Get Your Life Back: Everyday Practices for a World Gone Mad

Christian counselor and lecturer Eldredge (Wild at Heart) examines in this insistent work the toll of what he sees as society’s relentless pace and obsession with social media. “My soul just can’t do life at the speed of smartphones. The world has gone completely mad, and it’s trying to take our souls with it,” he writes, assuring readers that their lives can be renewed by receiving help from Jesus. He introduces simple practices—one minute pauses, “drinking beauty” (taking in the miraculous quality of nature), unplugging from technology, practicing kindness toward others and the self—and explains how to implement these habits with a daily schedule. Eldredge encourages readers to fully experience feelings, even uncomfortable ones, and recommends setting healthy benchmarks (such as hours working or exercise time) to prevent falling into unhealthy patterns, as well as to help recognize when pressures (such as the push to share one’s personal life online, or to constantly keep up-to-date) are building. Eldredge gives personal examples, like spending time with his horses or taking daily walks, that help him avoid being “sucked back into the madness.” With its suggestions for Christians that their “only rescue” is found in seeking more of God, this restorative guide will appeal to faithful readers wishing to slow down their lives to live out God’s plan. (Feb.)