Rounding up from 4.5 stars - partly because if I was looking for a Christian book, this would have been five stars for me.

Luvvie Ajayi mentioned this book online and I didn't really do any vetting other than that before requesting an ARC. I didn't notice the "Christian" tag in NetGalley until I started reading and then I was a bit wary. Then I read a bit more about the author's background (worked on Democratic presidential campaigns) and realized this might be a more liberal/respectability-politics type book than I was in the right place for (I was totally wrong for the record). But that's all on me and I jumped in anyway.

I'm so glad I read this book! It is very readable. I'm usually pretty slow reading non-fiction with my eyes and I flew this relatively quickly. This book really does serve as a guide to people who want to work toward more personal growth and social justice and it is anchored by the author's personal narrative, making it relatable and well-timed for my current moment in life. I've been ruminating a lot lately about worth as an antidote to shame and fear in the world right now and it feels like this book is essentially powered on the idea of importance of self worth.

I must admit, the frequent God and Jesus mentions and bible quotes had me bristling, but again - that's on me for not reading the tin and mostly I was fine to just sort of read around that. And I may have even highlighted one or two bible quotes. I do also appreciate that the author calls out how the Bible has been weaponized by the far right to oppress people, suppress reproductive rights etc. and how she learned about the problematicness of mission trips.

Not unlike other books of this type, at times it can feel a little bit listy/platitude-y but I found it was usually soon balanced by the author's personal stories and examples that brought things more to life. And
I like that each chapter had some very practical exercises and reflections.

This was an easy read that felt motivational and inspirational with a solid grounding in real (relatively radical) social justice theory and history.

Raw. Gritty. Personal.

This book is an invitation to social justice for believers and non-believers alike. It is filled with personal stories and seasoned with Scripture.

Some references to astrology, and trigger warnings are given before sensitive content.

"Flip the Tables" is an excellent blueprint for those of us who are created to initiate change in our communities and ultimately the world. I say initiated because Alencia frequently mentions that it doesn't take a large platform to get started. We can begin right where we are, with what we have. One man plants, another waters, but God gets rhe increase.

I appreciate her honesty and guidance. She not only shares some of the most painful experiences in her life, but she also gives practical exercises to help others start on their "Flip the Tables" journey.

Writing about my values and beliefs, as opposed to what I do for a living, really helps me get a clearer picture of who I desire to be in this world. Making note of my five core values helps me to tackle my mission of being a disruptor with a tunnel vision approach.

Taking inventory of personal and professional commitments for the next month and rememebering the dreams I had for life as a child, are two exercises that I found to be most helpful in reminding me to relax, take time for myself, and reconnect with the vision that started it all.

A reminder of where it all began is often needed because their are many experiences since childhood that have stolen the purity and innocence a twelve year old's dreams.

I recommend this book to anyone who has the slightest feeling that they were created to do more. Not more as big in the eyes of the world. But more as in connecting with those in their communities. Supporting and speaking up for the locals who continue to be overlooked and underserved locally and nationally.

For those who dare to explore and learn the truth about people from other cultures, backgrounds, and lifestyles. Those who are courageous enough to move beyond stereotypical tropes and media propaganda.

Contrary to popular opinions, humanity has more similarities than differences.

4/5 ⭐️s - I enjoyed this book! It is worth the read! Especially, if you are seeking to do inner work, reflection, and take action in your life and community.

Flip The Tables is a different perspective from what we may be use to. It provides clear and sound advice and insight into how we can help improve ourselves, the people around us, and the communities in which we live in.

As a Christian, I resonated and appreciated scripture as a source to rely on throughout her book. We often given someone’s opinion about what to do instead relying on God’s word for direction.

It is an easy read but don’t let that fool you. The author has done the work and wants her readers to benefit from her knowledge and experience. FTT is a body of work that will have you wanting to do more for self, others, and your community.

As a Black woman, therapist, and Christian, Flip the Table deeply resonated with me. It challenges the passive faith often taught in churches and reclaims Jesus’ righteous anger as a model for confronting injustice.

Spiritually, it affirms that faith should be active, not complacent. As a therapist, I appreciated its validation of anger as a tool for change. As a Black woman, it spoke to the tension of resisting systems that silence us.

This book empowers believers to disrupt oppression rather than conform. It’s a must-read for those seeking a faith that comforts and challenges. Thought-provoking and timely, Flip the Table calls us to embody justice with boldness and conviction.

Lastly I would like to thank Taylor P and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to Worthy Publishing for an early copy of this book.

This book has really changed me. It has changed the trajectory on how I view things in life. The author takes the readers on a journey on how to redirect things, and shift your perspective! She uses biblical practices, and real life facts to back up her reasoning and I love that as a Christian myself.

I really enjoyed the book and look forward from more from the author!

Alencia Johnson takes the reader on a journey of self discovery in the most delicate and insightful way. As a disruptor who always placed the blame on others, Johnson applies facts and biblical principles that taught me the importance of doing the internal work while also improving the community around you. How I deliver information to others and how I speak to myself will be forever positively changed because of this book. Alencia, thank you for the words you have shared and for the insight!

First, let me just get out there that I was very disappointed to find out this was not actually a Christian book. Using Jesus a couple of times throughout the book to prooftext your point and justify your personal choices does not make a book Christian, especially when the biggest chunk of anything that you dedicate to Jesus is to highlight what a great human He was and how much we can learn from the way He asserted Himself. That wasn't the point of Jesus's life, and it's not a Christian teaching. This is a political book. Its main purpose is to promote liberal heroes and ideology and to declare them as objective truth. It does not stand on God's word and doesn't even pretend to.

To the book itself, though, which I did read in its entirety - I can't think of a person on this earth who I would have more fundamental disagreements with than this author. I had never heard of her before (which sounds like it might offend her, since she's very proud of her life in the public spotlight), but I wonder if she realizes that if I were to invest myself wholeheartedly in creating a more just society as it is on my heart to do (and I DO do this), she and I would be working in diametrically opposed directions. All the things she thinks are important to justice, are not on my radar for what true justice looks like. Her heroes are not my heroes. Her conclusions are not my conclusions. It would be simple for her to then just write me off as someone who doesn't understand, which is something else she likes to do throughout the book, but that's because she seems to have tunnel vision for what is worthwhile when, in fact, what we both understand is that humanity is messy. At least, she says she understands that.

This is the tension that we live in. I often see folks on one side of the aisle or the other say that democracy is in great danger when their side loses, but friends, this is how democracy works - the people show up, vote, and one side wins and the other side(s) lose. Just because you're on the losing side doesn't mean democracy itself is in danger. And yet, I imagine that I would be easily cast aside by her worldview for simply disagreeing with her, for working "the other direction" on the issues she feels are most important.

Here's the thing - those aren't the issues. They really aren't. That's not where justice is going to be found or won or carried out. None of it. And it saddens me to read that as much as she talks about having a bigger table, building a bigger welcome, making room for more chairs to be pulled up, she also makes it clear that white men (and many white women) would not be welcome at her table...unless they are committed to her causes. She even says it about one of her idols, someone she continually promotes throughout the book - Senator Elizabeth Warren. She wasn't interested in working for this white woman until this white woman showed that she was committed to the author's causes. So...sorry, white folks; Alencia is busy building a world that you're not welcome in. Unless you're willing to give up your own perspective and adopt hers because yours has been historically wrong and damaging forever and hers is...enlightened or something. I don't really know. What I do know is that she's not really looking for a more just world; she's looking for HER vision of a more just world and anybody that's not on board with that is unenlightened, unwelcome, and working "against their own best interests."

That said, she'll probably just write this review off because I am, after all, a white woman. But to do so would be to ignore the work that I have done and do in my community for real justice and my inclusion in a number of "marginalized groups" that she claims to be fighting for.

This book could have been good. I had really high hopes for it. I think these are conversations that we need to have. But I felt like I was being talked at by a naive young woman with a very narrow worldview, and it just didn't work for me.