I have followed Mandisa since her time on American Idol and I loved reading more about this wonderful woman. This was a great book and I felt when i was done that I could understand her a little better. I have always admired and respected her and I feel even more so now.

I absolutely love Mandisa’s music. When I hear a song pop up on the radio, I am filled with joy. The sincerity of her faith and the depth of her heart for God to be displayed through her music is evident. This book was a touching look into Mandisa’s past and her journey through many difficult moments. The lyrics to her songs that begin each chapter will have you singing the words (at least in your mind). The challenges for you at the end of each chapter encourage you to explore similar experiences or emotions you have personally had in your life.

Thank you to NetGalley and K-Love Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

Christian music artist, Mandisa, chronicles her relationship with God from her first coming to God; this relationship spanning struggles, disappointments, loss, joys, and accomplishments. Mandisa writes about the struggles she underwent as she pursued her dream of singing. Mandisa's candidness of her feelings during the tough times and her reliance on God to give her strength to persevere is inspiring. One of Mandisa's most toughest and vulnerable moments she shares is when she suffered the loss of a dear friend. Mandisa's retelling of this most painful moment and the depth of her emotions and questioning God is so poignant and is such an example of how God urges us to come to Him in every circumstance we face and how he will journey through it with us.

I would recommend giving this book a read. I think you will find hope within Mandisa's journey and see a great example of how God loves us, heals, and is always with us.

I didn't expect this book to be so religious, and just kind of weirdly structured. I was expecting a more standard inspirational biography, wasn't for me.

I love, love Mandisa. As a Christian and a woman, she is an inspiration. I have seen her live a few times, binged her music, and followed her on social media.

There are few female Christians in the public eye who does the things she does. I love how honest and deep she got in her book. It just made me love her more.

Out of the Dark by Mandisa is one of the best memoirs that I have ever read. Mandisa, who is a Christian music artist, talks openly about her own personal struggles with depression, overeating and weight issues. She tells her story with honesty and shares some very tragic events of her life such as losing her best friend to cancer despite numorous prayers, being sexually assulted and having a few unpleasant moments while being on American Idol. She even shares about the times when she wonders if she can put her trust in God which is something that many of us have experienced. However, despite everything that she has been through, Mandisa has learned to trust in God and rely on her friends, and become an award winning singer!
I plan to purchase Out of the Dark when it comes out for myself and some of my family members because this is a great book to refer back to when you are facing your own personal struggles.

Out of the Dark
by Mandisa
Pub DAte: March 15, 2022
K-Love
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I have seen Mandisa in concert and she led workshop at a women's event I attended. I appreciate her honesty and letting us see the real person she is.
When I saw she had written a book I immediately requested it. And boy is it good! I will be purchasing a copy for our library.
"Guilt is different from shame. Guilt is seeing the sinful thing you have done; shame is seeing yourself as a failure because of it."

5 stars

I love Mandisa and I had the chance to see her in concert once and absolutely adored the things she had to say. It’s also exciting knowing that she grew up in the same place I did. Getting this book was very exciting for me. I don’t typically like to review memoirs, as I never want to feel as if I am judging somebody’s life story, however I felt I had to let everybody know just how beautiful this book was. Mandisa’s book shows just how good God is and it shows that celebrities are just like us, they hurt and they struggle too. As someone who suffers from anxiety and has overcome depression, this book made me feel seen and heard. I believe it is a must read for everyone that needs to feel some sort of hope and inspiration.

Mandisa speaks about her journey from American Idol to becoming a recording artist and the death of her best friend leading her to depression.
In her book we can see God’s hands over her life guiding her to right school Fisk university in Tennessee, through her job she will later meet Travis Cottrel and Beth Moore who would have an impact in her life.
We see her vulnerability and honesty in sharing one of the most difficult moments of her life, but God was there, and she had true friends who cared about her. It reminds you the importance of friendship and to pray God to place people in your life who will support you in every situation.
I really like how she pour out her heart in the book and share the story behind some songs.
This is a great testimony of how God can bring light in someone life through hard times and how He pour out his grace on our lives helping us to pursue our goals focus on Him.

I have been a fan of Mandisa's music since she was a contestant on American Idol and so I was interested in reading more of her story. I thought that this was a fitting story for this time in our society as she was very open about her struggles with mental health. I appreciated her transparency about real life issues she has faced and how she struggled through the grieving process of the loss of one of her best friends. I was encouraged by the actions of the community of friends surrounding her during this time in her life as we are all called to surround brothers and sisters in Christ and be there to life them up in prayer and support them. She was very open about her battles with food and I know I can relate and believe many others could as well.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Mandisa is best known for her Grammy-award winning song "Overcomer" and her appearance in the final of American Idol, but along the way she has faced several challenges and dark times. I appreciated the honesty with which Mandisa shares her story in this book. From struggles with body image and depression to facing the death of a close friend, along with the accompanying questions of why so many prayers went unanswered, she shares in a way that is real and vulnerable, never sugar-coating it or pretending to have all the answers. She also points to hope in Jesus that is greater than the darkness.
This book is a quick and easy read but it contains several encouraging insights that are applicable to all, whatever the challenges of life.

I've been Mandisa's fan since I saw her He is with you video in 2015 at that time I was a lonely kid in junior high. And that song gives me encouragement and her beautiful voice tells me that the creator of the world is with me while I'm in the middle of that. Then I continued listening her songs and MANDISA MANDISA tells me the meaning of the scars and to turn them into testimonies.
So I can say mandisa is not only one of a great contestant in American Idol but she is a friend, a mentor and a preacher.
And now I was so pleasantly surprised by Out of the dark! The writing is incredibly well done. Her honesty and authenticity in telling her story is BRAVE and powerful!! The book was so incredibly relatable sometimes it hurt. She gives us a candid glimpse of her depression life, anxiety, loss, lonely times..... She also describes the moment she come out of the dark and How she did it.
" God is teaching me how to be an overcomer too-not just getting through hard time In my life, but experiencing victory daily through His strength and love. I'm learning I don't have to have it all together, or the best version of myself, to be an overcomer. I can make mistakes, fall back into old sinful patterns, and still walk in victory. Because overcoming isn't dependent on me. It's dependent on my powerful savior.
I loved every minute of it. I highly recommend it!!
*** I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange of an Honest review ****

Thank you for this free copy of Out of the Dark provided by K-Love Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a wonderfully uplifting book. Mandissa talks about many trials of her life that God has brought her through. She shares scripture passages that the Lord has brought to her mind as she endures these trials and how God has sent friends and angels to bring her to know the love that He has for her. She makes it clear that this love is for all of us, that what He did for her he will do for you.
This book really made me want to draw closer to the Lord in my daily walk. It is one that I will share with many others that are having challenges in their lives that they don’t know how to resolve or don’t even have the strength to know where to turn.
This would be a great audiobook if Mandissa’s songs were sung at the beginnings of each section where she shares the words of songs she has recorded. I have listened to other audiobooks that have done this such as Yo Yo Ma’s book and it inspired me to purchase the albums.

This was a really enjoyable read. So much of her story I did not know and was really encouraged by her willingness to share. Not only does she have a beautiful voice, but she possesses a lovely soul. Beauty from the inside out. A survivor and a thriver.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A endearing and emotional story. Mandisa has a genuinely beautiful soul.

I voluntarily read an advanced copy.

Mandisa bares her soul in this new memoir as she recalls the ups and downs of her relationship with God, music and food. She does not hold back in describing the deep darkness she succumbed to following the death of her best friend. Thank goodness for friends who did not give up on her. Mandisa is truly an inspiration. Thanks to NetGalley and K-Love Books for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

I loved Mandisa’s Out of the Dark: My Journey Through the Shadows to Find God’s Joy. Out of the Dark is Mandisa’s personal testimony of how she was in the “deep dark” of depression and how God brought her through. Mandisa shares what led up to the “deep dark”, what she did while she was in the “deep dark”, and the wake-up call that made her persevere through the “deep dark”. Mandisa shares her story unafraid and to give others hope.

I loved how raw and real Mandisa was in her testimony and held nothing back. I loved how Mandisa saturated her writing with the Word of God, showing us Hope in the middle of the struggle. On a personal note, as one who has went through depression and still perseveres through anxiety and panic attacks almost daily, I appreciated what Mandisa said about counseling and how she chose her counselor. It was very similar to the way I chose mine and I am thankful that I was not alone in that aspect.

Reading Out of the Dark, you are reading a testimony of a woman who has went through it and survived. Surviving doesn’t mean you went through it unscathed, but that your relationship with God is stronger. I believe that you will be encouraged reading Out of the Dark: My Journey Through The Shadows to Find God’s Joy.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. My review is also on Goodreads and my blog, Leslie's Library Escape.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book a lot. I really like that Mandisa didn't feel the need to sugar coat the things that happened to her and she was so honest about her doubts and her anger. It was so refreshing.

Ever since I saw Mandisa's entrance on American Idol, I have loved her! To me, she defines a "glowing spirit". Her songs are uplifting and full of hope. When I saw this book that talks about her struggles along with her victories, I immediately requested a copy.

This book is such a great reminder that the person we "show" the world, is not always the person we are. We are all dealing with issues - lack of confidence, questioning faith, depression, financial, job related, family related and so many others - but we rarely show that side to others. We tuck that away and so many times feel obligated to only show the positives.. In a world filled with social media accounts highlighting success, beauty and perfection, it's hard to not compare your life with others'.

Mandisa does a wonderful job of walking us through her journey to follow her passion for singing and finding a way to make her passion and her work the same thing. I loved when she recounted how God plants seeds for us to find if we will pay attention. Had she not followed up on the name "Lifeway" seeming implanted in her mind, she would not have applied for a job there, met people pivotal to her journey and joined the Christian instruction industry which led her to performing and eventually trying out for American Idol(AI). As someone who "met" Mandisa on AI, I was enamored with her behind the scenes experience and stories of that time.

In each chapter she shares experiences, bible verses and song lyrics. I watched YouTube videos of the collaborations she talks about and listened to the songs she references with new understanding. To understand the emotion behind a song is just a gift. There were so many lines that stood out to me that I highlighted to refer back to.

"Guilt is different from shame. Guilt is seeing the sinful thing you have done; shame is seeing yourself as a failure because of it."

This book was exactly what I hoped it would be. It reinforced my love for Mandisa. I loved her honesty - the way she showed the reader her insecurities and her struggles with faith, food and confidence felt so heartfelt. I took away so much information because it was presented in a non-preachy way. Not once did I feel like God's words were thrown at me, rather, they were presented to me on a platter to decide if I wanted to partake or not.

So very grateful to have had the chance to digest this book. Thank you so much to NetGalley and K-love books for the advance copy to read and review.

Pub date: 3.15.22

I’ve been a fan of Mandisa for many years. I admire her fun personality at concerts and online so this was an eye opening look behind the scenes and the highs and lows of her life and how they affected her walk with God. We always think of celebrities having no problems, but Mandisa was open in expressing her very dark lows of depression that so many of us deal with. God never said our walk with Him would be easy, but He did say that it would be worth it. I appreciated her vulnerability in telling her story and each chapter is filled with scripture references and bible stories that relate to what she was going through at the time, and that most of us can relate to at one time in our life or another, along with a few questions at the end of the chapter as a way to look back on what you just read.
This was raw and inspiring and not “preachy” but definitely “teachy”
“It’s not a story about Mandisa, really, it’s a story about a big God who has changed one woman’s life in unbelievable ways”
Thanks to K-LOVE Books, the author and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my review.