Geri Scazzero's I Quit ~ Reviewed

I Quit!: Stop Pretending Everything Is Fine and Change Your Life
Geri Scazzero
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Zondervan (August 31, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0310321964
ASIN: B0057D8UAW

Description

Geri Scazzero knew there was something desperately wrong with how they were doing their life and ministry. She finally told her husband, 'I quit,' and left the thriving church he pastored, beginning a journey that transformed her, her marriage, and her church. Geri quit being afraid of what others think. She quit lying. She quit denying her anger and sadness. She quit living someone else's life. I Quit provides you a way out of an inauthentic, superficial spirituality to genuine freedom in Christ. I Quit is for every person who thinks, I can't keep pretending everything is fine!' Biblical quitting goes hand in hand with choosing. When we quit those things that are damaging to our souls or the souls of others, we are freed up to choose other ways of being and relating that are rooted in love and lead to life. When we quit fear of what others think, we choose freedom. When we quit lies, we choose truth. When we quit blaming, we choose to take responsibility. When we quit faulty thinking, we choose to live in reality. When we quit for the right reasons, quitting changes us. Something breaks inside of us when we finally say, 'No more.' But it must be done for the right reasons, at the right time, and in the right way. That's what this book is about.

Review:

I found Emotionally Healthy Spirituality to be a good read and was intrigued by Geri Scazzero's choice to shake up the foundation of her marriage. In "I Quit" she shares her story and the reasons that she quit being the shadow-person she had donned like an ill-fitting Halloween costume. Geri's story and very practical and helpful advice transcends and trumps Emotionally Healthy Spirituality.

Emotionally Healthy Spirituality is a why with a little how and the how Is almost overwhelming at times. However, Geri condenses, suggests, and even pushes like a good coach. There are eight habits or attitudes that Geri looks into and suggests readers hack out of their life. She shares personal stories, struggles and sorrows and gives help with how she overcame or is overcoming those particular sticky spots and how the reader can, too.

I have lived far too many years being disappointed with other Christians and trying to make other Christians happy. My last few years have been marked with a discontentment and frustration with the Christianity machine that has produced "nice" people who try to get along while disagreeing "politely" or living life as they interpret it should be lived. And trying to please those same people has become a burden I can no longer bear. A book with the title "I Quit" really appealed to me on so many levels.

"I Quit" relies on common sense, psychology and theology. I didn't look with a microscope at her theology. Actually, I rarely do in a book on Christian living because every one of those is written through a flawed human who has learned lessons through the lumps, bumps, scrapes and scars from their own unique path. So I can't say that I agree absolutely with every word written by Geri or her take on all aspects of psychology and Scripture. But I can say that this book was good for my soul and one that I can recommend it as a small group study or to an individual who is fed up with the Christian religion that seems to have forgotten about the founder's heart and His call.

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer