Book Review: Fear Is Not The Boss Of You by Jennifer Allwood

Sometimes I feel like a book came across my desk at just the right time. It seems to hit all the feel goods and really capture my attention. And then, other times, I know it came across my desk at just the divine time – that is, God’s timing! This book is the latter. It was absolutely no coincidence whatsoever that this book landed in my lap. In fact, I also believe that it was no coincidence that I also happened to need a good book for my nightly walks and runs and ended up downloading it as an audiobook. Why? Because hearing Allwood’s voice as she poured out her heart really added that extra punch that the Holy Spirit knew that I needed in that season. So if you want my short and sweet review of this book, here it is:

BUY THE BOOK!

All caps and no hesitation in my voice, friends.

Seriously… you don’t even realize how badly you need this book in your life until you are knee deep in it and crying mid-run (#truestory). But if you want more of my why you should buy the book, I’ll share more below –

FEAR IS NOT THE BOSS OF YOU: How to Get Out of Your Head and Live the Life You Were Made For is an incredible book that meets you right where you are – stuck, paralyzed in fear, doubt, discouragement – and inspires and encourages you into your next step. You feel like Allwood is literally taking you by the hand and saying, “we will do this together.” It’s like having a friend right by your side as you face your fears and, in shaking courage, still choose to say, “yes!” Every night that I came home after listening to her words, my spirit was filled with this boost of “I’ve got this!” It was so powerful.

I made myself several notes while listening to this book. I found Allwood’s insights both challenging and motivating; reassuring and thought-provoking. Some things she said encouraged your spirit and re-anchored your hope. Others gave you that swift kick in the butt and knocked you right out of your comfort zone. But best of all, she always, always, pointed you back to God; His provisions, His love, and His beautiful calling on your life.

Here are some of the notes that I jotted for myself. These are a mix of direct quotes and my takeaways. –

• Your feelings do not release you from your calling.
• Know who you are in God.
• Don’t rely on your feelings to tell you truths.
• Don’t wait until you feel confident enough. Let courage and God fill the gap between where you are now and where you want to be.
• What is greater than fear? The call on your life, that your family depends on you, the community of women that depend on you to show up.
• Ask yourself, “Is it a win for you? Is it a win for the people you serve? How can you make it more comfortable, but possible?”

Here are some direct quotes that I enjoyed in the book –

“Right or wrong, make a decision. The world is paved with flat squirrels who couldn’t make up their minds.” – Anonymous

“I wasn’t onstage because I was confident. I was onstage because I was obedient. God opened a door and I said yes. I had the courage to say yes, and whether or not I had confidence was not even a factor.”

“Courage is what will make you say yes to things in spite of your feelings about it… Confidence says I know what I am capable of. Courage says I know who makes me capable.”

“Having confidence in God means I believe He is who He says He is, and He will do what He says He will do. And if He is calling me to it, He will certainly call me through it. And I can have confidence in that!”

“When I started writing this book, I briefly pondered how much I should talk about Jesus here. I had people tell me that if my book was full of God, it wouldn’t sell, and if I ever want to see it on a shelf in Target, I couldn’t have too much religion in it. But I also know that the only thing I could write is my truth. And my truth is, my marriage is healed only because of God. I am alive only because of God. The pain from my childhood has become one of my greatest strengths only because of God. My business has exploded only because of God. To leave Him out of this book would be impossible.”

“You can keep reading and gloss over all the Jesus stuff, but I am smiling as I write this ‘cuz I know how my God works. He has a way of winning people over as He heals their hearts. He’s always done this with me. He has used my story and my life and my talents for years as a gateway drug to have conversations that bring people closer to Him.”

“We cannot teach our kids to give their lives away for the gospel when all they see is us giving away our lives for them.” – Jamie Ivey. “I gotta do things when God says to. Not when I think it’s time. Not when I’m comfortable, but when God says to. Because the kids are watching.” – Jennifer Allwood

“If you are a first, my friend, you are breaking patterns. You are rewriting your family’s future. You are laying holy groundwork for generations to come. And the enemy of your soul is going to do everything possible to stop you. I believe there’s a spiritual side to every battle you fight to achieve what you’ve been called to do. But what an honor that God picked you and thinks you are the one who is going to say for your family, ‘The buck stops here.'”

“And I am completely confident that I don’t have to change the world, but I am responsible for holding down my corner of it and influencing the people God puts me in front of.”

“You gotta get unstuck, girl, because the world needs you.”

“The amateur believes he must first overcome his fear; then he can do his work. The professional knows that fear can never be overcome. He knows there is no such thing as a fearless warrior or a dread-free artist.” – Steven Pressfield, The War of Art

“My five-year-old, Ari, makes decisions based on her feelings. She falls to the floor, kicks her legs, throws a fit, and cries her heart out because of her big feelings. We do similar things as grown-ups. We just do it in our minds, so that other people can’t see it.”

“There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful than that of a continual conversation with God; those only can comprehend it who practice and experience it.” – Brother Lawrence

“In other words, I never waited for an answer. I never got quiet. I just kept forging ahead to the next thing on my prayer list. I was a bulldozer in my prayer time with God. And this isn’t a relationship.”

“We have to do better, because hearing from God so that you can partner with Him to get unstuck and do scary things is where all the magic happens.”

“Most of the biggest things God has ever brought our way didn’t fit on our calendar. I’ve termed them holy interruptions. They are calendar disruptors.”

“I may die of humiliation. Or being out of shape. Or everyone looking at the new girl who is old and fluffy. But girl, I don’t’ even care, because I’ve learned if I can’t get away from an idea, I do my best to chase it. This is how my business has made millions of dollars. This is why I am writing a book. This is why I’ve done ten triathlons.”

“If you find the courage to start, God will work in mysterious ways to bring you exactly to the place where He wants you to be… You can take the next step without knowing where you’re going or why you’re doing it.”

“The more stuck you used to be, the more resistance you’ll face. The bigger the call on your life, the more resistance you’ll get. The greater the impact you are about to have on people, the more resistance you may get.”

“Resistance will come when you start something new. It will haunt you through the messy middle. And it will ramp up whenever you’re about the level up. I’ve seen so many women go through a season when they feel like the wheels are falling off, and it’s always right before the promotion, or the spiritual breakthrough, or whatever it is for them. The enemy is putting in overtime to get people to give up when their breakthrough is right around the corner. They just cannot see it.”

“The bigger your battle, the bigger the victory. The bigger the test, the bigger the testimony. The tougher the lesson, the bigger the blessing. It’s gonna be hard. Its supposed to be. If it weren’t hard, everyone would be doing it. And the devil doesn’t oppose things that don’t matter. What you are doing matters. It counts towards eternity.

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To pick up a copy of this book, visit your local bookstore or find it on Amazon here. (No affiliate links here, friends. These are ALWAYS my 100% honest opinions of every book without any financial kickback or otherwise.)