This book is an encouragement and great tool to never give up in our battle. Is a constant reminder of your identity in Christ. Is so full of wisdom, faith and the truth of God words. Thank you Susie Larson for always remembering us of God promises for our life no matter the battle that we face on life. I highly recommend these book.

A book for our times. There’s a war going on between good and evil. A war we cannot win without being made strong for the battle! Read it and gear up!

Strong in Battle so far is exactly what I needed to read at this moment in my life from dealing with grief in my family, and being prepared for what is happening in our country. One quote that Susie says hit home, “We must believe that we can be renewed day by day, live with a joy that strengthens us, shine brightly in a dark world that has lost it’s way, and live with holy expectancy that heaven is real and goodness is coming.” In addition to my everyday prayers I look forward to reading more Strong in Battle.

Who is Susie Larson? A year ago at this time, I hadn't heard of this podcasting prayer warrior who shares her love of Jesus with the world. Some might dismiss her as "just another Fundamentalist zealot" but her words leaped out at me one night, framed by a lovely nature scene, shared on the Facebook wall of a friend from my hometown. Wait: this is not the typical "Sweet Jesus" stuff I'd heard since infancy. This Susie does not sound obnoxious or brainwashed. She sounds intelligent, confident, wise, and strong.

I've heard prayers and blessings aplenty, but Susie's ring with freshness and positivity. E.g.,

"May God give you extra grace to thrive in life even when your heart is breaking. May you enjoy spilling-over-joy even before the breakthrough comes. May you find cause to celebrate and rejoice over all that is right in your world. Refuse to let your angst have the last say..." #SusieLarsonBlessings

I started hitting the LIKE and SHARE icons.

Susie Larson showed up with the right words at the right time, and I started paying attention. I'd heard all these things before, one way or another, but Susie knows how to pack a punch. Small words, big impact: E.g.,

"Life on earth is short and eternity is long. We’re here for the short term, not just to bide our time but to redeem our days. Every day is a gift. Every moment of your life is packed with purpose."

C.S. Lewis said something similar in "Surprised by Joy." This life is just a stay at an inn as we journey to our final destination. Somehow, I've always found it very hard to believe that there is any such thing as a loving Creator and an afterlife, but the conviction of others has been more convincing to me than the Bible itself. Susie demonstrates the courage of her convictions, so she got my attention.

I still hadn't heard any of her podcasts, nor had I read any of her books, until "Strong In Battle." I snagged an ARC of the book via NetGalley, where I've been a reviewer for ten years. I highlighted line after quotable line. On social media, I soon noticed others were highlighting and sharing the same passages that spoke to me. E.g.
“Bootstrap theology won’t save us. But if we’re willing to trust Him, we’ll see our God move in ways that just might leave us breathless.” #SusieLarsonQuotes #StrongInBattle

Well, buckle your bootstraps. Bring on the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit. Add one more thing: You'll need a journal to work through this book, this battle.

Confession #1: I read the book, twice, but did not do any "journaliing" along with it.
Confession #2: I rarely read the "Reflection Questions" in any book, and I see this feature in a lot of books, these days. I did read Susie's. This one, for example:

Ask God to help you discern the arrows aimed at you. Write them down.
"You have one enemy and he attacks in often predictable ways. But we are not going to put up with it any longer."

Yeah! We're not gonna take it anymore!
Wait. Who is this "one" enemy?

"Our battle is not against flesh and blood but against principalities and rulers in the heavenly realms," Susie explains. "We have one enemy, and his name is Satan. On our own, on our best day, we are no match for him. He has studied us our whole lives. He knows our weak spots; he knows about our unhealed wounds and how to trigger our fears. We're like little children in the face of a Goliath of an enemy."

Well, that's annoying! This "enemy" wants to steal our joy, keep us from knowing God, even get us to believe the devil does not exist (as Paul Harvey famously noted). The enemy is every negative force seeking to pull us down into depression, apathy, despair, anger, hatred, self-pity; the enemy wants us to doubt that Heaven exists and question if there’s life after death.

The focus of this book is not the scheming and manipulation of Satan, but the positive, constructive things we can do to keep our thoughts out of the abyss and in the sunny realm of hope, joy, love, and all good things. Susie acknowledges that "....it's human nature (and a legitimate question) to wonder, *If God could stop this, why doesn't He?* She answers that, in part, with a quote from Bo Stern: "We may wish for a God who will keep us out of all afflictions, but isn't it wonderful to become acquainted with the One who goes with us into the heart of the fight, and then uses it for something beautiful?"

She answers that question (and more, much more) with many quotable quotes, but this is just a book review, not Cliff Notes, not a summation of the key points. A few select passages posted here, by me, cannot replace the riches of just reading the book, page by page, and taking in all the insights and battle strategies.

Even if you're agnostic or atheist, you can find common-sense ideas here. We all have negative thoughts.
Most of our thoughts are automatic. Many of our beliefs are borrowed or inherited, not formed in reaction to our own experiences. This constant stream of thoughts in our heads can mislead us, betray us, pull us down. Do you blindly accept intrusive thoughts that pop into your mind like cars on a freeway?

"Be selective about what you allow into your soul. Be more careful with the thoughts that seek to take up residence in your brain. Understand the wisdom of guarding your heart and renewing your mind." See, this is common sense advice, even if you think the Bible was written by men (patriarchal and provincial at times) and not inspired by a loving Father God. You can also take that leap of faith, and "Breathe in God's promises and breathe out His Word." #SusieLarsonBlessings

One of Susie's battle strategies is to network with friends, face to face, not just on social media, and to pray for one another. I would type out the excerpt here, but this review is getting too long already, and I haven't touched upon even a fraction of the ideas, insights, and tactics Susie offers. I'll write a long, detailed response at my blog (carolkean dot wordpress dot com). Another reviewer has summarized all nine chapter titles and the four icons (bowl, flaming arrows, sword, shield), so I will not duplicate that effort.

This is more than a book. It's a call to battle. Susie's audience seems to be almost entirely women, which makes her focus on strategy and fighting tactics all the more intriguing to me. Take heart. Trust God. Memorize more Bible verses, in case you're ever in some prison cell or lost on a desert island without books, and you have to rely on your memory to combat loneliness and desolation. Read, memorize, internalize.

There is so much more I would love to say about this book, but it would take weeks to hear what so many readers will have to share after experiencing "Strong in Battle."

Thank you to NetGalley and Baker House for the ARC of this book. My highest tribute is not the number of stars I might award, but whether I'd buy the book and give it away to friends. This one is giftable. Now, how many copies should I buy....

WOW....This book is a Godsend for me in the place where I am right now in my life . There is not one page in it that does contain some nugget of truth or insight. This book is not just a "good read" to be read once and put aside. I actually find myself re-reading some of the same chapters over and over because I see something new or God reveals something fresh that I may have missed on the previous read. This book is absolutely amazing. Insightful, Inspiring and Impactful are just a few words I could use to describe it.

Susie has written many faith inspiring books but I think this is her most powerful one yet. It’s not a book that will gather dust if you are serious about your earthly purpose and eternal standing. Anyone who has seen one too many battles will undoubtedly shake their heads in resounding, “YES!” to the kind of questions posed that we all have to work out while enduring fiery trials. I can see my copy ending up well-worn from frequent usage- it’s just that practical and deep.

Powerful and healing.... This is a gem packed with truths from the Word that will encourage us and enable us to focus on the Lord in every season of our life!