My Own Worst Enemy

What are you thinking? Why did you say that? What makes you so special?

Self-doubt?

Accusation?

Sabotage!

I heard a friend recently describe her heart-pain as the peeling away a bandaid. Along with the sticky tape, comes the hair and flesh. It’s painful. No one likes it. There is something worse, though. Debriding. This treatment is used to remove the dead or damaged tissue from a wounded area, usually done in a clinic with a scraping tool, by the wound care specialist. I’ve been present most times when my husband’s doctor used this procedure on his cellulitis infected legs. This man, who used to roll boulders around, load pallets of brick, shovel mounds of topsoil, nearly cried.

Bethany House

As badly as I felt for him, I was glad the wounds were being addressed. They began to heal at a much quicker speed than hidden beneath the dead tissue. Pink, fleshy tissue took over and soon, pain subsided.

Why am I telling you this?

Just this week, I experienced something similar. However, the debriding was of my heart, and the physician—Jesus, through the writing of Janet Davis and her latest release, My Own Worst Enemy: How to stop holding yourself back.

Page after page, Mrs. Davis uncovers another layer coated with lies that have saturated my life. Day after day, I’ve found myself relating to either her personal example, or the woman she chose to illuminate and examine in Scripture. Each chapter covers an element of our character as women and how words—regardless of intent from their speaker—perceptions, and experiences often sabotage us and keep us from fulfilling the desire of God’s heart … to shine. Whether it be fear of being prideful, or honestly feeling inadequate, Mrs. Davis shares with us that God has embedded in each one of us dreams, goals, desires, a voice, and a vision that He wants us to experience and live out.

Each chapter begins with a poem, a question to consider—something to get us thinking about our story, and then it ends with “your story” where she asks a series of questions, encourages us to write or share those stories, and grow, heal, and become stronger through them.

Personally, I found it very interesting that on the day I questioned whether God had truly called me to write was the day I read about Mrs. Davis’ personal struggle with what she believed God calling her to do—to write. The exact words she uttered, I had just spoken over myself. Coincidence? No.

My Own Worst Enemy is an incredible book, encouraging women to grow into all that God has destined us to be. Whether through individual study or small group, this book is a great tool to debride the lies from our hearts and begin to live the way were meant to live—life abundant.  

 You can find your copy at Bethany House, CBD, and Amazon.

**This book, compliments of Bethany House Publishing, in exchange for my honest review. Their generosity has in no way influenced my sentiments towards this work. 

Come Rain or Shine, Keep Dancin'

K. A. Jacobsen
Writer
southpawscribbler@gmail.com