*sponsored post- I received this book in exchange of my own honest review

When I was asked to review this book I did not even hesitate to try and grab the opportunity before it was gone. This is a subject that has mystified me and plagued me for many years. I knew that I had to read this book- because well, it boasts of a solution right?

I have to be completely transparent here so that you can understand my review a bit more...I recently (the last 6 months) went through a major life change that left me feeling utterly alone and shattered (and no, it wasn't the covid, although that has increased my loneliness). My family decided to take a step back from our religious organization to really dig into God and evaluate if our church home was the right fit for our family. Our 15 year faithfulness to our church became so hard- a burden. Church had become: an obligation due to leadership roles; a place of hostility due to conflicting views; a place I felt condemned for not conforming to church standards; a place I no longer felt safe to be real, loved, and accepted.

I prayed and sought the Lord for months about what we needed to do. Should we stay and stick it out...forgive and trudge on despite conflicting views? Or do we silently bow out and look for another place to call home? I mean, who wants to come home to a house that isn't welcoming anymore?

After finally deciding to leave I was devastated to learn that many of the people I thought of as family has (present tense) unfriended and blocked me on facebook. I know it's just social media, but I felt like there wasn't a possibility for communication or reconciliation. I was thrown into an emotional, mental, spiritual and a physical tsunami. I basically had to start my entire faith journey all over again!

I have been lonely. 

Really lonely. 

So seeing this book review offer in my email was like a flittering butterfly of hope sent from God to remind me that He sees me and cares. But I have to say- I am a bit disappointed in this book. Not that it's not a great book!! It totally is! I was left wanting to read this same material from a woman's perspective (maybe I found my new book topic!).  It's just that women write and talk to other women differently than men do. 

But despite that, I loved the book. In the 192 pages the author really digs into some really fundamental reasons we are experiencing loneliness within the church. And yes, that is a thing, I've lived it! And I've been guilty of some of the things listed in the book to contribute to our own loneliness: pride, jealousy, unforgiveness, disunity, none submission. 

It's amazing how when I started this book I was searching for rock solid 1, 2, 3 do these steps and your loneliness will disappear. What was I even thinking? I should have know better. Jack Eason made me stop and reflect on how I made myself lonely and how to remedy it with actions on my part, like: being willing to trust others; being authentic and real; and true fellowship with others. 

Jack Eason, that is a hard thing to do. But thank you. Thank you for making me look in myself and not out at them. Now, he does mention that sometimes it can be the other party- and at times it was. That doesn't even matter at this point because...I was so profoundly impacted by the message in this book that I actually reached out to some people in that church to reconcile. I have yet to receive a response (it's still the same day ;-) but I am confident that the book has help change my perspective and no matter what, I will be better for it. 

Hard questions are asked at the end of each chapter along with a "Put It Into Practice" section that gives you some practical ways to do what you just read. I loved that element! It was really what I was looking for- but for me I was left feeling like there was something missing. Maybe the woman's perspective? His ideas were awesome and anyone could use them, but they were definitely blanket suggestions. 

Overall, I love this book. *****5***** 

I would recommend this book to anyone looking to dig deeper into themselves to find that solution- because that is where it's at.