Get Your Life Back: Everyday Practices for a World Gone Mad by John Eldredge

Get Your Life Back: Everyday Practices for a World Gone Mad Reviews

• 
  Christy

  3.5 stars 


  
  This is one of those books that had parts that really resonated with me and that I got a lot out of, but also had moments I skimmed. Overall, I liked it and it’s definitely the kind of book I needed in 2020.
  
  

  Audio book source: Libby (library borrow)
  Story Rating: 3.5 stars
  Narrators: John Eldredge
  Narration Rating: 4 stars
  Genre: Non-fiction
  Length: 6 hours and 18 minutes
  

  
  
• 
  Sunshine Rodgers

  John Eldredge is my favorite author so I had to read his newest book "Get your life back"!! I believe this book is necessary for everyone, especially for right now! Eldredge gives practical and much-needed guidance on how to slow down your life, re-focus your priorities and appreciate the beauty around you while not being so caught up in the drama of life. I personally loved his chapter on Unplugging from social media (so true!) and being Kind to yourself (self care is key!). I think that in this World Gone Mad...we all need this extra advice to take on the One-minute pause and to transition each task instead of just jumping from one assignment to the next! Eldredge uses his own personal examples on what has worked for him as he juggles a business, a ministry, his writing career, and his family! He includes a "Give it a Try" challenge at the end of each chapter. He prays for his readers at the way end (nice touch!) I would definitely recommend this book - you will indeed 'Get your Life Back'!
• 
  Abigail Hogle

  If you liked The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer— I’d recommend this one! It’s a great reminder to slow down and center on Jesus moment by moment.
• 
  Noel

  My experiences with Eldredge books tend to be intense. I think he and I are kindred spirits. The way we relate to and experience God is very similar (though he is much further along and more full of wisdom than me). So when I read his books they affect me in a deep way. It’s good, but it’s also challenging. I have to be in the right head space to be able to handle reading them.
  
  Anyway, this book was great. It’s about how our world today is wreaking havoc on our souls. The frenzied pace of life, the constant distractions with the internet and social media, it’s all causing us to feel unfocused and burned out and making it difficult to be still and find God (even though he’s always right here). He lays out some ways that we can bring some space into our days and our minds, and to give our souls room to breathe.
  
  If you haven’t read any Eldredge yet I highly recommend it. Any one of his books, though my favorite of the few I’ve read is Waking the Dead. Also, worth noting, he often quotes and references awesome books and movies (Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, Gladiator, The Matrix, etc). I really love that. ☺️😂
• 
  Shelley Lawrence

  Get Your Life Back is a powerful, pertinent “must read” for anyone living in the modern, digital world.
  
  We are all frenzied by incessant distractions, constant notifications, never-ending noise, tragic news and countless responsibilities. It’s no wonder we often feel harried and harassed, stretched so thin we lack empathy and equanimity. We are haggard, bombarded by too much information and not enough quiet; unable to distinguish God’s voice in our lives.
  
  John Eldredge cuts to the heart of the matter, uncovering the reasons our souls are weary and our spirits burdened and offers practical solutions. With discernible clarity, insight, and understanding he gives ample ways to identify and change our frantic pace of life and reclaim our peace.
  
  This book was exactly what I needed and is one I’ll read time and again. I took my time with it and savored each chapter, highlighting, notating, journaling and contemplating. The writing is relatable, easily understandable, with applicable anecdotes and content that is vital and relevant to all. I will definitely revisit and reference this book many times.
• 
  Sunny

  Such a beautiful read! I cannot emphasize enough how helpful and restful this was for me. A much needed, practical guide to listening to and caring for your soul in an age where we're expected to go through daily tasks and interactions with little to no transition or processing time. Please do your soul a kindness and pick up this book.
• 
  Samantha Barnes

  This book needs a new title. I was hesitant to read it, because it sounds self-help-y, but based on a recommendation and a glance at the table of contents, I decided to read it, and it was just what my soul needed.
  
  It’s not a dense read, and nothing in it was a totally new concept. But at the same time, I really connected with the way Eldredge tells stories and points out problems in our world. It pushed me to consider the hold that the world has on my heart and how that prevents me from staying connected with God. It revealed to me places in my daily life I need to slow down, detach from hustle and from performance, and cultivate an awareness of God.
  
  I would describe the aim of this book with a quote from the final pages: “What will you do, on a daily and weekly basis, to find God and receive more of him?”
• 
  Christie

  Parts of this book really resonated with me. It helped explain what I've felt during different season's of life. I have implemented some of the practices he mentions. This is the first year in many years that I have not spent the early months of the year suffering from SAD. And it's not because winter in the north has been mind, it has been particularly harsh this year. I give credit for this to the one minute pause that Eldridge discusses and encourages everyone to do each day. I don't make time for it every day (it really is just a minute) but when I do, I just feel my body relax from head to toe. It really is wonderful and calming. I encourage anyone feeling overwhelmed by the chaos of life to make time to read this book.
• 
  Gavin Andrews

  This is an important book—practices to help in disentangling your soul from the world and it’s frenzied pressures, and reorienting it towards union with God.
• 
  Ed

  This is an excellent read for anyone feeling overwhelmed with the daily "grind" and inundation of messages, texts, emails, pings and dings... you get it. We all feel that burnout. This book helps us to pause and reconnect with reality, with God. Eldredge writes simply and relatably.
  
  Highly recommend.
• 
  Michelle

  What an excellent resource this book was, giving words to thoughts and feelings I've been having such as soul restoration. Then he went on to talk about what causes that trauma and then provided practical steps to move toward healing, all with the ultimate goal of union with God.
• 
  Molly Grimmius

  Sister read.
  Fantastic read with tremendous conversation about slowing down our souls as they aren’t meant to go at this pace of how we live life. It is necessary to slow down if we want to have unity with God and hear his voice. The book offers beautiful and simple ways to slow down our soul.
  
  Want to re read for sure!
• 
  Emma Hingst

  5.1/5
  
  seriously my favorite book i’ve read this year probably.
  i talk to everyone about this book.
  will be re-reading for sure.
  love this guy
• 
  Kelli V Spann

  Yes Yes & Yes. Our bodies and minds do not come with user manuals. We instinctively put in nourishment, and we rest. But, do we truly do the mental self-care that is needed, especially in the harried world we live in? With mental health crises on the rise, TRUST, without some conscious attention given to this, on a singular bases, you Will.Not.Thrive. Please, don’t live a life going from crises to crises, without a level of self care, of self awareness, of mental detox practiced on a daily bases. A dry well does not have anything to draw on. This book will give you real tasks to do, in order to see that your well never runs dry.
• 
  Naomi Klinefelter

  i think, perhaps, one of the most important books i’ll read in my lifetime.
• 
  Angela

  I got this from a free little library and thought of this will be fun!
  Didn't realize it was a very religious heavy thing. So this wasn't for me.
• 
  Erin Laramore

  What a poignant and necessary read for our time! I didn't know what to expect when I picked this one up, but I've loved everything John Eldredge has written, so I didn't even note what it was about. This is such a needed read. The author has looked at the busy, busy - rush, rush world that we live in - where we're always required to be available for our jobs, where social media brings out the worst in us, and where the tragedies that happen every day invade our world at the moment they happen thanks to the internet/media. And how all of this frazzled state of living has completely drained our souls and left us yearning. Mr. Eldredge realistically paints a picture of where we are and gives practical steps for obtaining the needed rest for our souls - emptying them of the busy-ness, and filling them with God instead. In giving up the things that bring us temporary relief and instead gaining restoration. I actually found myself letting out the deep sigh as I read. If you have ever felt frazzled or completely drained, if you find yourself angry for no good reason, I would recommend this book. If you're just trying to figure out how to get rid of some of the things bogging down your soul, I recommend this book. Definitely a 5 star read!
  
  Special thanks for the publisher and NetGalley for an ecopy of this book. I was under no obligation to write a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.
• 
  Rayna

  “We talk about unplugging, but we’re enchanted—by the endless social media circus of love and hatred, the vapid, alarming, sensational, and unforgivable. We’re snagged by every new notification. And while we’ve always had our individual struggles and heartbreaks to deal with, now we have the tragedies of the entire world delivered to us hourly on our mobile devices. This is all very hard on the soul. Traumatizing, in fact.”
  
  I savored this book and read it chapter by chapter. At first I should’ve thought I should wait until a busier time, but it was just when I needed to live with intention into the madness this world will be bringing me once people can leave their home.
  
  Goes great as a companion to the Pause app which is offered for free—a way to regularly practice the things recommended in the book for caring for your soul.
• 
  Steve Kingsbury

  I've heard it said that authors frequently are writing a message to themselves which in retrospect seems quite accurate. John Eldredge has very openly done just this within this book which makes the message much more relatable and authentic.
  
  John states within the book that he has a difficult time following his own guidance on how to effectively mitigate/minimize the negative impacts of the insane pace and demands that we and society have placed upon ourselves. At first readers could come to an unfavorable conclusion when reflecting on this very human fact. Why after all should we read what is in large part a self care how to book when the author states that he still struggles to follow his own wise counsel. The answer is simple, the problem is far bigger than ourselves requiring the infinite power, wisdom and love of God our Father.
  
  We live within very driven times that demands that we give more of ourselves than is physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually available or remotely healthy. In isn't so much that we are trying to "keep up with the Jones" it is in many respects simply trying to survive because our society's insatiable quest for more takes from everyone. In many ways our collective current economic philosophy is a zero sum game that benefits a few at the expense of many, or more accurately the rest.
  
  John does a nice job of painting this picture without necessarily stating this reality. Listening to and earnestly following God's simple instruction is simple yet difficult - it requires choice which He wisely allows and encourages us to make. There are several very wise gems of wisdom within this book which if read within the context that we all struggle can provide you insight into how you can make sound decisions and implement effective practices to help you maintain balance and live more within the abundance of joy that God desires for His children.
• 
  Josh G.

  Great book with unique practices for taking care of the soul. I needed this book during this season. Eldredge speaks with the wisdom of an experienced counselor, the tenderness of a loving father, and the exhortation of a concerned friend. I will be trying to implement these practices—especially Benevolent Detachment—in the near future.
  
  My main criticism of the book would be how Eldredge characterized his experience of hearing the voice of Jesus. I certainly believe the Spirit of God leads the people of God, but I think to characterize “hearing” Jesus “speak” as a reference to subjective internal impressions is biblically problematic and practically dangerous. For more on this, see the great insights by Greg Koukl:
  
  
  https://www.str.org/w/hearing-god-s-v...
  
  
  https://www.str.org/w/does-god-whispe...
  
  
  https://www.str.org/w/does-god-whispe...
  
  
  https://www.str.org/w/does-god-whispe...
  
  This criticism aside, Eldredge’s book is packed with practical wisdom and encouragement for those wearied and drained by the pace, pain, and problems of our current moment. Be discerning as you read, but embrace the bulk of this book with an open mind toward restoration and renewal.
• 
  Linda

  I have ambivalent feelings about this book. On the surface these ideas are good, but as a Christian who believes in the power of the Bible, I was uncomfortable with some of the ideas being a little bit "off".
  
  An example is to say something like "God, I want more of You, give me more of You." While I know what the author is going for, it makes me uncomfortable because if I have the Holy Spirit living in me, I have all of God. 1 Peter teaches that we "have all things pertaining to life and godliness".
  Therefore, I don't need more of God -- I need to believe and act on what I already have -- trusting that what He says is true.
  
  All in all, Christians would be better off doing some deeper book by book studies of the New Testament.
• 
  Jordan Houghton

  I don’t typically read very many books like this, sort of a Christian self-help book it seemed at times. However, each chapter was incredibly convicting for me and John Eldridge has changed many of my habits! Removing notifications from my phone has been liberating alone, but I have also loved his One Minute Pause app, creating a sabbath rest from my phone on the weekend, putting together jars of “memories” from special places or occasions in my life, practicing ‘touching nature’ each day, incorporating worship into each day, and praying for other’s success. So many wonderful habits to create and invite union with the Lord every day!
• 
  Kandice Miles-Scott

  This book took me a while to get through. Not because it was a difficult read, but because I let life get in the way. Getting back to this book was like taking a dip in the water. So refreshing! I loved the message of this book to just pause, take a minute, adore the beauty around you, thank Jesus, and become more in tune with Him. 10/10 recommend for everyone.
• 
  Becca Bosch

  3.5 stars. Really enjoyed the first half of the book, but the second half felt less instructional and more preachy. Regardless, a lot of it still resonated with me and I have learned some new practices that I hope to incorporate in my daily life.