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Comfort Detox: Finding Freedom from Habits that Bind You
"For too long I have lived life on comfort mode, making choices for life engagement based on safety, ease, and convenience. It has left me very little wiggle room, just a small parcel of real estate upon which to live, move, and have my being. It's not quite the abundant life Jesus was offering." Whether we're aware of it or not, our minds, bodies, and souls often seek out what's comfortable. Erin Straza has gone on a journey of self-discovery, awakening to her own inherent drive for a comfort that cannot truly fulfill or satisfy. She depicts her struggles with vulnerability and honesty, and shares stories of other women who are on this same path. Straza also provides practical insights and exercises to help you find freedom from the lure of the comfortable. This detox program will allow you to recognize pseudo versions of comfort and replace them with a conviction to embrace God's true comfort. Discover the secret to countering the comfort addiction and become available as God's agent of comfort to serve a world that longs for his justice and mercy.
204 pages, Paperback
First published February 7, 2017
38 people are currently reading
368 people want to read
About the author
Erin M. Straza
2 books46 followersErin Straza is a contemplative writer, heartfelt speaker, and redeemed dreamer. Her first book is Comfort Detox: Finding Freedom from Habits That Bind You (InterVarsity Press). She is managing editor of Christ and Pop Culture and co-host of the Persuasion podcast. As a freelance communications consultant, Erin helps organizations tell their stories in authentic and compelling ways. She lives in Illinois with her husband, Mike.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
February 7, 2017
Did you see the Super Bowl commercial with Melissa McCarthy? She gets a call from someone who tells her she needs to save the whales, and she gets all fired up to help. Pretty soon she's out on a jet ski trying to save the whales... until a whale flips in the air and sends her catapulting through the air. But she doesn't give up. No, she takes the next call to save the trees, and the polar ice cap, and even the rhinos, but each time her adventures end in comic mishaps until she finally settles on a way to be a hero without all the danger: she chooses to drive a more fuel-efficient vehicle.
In Comfort Detox, Erin Straza urges comfort-cocooned Christians to stop hoarding comfort without having to go full-blown Radical or Crazy Love. Straza's is more of a fuel-efficient vehicle option: a way to do your part for the kingdom without scrapping the life you're already living.
If it sounds like I'm criticizing her thesis, I can assure you, I'm not. I loved Francis Chan's passion in Crazy Love, but I'm currently pretty occupied raising my four kids. In my position, I can't exactly sell everything I have and give it to the poor (Luke 18:22), but that doesn't let me off the hook. I can still offer the comfort of a cold glass of water in the name of the Lord (Matthew 10:42) to those in need. But I can only do that if I'm open and looking for those opportunities.
While I didn't often connect with the Part 1 ("Comfort Gone Rogue"), her ideas really picked up steam in Part 2 where Straza breaks down the ways that our need for comfort often draws us to sources of artificial or temporary comfort instead of drawing us back to the Comforter. Later, Straza explains that once we've received comfort, we may only be experiencing half the blessing of that comfort if we simply hoard it for ourselves: "It's possible that the act of giving away comfort from the very afflictions we've endured brings an even greater solace. Comfort is actually multiplied in the giving and reduced in the keeping."
Straza exposes her own comfort addictions and the many small but significant choices she's made to allow the pain of others to penetrate her defenses. Her examples are relatable but not intimidating. Perhaps she doesn't go far enough to challenge us out of our comfort zones in some places, but I never doubted her honesty, her earnest desire to be a source of comfort, and her clear vision of what ought to be.
This is a book for those of us who start to feel a little bit of "compassion fatigue" after seeing all the places and people that need help. Like Melissa McCarthy, we may have even tried our hand at whale-saving or tree-hugging only to realize how little one person can do against such insurmountable, unstoppable forces. For us, Straza lays out a plan at the end of each chapter to help us confront our own comfort addictions and begin opening ourselves up to the needs of others.
I was particularly moved by quotes from Henri Nouwen that reminded me that my own wounds can be a source of healing for others especially if I exhibit "a constant willingness to see (my) own pain and suffering as rising from the depth of the human condition which all men share." I am moved to be more earnest in my prayers for others, more compassionate, and more obedient to the opportunities that arise to share the burdens of others. It may not be jet-skiing through the arctic waters to save a whale yet, but who knows where such openness and compassion will lead?
In Comfort Detox, Erin Straza urges comfort-cocooned Christians to stop hoarding comfort without having to go full-blown Radical or Crazy Love. Straza's is more of a fuel-efficient vehicle option: a way to do your part for the kingdom without scrapping the life you're already living.
If it sounds like I'm criticizing her thesis, I can assure you, I'm not. I loved Francis Chan's passion in Crazy Love, but I'm currently pretty occupied raising my four kids. In my position, I can't exactly sell everything I have and give it to the poor (Luke 18:22), but that doesn't let me off the hook. I can still offer the comfort of a cold glass of water in the name of the Lord (Matthew 10:42) to those in need. But I can only do that if I'm open and looking for those opportunities.
While I didn't often connect with the Part 1 ("Comfort Gone Rogue"), her ideas really picked up steam in Part 2 where Straza breaks down the ways that our need for comfort often draws us to sources of artificial or temporary comfort instead of drawing us back to the Comforter. Later, Straza explains that once we've received comfort, we may only be experiencing half the blessing of that comfort if we simply hoard it for ourselves: "It's possible that the act of giving away comfort from the very afflictions we've endured brings an even greater solace. Comfort is actually multiplied in the giving and reduced in the keeping."
Straza exposes her own comfort addictions and the many small but significant choices she's made to allow the pain of others to penetrate her defenses. Her examples are relatable but not intimidating. Perhaps she doesn't go far enough to challenge us out of our comfort zones in some places, but I never doubted her honesty, her earnest desire to be a source of comfort, and her clear vision of what ought to be.
This is a book for those of us who start to feel a little bit of "compassion fatigue" after seeing all the places and people that need help. Like Melissa McCarthy, we may have even tried our hand at whale-saving or tree-hugging only to realize how little one person can do against such insurmountable, unstoppable forces. For us, Straza lays out a plan at the end of each chapter to help us confront our own comfort addictions and begin opening ourselves up to the needs of others.
I was particularly moved by quotes from Henri Nouwen that reminded me that my own wounds can be a source of healing for others especially if I exhibit "a constant willingness to see (my) own pain and suffering as rising from the depth of the human condition which all men share." I am moved to be more earnest in my prayers for others, more compassionate, and more obedient to the opportunities that arise to share the burdens of others. It may not be jet-skiing through the arctic waters to save a whale yet, but who knows where such openness and compassion will lead?
May 7, 2023
I originally had to read this for an assignment, but I really enjoyed it. I was expecting some kind of airy, motivational speaker-esque call to "get out there and live your life!" but this was far from that. Instead, I read a thoughtful look into emotional fatigue and how our own fears can lead us into apathy and away from the compassion God calls us to have for others. I also appreciated the author's efforts to address privilege and ethnocentrism and draw readers away from the idea that serving requires saviorism, rather than simply caring for others well.
May 6, 2019
Wise, thoughtful, practical, and inspiring. Erin is a friend, but I would have loved and been helped by this book even if she weren't!
March 6, 2017
I wasn't sure what to expect from Comfort Detox, but it turned out to be just what I needed. Erin is a gifted writer and her personal experiences combined with knowledge of scripture and thorough research yields a powerful exploration of comfort and the role it plays in our lives. As Christians, we know that God is our only source of true comfort, but so often we allow ourselves to become desensitized to the pain of the world around us and the work that needs to be done by indulging in temporary comforts of the flesh and mind. This book changed how I view the world and my definitions of "want" and "need." I've been recommending it non-stop since before I even finished it.
I received a complimentary copy from InterVarsity Press via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I received a complimentary copy from InterVarsity Press via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
March 5, 2017
Should be a memoir
This book should be a memoir, rather than meandering into Christian living. It's not meaty enough to be teaching. The title is a little deceiving too, because I thought the author would talk more about specific ways we go to comfort idols rather than God and give suggestions to reorient to the Comforter. (Detox)
The author basically wants the reader to think about others, get out of "small life" thinking and "feel all the feels." She lost me at that statement--"feel all the feels." Really? If you want to read a book that is more helpful on comfort, idols, living intentionally, loving others, etc. read Radical by David Platt. It seems she enters his lane without the meat or experience to pull it off.
This book should be a memoir, rather than meandering into Christian living. It's not meaty enough to be teaching. The title is a little deceiving too, because I thought the author would talk more about specific ways we go to comfort idols rather than God and give suggestions to reorient to the Comforter. (Detox)
The author basically wants the reader to think about others, get out of "small life" thinking and "feel all the feels." She lost me at that statement--"feel all the feels." Really? If you want to read a book that is more helpful on comfort, idols, living intentionally, loving others, etc. read Radical by David Platt. It seems she enters his lane without the meat or experience to pull it off.
June 5, 2017
Straza's book goes after one of culture's largest sacred cows: comfort. I appreciate her insight, her straight shooting, and her willingness to speak truth about our tendency to choose comfort over challenge, risk, and sacrificial giving.
Here are 2 examples:
"There is too much to do and too much brokenness in this world for any of God's people to sit idle, amused by life pursuits that benefit only ourselves."
"We are modern-day Esthers. We have a place in the palace, a seat at the table of influence. There is much good we can do if we practice the habit of leveraging that influence to benefit others rather than feathering our own nests."
Here are 2 examples:
"There is too much to do and too much brokenness in this world for any of God's people to sit idle, amused by life pursuits that benefit only ourselves."
"We are modern-day Esthers. We have a place in the palace, a seat at the table of influence. There is much good we can do if we practice the habit of leveraging that influence to benefit others rather than feathering our own nests."
Read
May 31, 2017A good book for Lent or any time that addresses North American privilege and addiction to comfort. In contrast, comfort detox means "putting off old ways to make room for the new"; choosing "compassion over convenience, trust over safety, humility over perfection."
February 10, 2017
Erin has been a mentor to me. We connected through Christ and Pop Culture (where I do some writing). She is the managing editor of the Christ and Pop Culture magazine, which is for members only. And she has a podcast through CAPC, with Hannah Anderson, called Persuasion. This is one of my favorite podcasts, because these two women are deep thinkers, culturally savvy, and don't spend too much time chatting and giggling (as do some podcasts for christian women).
Now Erin has launched into the book publishing realm to release Comfort Detox: Finding Freedom From Habits That Bind You, through Intervarsity Press. She starts off with what she calls "The Shredding", which for her was a defining moment in the red light district of India. This shredding was a humbling experience and a severe mercy that devastated her, but woke her up to the sorrowing world around her. And out of "The Shredding" came what she terms, "The Question", which was, "What am I doing?" Erin finally faced this uncomfortable question when she came home from India. This is where her comfort detox began.
Erin does a great job explaining what she means by a comfort detox: it is rewiring our brain by rewarding it with true comfort, instead of the false comforts of this world, and thereby replacing old habits with good ones. She brings thorough analysis of the culture around us and the craving for comfort, and specifically unpacks a few ways our culture attempts to satisfy this craving. Three broad categories for old, world-conforming habits are: convenience, safety, and perfection. These three areas are ways we seek comfort. But Erin points us in a new direction.
Her new direction is true comfort. And Erin unpacks the idea of God being our comforter. This where comfort is redeemed. As Erin says, "I have pursued the comfort of things, when all along comfort is a person." She goes on to say that God designed us to crave comfort, but it was meant to find ultimate satisfaction in him. And the comfort from God does not stop here, but is joined together as we comfort others with the comfort we have received, which in turn equals more comfort for us. Instead of collapsing inward, we must turn outward. This way, as Erin says, we'll receive a full measure of comfort. She says, "True comfort enables us to turn outward - toward God for the comfort we need and toward others who need what comes only from God."
Erin reminds us that comfort is a mindless habit, and that the gospel overpowers the old habits of living for convenience, safety, and perfection and replaces them with "life-giving habits we need in order to walk free from the destructive habits that bind us": compassion, trust, and humility. She then ends the book with three chapters dedicated to the ways true comfort is set loose in our lives. First, we experience gospel freedom, then we are engaged with the sorrowing world around us, and finally we will be captivated by God's kingdom purposes.
This book is a true treasure full of creative insight and deep biblical thought. Erin writes as she speaks (which, if you're a writer, is a compliment). She writes clearly, thoughtfully, and vulnerably. It's obvious she feels and cares deeply, and she inspires you to do the same.
Now Erin has launched into the book publishing realm to release Comfort Detox: Finding Freedom From Habits That Bind You, through Intervarsity Press. She starts off with what she calls "The Shredding", which for her was a defining moment in the red light district of India. This shredding was a humbling experience and a severe mercy that devastated her, but woke her up to the sorrowing world around her. And out of "The Shredding" came what she terms, "The Question", which was, "What am I doing?" Erin finally faced this uncomfortable question when she came home from India. This is where her comfort detox began.
Erin does a great job explaining what she means by a comfort detox: it is rewiring our brain by rewarding it with true comfort, instead of the false comforts of this world, and thereby replacing old habits with good ones. She brings thorough analysis of the culture around us and the craving for comfort, and specifically unpacks a few ways our culture attempts to satisfy this craving. Three broad categories for old, world-conforming habits are: convenience, safety, and perfection. These three areas are ways we seek comfort. But Erin points us in a new direction.
Her new direction is true comfort. And Erin unpacks the idea of God being our comforter. This where comfort is redeemed. As Erin says, "I have pursued the comfort of things, when all along comfort is a person." She goes on to say that God designed us to crave comfort, but it was meant to find ultimate satisfaction in him. And the comfort from God does not stop here, but is joined together as we comfort others with the comfort we have received, which in turn equals more comfort for us. Instead of collapsing inward, we must turn outward. This way, as Erin says, we'll receive a full measure of comfort. She says, "True comfort enables us to turn outward - toward God for the comfort we need and toward others who need what comes only from God."
Erin reminds us that comfort is a mindless habit, and that the gospel overpowers the old habits of living for convenience, safety, and perfection and replaces them with "life-giving habits we need in order to walk free from the destructive habits that bind us": compassion, trust, and humility. She then ends the book with three chapters dedicated to the ways true comfort is set loose in our lives. First, we experience gospel freedom, then we are engaged with the sorrowing world around us, and finally we will be captivated by God's kingdom purposes.
This book is a true treasure full of creative insight and deep biblical thought. Erin writes as she speaks (which, if you're a writer, is a compliment). She writes clearly, thoughtfully, and vulnerably. It's obvious she feels and cares deeply, and she inspires you to do the same.
March 5, 2017
Every Christian should read this book. It's convicting and challenging in all the best ways. There are practical challenges at the end of each chapter to help you detox from comfort, turn to the Comforter and use comfort to change the world. The author writes passionately and deeply, including stories along the way. I only wish the chapters were broken down into a more digestible way. This is not just another self-help, feel-good book. This book will challenge you to change the way you live your life.
February 24, 2017
Helpful resource. Honest and "real".
February 26, 2018
I'm very much a fan of this book. It's a very level look at confronting our balance of comfort desire, whether in Jesus or in other things. It does not condemn being comfortable, but draws out whether we are idolizing that or not. It also pushes you to embrace not run from discomfort when it comes in the form of a hurting friend, a tragedy, etc...to be tools used by Jesus to comfort others with the comfort with which we've received. There are a few bits and pieces I disagreed with the author's approach on, but on the whole, I felt it was a very good look at comfort. There are challenges at the end of each chapter and resources for you to use in your own life on her website. It also very much encourages reaching out in your community to show Jesus' love and mercy. Definitely recommend! This book will stay on my shelf and be read again.
February 6, 2017
I can't speak highly enough about this book. I've seen so many books tackle complex issues like comfort, perfection, and convenience either with an overemphasis on pragmatism or tips that don't deliver or an overemphasis on motivating you to change through guilt. (Never works!) Straza doesn't fall for those traps -- instead she takes the harder and better road, analyzing our addictions to comfort, nuancing the ways these play out in our lives, and presenting Christ and His Kingdom as our solution. In a lot of ways this book is about emotional health and in parts reminding me of The Relational Soul and Emotionally Healthy Spirituality.
The unique strengthens of this book though are the focus on comfort in its various, subtle forms, the applications for action at the end of each chapter, and Straza's vulnerability in letting us into her own comfort detox. Really liked the concepts she uses as well (the Shredding, the Question, etc.) which she managed to pull that off in a helpful and non-trite way. The book demands a slow read if you want the most of out of it and would be best to read with a friend or with a group.
The unique strengthens of this book though are the focus on comfort in its various, subtle forms, the applications for action at the end of each chapter, and Straza's vulnerability in letting us into her own comfort detox. Really liked the concepts she uses as well (the Shredding, the Question, etc.) which she managed to pull that off in a helpful and non-trite way. The book demands a slow read if you want the most of out of it and would be best to read with a friend or with a group.
December 23, 2017
Comfort Detox is part contemplative and part a call to action both personally and communally. It took me almost a month to finish because I had chew on many chapters for a few days before I continued. This book is an important part of the ongoing conversation of spirituality and the role of materialism, egocentrism, and identity.
Straza relates her own journey to basic ideals mixed with a lot of well-thought quotes from the Christian community to create a journey for those that want to see the world and identify with Kingdom of God in a practical but very openly spiritual way. I emphasize journey because nothing here is formulaic.
The beauty of the book is that it openly engages the reader where they are as it slowly deconstructs the comforts we hold onto that are unhealthy and addictive and deter us from living in our full identity.
I cannot recommend this book enough. I even write Straza about my experience and with questions during the process and she aptly replied with thoughtful discourse. This is a must read for people that want to experience a new level of self awareness that doesn't only help our identity but offers change to a hurting community beyond ourselves.
Straza relates her own journey to basic ideals mixed with a lot of well-thought quotes from the Christian community to create a journey for those that want to see the world and identify with Kingdom of God in a practical but very openly spiritual way. I emphasize journey because nothing here is formulaic.
The beauty of the book is that it openly engages the reader where they are as it slowly deconstructs the comforts we hold onto that are unhealthy and addictive and deter us from living in our full identity.
I cannot recommend this book enough. I even write Straza about my experience and with questions during the process and she aptly replied with thoughtful discourse. This is a must read for people that want to experience a new level of self awareness that doesn't only help our identity but offers change to a hurting community beyond ourselves.
March 8, 2019
I came across this book as I was preparing my sabbatical reading list. The title caught my attention and the book gets at the heart of some things I intend to address through my sabbatical. I found much of the book helpful and, especially in the first part, her story connects with my own. For Straza, it was a trip to India that created a personal crisis in helping her realize her own addictions to the comforts of her life. I haven't been to India to have such a perspective-altering moment, but slowly through self-reflection and assessment, I have come to many of the same conclusions Straza did.
In promoting the idea of "comfort detox" she often describes my life in ministry and what makes it so challenging (and draining). "We must spend our comfort to step into the discomfort of others. And who wants to do that? We have lives to lead, work to do, projects, to finish, books to read, shows to watch, shopping to do. We don't want to feel the panic of anxiety, the hollowness of grief, the disappointment of betrayal, the fear of need" (31). As I read these words, I realized that that's largely my "job" as a minister, and as I'm finding, it takes constant "comfort detox" to be able to live into that world authentically.
So much about Straza's book I appreciate: her Question that kind of frames everything "What am I doing?" really gave me moments of reflection. She talks about the "Shedding" that was essential by going through the detox process. Her transparency and authenticity in areas is inspiring and helps keep her proposal from being abstract, but real life.
However, in the end, and I don't know if it is because our lives are so different, but I found myself beginning to disconnect with her a little as the book unfolded. She often speaks of ways her introverted personality shapes her comfortable habits - and while I'm never bouncing off the walls, I'm introverted enough to feel a disconnect from many of her perspectives. A major source of my disconnection is her not having children. Now, on the one hand it was very much a blessing for her to share the struggle her and her husband have had with infertility and about how this unfulfilled desire to have children helps her comfort others who have unfulfilled desires (not simply inability to have children). She does a good job of showing how we become comforters to one another not because we have the same struggles, but our learning and emotions through them may be similar. In that regard I found it a blessing.
However, it was impossible to ignore just how vastly different our lives our because of our family dynamics. I have three children and am in the midst of the busiest season of my life. While Straza does the best she can to try to convey universal principles and shared experiences, I found that much of my life experience - and many of my comforts - remained aloof from her discussions. I don't know how to describe it, but I felt as though I was never able to connect the really great observations she begins the book with the realities of my chaotic life. She mentions the ambitions and passion that young people have (and we all tend to have when we are young) in their faith and addresses the disillusionment that most of us go through when we settle into "adulting" - though she may not use that term. I did think she oversold the zeal of youthful faith at least a bit because I found myself thinking that in my season of life I am pouring into my children so that they can pick up the baton in their faith. Alot of that part of life is kind of boring.
I don't want to be unduly negative about Comfort Detox, however, as I do believe it has a great deal of merit and will speak to many people. She forces us to live in the liminal space between realizing how incredibly blessed we are in the world's perspective, and yet we only know the world that we know. We all have probably felt the impulse to sell all we have and do something greater than what we are. Just what we are to do with those feelings is what Straza spends 200 pages reflecting on and we would all do well to think through these things.
In promoting the idea of "comfort detox" she often describes my life in ministry and what makes it so challenging (and draining). "We must spend our comfort to step into the discomfort of others. And who wants to do that? We have lives to lead, work to do, projects, to finish, books to read, shows to watch, shopping to do. We don't want to feel the panic of anxiety, the hollowness of grief, the disappointment of betrayal, the fear of need" (31). As I read these words, I realized that that's largely my "job" as a minister, and as I'm finding, it takes constant "comfort detox" to be able to live into that world authentically.
So much about Straza's book I appreciate: her Question that kind of frames everything "What am I doing?" really gave me moments of reflection. She talks about the "Shedding" that was essential by going through the detox process. Her transparency and authenticity in areas is inspiring and helps keep her proposal from being abstract, but real life.
However, in the end, and I don't know if it is because our lives are so different, but I found myself beginning to disconnect with her a little as the book unfolded. She often speaks of ways her introverted personality shapes her comfortable habits - and while I'm never bouncing off the walls, I'm introverted enough to feel a disconnect from many of her perspectives. A major source of my disconnection is her not having children. Now, on the one hand it was very much a blessing for her to share the struggle her and her husband have had with infertility and about how this unfulfilled desire to have children helps her comfort others who have unfulfilled desires (not simply inability to have children). She does a good job of showing how we become comforters to one another not because we have the same struggles, but our learning and emotions through them may be similar. In that regard I found it a blessing.
However, it was impossible to ignore just how vastly different our lives our because of our family dynamics. I have three children and am in the midst of the busiest season of my life. While Straza does the best she can to try to convey universal principles and shared experiences, I found that much of my life experience - and many of my comforts - remained aloof from her discussions. I don't know how to describe it, but I felt as though I was never able to connect the really great observations she begins the book with the realities of my chaotic life. She mentions the ambitions and passion that young people have (and we all tend to have when we are young) in their faith and addresses the disillusionment that most of us go through when we settle into "adulting" - though she may not use that term. I did think she oversold the zeal of youthful faith at least a bit because I found myself thinking that in my season of life I am pouring into my children so that they can pick up the baton in their faith. Alot of that part of life is kind of boring.
I don't want to be unduly negative about Comfort Detox, however, as I do believe it has a great deal of merit and will speak to many people. She forces us to live in the liminal space between realizing how incredibly blessed we are in the world's perspective, and yet we only know the world that we know. We all have probably felt the impulse to sell all we have and do something greater than what we are. Just what we are to do with those feelings is what Straza spends 200 pages reflecting on and we would all do well to think through these things.
June 17, 2017
It has been a long time since I read something as relevant, powerful, and impactful as Comfort Detox. From "The Question" to "The Shredding," Erin Straza takes a holistic approach to the human experience that appeals to all walks of life. The first part of the book is a heart-wrencher, and I wound myself weeping as I realized how my own "comfort addiction" has sapped my spirit. Timely, eloquent, and powerful, the author encourages you to embark with Jesus on a spiritual journey--both through yourself and the world around you.
Straza uses pertinent scripture all throughout the book, weaving in seamless commentary with Biblical-based truth. It is truly a joy to read Good News like this, but she goes beyond surface platitudes to the issue of the heart--acedia, or the dulling of our spiritual selves. I was both comforted and compelled by her insights; they made me look back and search my heart to WHO I believe Jesus is and WHAT it means to be a Disciple. Today's society is all about feeling good and achieving the accolades to do so. Straza gently reminds us of the Spirit's role as eternal comforter and what it means to be a vessel of that comfort to others.
The vulnerabilities of this book truly make it fantastic. It is refreshing to find an author so eager to share the lessons of her own life, reverting to the amazing truth that Jesus shared His entire life with us. The heart of this book is honest. Old, young, broken, and outwardly "together"--it speaks to anyone who is or has ever been a human being. With colorful, real-life anecdotes and Biblical illustration, Straza shares a message pertinent
Have you ever wondered what role grief plays in your life? What it means to "feel good again" and why that is so elusive in our rich and extravagant society? What it means to be at peace, even in the most tumultuous circumstances? Comfort Detox comes with my highest recommendation. With everything in our society making false promises to fix and fulfill us, this book was meant for such a time as this.
Straza uses pertinent scripture all throughout the book, weaving in seamless commentary with Biblical-based truth. It is truly a joy to read Good News like this, but she goes beyond surface platitudes to the issue of the heart--acedia, or the dulling of our spiritual selves. I was both comforted and compelled by her insights; they made me look back and search my heart to WHO I believe Jesus is and WHAT it means to be a Disciple. Today's society is all about feeling good and achieving the accolades to do so. Straza gently reminds us of the Spirit's role as eternal comforter and what it means to be a vessel of that comfort to others.
The vulnerabilities of this book truly make it fantastic. It is refreshing to find an author so eager to share the lessons of her own life, reverting to the amazing truth that Jesus shared His entire life with us. The heart of this book is honest. Old, young, broken, and outwardly "together"--it speaks to anyone who is or has ever been a human being. With colorful, real-life anecdotes and Biblical illustration, Straza shares a message pertinent
Have you ever wondered what role grief plays in your life? What it means to "feel good again" and why that is so elusive in our rich and extravagant society? What it means to be at peace, even in the most tumultuous circumstances? Comfort Detox comes with my highest recommendation. With everything in our society making false promises to fix and fulfill us, this book was meant for such a time as this.
February 6, 2017
Comfort Detox challenges the reader to realize that we are addicted to comfort, holding on to convenience, safety, and perfection. The more comfortable we become in life, the less likely we are to dare to follow Jesus into His kingdom work. Author Erin M. Straza invites the reader to gather "your people" to work through coming to grips with our addiction to comfort and to shred it to find comfort in God alone. Her advice is good as the book has many stopping points for consideration that would be best understood when discussed with those we trust. Erin speaks through personal experience and uses the Scripture to challenge us to practical action.
While I received the book through a launch team, the opinions are my own.
While I received the book through a launch team, the opinions are my own.
April 11, 2018
This was a beautifully written book by a very talented writer. I was impressed with every sentence and paragraph Ms. Staza wrote. She truly has a gift for words.
Reading this book will give you gentle encouragement to be a better person.
The only flaw in this entire book is that the examples Ms. Straza gives are so small and trifling they are going to make you cringe. She's trying to make the point that you don't have to make grand gestures to do something kind, but my goodness. Not ALL of the examples are cringe-worthy but enough of them are to make me feel like I had to include the caveat. At least the reader will not feel intimidated!
Reading this book will give you gentle encouragement to be a better person.
The only flaw in this entire book is that the examples Ms. Straza gives are so small and trifling they are going to make you cringe. She's trying to make the point that you don't have to make grand gestures to do something kind, but my goodness. Not ALL of the examples are cringe-worthy but enough of them are to make me feel like I had to include the caveat. At least the reader will not feel intimidated!
July 22, 2019
Much of the book is a memoir about the author's journey away from the pursuit of comfort and safety towards loving others and being open to God's guidance in being a comfort agent to others. I found many of the insights to be rather familiar, yet I seemed to have taken a lot of notes. The last few chapters resonated most with me, such as the focus on our role as servants of God's kingdom to provide comfort to others.
June 13, 2021
Does a good job of helping the reader discern where they might be choosing comfort over compassion and why that’s wrong. I’m sure it will be helpful for some, especially younger readers. It doesn’t really address the issue of deciding where to draw the line between serving others and resting, or between serving your family vs others in need, which would have been helpful for me at this stage of life.
May 30, 2020
I actually ended up skimming thru this. It was a little too religion oriented for me. I knew that going in. I thought I would be able to glean some good information and ideas. I appreciate where the author was coming from but this book was not for me.
June 6, 2022
A lot of solid references to people like Francis Chan, Tim Keller, Katie Davis Majors, Jen Hatmaker, and others! Recommended by my therapist. Not amazing but not meh. Just okay in my opinion but can see how it would be helpful to newer Christians or people new to therapy.
December 2, 2020
Good book and good message to teach and challenge people. The book feels it is directed towards a certain audience though.
March 14, 2017
I got about halfway through Comfort Detox when I realized I was reading it too fast and had to slow down or I’d miss the conviction that comes across every page. Erin provides a surgical journey into the concept of comfort and how it captivates our attention, often distracting us from the mission of God. Rather than eschewing comfort altogether, she sets it within its biblical framework—a gift from God (who is Himself Comfort) to be stewarded in service to others. Each chapter closes with practical application steps in order to take an active role in the process of replacing selfish comforts with the kingdom-minded comfort of God. It’s a timely read that has much to offer the body of Christ.
April 11, 2017
This book challenge my desire for comfort and encouraged me to step beyond my self. The author shared her own story and prompted me to question my self and desires. "Am I willing to stand in faith, engaged in the brokenness that is shredding the world, and proclaim that God is still God, even when life doesn’t change and hurts refuse to heal?"
The author challenged me to learn to trust in God's promises even when it is hard. "Practicing trust means that I have to confront my doubt that God’s promises are true—regardless of the circumstances, regardless of the lack of security I may feel."
Erin directs us to compassion or the lack thereof, "Learning the new habit of compassion disrupts the bent we all have toward serving our own preferences and taking the path of least resistance."
She reminded me of the redemption I have in Christ and I can move beyond self. "What a relief that God has redeemed us for more than self-centered living!"
Erin wrote a vulnerable memoir that showed her own struggle with comfort with the wrong things, but is that she encouraged me to rely on the True Comfort.
*This is an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley. No review, positive or otherwise, was required—all opinions are my own.*
The author challenged me to learn to trust in God's promises even when it is hard. "Practicing trust means that I have to confront my doubt that God’s promises are true—regardless of the circumstances, regardless of the lack of security I may feel."
Erin directs us to compassion or the lack thereof, "Learning the new habit of compassion disrupts the bent we all have toward serving our own preferences and taking the path of least resistance."
She reminded me of the redemption I have in Christ and I can move beyond self. "What a relief that God has redeemed us for more than self-centered living!"
Erin wrote a vulnerable memoir that showed her own struggle with comfort with the wrong things, but is that she encouraged me to rely on the True Comfort.
*This is an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley. No review, positive or otherwise, was required—all opinions are my own.*
June 20, 2018
This is an edited version of my original review. I am just adding a few thoughts after reading some other reviews.
I agree with another reviewer who said that Straza lacks the depth/experience/substance (or at least seems to) to write this book the way it needs to be written. It's more like a light memoir. I agree with the sentiment that we all get way too caught up in our comfort and neglect to help others and do what God put us here to do. It just felt like every time she started talking about that in a meaningful way she quickly meandered off on a tangent.
Also, I was put off by the expression "feel all the feels" which she chose to use several times. That was juvenile and unoriginal and made me lose respect for her. I chose to read this because I honestly wanted to learn great things from this book and gain great insights, but...Not recommended.
I agree with another reviewer who said that Straza lacks the depth/experience/substance (or at least seems to) to write this book the way it needs to be written. It's more like a light memoir. I agree with the sentiment that we all get way too caught up in our comfort and neglect to help others and do what God put us here to do. It just felt like every time she started talking about that in a meaningful way she quickly meandered off on a tangent.
Also, I was put off by the expression "feel all the feels" which she chose to use several times. That was juvenile and unoriginal and made me lose respect for her. I chose to read this because I honestly wanted to learn great things from this book and gain great insights, but...Not recommended.
February 8, 2017
When I first heard the title of Erin's book - on her excellent podcast, Persuasion - I knew that I would have to read it. I feel that my life is all but a constant search for things that will make me comfortable - from extra sleep, to mindless Facebook scrolling, to making sure I've got the clothes and gadgets that will bring me happiness. All the while, I feel as if I'm missing out on the bigger things of life. A detox seems like just what I need!
Others have given a good overview of the main points of the book. I'll share the two things that stood out the most to me. First, Erin has a great explanation of how our sense that our personal comfort is a limited, dwindling resource - a scarcity mentality - is a sign that we are not depending on God for our true comfort, and that unless we reverse this mentality, we will become self-centered slaves to comfort, unwilling to risk anything to help or care for others, unable to live the life God has designed for us. This has been a helpful perspective to me already, as a stay-at-home mom to two young children - I often find myself incredibly cranky if I feel that my children have used up more than their allotted share of my patience for the day. This reminder that it is not up to me to hoard as much physical or emotional comfort as I can has had helpful effects on my parenting already!
Second, Erin focuses on our addiction to emotional numbness, our purposeful decision not to care about the pain and sorrow in the world around us. Let's face it, sad people are hard to be around. This book has been such an encouragement to me to be willing to truly FEEL, to enter into the hard places of the lives around me, so that I can be a channel of comfort, and experience more of the full range of emotional experience that God has designed me for. To be honest, the decision to be fully present in hard emotions is still scary for me, but Erin has painted a very compelling picture of the beauty that can be found by refusing to reach for numbness when pain comes calling.
I have not yet had a chance to go through the exercises Erin recommends with each chapter, but I am excited to do so! This book is the rare book that combines a clear and memorable explanation of biblical doctrines, as long with practical steps that give help towards making these truths a part of your reality. I highly recommend it!
Others have given a good overview of the main points of the book. I'll share the two things that stood out the most to me. First, Erin has a great explanation of how our sense that our personal comfort is a limited, dwindling resource - a scarcity mentality - is a sign that we are not depending on God for our true comfort, and that unless we reverse this mentality, we will become self-centered slaves to comfort, unwilling to risk anything to help or care for others, unable to live the life God has designed for us. This has been a helpful perspective to me already, as a stay-at-home mom to two young children - I often find myself incredibly cranky if I feel that my children have used up more than their allotted share of my patience for the day. This reminder that it is not up to me to hoard as much physical or emotional comfort as I can has had helpful effects on my parenting already!
Second, Erin focuses on our addiction to emotional numbness, our purposeful decision not to care about the pain and sorrow in the world around us. Let's face it, sad people are hard to be around. This book has been such an encouragement to me to be willing to truly FEEL, to enter into the hard places of the lives around me, so that I can be a channel of comfort, and experience more of the full range of emotional experience that God has designed me for. To be honest, the decision to be fully present in hard emotions is still scary for me, but Erin has painted a very compelling picture of the beauty that can be found by refusing to reach for numbness when pain comes calling.
I have not yet had a chance to go through the exercises Erin recommends with each chapter, but I am excited to do so! This book is the rare book that combines a clear and memorable explanation of biblical doctrines, as long with practical steps that give help towards making these truths a part of your reality. I highly recommend it!
February 6, 2017
Someone who saw me reading this book asked, "What are you left with after you detox from comfort? Discomfort?" Good question! I said, "You're left with truth, glorious truth!"
The timing for the delivery of this message is perfect. The author's clear, authentic style of writing cuts through the noise on how to best live as a follower of Jesus Christ. Love this line, "Learning to rely on one true Comfort, the Comforter, would upend our hold habits and insert a new reward."
One of my favorite chapters is 6 - The Comforted - in which the author discusses the concept of a 'Single Story,' referencing a TED talk by Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Erin writes, "We've heard just one story about the idea of comfort, a single, flat rendition. A US variation. We have a critical misunderstanding of what comfort is, what it's for, how it's meant to be used." She sets us straight!
As you'd expect, there's pain associated with detoxing and resetting our hearts, minds and souls. Erin's message instructs us, though, that with a detox, we are free to feel deeply. "As God transforms us into the image of his Son, we should become known as a people of sorrows, people who feel deeply - and willingly."
This book would make a great selection for a small group experience. At the end of each chapter, under the banner "Comfort Cleanse," you are given several steps for taking the material to a personal place. The steps are clear and instructive. If not done in a group setting, the author suggests having an accountability partner, which I endorse.
Much to ponder in Comfort Detox! Highly recommend.
The timing for the delivery of this message is perfect. The author's clear, authentic style of writing cuts through the noise on how to best live as a follower of Jesus Christ. Love this line, "Learning to rely on one true Comfort, the Comforter, would upend our hold habits and insert a new reward."
One of my favorite chapters is 6 - The Comforted - in which the author discusses the concept of a 'Single Story,' referencing a TED talk by Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Erin writes, "We've heard just one story about the idea of comfort, a single, flat rendition. A US variation. We have a critical misunderstanding of what comfort is, what it's for, how it's meant to be used." She sets us straight!
As you'd expect, there's pain associated with detoxing and resetting our hearts, minds and souls. Erin's message instructs us, though, that with a detox, we are free to feel deeply. "As God transforms us into the image of his Son, we should become known as a people of sorrows, people who feel deeply - and willingly."
This book would make a great selection for a small group experience. At the end of each chapter, under the banner "Comfort Cleanse," you are given several steps for taking the material to a personal place. The steps are clear and instructive. If not done in a group setting, the author suggests having an accountability partner, which I endorse.
Much to ponder in Comfort Detox! Highly recommend.
February 10, 2017
This isn't a book for the faint of heart, because it will challenge your preconceptions about how to live your life. Our society is filled with comforts we don't appreciate and some that are holding us back from serving a God who didn't create us to live comfortably.
Straza uses examples from her life and from pop culture to highlight her own journey of retraining her brain to seek a comfort that truly satisfies. I appreciate her intelligent suggestions on how to experience personal growth and positively impact others' lives. She includes practical applications at the end of each chapter to really think through the topics discussed with links to further resources.
I especially enjoy how Straza relates some of my favourite stories, from The Hunger Games to The Lord of the Rings, to our motivations and how we can find glory in God instead of ourselves.
Straza uses examples from her life and from pop culture to highlight her own journey of retraining her brain to seek a comfort that truly satisfies. I appreciate her intelligent suggestions on how to experience personal growth and positively impact others' lives. She includes practical applications at the end of each chapter to really think through the topics discussed with links to further resources.
I especially enjoy how Straza relates some of my favourite stories, from The Hunger Games to The Lord of the Rings, to our motivations and how we can find glory in God instead of ourselves.
February 10, 2017
I’m going to risk sounding like a broken record on Medium, but this was a book that didn’t come across as I expected it to. I thought Comfort Detox would somehow help me with a nasty “binge eating at night” habit I have. I thought the book would tell me how much God loves me and that he’d be willing to work with me to undo this unsightly and ghastly habit that has piled on the weight like no tomorrow. I thought the book would detox me from my comfort eating habit, as I believe that some of it is emotional, and everything would be shiny and perfect. No. Comfort Detox is not that kind of book. The book is more about doing God’s will and finding a way to do it without shirking in your own shell. And God’s will has nothing to do with when or what you eat.
The book is complex, I’ll grant it that much. You’ll read bits of Comfort Detox and may find that you’ll want to put it down to absorb some of the concepts. Plus, it’s a book that comes with activities that the author hopes you’ll do one at a time — even if it takes you a few months to get through all of them. (And said author Erin M. Straza would be really happy if you did the exercises with a small group of friends, too.) So this is a book that is thoughtful and really wants you to think and contemplate it. Otherwise, you might miss some key points. And here I am, reviewing the book, and feeling that I may have devoured it a tad too quickly, because I’m struggling to find a way to synthesize its main thrust.
Read more here on Medium.com: https://medium.com/@zachary_houle/a-r...
The book is complex, I’ll grant it that much. You’ll read bits of Comfort Detox and may find that you’ll want to put it down to absorb some of the concepts. Plus, it’s a book that comes with activities that the author hopes you’ll do one at a time — even if it takes you a few months to get through all of them. (And said author Erin M. Straza would be really happy if you did the exercises with a small group of friends, too.) So this is a book that is thoughtful and really wants you to think and contemplate it. Otherwise, you might miss some key points. And here I am, reviewing the book, and feeling that I may have devoured it a tad too quickly, because I’m struggling to find a way to synthesize its main thrust.
Read more here on Medium.com: https://medium.com/@zachary_houle/a-r...
February 7, 2017
I had heard about Comfort Detox, but wasn't sure what to expect when I picked it up — until the first page when her engaging writing style and sage words combined with wisdom from (most of all) scripture along with passages from Ted talks, insightful lyrics, personal anecdotes and insights from other contemporary thinkers that really brought the concepts home for me, hitting me right where I needed. I read it cover-to-cover, and plan to go back in to really spend time with each chapter and the exercises provided at the end of each. Rarely have I read an author whose writing is so completely relatable and yet so divine — in a literal and metaphorical sense. It reminds me that even as I try to be an overall good person, recycle, donate to charity, volunteer, I've also detached. I found this book reaching into the part of me that knows something is lacking. If it's meant to reach each individual where s/he is, for me this did.
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