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Nervous Systems: Spiritual Practices to Calm Anxiety in Your Body, the Church, and Politics
Every era has its challenges, but ours seem to be majoring in anxiety. Bombarded (via screens) by constant global conflicts, rancorous politics, and church scandals, today we endure seemingly endless external stressors. The reasons are easy to find--division in politics and the pews, caring for kids or aging parents, and the rapid impact of social media on our psyches, to name a few. While exploring these origins may hold some benefit, Sara Billups is concerned with right now: How do we live well in the presence of pervasive personal and collective anxiety?
The dissonance between Jesus saying "Do not worry" and her heart's inability to stop worrying led Sara to seek out spiritual rhythms and practices that create a holistic, holy response to the anxiety brimming in our bodies, our churches, and our society.
Nervous Systems offers helpful, doable daily practices for anxiety in the large and small trials in our lives. This collection of personal and cultural observations invites us to let go in the presence of our anxiety. Join Sara in learning how, with God's help, to face anxiety head-on rather than trying to pray it away or, worse, grin and bear it.
The dissonance between Jesus saying "Do not worry" and her heart's inability to stop worrying led Sara to seek out spiritual rhythms and practices that create a holistic, holy response to the anxiety brimming in our bodies, our churches, and our society.
Nervous Systems offers helpful, doable daily practices for anxiety in the large and small trials in our lives. This collection of personal and cultural observations invites us to let go in the presence of our anxiety. Join Sara in learning how, with God's help, to face anxiety head-on rather than trying to pray it away or, worse, grin and bear it.
240 pages, Paperback
Published November 4, 2025
48 people are currently reading
2712 people want to read
About the author
Sara Billups
2 books49 followersSara Billups is a Seattle-based writer and cultural commentator whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Christianity Today, Aspen Ideas, and others. Sara writes Bitter Scroll, a monthly Substack letter and co-hosts the podcast That’s the Spirit. She earned a Doctor of Ministry in the Sacred Art of Writing at the Peterson Center for the Christian Imagination at Western Theological Seminary.
Sara works to help wavering Christians remain steadfast through cultural storms and continues to hope for the flourishing of the Church amid deep political and cultural division in America.
Her first book, Orphaned Believers, follows the journey of a generation raised in the 80s and 90s of evangelicalism, reckoning with the tradition that raised them and searching for a new way to participate in the story of God. Her second book, Nervous Systems, will be released November 4, 2025, from Baker Books.
Sara works to help wavering Christians remain steadfast through cultural storms and continues to hope for the flourishing of the Church amid deep political and cultural division in America.
Her first book, Orphaned Believers, follows the journey of a generation raised in the 80s and 90s of evangelicalism, reckoning with the tradition that raised them and searching for a new way to participate in the story of God. Her second book, Nervous Systems, will be released November 4, 2025, from Baker Books.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
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November 5, 2025not going to rate this because i feel that would be mean to the author, but this was just not what was promised in the title at all. it's a memoir about the author's journey with anxiety.
whereas i thought i'd learn how to calm my anxiety in church and politics, instead i just learned about her church and her political experience (and her personal family anxieties, which made me more anxious!) i do love that she assured us that her son had given permission to talk about his mental health. very important to give him agency over his story.
whereas i thought i'd learn how to calm my anxiety in church and politics, instead i just learned about her church and her political experience (and her personal family anxieties, which made me more anxious!) i do love that she assured us that her son had given permission to talk about his mental health. very important to give him agency over his story.
November 4, 2025
Nervous Systems offers a personal exploration of the tensions and anxieties that impact so many of us in our frazzled world. Billups uses her own story to speak to the chronic cycles of nervous anxiety that form and figure into our physical bodies, the body of Christ, and the American body politic. While tackling heavy material drawn from caregiving for aging ill parents, parenting teens, and navigating the pandemic, the book does not leave us comfortless.
Billups invites us to imagine a world, “…where rest is not a luxury, synonymous with distraction or equated with boredom. Where rest is not a marker of status when presented as leisure or out of reach for the overworked, burned-out, or always on-call. I would only like this rest if my neighbor, too, can find it. It’s not something we can earn or qualify for by being good. The kind of rest I’m looking for? I wonder if it is something we can discover through care.”
Advocating a non-fatalistic holy indifference of open-handedness toward both blessings and trials while embracing a call to mutual care, Billups doesn’t tie up the book like a bow, but instead suggests we shift the way we see our anxieties and use these tensions as a means of spiritual growth and community formation.
Billups invites us to imagine a world, “…where rest is not a luxury, synonymous with distraction or equated with boredom. Where rest is not a marker of status when presented as leisure or out of reach for the overworked, burned-out, or always on-call. I would only like this rest if my neighbor, too, can find it. It’s not something we can earn or qualify for by being good. The kind of rest I’m looking for? I wonder if it is something we can discover through care.”
Advocating a non-fatalistic holy indifference of open-handedness toward both blessings and trials while embracing a call to mutual care, Billups doesn’t tie up the book like a bow, but instead suggests we shift the way we see our anxieties and use these tensions as a means of spiritual growth and community formation.
November 4, 2025
Billups discusses with grace the anxiety many of us are familiar with, be it within our own bodies, surrounding church culture, and/or the political climate over the past decade at least. For so many of us, all three of these manifestations of anxiety dwell in our spirits…sometimes all at once.
Caregiving
Wellness culture
Church disillusionment and the way of Jesus
Elections and nationalism and privilege and tradwifwery (and more!) are all included and spoken of simultaneously directly and with care.
Her second book is another installment for those of us who feel a bit othered, and like her first, this one feels like home. Like a macchiato with a friend who sees you. It puts on no airs and is humble and kind and I can’t wait to crack my physical copy and underline page after page.
If you feel a bit of an anxious orphan in physical body, church body , or body politica, or know someone who does— and this includes maybe all of us— you should read it.
Caregiving
Wellness culture
Church disillusionment and the way of Jesus
Elections and nationalism and privilege and tradwifwery (and more!) are all included and spoken of simultaneously directly and with care.
Her second book is another installment for those of us who feel a bit othered, and like her first, this one feels like home. Like a macchiato with a friend who sees you. It puts on no airs and is humble and kind and I can’t wait to crack my physical copy and underline page after page.
If you feel a bit of an anxious orphan in physical body, church body , or body politica, or know someone who does— and this includes maybe all of us— you should read it.
December 27, 2025
This is definitely more of a memoir, but I deeply appreciated Sara's perspective. Refreshing and grounding.
December 11, 2025
Not what I was expecting (it’s more like memoir), but I still really enjoyed it. Lots to chew on
September 22, 2025
There's so much I loved about this book, including the way Billups so thoughtfully connects anxiety in individual bodies, church bodies, and the body politic (it is all intertwined, after all).
But most significantly, I loved her tone and voice: I was grateful that she leaned into nuance and questions, resisting easy answers as she unpacked the various forces that press upon us. She is not interested in blame but in surrender and openness.
There were so many lines I underlined in this book about scrupulosity and embodiment. I related deeply to her discussion of being trained to avoid risk in order to keep from making mistakes, and how the pursuit of "being good" is often far from "healthy holiness."
And I appreciated her prescription for our cultural and individual anxieties: holy indifference. Not as a kind of giving up, but as a giving into the spirit.
But most significantly, I loved her tone and voice: I was grateful that she leaned into nuance and questions, resisting easy answers as she unpacked the various forces that press upon us. She is not interested in blame but in surrender and openness.
There were so many lines I underlined in this book about scrupulosity and embodiment. I related deeply to her discussion of being trained to avoid risk in order to keep from making mistakes, and how the pursuit of "being good" is often far from "healthy holiness."
And I appreciated her prescription for our cultural and individual anxieties: holy indifference. Not as a kind of giving up, but as a giving into the spirit.
January 5, 2026
I appreciated Sara's honesty and insights regarding anxiety. She's vulnerable and well-informed. Holy Indifference, the final chapter, was my favorite. One small, insignificant critique. Though Billups offers specific directives/ideas throughout the book that one could look to when anxious, the subtitle and blurbs can give the impression that it's more of a how to. The blurbs on Amazon and Baker read, "simple daily practices for calming anxieties." The author does not default to giving formulaic advice and at least in my opinion, combating anxiety is rarely simple. Authors seldom get to choose their title/subtitle so I'm not "blaming" her for this choice just noting it in case others were expecting a less nuanced how to.
November 1, 2025
Sara is wise beyond her years. She gave a voice to many of my own thoughts. As a woman in my 70s I carry a lot of anxiety not least of which is whether I will live to see our country heal. I hold much anxiety concerning my children and grandchildren and the world they will live in. The picture Sara painted of praying on the porch for her son resonated loudly for me. I’m still processing this book and will read it again when my hard copy arrives. (I read an advanced digital copy) Thank you Sara for an insightful read that made me feel seen.
December 28, 2025
A well written consideration of anxiety for Christians. How do Jesus followers live out His words to not be anxious? The suggestion she returns to is the Ignatian spiritual exercises and specifically holy indifference. I listened to the book, and plan to read it in print to more fully consider her ideas.
The book addresses the anxiety brought on by aging (parents and self), brought on by religion/faith/church and brought on by politics.
My reason for four stars is that much of the text is rooted in our current political climate, which is great, but keeps me giving it five stars.
The book addresses the anxiety brought on by aging (parents and self), brought on by religion/faith/church and brought on by politics.
My reason for four stars is that much of the text is rooted in our current political climate, which is great, but keeps me giving it five stars.
January 12, 2026
I had high hopes for this one! I enjoyed the topics - anxiety, mental health, politics, spirituality and religion. The cons I felt like I was reading more of a memoir that was compiled of substack essays (that didn’t feel connected at times), versus a book. I did enjoy reading about the authors experience and appreciate her tying all these topics and threads together! I don’t feel that I gathered many “spiritual practices” like the title suggests, but did learn a bit more about contemplative prayer, which I enjoyed.
October 6, 2025
✨Thank you to Baker Books for the Advance Reader Copy ✨
I’ve followed Sarah’s deep and wise commentary on current events since the pandemic days. She has a way of sharing bold truth that makes you take a second look at your inner biases and comfort zones.
Nervous Systems centers on three areas that are sources of anxiety for today’s Christians:
The Body
The Church Body
The Body Politic
The Body is an intimate and honest look at aging and illness in our physical bodies.
Sarah discusses our cultural obsession with delaying or concealing the inevitable, but the majority of this section focuses on her anxiety in the role of caregiver to aging parents. Truthfully, I was unable to finish this section because the stark, repetitive descriptions of this season of life were feeding my own anxieties for the future.
The Church Body examines the signs of instability/anxiety within the American church.
This section is an expanded update of the conflict Sarah addressed in her first book, Orphaned Believers. Can the decision to stay and work change in our chosen places of worship, the local body of broken believers, counterbalance our urge to checkout of organized gatherings in order to remain unaffiliated with those that embrace Nationalism?
The Body Politic is the part of the book where I found myself reading through the eyes of my most cynical exvangelical friend.
Sarah observes how the growing decline in support of pluralism has positioned Christianity in a fight for dominance, preying on the fear that a religiously diverse country weakens America.
Just as in her previous book, Nervous Systems immediately sold me on the premise. I have people in my life who are seeking stability in these areas, and likewise my own anxieties to grapple with.
In the days following my read, I find myself facing the same question as when I read Orphaned Believers. How shall I recommend this book?
Does the reader need to have a similar Christian upbringing in the 90’s and early 2000’s to relate? Do you need to be someone who normally reads memoirs to embrace its incredibly personal and poetic contents alongside the research? Most importantly, will it give readers the space to consider an opposing viewpoint?
I’ve come to the conclusion that the best way to read Sarah’s writing is as if you are sitting down to catchup with Sarah over coffee (or whisky).
She was clearly getting organized before you arrived. The table has a stack of books she’s been reading, some printouts of articles she highlighted, and her Bible has visible tabs. Her phone is nowhere in sight, and she’s clearly not on her first cup of coffee.
Sit down and compare notes on what you’ve noticed about life and church and politics lately. Sarah’s thoughts are well-educated and poignant, and I fully expect your conversation to meander widely from the world at large to what’s happening in her family life.
As you swing from the teachings of St. Ignatius to the rise of tradwife influencers, grab hold of what you want to think more deeply about on the drive home.
✨If I could recommend just one thing for this book, to help the contents settle even more deeply, it would be a few reflective questions at the end of each section. If that doesn’t happen, make sure your post-it notes or journal are nearby!
I’ve followed Sarah’s deep and wise commentary on current events since the pandemic days. She has a way of sharing bold truth that makes you take a second look at your inner biases and comfort zones.
Nervous Systems centers on three areas that are sources of anxiety for today’s Christians:
The Body
The Church Body
The Body Politic
The Body is an intimate and honest look at aging and illness in our physical bodies.
Sarah discusses our cultural obsession with delaying or concealing the inevitable, but the majority of this section focuses on her anxiety in the role of caregiver to aging parents. Truthfully, I was unable to finish this section because the stark, repetitive descriptions of this season of life were feeding my own anxieties for the future.
The Church Body examines the signs of instability/anxiety within the American church.
This section is an expanded update of the conflict Sarah addressed in her first book, Orphaned Believers. Can the decision to stay and work change in our chosen places of worship, the local body of broken believers, counterbalance our urge to checkout of organized gatherings in order to remain unaffiliated with those that embrace Nationalism?
The Body Politic is the part of the book where I found myself reading through the eyes of my most cynical exvangelical friend.
Sarah observes how the growing decline in support of pluralism has positioned Christianity in a fight for dominance, preying on the fear that a religiously diverse country weakens America.
Just as in her previous book, Nervous Systems immediately sold me on the premise. I have people in my life who are seeking stability in these areas, and likewise my own anxieties to grapple with.
In the days following my read, I find myself facing the same question as when I read Orphaned Believers. How shall I recommend this book?
Does the reader need to have a similar Christian upbringing in the 90’s and early 2000’s to relate? Do you need to be someone who normally reads memoirs to embrace its incredibly personal and poetic contents alongside the research? Most importantly, will it give readers the space to consider an opposing viewpoint?
I’ve come to the conclusion that the best way to read Sarah’s writing is as if you are sitting down to catchup with Sarah over coffee (or whisky).
She was clearly getting organized before you arrived. The table has a stack of books she’s been reading, some printouts of articles she highlighted, and her Bible has visible tabs. Her phone is nowhere in sight, and she’s clearly not on her first cup of coffee.
Sit down and compare notes on what you’ve noticed about life and church and politics lately. Sarah’s thoughts are well-educated and poignant, and I fully expect your conversation to meander widely from the world at large to what’s happening in her family life.
As you swing from the teachings of St. Ignatius to the rise of tradwife influencers, grab hold of what you want to think more deeply about on the drive home.
✨If I could recommend just one thing for this book, to help the contents settle even more deeply, it would be a few reflective questions at the end of each section. If that doesn’t happen, make sure your post-it notes or journal are nearby!
November 21, 2025
Memoirish--author gave personal, involving family, experiences, plus that of others. I did not find what I was looking for [I'm a worrywart] --helpful tips for myself. I found one sentence in in the Introduction that was helpful: acceptance [of the particular situation]. To me that means absolute Trust in God.
The last chapter, "Holy Indifference", was valuable. Thanks to LibraryThing for an ARC.
The last chapter, "Holy Indifference", was valuable. Thanks to LibraryThing for an ARC.
November 18, 2025
Through this book, Sara Billups shares her journey as she navigates her anxiety within the church and the political atmosphere. This book also shares aspects of her role as her parents' sole caregiver.
Overall a touching and relevant read for anyone who has struggled to navigate their anxiety as a believer and who have felt helpless in the extremely divided political scene.
Overall a touching and relevant read for anyone who has struggled to navigate their anxiety as a believer and who have felt helpless in the extremely divided political scene.
December 18, 2025
This book isn't served well by its subtitle. It's actually much more of a memoir/personal reflection, seasoned with some research and a few suggestions for spiritual practice. That said, the writing is gorgeous and moving. I didn't always connect with it, but there are many powerful moments.
Video review here: https://youtu.be/P_lbxZvTlgM
Video review here: https://youtu.be/P_lbxZvTlgM
November 25, 2025
This book has been a gift to read and has met me at the exact moment I needed it. I loved Sara Billup’s words on displaying beauty in our faith and the honest but hopeful look at our broken world. I highlighted so much. I hope you will read this book.
November 28, 2025
Really enjoyed parts of this—especially about the church and the body politic. The first section was the longest and not as relatable for me. And even though I appreciated the author’s memoir-like reflections, I was hoping there would be more practical guidance for the reader like the subtitle suggests.
October 28, 2025
Sara's sophomore effort is every but as good as her debut. Nervous Systems shines thanks to her measured, thoughtful, and generous voice.
November 7, 2025
Tender, funny, and smart, as we’d expect from the author. I especially liked the last third on the body politic.
November 9, 2025
One of the best books I've read this year. Sara perfectly describes the experience of anxiety, and offers not only solidarity but words of wisdom to guide you through. A must read.
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November 12, 2025This was so good.
November 18, 2025
Really appreciated this thought-provoking work. Also appreciated Sara’s exploration of caring for her parents, which is just so relatable to me right now.
December 2, 2025
i appreciated sara billups sharing her story and history with anxiety in this book. i did feel it leaned more into memoir rather than practical application, which has its pros and cons. the author took an interesting approach, sharing her story of anxiety in terms of the body, the church body, and the body politic. faith and the concept of holy indifference were shared as her remedy for anxiety, but again - the description of the book seems to emphasize "daily doable practices" for the fight against anxiety but it was hard for me at least to see exactly what these were in practice. i thought the book was very thoughtful and may be worth a re-read in the future.
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December 23, 2025I have listened to Sara Billups on a few podcasts and appreciate her articulation of the ideas in this book. However, I didn't jive with the execution in the book itself.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews