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This Little Fire of Mine: How Flickers of Doubt Can Spark a Bolder, Brighter Faith
Adoptive mom, Army wife, and influencer Kendall Mariah shows listeners that if you are willing to embrace the uncomfortable friction that comes with leaning into big questions and hard conversations, you'll discover a new way to deepen your faith, find your true purpose, and anchor your identity in Christ.
We all know "the formula": make the right friends, go to church every Sunday, choose the right school, marry the right guy, seek the wisdom of God, and the desires of your heart will be met. Being a good Christian girl has its rewards, right? But what if you do everything "right" and something still feels off?
Kendall Mariah followed the rules but still ended up experiencing a disconnect between her beliefs and her lived experiences, between her values and what she saw happening in church. She wanted to be authentic and speak her mind but felt the pressure to sit back and be quiet, acting like everything was fine. She began to call the tension between these feelings "soul friction." It led her to start asking questions that sometimes felt uncomfortable and speaking up when it would have felt more comfortable to keep quiet. Along the way she discovered that she wasn't alone in feeling soul friction.
In This Little Fire of Mine, Kendall seeks to remind every woman that we shouldn't hide our light but should boldly press into our faith and live with conviction, because a real and vibrant faith is anchored in Jesus and nothing else. As she leans into honest conversations and thoughtful questions, Kendall shares
how doubt can lead to discernment, questions can lead to clarity, and spiritual angst can transform your heart and guide you to a deep inner peace; the important of pursuing an integrated life where our words and actions reflect the full truth of Scripture; why good friction is healthy and can bring people together and reshape families and communities; and why it's safe to take your doubt, anger, and fear to Jesus and how it can help you develop a more meaningful relationship with him. Kendall urges listeners to let the contradictions they feel in life guide their questions and convictions as they find themselves in a beautifully surprising, more intimate relationship with God than they knew was possible.
We all know "the formula": make the right friends, go to church every Sunday, choose the right school, marry the right guy, seek the wisdom of God, and the desires of your heart will be met. Being a good Christian girl has its rewards, right? But what if you do everything "right" and something still feels off?
Kendall Mariah followed the rules but still ended up experiencing a disconnect between her beliefs and her lived experiences, between her values and what she saw happening in church. She wanted to be authentic and speak her mind but felt the pressure to sit back and be quiet, acting like everything was fine. She began to call the tension between these feelings "soul friction." It led her to start asking questions that sometimes felt uncomfortable and speaking up when it would have felt more comfortable to keep quiet. Along the way she discovered that she wasn't alone in feeling soul friction.
In This Little Fire of Mine, Kendall seeks to remind every woman that we shouldn't hide our light but should boldly press into our faith and live with conviction, because a real and vibrant faith is anchored in Jesus and nothing else. As she leans into honest conversations and thoughtful questions, Kendall shares
how doubt can lead to discernment, questions can lead to clarity, and spiritual angst can transform your heart and guide you to a deep inner peace; the important of pursuing an integrated life where our words and actions reflect the full truth of Scripture; why good friction is healthy and can bring people together and reshape families and communities; and why it's safe to take your doubt, anger, and fear to Jesus and how it can help you develop a more meaningful relationship with him. Kendall urges listeners to let the contradictions they feel in life guide their questions and convictions as they find themselves in a beautifully surprising, more intimate relationship with God than they knew was possible.
- GenresSelf Help
240 pages, Paperback
Published February 17, 2026
7 people are currently reading
2815 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 24, 2026
I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book from NetGalley & Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest review.
I have followed Kendall Mariah on Instagram for a while, so I was so happy when I received an ARC of her upcoming book! We share the experience of adoption—more specifically, transracial adoption—so parts of this book felt deeply personal.
What resonated most with me was what Kendall calls “soul friction”—that tension that shows up when you know something isn’t right but you don’t know what to do about it. I have had seasons of wrestling with God, seasons of doubts and seasons of disappointment, and I felt seen in Kendall’s words. Her reflections on adoption and her health journey were especially moving. While our stories look different, the emotions—grief, surrender and learning to trust God in the tension—felt incredibly familiar.
Kendall doesn’t encourage walking away from faith during seasons of struggle and tension; she invites you to sit honestly with God, ask thoughtful questions, and allow that tension to deepen—not diminish—your relationship with Him. She challenges the negative connotation around the word “deconstruction,” highlighting that for many people, it’s simply looking at your faith and asking “What do I believe and why? Is it because it was passed down to me or is this faith and belief truly my own?” In that sense, I HAVE asked those questions—and came out on the other side with a stronger relationship with Jesus.
“These questions aren’t about breaking faith apart just for the sake of questioning—it’s about rebuilding it on something real, true, and personal. Because when we do the work of figuring out what we actually believe— beyond expectations, beyond religious culture, beyond inherited faith—we find something deeper. We find Jesus himself.” - Kendall Mariah
I truly enjoyed this book—it’s a quick read, but one that challenges you to do self-work, ask hard questions and spend time in conversation with God. It releases on 2/17, so add it to your TBR!
I have followed Kendall Mariah on Instagram for a while, so I was so happy when I received an ARC of her upcoming book! We share the experience of adoption—more specifically, transracial adoption—so parts of this book felt deeply personal.
What resonated most with me was what Kendall calls “soul friction”—that tension that shows up when you know something isn’t right but you don’t know what to do about it. I have had seasons of wrestling with God, seasons of doubts and seasons of disappointment, and I felt seen in Kendall’s words. Her reflections on adoption and her health journey were especially moving. While our stories look different, the emotions—grief, surrender and learning to trust God in the tension—felt incredibly familiar.
Kendall doesn’t encourage walking away from faith during seasons of struggle and tension; she invites you to sit honestly with God, ask thoughtful questions, and allow that tension to deepen—not diminish—your relationship with Him. She challenges the negative connotation around the word “deconstruction,” highlighting that for many people, it’s simply looking at your faith and asking “What do I believe and why? Is it because it was passed down to me or is this faith and belief truly my own?” In that sense, I HAVE asked those questions—and came out on the other side with a stronger relationship with Jesus.
“These questions aren’t about breaking faith apart just for the sake of questioning—it’s about rebuilding it on something real, true, and personal. Because when we do the work of figuring out what we actually believe— beyond expectations, beyond religious culture, beyond inherited faith—we find something deeper. We find Jesus himself.” - Kendall Mariah
I truly enjoyed this book—it’s a quick read, but one that challenges you to do self-work, ask hard questions and spend time in conversation with God. It releases on 2/17, so add it to your TBR!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I’ve followed Kendall since her blogging days, so I was excited for this book, and she did not disappoint! She puts words to the uncomfortable, often lonely experience of questioning your faith in spaces that prefer certainty over curiosity. The prompts are powerful, the questions are bold, and the reassurance is clear: doubt isn’t the enemy. This book gives permission to ask hard questions, sit in the tension, and come out the other side with a deeper, more honest faith.
February 19, 2026
I’ve followed Kendall on social media for a while and was so excited to get my hands on her book. I was not disappointed. She talks through so many feelings some of us millennials grew up in the church feel and battle with. She takes out the same of discussing hard topics. I highly recommend listening to the audiobook so you can hear her accent! Sounds just like FaceTiming a friend!
December 3, 2025
I don’t usually read anything but fiction but I felt called to read this one and I am glad I did. It had me asking myself so many questions and it was truly eye opening in some aspects of how I perceive things. It was a really good read.
February 18, 2026
I finished this book in one day! This book literally made me feel like I was on the phone or FaceTiming the author. It was such an easy read that makes you really think while also being so empowering. I absolutely recommend you read this book! She is real, raw, and funny in all the best ways.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book is like having a conversation with the author! Every woman that wants to have a deeper understanding of her faith should read this book!
February 19, 2026
A great read for those with inquiring minds who aren’t afraid to ask questions. Kendall is very relatable and a great story teller. I can’t recommend enough!
February 20, 2026
Super inspirational and very timely for this season in my life. Can't wait to see what Kendall does next!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews