A review of the recent book All The Feels by Elizabeth Laing Thompson. Plus enter to win a copy of the book on Instagram! This post contains affiliate links.
All. The. Feels.
If you were looking for a phrase to describe this year, that might just be it. 2020 is the full range of the emotional spectrum – anxiety, peace, weariness, energy, denial, connection, anger, confidence, doubt – and on and on. (That’s me, at least. Anyone else?)
So the timing of this new Christian non-fiction book about emotions by Elizabeth Laing Thompson is on point. We are tied to so much and feeling all of the things right now. How do we connect with the beauty of the emotions God gave us, while keeping them from becoming so overpowering that they knock us over?
What do we do with all the feels?
When I’ve mentioned this book to people, there is a resounding response: “I need that book!” And I agree! These are things we can all connect on: that we feel things, a lot of things sometimes; that those feelings can resonate and even possibly overwhelm us; and that we want to understand how to best process and use our emotions to live out our purpose.
Elizabeth begins this book with a quiz to figure out how you typically approach emotions – with an open heart and wide arms, as a big feeler; with moderation and balance, as a steady feeler; or at arm’s length with little welcome, as a reluctant feeler.
No matter how you experience them, all the feels are real and can be powerful. They can make you more aware, mindful, and thankful; they can prompt you to action when needed. But they can also take you by surprise, and be a lot to take in at times.
All The Feels is both practical and personal.
Elizabeth, a big feeler herself, eloquently describes the wonder of feelings, and practically walks the reader through how to manage them. She often refers back to the different types of “feelers”, so you can identify which you most relate with for the most applicable tips.
Each chapter ends with a scripture to pray through and questions to journal through, so you can really work through “all the feels” in your heart. Also, each chapter is packed with Scripture and real-life examples that are incredibly relatable. I appreciate the author’s vulnerability in this.
All The Feels makes a great Bible study resource, either on its own, or as a jumping point for further study.
The first part of the book really re-frames our mindset about our emotions.
It helps us to understand why they are there in the first place, God’s plan and purpose for them, and the lines we need to draw when it comes to them. One of my favorite quotes from this section is:
“Made in the image of God, we reflect his nature not just physically, but emotionally. And what a passionate God he is! We feel because he feels. We love wildly and give lavishly because he shows us how.”
The second part of the book gets more into how to manage those extra-involved feelings that tend to “trip us up”.
These thoughts include anxiety, borrowing burdens, cynicism, idealism, and guilt. They focus on skills to develop that help you go back to God and the scriptures, how to set limits, and how to utilize your gifts and see the positive. This is a valuable resource in particular to go back to again and again when dealing with these feelings in everyday life.
Finally, the third part of the book is all about applying your feelings in the real world.
This means at home, in relationships, in church, and more. Again, this section is full of personal anecdotes (some you might be able to relate to well!) and also practical tips.
Ready to tackle All The Feels?
For a head start on the book, check out the free 5-day Bible study on the also free YouVersion app. (The page also includes links to free Bible studies on two more of Elizabeth’s books.)
Take the “What Kind of Feeler Are You?” Quiz on Elizabeth’s website.
Use the Instagram Story template below to share your “feels”! Simply screenshot the image below and add to your stories. Be sure to tag @elizabethlaingthompson – I’m sure she’d love to see it.
You can order the book on Amazon here. OR – for your chance to win a copy of the book, visit my Instagram page! Enter all this week through October 9, 2020.
Leave a Reply