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Teach Me To Feel: Worshiping Through the Psalms in Every Season of Life
Many of us suppress our feelings because we're worried they are ungodly. Others of us are so led by our emotions that we let them dominate everything, including our faith.
In these honest, personal, and uplifting meditations on 24 selected psalms, Courtney Reissig looks at emotions we all experience, ranging from shame, anxiety, and anger through to gratitude, hope, and joy. For each, she shows how the psalms give us permission to acknowledge how we feel before God, and how they can help us to use those feelings productively and faithfully.
This psalms devotional will give women a language to cry out to God to help them process their feelings, as well as help them to grow in their faith.
In these honest, personal, and uplifting meditations on 24 selected psalms, Courtney Reissig looks at emotions we all experience, ranging from shame, anxiety, and anger through to gratitude, hope, and joy. For each, she shows how the psalms give us permission to acknowledge how we feel before God, and how they can help us to use those feelings productively and faithfully.
This psalms devotional will give women a language to cry out to God to help them process their feelings, as well as help them to grow in their faith.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2020
77 people are currently reading
737 people want to read
About the author
Courtney Reissig
15 books36 followersCourtney Reissig is a wife, mother, and writer. She has written for numerous Christian publications including the Gospel Coalition, Christianity Today, and the Her.meneutics blog. She lives in Little Rock, Arkansas, with her husband, Daniel, and their three sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
November 19, 2023
In Teach Me To Feel, Courtney Reissig masterfully invites readers on a journey through the Psalms, unlocking the richness of this timeless book to express and navigate the complexities of human emotions.
This devotional is a heartfelt exploration that leads readers to a deeper understanding of the Psalms and, more importantly, to an intimate connection with the God who hears and responds!
From the outset, Reissig skillfully combines warmth and wisdom, establishing a connection with readers that goes beyond the pages. The book serves as a companion, offering solace to those who have felt misunderstood, lonely, or overwhelmed. It's a testament to the enduring power of the Psalms to address the full spectrum of human emotions, including grief, and guide us in bringing our feelings before the throne of God.
Reissig's approach goes beyond teaching biblical truths; it leads readers to a profound encounter with Christ and His Word. Each chapter unfolds a fresh perspective on the Psalms, guiding readers in worship, lament, confession, and prayer.
The book addresses a crucial aspect often overlooked in the church—the intersection of faith and emotions. Drawing inspiration from the Psalms and Reissig's personal story, it provides a guide for navigating feelings faithfully, especially in times of suffering, transition, or hurt. In doing so, it reaffirms the significance of emotions in the Christian journey and the transformative power of God’s Word and God Himself.
Reissig's words, laden with meaning yet grounded in reality, resonate with readers who seek comfort, encouragement, and reflective insights. The rare quality of prompting readers to be real and reach for their Bibles, opening each chapter alongside the Psalms, underscores the book's depth and impact.
As a beacon of comfort, encouragement, and teaching, Teach Me To Feel stands out as a compelling and thought-provoking devotional.
Whether one is well-versed in the Psalms or approaching them for the first time, Courtney Reissig's work is a balm for the soul—a source of keen insights, poetic reflections, and a deep appreciation for the goodness of God.
It not only points to the enduring relevance of the Psalms but also demonstrates the gracious inclusion of a book that provides the language needed to express the full range of human emotions in our broken world.
I received a copy of Teach Me To Feel via The Good Book Company. I am not required nor was I asked to write a positive review nor am I paid to do so. The words above are my honest review of this insightful book!
This devotional is a heartfelt exploration that leads readers to a deeper understanding of the Psalms and, more importantly, to an intimate connection with the God who hears and responds!
From the outset, Reissig skillfully combines warmth and wisdom, establishing a connection with readers that goes beyond the pages. The book serves as a companion, offering solace to those who have felt misunderstood, lonely, or overwhelmed. It's a testament to the enduring power of the Psalms to address the full spectrum of human emotions, including grief, and guide us in bringing our feelings before the throne of God.
Reissig's approach goes beyond teaching biblical truths; it leads readers to a profound encounter with Christ and His Word. Each chapter unfolds a fresh perspective on the Psalms, guiding readers in worship, lament, confession, and prayer.
The book addresses a crucial aspect often overlooked in the church—the intersection of faith and emotions. Drawing inspiration from the Psalms and Reissig's personal story, it provides a guide for navigating feelings faithfully, especially in times of suffering, transition, or hurt. In doing so, it reaffirms the significance of emotions in the Christian journey and the transformative power of God’s Word and God Himself.
Reissig's words, laden with meaning yet grounded in reality, resonate with readers who seek comfort, encouragement, and reflective insights. The rare quality of prompting readers to be real and reach for their Bibles, opening each chapter alongside the Psalms, underscores the book's depth and impact.
As a beacon of comfort, encouragement, and teaching, Teach Me To Feel stands out as a compelling and thought-provoking devotional.
Whether one is well-versed in the Psalms or approaching them for the first time, Courtney Reissig's work is a balm for the soul—a source of keen insights, poetic reflections, and a deep appreciation for the goodness of God.
It not only points to the enduring relevance of the Psalms but also demonstrates the gracious inclusion of a book that provides the language needed to express the full range of human emotions in our broken world.
I received a copy of Teach Me To Feel via The Good Book Company. I am not required nor was I asked to write a positive review nor am I paid to do so. The words above are my honest review of this insightful book!
March 11, 2021
2.5? It's hard for me to rate this book! I love walking through the subject matter of the Psalms. I liked that the book focused largely on Scripture and using it as a compass for our emotions. However, I found multiple typos, which I find to be distracting and to detract from the content of the text itself. Another issue I had was that some thoughts were not explained in great detail. I did find it to be an encouragement to spend more time reading the Psalms themselves.
May 1, 2020
This was a great meditation on the psalms, and a great book to go through during coronavirus, as emotions are all over the place. I will definitely be referring back to it. My only complaint is that it would've been helpful if the psalm she was reviewing in each chapter was printed in the book - this book is very much rooted in the words of the text (which is great!), so it would be helpful to see the text right there.
March 5, 2025
I really liked this book as a sort of ‘companion’ to another book I read a couple years ago about emotions called Untangling Emotions. Whereas that book was helpful from a high-level perspective of the purpose of emotions, Teach Me to Feel feels like a guidebook to accompany you in the trenches of life.
Each of Reissig’s chapters addresses a particular emotion and walks through a Psalm that helps the reader process that emotion (and be shaped by Scripture in the process).
You can read the book continually as you would a typical book, or you can cherry-pick the chapters you need to read because of the emotion you’re experiencing that day.
Some examples -
For When You Feel:
Despair (Psalm 88)
Helpless (Psalm 46)
Anxious (Psalm 13)
Weary (Psalms 42 & 43)
But also…
Sustained (Psalm 66)
Content (Psalm 131)
Full of Worship (Psalm 145) - one of my favorites ♥️
One small negative thing - I spotted several typos and errors. It was odd and distracting.
Each of Reissig’s chapters addresses a particular emotion and walks through a Psalm that helps the reader process that emotion (and be shaped by Scripture in the process).
You can read the book continually as you would a typical book, or you can cherry-pick the chapters you need to read because of the emotion you’re experiencing that day.
Some examples -
For When You Feel:
Despair (Psalm 88)
Helpless (Psalm 46)
Anxious (Psalm 13)
Weary (Psalms 42 & 43)
But also…
Sustained (Psalm 66)
Content (Psalm 131)
Full of Worship (Psalm 145) - one of my favorites ♥️
One small negative thing - I spotted several typos and errors. It was odd and distracting.
September 4, 2022
Excellent book. The author walks through psalms that cover a range of human emotions and shows how to biblically engage them. I highly recommend.
Read
December 26, 2023I always thought I was a pretty emotional person, but recently, I realized I tend to suppress certain emotions or let others rule me. I knew I needed to learn more about healthy emotions. This book was a great beginning for me as I read through the selected Psalms and asked God to teach me to use emotions in the right context.
This book seems to be a mix of both devotional and book. Each chapter is a new emotion and starts with a verse from a particular Psalm.
The main thing I took away is negative emotions aren’t bad, they just need to be put in the proper context and the Psalms can help us do that.
This book seems to be a mix of both devotional and book. Each chapter is a new emotion and starts with a verse from a particular Psalm.
The main thing I took away is negative emotions aren’t bad, they just need to be put in the proper context and the Psalms can help us do that.
February 7, 2020
Excellent work by Reissig! A homiletical meditation on the psalms filled with encouragement, biblical truth, real life application and illustrations. I’ll be recommending this book often. I’m excited to have such a valuable resource for discipling others as well as my own teenage girls.
“Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD!”
Psalms 150:6
“Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD!”
Psalms 150:6
July 29, 2022
Overall I enjoyed this book for the truths it presented. I had a hard time getting past the numerous editing errors (that’s the nerd in me I suppose) but the content was good. I enjoyed the second third of the book the most and appreciated the authors she cited and quotes she shared. A simple but at times powerful reminder for women in different seasons of their lives to look to scripture to better understand oneself.
April 20, 2020
Timely and appropriate, Courtney Reissig has written another valuable book. This book is one to have on your beside table. Longer review to come.
August 19, 2020
This was super encouraging. I loved breaking down the Psalms.
February 15, 2024
Helpful to connect the Psalms to real life with topics like anxiety, anger, loneliness etc.
October 23, 2022
3.5 stars
March 17, 2021
2.5 - apparently I'm not a devotional fan. It's like having potato chips when you really want steak.
January 8, 2024
Cannot recommend this book enough. Such an encouraging and biblical help when going through a wide range of emotions!
March 2, 2020
My wife is currently pregnant with our second son. We have experienced many emotions, but there is one moment that stands out to me, and that was when we felt scared. We were scared because my wife had thought that our baby had stopped moving. We thank God that everything is okay right now, but we acknowledge that there are going to be many ups and downs in this particular season. In Teach Me To Feel by Courtney Reissig, we are shown how we can worship through the Psalms in every season of life.
Meditations in a Hospital Bed
In the introduction of this book, Courtney Reissig shares about her time spent on hospital bed rest. When she was 33 weeks, pregnant, her placenta partially abrupted. Although her placenta stopped abrupting, she still had to spend time in a hospital bed. She says that the Psalms were the only thing she read during this time. So this book is an outflowing of her many mediations.
in 24 chapters, Reissig examines 25 standout Psalms (Psalm 42 and Psalm 43 are covered together in Chapter 8). She highlights the verses that hit on a singular feeling or emotion and helps us to understand what they mean. For the most part, these are heavy feelings to process. Despair, pain, grief, and shame are touched upon. But this book also takes us to the highs of contentment, gratefulness, forgiveness, and hope.
For When You Feel
The primary audience for this book is women, but I found this book to be helpful for me as a man in three ways. First, it helped me see a woman’s perspective in many experiences I would not know. Second, it helped me read words to feelings that I have felt but have been unable to say or write about.
Chapter 11 was particularly important to me as it tackled the emotion of envy. Psalm 73 was the Biblical text, and Reissig wrote on how envy can often arise in our social media-saturated world. When the wicked prospers, Reissig reminds us that we must have God’s perspective. The nearness of God is for our good and He is all we need.
Psalms For Every Season
At the end of each chapter, additional Psalms are referenced for further study. Also, pages for journaling are included to interact with the text and help process or pray through your own feelings. This book is available in a beautiful hardback edition, making it an excellent book to revisit and reference in life’s ever-changing circumstances. The Psalms have proved to be a significant portion of Scripture before, and I hope to continue to pursue them as I enter into a new season with my family.
I was provided a free copy of Teach Me to Feel but was not required to write a positive review.
Meditations in a Hospital Bed
In the introduction of this book, Courtney Reissig shares about her time spent on hospital bed rest. When she was 33 weeks, pregnant, her placenta partially abrupted. Although her placenta stopped abrupting, she still had to spend time in a hospital bed. She says that the Psalms were the only thing she read during this time. So this book is an outflowing of her many mediations.
in 24 chapters, Reissig examines 25 standout Psalms (Psalm 42 and Psalm 43 are covered together in Chapter 8). She highlights the verses that hit on a singular feeling or emotion and helps us to understand what they mean. For the most part, these are heavy feelings to process. Despair, pain, grief, and shame are touched upon. But this book also takes us to the highs of contentment, gratefulness, forgiveness, and hope.
For When You Feel
The primary audience for this book is women, but I found this book to be helpful for me as a man in three ways. First, it helped me see a woman’s perspective in many experiences I would not know. Second, it helped me read words to feelings that I have felt but have been unable to say or write about.
Chapter 11 was particularly important to me as it tackled the emotion of envy. Psalm 73 was the Biblical text, and Reissig wrote on how envy can often arise in our social media-saturated world. When the wicked prospers, Reissig reminds us that we must have God’s perspective. The nearness of God is for our good and He is all we need.
Psalms For Every Season
At the end of each chapter, additional Psalms are referenced for further study. Also, pages for journaling are included to interact with the text and help process or pray through your own feelings. This book is available in a beautiful hardback edition, making it an excellent book to revisit and reference in life’s ever-changing circumstances. The Psalms have proved to be a significant portion of Scripture before, and I hope to continue to pursue them as I enter into a new season with my family.
I was provided a free copy of Teach Me to Feel but was not required to write a positive review.
May 15, 2020
I can't fully explain the timeliness of me reading this book or the life it gave me the past month and a half. After the governor announced that school wouldn't be resuming, I found myself with a lot of time on my hands, and I so began reading Teach Me To Feel: Worshiping Through the Psalms in Every Season of Life most mornings. Through the pandemic, through working on my relationship with others, and ultimately through working on my relationship with God, I found a lot of wisdom and discernment in Courtney's words.
Structurally I think this book is on point. I repeatedly find problem with religious books not referencing scripture enough. I don't know (at least for me) that a book without scripture being the center can produce change in a person. If the author isn't pointing the reader to scripture and then prayer, then like I said, I don't know if long-term spiritual change is possible. I believe a person grows closer to the God and spiritually evolves because of scripture. All this to say, Courtney's book first points the reader to scripture, having the reader read a specific Psalm in their Bible, then the reader reads her commentary and analysis of the Psalm. I also loved that she paired a feeling to each Psalm she commented on. This book will be a resource I use throughout my life for whatever feeling I am struggling or dealing with. Her voice in the book is so loving, non-judgemental, and scripture driven that any reader will feel comfort in reading this book. I highly recommend Teach Me To Feel: Worshiping Through the Psalms in Every Season of Life .
Structurally I think this book is on point. I repeatedly find problem with religious books not referencing scripture enough. I don't know (at least for me) that a book without scripture being the center can produce change in a person. If the author isn't pointing the reader to scripture and then prayer, then like I said, I don't know if long-term spiritual change is possible. I believe a person grows closer to the God and spiritually evolves because of scripture. All this to say, Courtney's book first points the reader to scripture, having the reader read a specific Psalm in their Bible, then the reader reads her commentary and analysis of the Psalm. I also loved that she paired a feeling to each Psalm she commented on. This book will be a resource I use throughout my life for whatever feeling I am struggling or dealing with. Her voice in the book is so loving, non-judgemental, and scripture driven that any reader will feel comfort in reading this book. I highly recommend Teach Me To Feel: Worshiping Through the Psalms in Every Season of Life .
December 19, 2023
Genre: Christian Nonfiction
Brief Synopsis: God gave us feelings for a reason. Many of us suppress our feelings because we're worried they're ungodly. Others of us are so led by our emotions that we let them dominate everything, including our faith. Meditations on the Psalms helping women to express their feelings to God.
What did I like about this book?
- Clear, helpful ways to use the scriptures to work through our feelings.
- Some chapters were perfect for my specific season of life and some weren't, but I know I will refer back to certain chapters as I live through different seasons.
- Courtney Reissig is honest and raw and shares ways that the Psalms have helped her through her trials.
- The reflection questions and "dig deeper" section is super helpful, especially for a group study.
What did I not like about this book?
- At times it felt repetitive, but that's the only thing I didn't like about this book.
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Brief Synopsis: God gave us feelings for a reason. Many of us suppress our feelings because we're worried they're ungodly. Others of us are so led by our emotions that we let them dominate everything, including our faith. Meditations on the Psalms helping women to express their feelings to God.
What did I like about this book?
- Clear, helpful ways to use the scriptures to work through our feelings.
- Some chapters were perfect for my specific season of life and some weren't, but I know I will refer back to certain chapters as I live through different seasons.
- Courtney Reissig is honest and raw and shares ways that the Psalms have helped her through her trials.
- The reflection questions and "dig deeper" section is super helpful, especially for a group study.
What did I not like about this book?
- At times it felt repetitive, but that's the only thing I didn't like about this book.
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
May 20, 2020
I have been slowly going through Teach Me To Feel over the past three months. It has been so timely in these Covid-19 quarantine days... and I know it is a resource I will return to again and again. The Psalms have always given me such comfort in hard times, and encouragement in other seasons. I love how the author balances sharing her personal experiences (especially related to pregnancy/family since that is my season of life right now) with accessible, solid Biblical teaching. I loved the journaling section with each chapter, and am sure it will be a gift to return to in the future. My only complaint is that the book ended!! I would definitely read more of Courtney Reissig's meditations on the Word.
November 5, 2023
I’ve dipped in and out of this book as a quiet time devotional over the past 3 years, and have really really valued it. It helped me see that in the Psalms God gives us words to speak to Him in our various emotions, and helped me grapple with my feelings scripturally. I found it helpful to read cover to cover rather than dip in and choose a particular emotion I felt at that moment, as doing studies on emotions I didn’t feel in the moment helped me see the broader sweep of how we are to live, act and pray as emotional beings, and when those feelings did hit, I had armoury with which to process them. Will definitely use this book again, and I have recommended it to many people!
August 14, 2022
4.5 Stars
I rounded up because I really found it a good resource and will probably return to it over my life. A mix of memoir and devotional, Reissig speaks to real emotions and bring the Psalms to our every day lives with clarity and personality.
I wish there were fewer typos and that the author didn't assume a female audience or I would whole-heartedly recommend this book to everyone. That said I still enthusiastically recommend it, with those caveats. These are good words for all people with emotions, whatever their sex or gender.
I rounded up because I really found it a good resource and will probably return to it over my life. A mix of memoir and devotional, Reissig speaks to real emotions and bring the Psalms to our every day lives with clarity and personality.
I wish there were fewer typos and that the author didn't assume a female audience or I would whole-heartedly recommend this book to everyone. That said I still enthusiastically recommend it, with those caveats. These are good words for all people with emotions, whatever their sex or gender.
January 14, 2020
Thankful for a book that uses the language of Scripture, specifically of the Psalms, to give language to our emotions. Courtney's grasp of Scripture and her wise insights into human nature make this book a true gift. One of my favorite things about it is that she writes knowing the implications of our union with Christ & her insights into Psalms are decidedly Christ-centered. Grab this book, it will reorient your heart to worship in whatever season you find yourself.
March 17, 2020
Feelings are interesting things. I feel as Christians we don’t do well teaching people how to have a right and healthy view of them. This book is a great exploration of the Psalms that will help Christians embrace and process emotions in a way that glorifies God! I would highly recommend this book. I’ve been reading one chapter a day alongside my scripture reading and it’s been an eye opening experience for me as someone struggles with feelings.
April 12, 2023
This is another one of those books that is a must read. It’s excellent. The meditations on the particular Psalms she meditates on where all so timely for me. They range from Psalms in anger, sorrow, death, forgiveness, forsaken, helpless, grief, ashamed, etc. It is separated out in 24 days with a journal page at the back. Put this on your to be read list! You won’t regret it. Do it with a group of friends. Make it part of your next book club or study with women from your church! So, so good.
January 29, 2020
Have you ever said, or had someone say to you, "I just can't feel anything anymore" ? This book is a beautiful journey through the book of Psalms and through the emotions that a believer will feel in her life. It doesn't give platitudes to when life is hard, it just brings scripture that can bring comfort to you. There is a lot of additional scripture you can dig into as well.
April 15, 2020
A guide book you can pick up whenever you are experiencing a difficult emotion and the author will walk you through a Psalm that keeps it real but also encourages with truth. You can also just sit and read it straight through like I did but I know I’ll be coming back to certain chapters as different obstacles arise
Read
May 3, 2021I’ve been really thankful for this book. Moving overseas had me feeling pretty numb emotionally but this book helped in re-discovering and re-submitting my emotions to God. I also appreciate the author’s Bible literacy techniques that were easy enough to practice on my own and have really helped in rejuvenating my study of God’s word. Would recommend!
May 2, 2023
I enjoyed looking into some of the Psalms a little more in depth. It was amazing how many times the things that I was reading in the book along with the Psalm spoke to the needs of my heart. I felt like Courtney had a good perspective on how to wrestle with the hard things in life while still believing that God is good and should in the end be praised for his goodness!
November 25, 2025
A deep and thoughtful dive into the Psalms
I looked forward to reading this book each morning. It gave me much to ponder during the day and I learned a lot as I continue working through the psalms and different commentaries. The author shared much I could relate to. Highly recommended!
I looked forward to reading this book each morning. It gave me much to ponder during the day and I learned a lot as I continue working through the psalms and different commentaries. The author shared much I could relate to. Highly recommended!
May 15, 2020
A good reading during these pandemic days. Lots to relate to now but in any time of life. I might read a section or two again as needed. I wish the actual texts she discussed were included with her writing.
June 25, 2020
I’ve read this a chapter at a time over the last two months, and it has transformed the way I talk to God about how I’m feeling. It’s been life changing to see that He has given us the language to express all our emotions in a way that ultimately places our trust back in Him.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews