length it seems odd to me.

The entries themselves seem to have little to no order or progression. By Day 18 it dawned on me that I could have been reading Day 1, and I thought the same when I got to Day 50. There does not need to be progression, but the lack of it is significant for a reason I’ll discuss later.

Day 1 starts out promisingly enough. “[God’s] words to us cluster around two themes: your God is very near, and he gives the grace and power you need for today. The aim of this book is to help us become more skillful in how we identify our fears and anxieties, hear God’s good words, and grow” (emphasis added). Clearly Welch earnestly desires to serve others and that is, of course, admirable.

The problem though, is that by the end of Day 1’s devotional and for the rest of the book, it misses the mark. And I really wish I did not have to write that. A few examples will follow, but since I mentioned Day 1, here is a statement near the end of the day’s reading,

“God never intended us to bear the overwhelming burdens of life by ourselves. Instead, he gives himself—just the right person to bear them with us” (emphasis added). The problem is, God does not want us bearing our burdens at all. He tells us, commands us, to “roll them off” onto Him (Ps 55:22), to cast our cares on him, for he cares for us (1 Pe 5:7), to lay our heavy loads at Jesus’ feet and take up his light burden instead (Mt 11:28-30). Welch’s statement sounds comforting, but isn’t. It is intended to be help, but doesn’t.

By Day 18 the book feels long. Hypothetically, the reader has lived almost three weeks since starting the book and yet at this point the book feels very much still at Square One. And it continues that way for 32 more days. Overall, where there are the occasional sentences and sections of solid theology and pointing to Christ, on the whole the book is minimally encouraging. By the end it feels like seven weeks + 1 day of revisiting the same wounds, at first dressing them, but never leaving them alone to heal. Every day is like lifting the bandage to look at how they’re doing.

A Soft Word Turns Away

A recurring problem in reading this book is the pulling back from using Bible-language, substituting softer words for those God uses in his Word. For example, nowhere that I could find does the book specifically mention the need to “repent” of the “sin/s” of anxiety and worry. Welch does say “why not confess your sin of unbelief right now?” (Day 10), and similar on Day 18, but these are only close, not exactly where the reader needs to be to biblically deal with their problem. He follows up that Day 10 exhortation with the sentence, “It [confession of sin] is an efficient way to interrupt the tailspin of fear and anxiety.” There are two problems with what is being said here. First, Christians do more than “confess” their sins to God—acknowledging them—we repent of them, which includes the element of not just confessing them but also of forsaking them. Second, we aren’t primarily to repent (“confess”) of sins to feel better or get relief, but to acknowledge we have sinned against a Holy, Just, and Perfect God; it’s primarily to honor God’s holiness and submit to his authority over us.

A second example of this soft approach is found on Day 18 where Welch writes, “It is our breaking trust with God that separates us from him, his love, and his protection.” I’m honestly not trying to be nit-picky here. I am trying give quotes to support my impressions. It’s more than “breaking trust” with God that separates us, it is our sins, our rebellion, our—as RC Sproul put it—“cosmic treason”. Our failure to train others in thinking and speaking in biblical language leads us inevitably to either minimize God’s holiness or minimize our sin, or both. Day 28 (“Tomorrow”) and Day 30 (“Judgment”) are perhaps the strongest language in the book about dealing with our sin.

A third example is on Day 36, where Welch writes, “The problem is when our wants shift into needs, which might more accurately be called loves.” Ed Welch has been serving the Body of Christ at least twice as long as I have been a Christian. He is smarter than me, has counseled tens of thousands of hours longer than I ever will, and I write all of this with great respect to my elder brother in Christ. However, when our wants shift into perceived needs, the Bible does not gently suggest them to be mere “loves”; it calls them idols. Welch knows this.

If we are to disciple believers into wholeness and hope in Christ, and affirm that he can save them from their fears and anxieties, I’ve always been told we must love them enough to be clear, and that means using the words God uses if we are to counsel them from his Word.

A Disappointing Role Model

My disappointment with Welch’s quoting Eugene Peterson‘s Bible paraphrase The Message was only surpassed by his praise for Peterson the man. The popular paraphrase is also fraught with errors, causing at least one evangelical leader, Justin Peters, to call it “not only a poor paraphrase, but it is, in fact, heretical.” Whereas Al Mohler, in his essay about Peterson’s very public retraction of his full endorsement of gay marriage, describes Peterson as a man who “has never been very clear about controversial questions, or on many crucial biblical and theological questions. His writings were categorized as ‘pastoral theology,’ and there is little explicit doctrine in his books,” Welch regards him as “one of an endless number of God’s children who point the way for us and show us what is possible.” I don’t see Welch’s quoting of The Message or speaking of Peterson as egregious, only unfortunate.

Welch quotes Peterson’s assurances about his own eventual death as an example of the kind of confidence (versus fear and anxiety) believers can have about their eventual demise. I agree! As Keith Getty and Stuart Townend co-wrote in In Christ Alone, Christians can rejoice, having now “No guilt in life, no fear in death/this is the power of Christ in me.” I just wish Welch had used someone else an example instead of Peterson, like maybe the famous martyr like Polycarp (“86 years have I have served him, and he has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?”), Jan Hus, or any of the hundreds of English martyrs who died for their faith during the Reformation, to name a few examples of those having no fear in death.

Praise …and Problems

There are some excellent passages, for sure in this book. Consider this tender and pastoral note of encouragement Welch offers readers:

His love means that he will be close and nothing can separate you from him.
His strength means that he is an ever-present help in trouble and he will make things right.
These two are joined into one event: Christ and him crucified.
In Jesus Christ, we see that God became our suffering servant who identifies with the weak and oppressed, and he takes their burden on himself.
In Jesus Christ, we see the mighty God who takes up the cause of the weak and brings justice to the oppressed. He is the King who has inaugurated his kingdom that will conquer death itself.
[…]The entire Bible is meant to open your eyes to those truths about Jesus, who was seen by all, but for now is just barely out of sight.

“A Small Book for the Anxious Heart” by Ed Welch, Day 23
But then, again, more problems emerge. On Day 42 Welch makes a comment about God and the Garden of Eden I have never heard anyone suggest, “The garden of Eden was God’s house on earth, and he walked with his people in the garden. When we left the garden, he left with us and promised that, in the end, sin would not interfere with his purpose” (emphasis added). Huh? I looked up the verb used in Gen 3:23. It is shalach, and it means “to send”, which by definition indicates the one doing the sending stays while the one sent departs. In fact, Matthew Poole in his commentary (and Gill agrees) says, “the Lord God sent him forth, or expelled him with shame and violence, and so as never to restore him thither; for it is the same word which is used concerning divorced wives” (emphases in original).

No man or woman could write a book like Anxious unless they were writing from a place of deep compassion for their wounded readers, desiring to help point the way out of their darkness and misery and into the light of hope and peace in Christ. As he stated at the outset, Welch’s heart’s desire is to “help” readers, and of that there is no doubt. As well-meaning a resource as it is intended to be, A Small Book for the Anxious Heart regrettably misses its noble goal.

A Small Book for the Anxious Heart by Ed T. Welch was published in October 2019 by New Growth Press. I received a promotional copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Don’t let the small title fool you. These fifty readings on overcoming anxiety are huge in what they bring to the reader. They aren’t long, but the topics are profound—loneliness, fear, anxiety, forgiveness—are just a few of the subjects covered. Instead of cliche answers that don’t help, the author points directly to the source of true and complete healing, Jesus.

Scripture is included, as is a reflection at the end of each reading.

I found this book encouraging and one I’d absolutely recommend to anyone dealing with anxiety.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated and all opinions are my own.

"A Small Book For the Anxious Heart by Edward Welch is a practical and helpful book. The author has been a counselor for thirty eight years. He understands anxiety and worry after listening to many peoples struggles. Edward Welch has also written dozens of books and has an established reputation in the Christian world. This book is a devotional to help guide the anxious person to seek the Lord for their peace and strength. He starts out the devotional sharing about his struggles with anxiety and then shares how the Lord can help the anxieties in our lives. He also shares verses to help when we are anxious. He ends the devotional with a response and questions to help the reader apply the message to their lives. I have found the devotionals helpful and practical. Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for allowing me to read and review this very helpful book. I think it is a helpful resource for pastors and counselors. I will share my review on facebook, netgalley, Goodreads, my blog, Amazon and with the church staff.

Fear and anxiety are huge in many peoples lives today. This book “A Small Book for the Anxious Heart” is an easy daily devotional for people who are in the grips of fear and anxiety. Welch shares scriptural truth teaching us how to put our trust where it belongs and to put worry and fear aside. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever dealt the lest bit with anxiety or fear.

First sentence from the introduction: Anxieties remain among my top bugaboos. My own grappling with them is different than it was even a year ago, but I see so much more that is available, so much room for growth. In this book I will raise some themes from books on fear that I have previously written, but I will also introduce new themes and, I hope, add the benefit of additional experience.

First "sentence" from day one: Could there be a more important topic? Our lives are full of uncertainties. We never know what the day will bring. Worries, fears, and stress are part of daily life. We shouldn’t be surprised, then, that Scripture says so much about it, and that what it says is both attractive and helpful. The Lord responds to our fears with words of comfort, which he is pleased to repeat again and again. His words to us cluster around two themes: your God is very near, and he gives the grace and power you need for today. The aim of this book is to help us become more skillful in how we identify our fears and anxieties, hear God’s good words, and grow. You could say that our goal is wisdom. Wisdom is another name for skill in living.

Is it a devotional? Is it a Bible study? It's a happy-happy blend of both. It's a book of daily readings--fifty days--that challenge readers to grow in their faith. The devotions are substantive--packed with information both practical and biblical.

There were some readings that I just LOVED, LOVED, LOVED, LOVED, LOVED, LOVED. I thought they were timely, relevant, and just what I needed. Other readings I "merely" loved, loved, loved. Overall, I would say I was an enthusiastic reader and definitely part of Welch's target audience.
I would say the book has the potential--with the Spirit--to offer hope and change to readers.

I loved that each daily reading ended with a question or two--or an activity. Sometimes he's asking readers to write what they're thinking and feeling. Sometimes he's asking readers to "be brave" and reach out to someone--anyone--to talk to about their feelings and experiences. He's a big advocate that there's nothing to be ashamed about. Talking about what you're feeling with someone else can be life-changing. He is also a BIG advocate of PRAYER.

I disobeyed Welch in that I did NOT read just one a day. I was wearing my BOOK REVIEWER HAT. Yes, I'm part of his target audience--someone who has wrestled with anxiety and fear--but I'm also a book blogger who wanted to finish the book so I could review it and recommend it to others. I didn't want to wait FIFTY whole days before I started spreading the word: BUY THIS BOOK. Or THIS WOULD MAKE A LOVELY CHRISTMAS GIFT.

Perfection is not the answer. Perfection ultimately trusts in itself, and that compounds our fears. What we are after is the confidence that God always hears those who turn to him. (Psalm 51:17) Always.

This daily devotion opened the many different ways our hearts are anxious. The triggers and more importantly, what brings us peace. If you have a trust issue, you probably suffer from anxiety. If you have relationship problems, you probably suffer from fear. But in honestly, there are many things that cause us anxiety. However, there is only one thing that brings peace and that is facing your reality. Actually saying that aloud can cause anxiety but in facing our reality, we are directing our eyes, heart, soul, and mind to Jesus. Loving him with all that we are.

In knowing how we depend on our selves, we can shift that independence on Christ by faith. It is a cry for help or calling on God that we focus on what is important and releasing those things that are not. Where does my help come from? It is not the disappearance of anxiety but the appearance of God in our lives 24/7.

We are a needy people and not having those needs met by God will cause anxiety. This devotion will cause you to look different at the aspect of anxiety but also in your relationship with the Lord and faith. That there is relationship building that gives satisfaction.

Highly Recommend!

A Special Thank you to New Growth Press and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

For so many people, fear and anxiety can be a real struggle. Fear is one of those things that can sneak up on you, but for many anxiety is increasing and intensifying. Slapping a band-aid over it wont help, which is why I’m thankful I stumbled upon Edward T. Welch’s book “A Small Book for the Anxious Heart.” I don’t know about you, but when I’m in the clutches of anxiety even reading a book can feel daunting. I love that Welch kept that in mind as he wrote and made this manageable.

I’m thankful this book does not offer formulas or methods, but rather shares comfort and peace that can only be found in the person of Jesus. This short devotional dives into Scripture and comes up with its treasures. He makes it so accessible. This book has helped me shift my gaze to Jesus in moments of anxiety. It has led me to bring those fears to the Lord and has taught me to rely on him even more. God’s word has something to say to our struggle. The biggest takeaway for me is that Jesus cares. He understands. This book is an invitation to trust Him wholeheartedly.

If you are struggling with anxiety this small, but powerful devotional might be a great place to start.

I have very mixed feelings about this book. As I read through it, I was disappointed in the depth of the first part. It seemed shallow. As I read on, the book did get deeper but I ended up with mixed feelings about it. Welch finally coupled fear and faith on Day 16. That just seemed way too far into the book for me. He got to the importance of prayer on Day 20. Again, way too far into the book for me. He cemented fear and faith in Day 40. Finally.

Welch must be writing for very new Christians or ones not familiar with the Bible. He has a meditation on confession, for example, that seems to be for those who don't know we are commanded to confess our sins nor know the benefits of doing so.

I am a little concerned about the accuracy of the writing. For example, Welch writes, “Anything of values comes through perseverance.” (Loc 195/1710) (Italics in the original.) My goodness. What about grace, mercy, the free gift of salvation? Welch is encouraging, but should also be correct! He updates Psalm 23 “in a way David would certainly have approved.” (Loc 237/1710) Welch knows what David would think about the update? And how about this? “For now, know that there are good reasons to worry.” (Loc 340/1710) I thought for sure Jesus told us not to worry, that there were no good reasons to worry for our heavenly Father takes care of us. (Matt.6:25ff)

Welch writes often from a human viewpoint. For example, fears and anxiety are not necessarily sinful nor a result of sin, he writes. “Fears and anxieties reveal that you are a finite human who can control very little.” (Loc 506/1710) I would rather he said fears and anxieties indicate you do not believe God cares for you nor that God is sovereign. I found it interesting Welch again mentioned fears are not necessarily a result of sin but then has a meditation on the relationship of fears and hidden sin. (Loc 659/1710, 1044/1710) In that later meditation, he directly relates anxiety to hiding sin. (Loc 1044/1710)

Welch is very compassionate in his writing, almost to the point of glossing over sin. We have plans and dreams, he writes, but we might “forget” that “[the] Father is in control.” (Loc 677/1710) He then encourages us to trust the Father and rest in Him.

I was a little shocked at Welch's experience with prayer. He writes that he has spent 30 years on shortening the time between the appearance of anxiety and the onset of prayer, generally getting it down to an hour. (Loc 717/1710) When he prays, the peace of Christ does begin to rule in his heart and mind but it “still takes him by surprise.” (Loc 717/1710) That just made me shake my head. Later he writes about prayer, “confessing my own weaknesses...still feels unnatural.” (Loc 738/1710) This, even though later he writes of the necessity of being transparent before God. (Loc 1059/1710)

Perhaps Welch's book structure mirrors the work of dealing with anxiety. He starts off very slowly but eventually gets to ways of dealing with anxiety like confession, prayer, believing God is greater, living in the present, believing God will take care of needs, etc. But then, on Day 40, he writes, “In this world, getting rid of all your worries is not an option.” And, “The absence of all fear...awaits the age to come.” (Loc 1361/1710, 1388/1710) So I am not sure what the purpose of this book is. It puzzles me. Perhaps Welch wants readers to expect to always have fear and anxiety to battle and turn over to the Lord. I'd rather live in victory, truly believing God is sovereign and is working all things to my ultimate good. I can rest there with no fear nor anxiety.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Small Book for the Anxious Heart is composed of 50 short daily readings for the Christian dealing with anxiety and worry. Each reading gives you a chance to respond and reflect on what you've read. I highly recommend it!

If you struggle with anxiety, stress, or fear, this could be a helpful book to check out.

The book has fifty readings, somewhat devotional in nature. The book covers a variety of topics, such as: fear, loneliness, forgiveness, prayer, grace, hope, death, and various Psalms. Unlike a standard devotional, the passages don't begin with a Scripture verse, but relevant verses are included in the message. Each entry ends with a response question for reflection or journaling. I read an electronic copy of the book, and it has a clickable Table of Contents, which makes it easy for the reader to choose the topics that interest them, in case they do not want to read the book in order. The information provided contains practical action steps to help the reader keep their anxiety in check.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy as part of the Read with Audra program, but I wasn't required to leave a positive review.