Nervous Systems: Spiritual Practices to Calm Anxiety in Your Body, the Church, and Politics

by Sara Billups

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.

Genres: Nonfiction, Faith, Christian, Religion, Memoir, Psychology, Self Help

240 pages, Paperback

Published November 4, 2025

About the author

Sara 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.

Reviews

[Tamara]

not 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.

[Will Norrid · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Alisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Elisa Chodan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely more of a memoir, but I deeply appreciated Sara's perspective. Refreshing and grounding.

[Lauren]

📱

[Meg Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not what I was expecting (it’s more like memoir), but I still really enjoyed it. Lots to chew on

[Camden Morgante · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is divided into three sections; anxiety in The Body, The Church Body, and The Body Politic. The first half of the book is devoted to the author's story of her own anxiety about health and caregiving and anxiety in family members. In part 2, she addresses scrupulosity and religious anxiety, and in the last section, she describes a posture of "holy indifference" as an antidote to political anxiety. I liked her description of a spiritual retreat. I found this book to be more of a memoir and cultural commentary than "spiritual practices to calm anxiety", as the subtitle stated. I would have liked more practical application, but for those who learn from reading memoir-type stories and cultural critiques, this will be an interesting read.

I received a free copy from NetGalley and the publisher.

[Tyler Stitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I resonated with so much in Nervous Systems. Through Sara’s story with her parents, I was drawn back into my own experiences of caregiving, both in my vocational past and my present day as a parent. There were a couple pages in the book that reflected on Grand Rapids, my beloved hometown, in ways that reminded me of my own journey and help me hold it with little bit more compassion. And, of course, Sara's baseline moral seriousness about the Trump era is a balm, along with a wonderful perspective on how the church can still be a body of care.

The concept of holy indifference at the end of the book challenged me. In 2026, the aberrant, Christian-nationalist pseudo-doctrine of the sin of empathy is a terrorizing force. But thankfully, the Ignation practice of holy indifference is far from this, and in some ways its opposite. It is “Not my will but your be done.” It is a letting-go of outcomes so that you can be faithful to the present moment. It is an untying ourselves from the need to win in order to be at home within ourselves and within God. “Holy indifference is not a state where we do not care about what happens; instead, it is a state of true love.” (214)

This is a book that was regulating to read. In large part this is a memoir, and as such it does a wonderful job helping the reader to intake the subject matter in a calm way.

[Paul Dazet · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Gentle, Grounded Guide for an Anxious Age

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - This is not a book about eliminating anxiety. It’s a book about learning how to live faithfully with it.

Sara Billups’ Nervous Systems is a compassionate, grounded, and deeply wise exploration of anxiety as it shows up in our bodies, our churches, and our political life. Rather than offering quick fixes or spiritual clichés, Billups invites readers to slow down, pay attention, and discover how God meets us right in the midst of our unease.

Her writing is honest and embodied, shaped by lived experience with caregiving, faith communities, and the pressures of our anxious age. I was especially grateful for her refusal to separate personal anxiety from communal and political anxiety, reminding us that our nervous systems are shaped by the world we inhabit.

This book is pastoral without being sentimental, theological without being heavy-handed, and practical without being reductionistic. If you’re weary, overwhelmed, or longing to become a non-anxious presence in an anxious world, Nervous Systems is a gift.

Highly recommended.

[Michelle Ritter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard this author on one of my favorite podcasts and I’m so satisfied on my decision to purchase and read Sara’s take on anxiety and her journey to understanding it. She discusses her own physical body experience with it since her earliest memories suggesting that perhaps it’s genetically passed as well as behavioral modeled. I found her chapters on the anxiety on those of us in the church body and her last chapter on the body politic spoke volumes directly to me and the issues I’ve grappled with under great anxiety while knowing God doesn’t want me living in a constant tailspin even when events are. Whether you feel your anxiety is a choice or not, read this gem of a story to gain some perspective on those who feel like their nervous systems have been hijacked by something malevolent. Sara ends this book with hope that we can exercising our faith to holy indifference will led us to a less fearful existence.

[Anna Rollins · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Dorothy Greco · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Sarah]

This is hard to rate — the book is not really about spiritual practices, as the subtitle promises. Or at least, not about recommending spiritual practices to deal with anxiety. Instead, this is far more of a memoir, detailing Billups’ own journey with anxiety and with various spiritual practices, especially the Ignatian exercises, that have helped her manage to keep functioning in a highly anxious environment. She’s a lovely writer, so 4 stars as a memoir, 2 stars as a book on spiritual formation in an anxious world.

(Edited to add: I don’t necessarily blame her for the misleading subtitle; publishers often make those choices. I just went in with a set of expectations that were not met, and I don’t think were intended to be met.)

[Heatherjoy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel bad about writing this because the author definitely shares some vulnerable parts of life in this book, but the book as a whole doesn't hold together very well. I just couldn't find the thruline in individual chapters never mind the book as a whole; after completing more than half of the book searching for the central message, I started wondering if the author might be pulling blog posts and trying to stick them together in chapters without building the cohesion between the different posts. Perhaps if I had been warned that that would be the format from the beginning, I would have been less frustrated. I don't think she's a bad writer, but without clear structure and themes, there's little I'm going to be able to remember from this book.

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Catherine B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[bre p · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Beth (covergirlbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨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!

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Macy Werner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was life-changing. Sara writes with deep authenticity and vulnerability. The topics covered are absolutely timely, but I also have a feeling that these issues transcend our current climate. They're simply and unfortunately human. I'm grateful for the personal, relational, and spiritual growth Sara inspired in me through the book. I strongly recommend reading this. Once my husband finishes it, I'm looking forward to many subsequent read-throughs.

[Grecia T · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Joel Wentz · Rating 3 out of 5]

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

[Adrienne Skillern · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve dearly loved Sara’s writing for years, and Nervous Systems is no exception. This book is tender and honest about the author’s anxieties in caregiving, motherhood, politics and the church… yet she remains compassionate and hopeful throughout, inviting us ultimately to participate in the non-anxious Holy indifference available to us in Christ.

[Elena Limoges · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Emily Barry Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Jessica Schlereth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sara's sophomore effort is every but as good as her debut. Nervous Systems shines thanks to her measured, thoughtful, and generous voice.

[Cara Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tender, funny, and smart, as we’d expect from the author. I especially liked the last third on the body politic.

[Amanda Opelt · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Ashley McNeese]

This was so good.

[Jen Bradbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.