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Unfrozen: Stop Holding Back and Release the Real You
I used to believe that I was too much for others: too deep, too intense and too sensitive. I didn't know how to express my deep thoughts and intense feelings without overwhelming people, so I attempted to become what I believed God and others wanted me to be: good, strong and capable.
My attempts to contain and control my self-expression left me feeling frustrated and inauthentic. I knew I was made for more than a life of holding back, but how could I be me without ruining my relationships? My path through dating, marriage and young motherhood led me through unexpected disappointment, anxiety and depression, despite the amazing people in my life. The pain dug deep, but that's where I found the real me and a new way to love others with all that I am.
I needed one more nudge to find and release my true voice into the world. That's when I met Elsa.
Join me in UNFROZEN as I tell the story of the events that led me to stop holding back and release the real me for connected relationships and extraordinary impact. It's time for us to change the world.
My attempts to contain and control my self-expression left me feeling frustrated and inauthentic. I knew I was made for more than a life of holding back, but how could I be me without ruining my relationships? My path through dating, marriage and young motherhood led me through unexpected disappointment, anxiety and depression, despite the amazing people in my life. The pain dug deep, but that's where I found the real me and a new way to love others with all that I am.
I needed one more nudge to find and release my true voice into the world. That's when I met Elsa.
Join me in UNFROZEN as I tell the story of the events that led me to stop holding back and release the real me for connected relationships and extraordinary impact. It's time for us to change the world.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
March 25, 2021
Have you ever felt silenced? Or like you were too much for some people, yet somehow not enough? Me too.
In her debut book, Unfrozen, Andrea Wenburg gently takes the reader on a journey of discovering their true voice by telling the story of how she found hers. The pain of not feeling heard was palpable. I cheered her on through the very last chapter, and the last sentence was so satisfying to me as a reader.
This book is based on her life-changing experience of watching the Disney movie, Frozen. The movie, it's songs, and characters are ubiquitous for a reason! The message of the movie struck a chord with the movie-going public, both young and old alike, in a way that very few movies have. The movie's message is timeless and applicable to all, and so is the message of Unfrozen. We all have a voice. The world needs to hear our heart's message.
Accompanying the book will be a six-part course that readers can engage in to find their voice and for personal growth.
I recommend this book to anyone who needs to find their true voice so they can be heard in this very noisy world.
I was provided with an Advance Reader Copy by the author in exchange for an honest review.
In her debut book, Unfrozen, Andrea Wenburg gently takes the reader on a journey of discovering their true voice by telling the story of how she found hers. The pain of not feeling heard was palpable. I cheered her on through the very last chapter, and the last sentence was so satisfying to me as a reader.
This book is based on her life-changing experience of watching the Disney movie, Frozen. The movie, it's songs, and characters are ubiquitous for a reason! The message of the movie struck a chord with the movie-going public, both young and old alike, in a way that very few movies have. The movie's message is timeless and applicable to all, and so is the message of Unfrozen. We all have a voice. The world needs to hear our heart's message.
Accompanying the book will be a six-part course that readers can engage in to find their voice and for personal growth.
I recommend this book to anyone who needs to find their true voice so they can be heard in this very noisy world.
I was provided with an Advance Reader Copy by the author in exchange for an honest review.
August 31, 2016
Have you ever questioned whether or not you are lovable? Have you wondered if it possible for someone to love the real you? This book can take you on the rollercoaster ride that is seeking to prove your acceptability by earning the love of other people.
The author writes in compelling detail about the frustration, anger, fear, and sadness that she struggles with throughout her young adulthood. There is a temptation in trying to live ‘a good life for God’ that can result in us seeing God’s love as conditional, as if it is a type of exchange. If I do this, God will bless me with that. If God doesn’t bless me with that, I must not have done this.
Andrea shares her struggles, and then shares the ‘aha’ moment when she realized that she was seeking validation of her worth from another person, rather from where her true worth came from as a child of God. You will put the book down knowing this, and knowing that as humans we are not perfect and will always be doing things that offend each other, that will require asking for and receiving forgiveness...that will require self-sacrificial love.
If you have felt any of these feelings in your life, I think that you will find this book a good companion. It is a well-written memoir that can help you see that you are not the only one, and that there is hope in gaining perspective on the expectations we place on ourselves.
Highly recommended!
The author writes in compelling detail about the frustration, anger, fear, and sadness that she struggles with throughout her young adulthood. There is a temptation in trying to live ‘a good life for God’ that can result in us seeing God’s love as conditional, as if it is a type of exchange. If I do this, God will bless me with that. If God doesn’t bless me with that, I must not have done this.
Andrea shares her struggles, and then shares the ‘aha’ moment when she realized that she was seeking validation of her worth from another person, rather from where her true worth came from as a child of God. You will put the book down knowing this, and knowing that as humans we are not perfect and will always be doing things that offend each other, that will require asking for and receiving forgiveness...that will require self-sacrificial love.
If you have felt any of these feelings in your life, I think that you will find this book a good companion. It is a well-written memoir that can help you see that you are not the only one, and that there is hope in gaining perspective on the expectations we place on ourselves.
Highly recommended!
September 1, 2016
My favorite line from the movie SHADOWLANDS is "We read to know we are not alone." Through her courageous transparency, Andrea Joy Wenburg lends her lost-and-recovered voice to every girl and woman who struggles with fears of being "too much" or "not enough," who yearns to earn or manage the respect of others. In doing so, she offers us a great gift - companionship in our own inner journeys, trail markers on the path to unselfish love and a song of hope for those weary and burdened. Rather than being a self-help book or a Bible study guide, UNFROZEN displays an honest look at Biblical truth assimilated into real life - messy, yet beautiful and powerfully inviting as that always is. A valuable read for self-reflection, this book would also create the opportunities for deeper conversations between friends, mothers and daughters and sisters.
February 28, 2020
Live Like You Are Loved
There is so much I would like to say about this delightful book but I am still "Frozen". My best advice is you've got to read this book. It is deeply honest, convicting and encouraging all at the same time.
There is so much I would like to say about this delightful book but I am still "Frozen". My best advice is you've got to read this book. It is deeply honest, convicting and encouraging all at the same time.
September 8, 2021
Excellent storytelling. I could relate to Andrea on many levels and I am grateful for her voice.
October 1, 2016
A STORY WITH THE POWER TO RELEASE OUR STORY by Dale Phillips
I strongly believe that there is power in a story well told! That power is multiplied in a first person story authentically told from the heart. A story that can even thaw a frozen heart. As Andrea genuinely relates her story of being set free from the factors and beliefs that kept her locked up within herself, it has a way of moving past the defenses we as the reader may well have placed around our heart which is keeping us frozen and gives us hope that Andrea has come to 'find her voice' we might also become free to discover ours. I recommend this book be read by any who suspect that they too might well have frozen portions of their hearts which are keeping them from finding and living out the full purpose their Maker/Redeemer has for them. I gave this book, this story, a 5 star rating cause because of the way the author brought us along in the thawing of her heart that has allowed her to find her voice which has led to this book and the potential this book has to help others be set free as well.
I strongly believe that there is power in a story well told! That power is multiplied in a first person story authentically told from the heart. A story that can even thaw a frozen heart. As Andrea genuinely relates her story of being set free from the factors and beliefs that kept her locked up within herself, it has a way of moving past the defenses we as the reader may well have placed around our heart which is keeping us frozen and gives us hope that Andrea has come to 'find her voice' we might also become free to discover ours. I recommend this book be read by any who suspect that they too might well have frozen portions of their hearts which are keeping them from finding and living out the full purpose their Maker/Redeemer has for them. I gave this book, this story, a 5 star rating cause because of the way the author brought us along in the thawing of her heart that has allowed her to find her voice which has led to this book and the potential this book has to help others be set free as well.
August 27, 2016
When I first read the subtitle (stop holding back and release the real you) it called to mind a self-help book full of how-to advice. I'm not a fan of how-to books. And I'm happy to tell you that Unfrozen is far from being a dry how-to manual. In this book I discovered a memoir. A beautiful memoir with an encouraging message. I love memoirs and the sharing of lessons learned on the journey of life.
In Unfrozen author Andrea uses images and ideas from the movie Frozen to share a message that she has been learning all along her own life's journey. Unfrozen is a story of moving from hiding to authenticity, from holding back to letting go, from isolating to deep connection with the world. Unfrozen is Andrea's story, framed by Elsa's story, and it is a story for everyone who is looking to become their authentic self. Unfrozen is about finding your voice, becoming who you were meant to be and letting the real you take its place to impact the world.
It's a beautiful book with an encouraging message. Even more exciting is that the author is also offering a series of interactive lessons so that you can discuss the concepts raised in the book with a mentor, friend or book group, allowing the stories of Andrea and Elsa to weave together with the fabric of your own story and your own authentic transformation. Sharing the journey together really can move you toward the freedom to stop holding back so that you can release the real you.
I received a free digital pre-release copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
In Unfrozen author Andrea uses images and ideas from the movie Frozen to share a message that she has been learning all along her own life's journey. Unfrozen is a story of moving from hiding to authenticity, from holding back to letting go, from isolating to deep connection with the world. Unfrozen is Andrea's story, framed by Elsa's story, and it is a story for everyone who is looking to become their authentic self. Unfrozen is about finding your voice, becoming who you were meant to be and letting the real you take its place to impact the world.
It's a beautiful book with an encouraging message. Even more exciting is that the author is also offering a series of interactive lessons so that you can discuss the concepts raised in the book with a mentor, friend or book group, allowing the stories of Andrea and Elsa to weave together with the fabric of your own story and your own authentic transformation. Sharing the journey together really can move you toward the freedom to stop holding back so that you can release the real you.
I received a free digital pre-release copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
August 28, 2016
Wenberg tells her story of feeling as though her deep desire to connect with others was “too much” for those around her to handle. She recounts her journey from childhood to adulthood, and how she learned not only to embrace her true self, but also to relate to others from a place of confidence in knowing that, because God created her as He did, she “can risk everything to show the kind of love Jesus has for me.”
Reading the last sentence of this book left me breathing a deep sigh of relief that "I'm not the only one." Though I found myself stopping repeatedly to take notes on different parts of this book, I have barely begun processing how this story parallels my own.
If you have ever felt like you have something to give the world, but have been bound by fear--the fear of your voice being too loud or too quiet, the fear of being too much or too little, I would encourage you to read this book. Though the subtitle is indicative of a book of a self-help nature, it reads more like a conversational memoir.
I was provided an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Reading the last sentence of this book left me breathing a deep sigh of relief that "I'm not the only one." Though I found myself stopping repeatedly to take notes on different parts of this book, I have barely begun processing how this story parallels my own.
If you have ever felt like you have something to give the world, but have been bound by fear--the fear of your voice being too loud or too quiet, the fear of being too much or too little, I would encourage you to read this book. Though the subtitle is indicative of a book of a self-help nature, it reads more like a conversational memoir.
I was provided an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
August 31, 2016
Powerful, talented women (i.e. all women, in their own way!) will most readily relate to Unfrozen, but the book also carries gems that can be mined and treasured by reflective men and by men seeking lovingly to understand the highly sensitive women in their life. Like the author, I grew up--and still find myself to be--determined to be seen as strong, competent, and respected, so I was convicted by her epiphany about the way this orientation can be parasitic upon loved ones (and, by extension, colleagues and one's surrounding community). After reading this book, I am motivated to do the soul searching required to understand and live into the real me, that I may freely offer myself and my gifts to the world, not fearing what others might think of me. If you want to experience freedom from the fickle whims of the world around you, read Unfrozen for an inspiring story of one woman's journey of soaring through childhood dreams, stumbling through young adult relational struggles, precariously balancing the expectations of a new marriage, being battered by the trauma of childbirth, learning to walk in the path of self-acceptance, and finally, soaring into self-offering.
September 2, 2016
When I heard that Andrea Wenburg's book Unfrozen was inspired by watching Frozen, the movie, I first thought it was not a book I would be interested in. Unlike most parents of tween and younger children, I have not seen the movie and really have no desire to. But, then I heard Andrea's passion for getting her story out to the world and I had to hear more from her. If you still have not seen Frozen, don't worry, you'll gain much from reading Andrea's story in her first book.
The book is mainly Andrea's story from high school to motherhood, where she struggles to understand and accept herself and be her true self with others. Her story is one many, especially women, will relate to. Andrea is raw in her discussion of identity, acceptance, depression, anxiety, and freedom. Is her story extraordinary? I don't think so. But, her story is compelling and she has taken the risk to share pieces of her life that others would keep hidden.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
The book is mainly Andrea's story from high school to motherhood, where she struggles to understand and accept herself and be her true self with others. Her story is one many, especially women, will relate to. Andrea is raw in her discussion of identity, acceptance, depression, anxiety, and freedom. Is her story extraordinary? I don't think so. But, her story is compelling and she has taken the risk to share pieces of her life that others would keep hidden.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
August 27, 2016
Have you ever sensed that your well-intentioned attempts to control how you express yourself to others might actually be destructive? Have you ever wondered if all of the expectations you heap on yourself might be preventing you from forming real relationships? Do you only vaguely remember a time when there was a "song" in your heart? If so, you should read "Unfrozen!"
"Unfrozen" is a beautifully written exploration of how our core misbeliefs about ourselves and God play out in the daily drama of our lives. The author narrates her own journey into dating, marriage, parenting, and relationships to show how bravely giving up our ideas about being what we think others want allows us to actually begin to love. Wenburg tells the story of "finding her voice" with an endearing transparency. But this is much more than a memoir; "Unfrozen" is an invitation to learn a more honest, hopeful, engaged, and faithful way of living.
Accept the "Unfrozen" invitation. You won’t regret it!
"Unfrozen" is a beautifully written exploration of how our core misbeliefs about ourselves and God play out in the daily drama of our lives. The author narrates her own journey into dating, marriage, parenting, and relationships to show how bravely giving up our ideas about being what we think others want allows us to actually begin to love. Wenburg tells the story of "finding her voice" with an endearing transparency. But this is much more than a memoir; "Unfrozen" is an invitation to learn a more honest, hopeful, engaged, and faithful way of living.
Accept the "Unfrozen" invitation. You won’t regret it!
August 29, 2016
I was given a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The author uses the story of Disney's Frozen to parallel her own journey to recover and then celebrate the power of her own voice and identity -- something she felt she'd had to diminish and hide all her life. Wenburg gives the reader a candid view into her mind and heart as she navigates many relationships that shaped her perception of herself. She feared she was "too much" for people and struggled with the tension of being who she knows she is and being what she sensed other people wanted her to be.
I expected her to spend more time discussing her relationships with her parents and what was taught/shown/modeled/expected for her there and how those primary relationships impacted her view of herself.
If you are someone who can relate to this struggle and also a Christian, you will likely identify with her story and enjoy her journey to UNfrozen freedom.
The author uses the story of Disney's Frozen to parallel her own journey to recover and then celebrate the power of her own voice and identity -- something she felt she'd had to diminish and hide all her life. Wenburg gives the reader a candid view into her mind and heart as she navigates many relationships that shaped her perception of herself. She feared she was "too much" for people and struggled with the tension of being who she knows she is and being what she sensed other people wanted her to be.
I expected her to spend more time discussing her relationships with her parents and what was taught/shown/modeled/expected for her there and how those primary relationships impacted her view of herself.
If you are someone who can relate to this struggle and also a Christian, you will likely identify with her story and enjoy her journey to UNfrozen freedom.
August 26, 2016
I was hooked at the Prologue! Most of us, especially women, have felt overwhelmed with raising children, being a good wife, and just not feeling heard.
In Unfrozen, Andrea describes her journey through childhood, church, school, relationships, motherhood, and just life with all of its hardships and emotions, to finally finding her voice.
She encourages the reader along the way to become "Unfrozen" as well and to find and share our voices too.
I was given an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
In Unfrozen, Andrea describes her journey through childhood, church, school, relationships, motherhood, and just life with all of its hardships and emotions, to finally finding her voice.
She encourages the reader along the way to become "Unfrozen" as well and to find and share our voices too.
I was given an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 27, 2016
A heart impacting book completely worth reading
Andrea Wenburg has written an emotion-pack, life inspiring book. I felt every emotion while reading this book. While I have never seen the movie Frozen, I can appreciate the need to un thaw my own words so I can touch the lives of those nearest and dearest to me as well as those around me. This is truly a God-inspired labor of love. I strongly recommend this book.
Andrea Wenburg has written an emotion-pack, life inspiring book. I felt every emotion while reading this book. While I have never seen the movie Frozen, I can appreciate the need to un thaw my own words so I can touch the lives of those nearest and dearest to me as well as those around me. This is truly a God-inspired labor of love. I strongly recommend this book.
September 6, 2016
Release your true self
Andrea Wenberg lays down her experience and her soul in these pages. Through her honesty and vulnerability, I realized I'm not the only one afraid to release my true self and my God-given gifts. Using the Disney movie, Frozen, as her muse, Andrea unfolds her spiritual and relational journey from hiding her true self for fear she'd be "too much" for people to releasing her thoughts, gifts, and love to the world.
Andrea Wenberg lays down her experience and her soul in these pages. Through her honesty and vulnerability, I realized I'm not the only one afraid to release my true self and my God-given gifts. Using the Disney movie, Frozen, as her muse, Andrea unfolds her spiritual and relational journey from hiding her true self for fear she'd be "too much" for people to releasing her thoughts, gifts, and love to the world.
November 25, 2016
Most mothers with young children will be able identify with Andrea's feeling of being overwhelmed by the need to be a good mother and wife while dealing with lack of sleep and other problems. The book is narrative of her spiritual journey to understanding herself through her faith.
Though I am not a Christian, parts of this book resonated with me at some level. There are gems of various aspects of relationships to be found throughout the book.
Though I am not a Christian, parts of this book resonated with me at some level. There are gems of various aspects of relationships to be found throughout the book.
September 12, 2016
Most of us go through life feeling like we need to hold in our emotions so that others will accept us. Andrea challenges us through her gentle life experiences to embrace our unique talents and find our voice.
(I received an Advanced Reader Copy for my honest opinion)
(I received an Advanced Reader Copy for my honest opinion)
September 24, 2016
Let it go
Sweet and spicy filled with personal experiences and challenges. God has a plan and Unfrozen walks thru a life that learns how to see His plan more clearly.
Sweet and spicy filled with personal experiences and challenges. God has a plan and Unfrozen walks thru a life that learns how to see His plan more clearly.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews