Breaking Up with Perfect: Kiss Perfection Good-Bye and Embrace the Joy God Has in Store for You

Carroll, popular speaker with Proverbs 31 Ministries and founder of their Next Step Speaker Services, shares her reflections on the pursuit of perfection that she sees as ensnaring modern Christian women. Her style veers from personal essay to Bible teaching, as she describes the two paths women choose in trying to live perfect lives. Those who buy in to "Good Girl Syndrome" follow rules by nature and are people-pleasers, while those with "Never Good Enough Syndrome" use perfection to cover up pasts filled with wounds and shame. Using those constructs, Carroll discusses how women can begin to break free from the urge for perfection that fills their heads, hearts, and time. In so doing, they can begin to live in freedom and love deeply, in line with God's purposes. She colors in a solid and easy-to-grasp framework with personal examples, Scripture, and thoughtful end-of-chapter exercises. Her writing will likely fit best with readers from conservative Protestant denominations, rather than those looking for a wide-armed approach inclusive of readers who don't attend church regularly. For her core P31 audience, what emerges is a book that deals honestly, thoughtfully, and graciously with their struggles of the heart. Agent: Blythe Daniel, Blythe Daniel Agency. (July)