How many of you have heard of the two books I mentioned in the title? I admit, I hadn't heard of them (or the author, Rachel Hollis) until about a year ago. This is about the same time I became involved in my side hustle (which you can check out here, if you don't know about that.) Anyway, if you've spent any time in DS, or any type of networking type business (or even just work in an office environment) you know there's a lot of "you can do it" positive thinking books and resources out there. I have read several of them. (I have an affinity for self-help/time management books. I get it from my Dad. No joke. Who knew that could be genetic?!)
These fall into that category for me. I enjoyed reading them for that purpose. She has some good ideas about time management, some better ideas about getting big things accomplished in life, and she isn't afraid to be pretty real about her story and her circumstances. (I mean, it's her book...she could have left the parts about majorly embarrassing things that happened to her out, but she didn't. Kudos for that!)
Then, as I'm reading them, and doing a little research into her and her books and biz, I start hearing these rumblings from other websites and bloggers about how terrible the books are and how they are a personification of everything that's wrong with Christianity today. Wait, what?! Who is reading time management/self help books for Bible study? Do people do that?!
Apparently, they do. Or they know other people who do. Whatever. (And maybe that is part of what's wrong with Christianity today...) Um, no where that I could find are these books classified as a Bible study, y'all. So, first of all, stop freaking out. If your church is doing a Bible study on them, and you have an issue with that, yeah...go talk to your pastor. (Nicely!) Because that's not what they were meant for. (And it's not really fair to attack a book or an author for something that she didn't even intend...just saying.) And *news flash* just because a book is published by Thomas Nelson or is sold at LifeWay DOESN'T make it appropriate for a Bible study or a personal devotion guide. If you are wondering if these books are good for that, they answer is no. They are good as what they are: time management/ self-help books written by a woman who has built a very successful lifestyle business from literally nothing. If you are looking for that, then by all means, check them out.
If you are looking for a Bible study book, maybe look for the ones who actually say "Bible Study" on them. (Beth Moore, Priscilla Shirer, and Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth or Francie Taylor are just a few names to start with in that category.) Just saying. Or just study the actual Bible. Be discerning, people. It's your job to do that. Not the internet, a Christian article from that website you read, or your friends. It's your job to search the Scriptures "to see if these things are so."
So, to sum up, if you have a thing for rah-rah, you-can-do-it books, then you might want to check these out. You'll definitely get a laugh, if nothing else! If you are looking for your next devotional book, these aren't it. And that's okay. There are plenty of great ones out there to choose from! (Also, the Bible...in case you didn't hear me before...) But most of all, discern! Take the good, filter out the not-so-good, and stay away from the bad. Practice. Because I'm pretty sure no one wants to be one of those "silly women" Paul referred to in 2 Timothy 3. So, go wash your face and read your Bible! :)
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