Wreck My Life: Journeying from Broken to Bold

by Mo Isom

Jesus promises peace and trouble for his followers. But most of us accept the peace and are confused and angry when adversity comes our way.

All-American soccer star Mo Isom knows the struggle firsthand. While her life seemed like a success, she was battling an eating disorder, the suicide of her father, and a horrific car accident. It wasn't until God wrecked her life that she discovered the glory of renewal through Jesus Christ and that wreckage can be sacred rather than scarring. Readers take the journey from broken to bold with her and learn to surrender their lives to the King who was wrecked on their behalf.

Genres: Nonfiction, Christian, Faith, Memoir, Audiobook, Biography, Sports

184 pages, Paperback

First published August 2, 2016

About the author

Mo (Isom) Aiken is a New York Times bestselling author, speaker and blogger. Not only an accomplished writer, Mo was an All-American goalkeeper for the Louisiana State University soccer team, as well as the first female to train with and tryout for an SEC men's football team. She has been featured in Sports Illustrated and appeared on Ellen, ESPN, CBS, The 700 Club, and countless other platforms. Mo speaks nationally and internationally on a variety of faith-based topics, and facilitates a faith-centered blog that has garnered millions of views to date.

Her first book, Wreck My Life: Journeying from Broken to Bold, was a New York Times Bestseller. Her second book, Sex, Jesus, and the Conversations the Church Forgot, transformed the climate of conversations around sex in the body of Christ. And her third book, Fully Known: An Invitation to True Intimacy with God, released to powerful reviews in April of 2021. Mo and her husband, Jeremiah, live in Atlanta with their four children.

Read more at moisom.com and follow her on instagram @MoIsom.

Reviews

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every so often, you find a book that just hits you right in the feels and makes you want to shout with joy with every turn of the page. I was not familiar with Mo's story until recently, just before being selected for the Wreck My Life launch team but I was struck by how even though our stories are different, they are also very similar. My life may have been wrecked by God through different means than Mo's, but I too found grace, joy, and ultimately my voice through the aftermath. This book inspired me in ways that I can't fully express but I am so thankful that it came into my life.

[Renee Jaszczak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone needs to read this book especially if you have a daughter and then she needs to read it too (when the time is right). Once I finished the last page, I wanted to flip right to the front and reread it again. So good!

[Sarah Crinkley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t read enough nonfiction books to know what star value each should receive. I’m giving this 5 ⭐️ because it kept me engaged throughout the entire book and really made me think about my relationships with my family, players, and God. Overall a great read that was quick!

[Della Tingle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful, heart-wrenching read. I had to put the book down after every chapter just to get a breather. Mo’s father and I were first cousins. His mother was practically grown by the time my mother was born, so he was practically grown by the time I was born. I remember him playing with me and my sister for hours! He would sprawl out on the floor and play with us, his two little cousins, nonstop. We adored him! It took me 8 years to finally read this book. I knew it was going to be difficult, but I am so glad I did and look forward to reading it again. Mo has told her story in an honest, nonthreatening way. It’s simply beautifully done.

Many areas really hit home…

“I was comfortable with God in a box and church on a checklist and a cross on my necklace” (27). Oh, how I am the Queen of a good checklist. It is easy to get in that mindset living the busy lives we all live. 🥲

“It’s amazing how quickly our hearts can move from praising God to blaming Him when life’s circumstances suddenly become overwhelming” (86).

“We should all win Academy Awards, really. For how skilled we are at faking ‘fine’” (90-91).

“The masks we hide behind are well crafted, aren’t they?…Are you wearing one right now” (91)?

Mo talks about “searching for sin-sized pieces to fill the God-sized hole within” her (94) until she “realized that Christ didn’t just die for my sins, He died because of my sins” (115).

[Rebekah Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was incredible. Definitely in my top 5. I have previously read her other book and I knew this one would be good. Really pushed me and challenged me to evaluate my walk with Jesus and what things in my life are holding me back from going to deeper. Her testimony is powerful and reminded me of my desperate need for the gospel and how I must always come back to the gospel. 10/10 recommend, it’s a quick, solid, deep read!

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Masochism for Christians.
Why does God want awful things to happen to you? So you'll learn a lesson and not masturbate or have fun anymore. It took Isom a bad car wreck dangling from a tree in her car as her come to Jesus moment. No sex, no drinking, and no more masturbating. Instead she writes a blog and becomes a public speaker. Great.

(No, I'm not an atheist)

[Gabrielle Prose · Rating 3 out of 5]

A surprising memoir! I enjoyed the story of how Mo Isom was able to overcome devastating circumstances & share her faith journey along the way. I would imagine her speaking engagements would be captivating, but as a reader, I was often skimming for the next part of the story to begin.

Overall, an incredible life & an encouraging read for those who can relate to the struggles she faced. Praise the Lord for her faith!

I received an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Becky B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mo Isom shares her story of growing up and the struggles she faced. How she dealt with crazy standards she set for herself, an eating disorder, the mask she wore as she started college, the success she achieved on the soccer field but emptiness she felt inside, how her dad's suicide rocked her world, and how God broke through all the brokeness and heartache as she hung upside down in her wrecked jeep one Thanksgiving. She shares then how her life changed after that, the long recovery process, the healing physically, emotionally, and spiritually that followed. And where God led her once she gave her life over to Him completely.

On the surface Mo seems like the kind of person who had an enviable life. She was a successful athlete with a full ride scholarship breaking records, she was not doing badly in the beauty pageant scene, she was popular and had gained nation-wide media attention. But on the inside she was really, seriously struggling. Mo shares with incredible honesty and vulnerability; she makes the reader feel like a friend she sharing with over coffee. And not just a casual acquaintance. A good friend that you can bare your soul open to. And it is powerful. The things she struggled with are things that so very many humans struggle with. Feeling inadequate, wanting to be liked, feeling like their never good enough, trying to get attention, and trying to numb hidden pain. Her story is amazing and powerful, and I know so very many high schoolers and college kids who need to hear it. I stumbled across Mo Isom via a video series called Reckless she was one of about 8 people featured that shared their stories. When I found out she had a book out, I quickly ordered it for our Media Center. And it was even better than I could have hoped. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a powerful memoir, or any teen or 20 something who is trying to figure out life, how to deal with life's struggles, and how God fits into the picture.

[Molly Wheeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wreck My Life is a memoir of the author's life. Mo’s book brings us through her journey in life. The author showed me through her book that life has bumpy roads but finding what you love will be worth living for. Mo went from loving her family to heartbreak to sports and back to family, all resulting in life changes.

Reading Wreck My Life has changed how I see the world today. Mo’s life went from loving her dad and being “daddy’s little girl” to figuring out who her dad really is. Her dad struggled with pornography and Mo was introduced to it at a young age. Mo kept what she knew about her dad to herself and her mom never knew. Mo also struggled with her faith and believing in God. When her dad commits suicide because of the separation Mo doesn’t know if she can ever believe in God. She asks herself, “Why is this happening to me if God really loves me?” None of Mo’s questions get answered and she lives through life with her passion for soccer. Mo breaks many records when she attends LSU to continue her passion for soccer. But during winter break when she drives home to visit her family she gets into a big car crash. Mo’s life turns upside down and her life changes completely.

Mo is the Author of the book and she plays the biggest role. Mo is a very determined and hard working girl. She goes through family troubles that changed her personality through the book. Mo’s hard working personality shows through her soccer season. She scored a 100 yd. goal that breaks records, ends up in the newspapers, on tv and she will always be remembered because of her outstanding shot. Mo is left being unread, a lot dealing with God. God has confused Mo in her life because of what she has faced. I can relate to Mo because I have questioned things that have happened in my life also. When something goes wrong in life and we don’t figure out answers it is easy to turn to God and question Him. Mo deals with a lot in her life but that has made her the strong person she is today.

This book will make you never want to put it down. Her life is like a roller coaster going to high points in her life and then going all the way back down to the low points she has faced. How she was able to express her feeling in the book makes the story entertaining. Mo shows in her book that even though life goes a certain way stick with it because good comes out of the bad. I know that may sound like not wanting to listen to but with Mo’s story you will never believe what happens in the ending. This book showed me that my life compares to hers and makes me feel that I am not alone. She showed me that life has its ups and downs but in the end believing in God and listening to what he has to tell you will be the best thing someone could ever feel.

This book will make you happy and sad at the same time. I would suggest reading this if you love learning about other people's journeys they have gone through. You will not regret reading Wreck My Life.

[Kendal Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredible book. I feel like I got the steal of the century because my husband found it on the clearance table at BAM. For only $3 I got this jewel of a book as a gift. It had me rejoicing and crying with Mo throughout her life's journey from start to finish. Thank you for your transparency and vulnerability, Mo. Your intentionality with sharing the gospel drips off each and every page. I felt like I could relate to your story so much. I am so grateful you chose to share your testimony with the world. I heard you speak in Mobile, AL at a Women's Resource Center banquet a few years ago and you left such an impression on me. So much so, that my husband remembered and grabbed this book for me to read. I am so glad he did! I will be gifting it to a certain someone who shares a similar story, though I am not sure she is a believer. I am hoping and praying her life will be changed with each and every page.

[LAMONT D · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a powerful testimony at such a young age that can speak to anyone, especially young females battling self-image, mental health and acceptance issues. She lays open her soul on what it was like to battle an eating disorder, to face the suicide of her father followed up by a life-threatening car accident. She was thrust into the spotlight during her college years that taught her much about God's faithfulness and His voice in the midst of chaos and struggle. It appears she has continued her journey with God through her faith in Jesus with a ministry and a family that attempts to reflect His glory to the world. As she states in her conclusion: "There is no shame in bold authenticity. Your brokenness has the power to be transformed into boldness by the King who is authoring your story." Pretty amazing!

[Devonne West · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is your perception of trials in your life? If we truly believe that God is in control, wouldn't it be right to assume that He allows certain things to occur in our lives to strengthen us? As CS Lewis said, "God allows us to experience the low points of life in order to teach us lessons that we could learn in no other way." The story of Mo's life is a story of wreckage and although, Mo couldn't see it at the time; in retrospect, it was clear that God was writing Mo's story for His glory and for her betterment. Let us all be willing to look at our problems and our struggles the same way. Thanks, Mo, for being so brutally and painfully honest. #wreckmylife

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful memoir of Mo’s incredible faith testimony! Like Mo, I am also a former college soccer player who met Jesus dramatically midway through my college career, so I resonated deeply with her amazing story, and was both encouraged and challenged by her inspiring faith. I listened to her narrate her book on Hoopla, and the vivid, descriptive language she used made me feel as though I was living her testimony alongside her. The story was so captivating that I listened to the entire book in just two sittings, which I never do!

Thank you, Jesus, for equipping Mo to share the gospel through her personal testimony! I’ll be meditating on the message she shared for a long time.

[Seth Grindstaff · Rating 4 out of 5]

An inspiring and bold memoir for believers in Jesus.

Well written and at the same time sometimes melodramatic. My favorite ideas came near the end of the book. I'm impressed how young she was when she wrote it.

I wish I would have read this book in middle school or even in college. She has a radical vision of marriage that I am in line with, and a radical vision about the meaning of life which exemplifies something I'd like to follow.

I'm sure the intended audience is female, but I'd recommend this book to anybody. The authentic and radical vibe of this book kind of reminds me of the book "Kisses from Katie," which I also enjoyed. Mo's book, I think, is even more vulnerable.

[Macey (Austin) Castro · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW. What a story! I highly recommend this book to everyone, but especially to student-athletes. Being a collegiate athlete can really be a struggle and Isom addresses many of the struggles: body image, relationships, social life, athletics, eating disorders, academics, etc. It was so encouraging to hear her story and to see how she learned from her struggles and how God wrecked her life in order to save her life. I have been been further encouraged to live boldly in my faith and continue to use my position as a student-athlete as a platform to glorify Him.

[Lisa Swaboda · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fabulous story! It was one of those books where the title caught my eye and I picked it up from the library thinking, "MAYBE I'll read it." Wow....
It's an easy read as Mo is a really inspired writer along with an inspiring athlete and follower of Christ. She's able to eloquently replay her story including highs and lows and dive deeply into how she went from a reticent church-goer to being on #TeamJesus. What a beauty story of God's love and how He tailors our relationship with Him to fit our needs.

[Kate Lendley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I began reading it because it had been on my shelf for a while. This book resonated with me in ways I did not think it would. I know, all too well, that God will wreck your plans before your plans wreck your life. When He does this, it can feel like He has wrecked your life. But with the gentle care of a loving Father, He wrecks us to rebuild us. This book will challenge you and God will use it to change you, read it.

[Lauren Bates]

I heard Mo speak at a women's conference and was inspired by her enthusiasm and passion. These are reflected in her book as well. What a powerful testimony of how God can use us in our brokenness, making us living examples of how He works all things to the the good. The book was a quick read, with easy to understand language, but the author's heart shone through each word. Highly recommend for women looking for an inspirational read pointing to God's redemption.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mo shares her testimony of brokenness, tragedy, and restoration. As I read this story I felt like I knew Mo as she opened so vulnerable and transparent to share about such difficult circumstances in a life of someone who from the outward would seem to have it all. If you are struggling with seeing your life through the sovereign eyes of God, this book is for you.

[Brianna Eubanks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wreck My Life did just that: it wrecked me over and over again. Mo is unflinching as she boldly shares her testimony of brokenness to bold. She consistently carries her voice and it’s clear to the very end. Her words are empathetic and relatable, challenging and convicting, and empowering and loving.

[Abby Pierce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mo Isom’s testimony is so amazingly relatable for me. As someone who grew up being praised for academic performance and high expectations, her story of giving God the control of her future really hit home for me. I recommend this to any young person who is struggling with where they’re at in life and wanting to turn to Jesus whole-heartedly.

[Cindy Coats · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book: ✅

Started this book after work and just finished it. @moisom has a BEAUTIFUL story to tell. God being the center of it all. Some things I’ve struggled with in my life she shares about herself. There’s something in knowing that someone’s walked the same path. Plus. Anyone who can make a 90 yard goal is pretty amazing in my book. Highly recommend! Now on to her newest book!

[Sonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Feeling ALL the feels!

I wasn't ready. Actually, I should've been based on the title, and a friend warning me of this amazing writer. I'd never heard of the author until this book, and now I'm fascinated. So many things to pull from and learn from...This definitely deserves another read, with a pen and notepad close by.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favorite part... “It is not up to us to fully grasp the outcome before we ever commit to the challenge. It’s not up to us to worry or stress about the elements of the process we can’t control. It’s simply up to us to move forward and to trust in God’s provision and direction—knowing along the way we are bound to hit both big and small nos”.

[Jamie Shell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw Mo at a womens conference through church. I completely enjoyed her session and immediately purchased both of her books. I read this one first, since it was written first. God obviously had great plans for her since she survived a horrendous accident. I can't wait to read her next book!! I highly recommend her!!

[Liralen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the book for me, though I have compassion for the events Isom talks about. The book is less story/memoir than it is extended testimony (and sometimes confession), and of course that's perfectly fine if that's what you're looking for but it's not the kind of writing on religion that interests me.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't think I'd like this book at first as I dislike sports but I'm so glad I picked it up.This book has little to do with sports and much more of this young women's Christian journey, learning to trust and depend on Christ through some of the most agonizing experiences a person can have.God bless her! She has such a true heart of service and much faith.

[Carol Sente · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is basically the author’s autobiography of her life to date and how she turned to God after enduring multiple childhood challenges. An impressive soccer and football athlete, Mo Aiken has a gift for expressing thoughts. After enjoying her third book Fully Known, I decided to go back and read her first book (this one) and next Sex, Jesus and the Conversations the Church Forgot.

[Kara Mulligan · Rating 5 out of 5]

You want to read a story of redemption? Pick this up. You want to see Jesus still works? Pick this one up. You want to believe no one is far from Christ? Pick this one up. You want to see how Christ still purses people? Pick this one up!

[Monica Guerrero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read!!

Such an amazing and transparent read. Excellent writing, moving life, incredible heart leaning into what God has for someone. Love love love. Highly recommend reading.