Probably not a shocking headline if you live in our world today. In fact, you may have even thought, “Yeah, that’s me. And…?” Part of the reason we are so overwhelmed is that we somehow feel the need to meet this mysterious “society’s” view of what we and our kids should be. How we should look. How we should act. How we should think.
Sadly, we often struggle to conform to this unknown tyrant without even considering if any of those are values God has for our lives. So I was interested when offered the chance to review the book Not the Boss of Us: Putting Overwhelmed in Its Place In A Do-All, Be-All World by Kay Wills Wyma.
The author spends the book attempting to convince the reader to abandon the overwhelming need to fulfill a demand of the world and replace it with a real truth of God’s. She covers nearly a dozen topics from performance pressures to image and group pressures and many others common to today’s parents and kids.
Fair warning, depending upon your current state of mind, you may want to have some tissues handy as you read. The book begins and ends with the story of her teen-aged daughter’s friend who committed suicide. The book doesn’t dwell there though. The author gently guides readers through her personal struggles from her battle with an eating disorder to the death of a friend and the every day struggles of raising kids.
It’s not really a depressing book though. Wyma weaves throughout the lies we often believe that overwhelm us. She writes to show how believing God’s Truths can set us free in ways we never imagined.
The book isn’t full of scriptures, although there are some. It’s not set up to be a Bible study. There aren’t any pre-written prayers for you to pray at the end of each chapter. There aren’t any discussion questions to be found. And that’s okay with me.
This book doesn’t try to be more than it is – a discussion between friends – in this case the author and reader. Wyma opens up her life in all its chaotic beauty and shares how she too can get distracted and overwhelmed by lies. Then, as a friend would do, she tells you the truths she found in God’s word that she now tries to remember when the lies begin to overwhelm her again.
If you feel overwhelmed and distracted, this gentle book may be what you need. It can give you things to re-consider you may have forgotten in the busyness of life. It may also serve as a firm, but gentle reminder to place your worth, your hope and your future where it belongs – with God.
This book was given to me for free in exchange for my honest review. An affiliate link is included for your convenience.