Why Emotions Matter: Recognize Your Body Signals. Grow in Emotional Intelligence. Discover an Embodied Spirituality.

by Tristen Collins, Jonathan Collins, Melissa Binder

For some, emotions are overwhelming and all-important. For others, they are bothersome and irrational. No matter where you fall on the emotional spectrum, one thing is for God designed you as an emotional being. Your emotions have purpose, and they’re worth handling with curiosity, respect, and wisdom. What might it look like for you to have a healthy relationship with emotions? Could you learn to discern them and use them wisely? Through the unified lens of current research and scriptural teaching, this guide • how emotions work as signals on your body’s internal dashboard • why emotions are valuable (even when they are unpleasant) • what to do when your emotions don’t match the situation • helpful tools and habits to cultivate emotional health over the long-term • the ins and outs of shame, fear, anger, sadness, jealousy, and happiness Whether you’re a skeptical stoic or an impulsive feeler, pursuing a healthy relationship with your emotions is key to living a passionate and abundant life. After all, it’s ultimately about becoming a little more like the person God created you to be. “The Collins have written a unique and extraordinary book, one that blends the recent findings of psychology with the ancient insights of spirituality, all grounded in a healthy, solid biblical theology. We all ache for a healthy soul, yet this side of Eden, and especially in our modern, frenetic, fast-unraveling world, struggle to live in the love, joy, and peace we know Jesus has for us. This book is like a map, or more, a kind, calm, wise guide for the road to life." — John Mark Comer, pastor for teaching at Bridgetown Church, and author of The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry “Here’s your chance to take a big step forward on your journey toward understanding your inner world! This is a marvelously honest, insightful, and practical book about the surprising gift our emotions are when we understand what they signal. Read it!” — Ian Morgan Cron, author of The Road Back to You "I don't remember the last time I read such a consequential book. Jon and Tristen have brilliantly woven theology, psychology, wit, humor, and grace to give us such a desperately needed resource! I immediately thought of ten people I will be buying this book for." — Jefferson Bethke, NYT best selling author of Jesus > Religion “At the ripe old age of thirty-seven, I keep imagining myself standing outside a high school with a case of this book to hand to every student. If seventeen-year-old Joy had read this book, she would have headed into adulthood with permission to take stock of the “why” behind her emotions (there were a few) and the “what” God and science has to say about them. This is a psychology-theology book that is both profound and accessible for any age or stage. ” — Joy Eggerichs Reed, Founder of Punchline Speakers Most of us have had moments when our own reactions, thoughts, and feelings surprise or perplex us, and we wonder, "Why did I just say or do that?" In this wonderfully helpful book, the Collins have given us a practical and profound education in what emotions are, and how they can guide us into greater self-awareness. It's an invitation to think psychologically and theologically about the human person, so you can offer a healthier and more integrated version of yourself to the people around you. — Tim Mackie, cofounder of The Bible Project “‘Sometimes you choose the book. Other times, the book chooses you.’ This book chose me. I needed it.

Genres: Nonfiction, Faith, Psychology, Counselling, Christian, Emotion, Self Help

169 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 10, 2019

Reviews

[Iulia · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5
Cartea potrivită la momentul potrivit.
Am rămas cu una din multele idei vizuale care să raspundă la titlul cărții.
Emoțiile sunt ca beculțele bordului mașinii ființei noastre. Ne anunță care parte de sub caroserie are probleme , tocmai ca să putem investiga.
Pentru toți așa autoproclamații ( ca mine)- persoană rațională și sceptici ai emoților- recomand cartea asta cu prima ocazie de confuzie care apare în viață. O abordare mai pe înțelesul meu nu știu dacă se putea. Am învățat. Emoțiile au sens. Poate pentru unii e evident, dar a trebuit să mi se spună că Dumnezeu le-a lăsat ca indicatori și semnale de alarmă pentru problemele și potențialele amenințări ale propriei persoane, ca să îmi dau seama de importanța lor. Și să accept că mă voi confrunta cu emoții tot mai intense și mai complexe, încât ar fi bine să nu le reprim, pentru sanatate mea si a celor din jur. Dumnezeu se folosește de ele ca să ne facă mai întregi.
Așa că - Mai ușor cu stoicismul! :))
Carte oferă perspectiva tipului cu parul lung de la Bible Project si a soției sale, Tristen, cu privire la 6 emoții- rușine, frică, mânie, tristețe, gelozie și bucurie. La finalul fiecărui capitol există întrebări de autoreflecție, iar la finalul cărții o serie întreagă de discutat cu un grup de casă, un prieten apropiat sau partenerul tău. Nu e prea lungă, încât să devină plictisitoare sau prea tehnică, deși nu m-ar fi deranjat deloc analiza mai multor emoții.
PLUUUS, a venit mănușă să o citesc în perioada când a apărut INSIDE OUT 2. Am văzut similitudinile.

[Mitchell Springfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic short book on emotion. The chapter on shame is rightly framed through the fact that there is an extensive about of writing on this topic right now so they acknowledge that there are probably more equipped sources. However, their chapter on happiness was the best short case study on the necessity and cautionary tale that happiness brings. Jon always has a knack in the Bible project pods to bring complex ideas down to the level of comprehension. It seems that he and his wife share that gift! Highly recommend, would be great in a small group setting.

[Makayla Payne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book on emotions from a holistic, Christian perspective. Clear, insightful, and super practical. Tristen and Jonathan take readers through six emotions: shame, fear, anger, sadness, jealousy, and happiness. They explain the good intended for each, ways they go wrong, and practical steps to process each emotion. They also give insight on how to maintain emotional health long-term. I loved this book. Why Emotions Matter is almost like having a therapist in book form—almost!

[Kaylee Kulus · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read a book on the topic of emotional awareness and health before! The language was not too "jargony" and there were helpful analogies and examples to reflect upon.

[Madison Snodgrass · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’ve been around me at all in the past 5 weeks I’ve talked about this a lot and cannot recommend enough

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

To understand your emotions and accept them in a healthy way is something we all benefit from. I will return to this book when I feel bombarded by happiness, sadness, jealousy, fear and anger.

[Rachel Soderberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good it was worth a reread! I found “Anger: A Signal That Expectations Have Not Been Met” and “Fear: A Signal You Might Be In Danger” most helpful in my personal life right now. I like that each chapter addresses how our bodies react and behaviors change from emotion to emotion. Please read.

[Ryan Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a rational skeptic, this book presented emotions in a way so practical and clear, even the coldest of us could understand! As someone who often rolls their eyes at discussion questions in the back of a book, these questions were practical, realistic, and helpful, which is the highest praise I have ever and could possibly ever give to a discussion/reflection question.

The highlight of this book is the middle section, in which Tristen and Jon dive deep into 6 key emotions and explain what they are, what they mean, how you can identify them, and different ways to react to the emotions.

This book didn’t instantly change my life in a monumental way, but it gave me some super-useful tools that I can use to change my life for the better in real time, and in a lasting way. I read it slowly on purpose so that I could think about it, and that was helpful. Nothing but the highest of praise for this book - 5 stars, totally recommend grabbing it and expanding your emotional toolkit.

[Gabby Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely baller. Exactly what I was looking for when I became curious about what it means to have an embodied soul and the connection between our physical body and our conscious mind. This is one of the best and practical books I’ve read in a while and I’ve been able to practice what I’ve learned since reading it. So good. Wish every person could read this

[Elise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stellar assuming you follow Jesus and have mental healthcare access. It also assumes you have the space to do some emotional/spiritual work and the money to meet your physical needs in your day-to-day. Within these constraints, I found it to be a useful tool.

[Anna Baehman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started this book almost a year ago and finally picked it back up again. Overall, this book wasn’t nearly as insightful as I was hoping it would be, but part 3 was pretty strong. Had some great quotes here and there, but overall did not have any eureka moments like I was hoping! Lots of things I had heard before. Love the cover tho 😗

[Aislinn Blankenship · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really insightful as far as how to deal and process emotions. Definitely a book you need to own and continually refer back to in order to help reflect on the things shared. Talking through the questions at the end of each chapter with my husband was so insightful.

[Sheridan Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoughtful, well written, easy to understand, and personal, this was a great book. I enjoyed the Christian perspective balanced with the author's clinical perspective. Plenty of opportunities for reflection and follow up exercises too.

[Cory Shumate · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid and practical book

This is a solid 101 book on emotional health and habits that combines theory, scripture, and personal story, with practical takeaways in each chapter.

[Brad Sarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[Maryssa Boyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a helpful tool for better naming, understanding, and engaging with the emotions we feel. A great book to read, process, and discuss with a friend or small group!

[Katherine Yates · Rating 5 out of 5]

love love love. I’d recommend this to anyone looking to grow in emotional intelligence or just learn about it. good insight without being super dense.

[Steve Penner · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I must be getting old. This book was recommended by my wife's counselor. What struck me most about is the youth of the authors. They have a topic they want to address and have studied and practiced much of what they teach. Yet the book seems to lack a depth which only comes from experience, which their age precludes them from having. I wonder what the book would look like if they had waited twenty years and written with those twenty years of experience? We'll never know.

I'm sure there is much recent research on emotions, brains, minds, trauma, memory and other topics covered that needs to be brought to a more popular audience. Perhaps this is one small step in that direction.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 to 5 stars: this book is a generalized encouragement on how to be more in tune and grow in your emotional intelligence. For some it will seem silly to provide instruction on how to be aware that you're sad, for example, but knowing what physical signs to look for can be really helpful to some. And whether you supress emotions or get carried away by them, this book can help you dig into the scripts you've absorbed over the years about how to deal with emotions. Each chapter has suggested reading for further reflection and the group questions at the end of the book are great. A little dash of Christian faith, a little dash of quotes from like Brene Brown, etc. what more could you ask for in a general overview of the topic?

[Marcus · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I reviewed this when I actually finished it like 2 months ago. This book like other books in the same genre frustrate me. Particularly because like most modern authors, there is a obvious desire to not take a firm stance and go along with the philosophy that your truth is your truth.

I think the concept that are emotions have a source that drives them, or at least the emotions covered in this book, is novel and something that I subscribe to. However I would only agree with I think it was three of the emotions covered and what I mean by that is that the authors reasoning with those emotions is something I agree with and the other ones I did not agree with both theologically and then also I guess the word would be philosophically.

[Matthew Sobolik · Rating 4 out of 5]

The metaphor this book introduces of emotions as a "car dashboard" pointing to things that are going wrong or right and giving an overview of the health of our pysche is illuminating. This book discusses how emotions can have a physical impact on our bodies, a simple concept, but one I had not seriously considered. They then focus on 6 specific emotions (shame, fear, anger, sad, jealous, and happy). They provide a list of physical symptoms for these emotions to help identify them, and a process for how to handle the emotions with wisdom. Overall I found this book illuminating but often rather simplistic (the authors would readily agree).

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75/5

If I could write a book on emotions and the Christian faith, this is the book I would hope to write. It is an excellent overview for those looking to learn how to engage their emotions from a Biblical foundation. Good theory and application throughout. This is the book I have been looking for to recommend to clients. God intends for us to not just manage our emotions but engage them in ways that enrich our lives with Him and others...and ourselves in the process. This book delivers and I am so thankful they wrote it.

[Alyssa Garner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is such a helpful tool for growing self awareness and developing emotional intelligence for yourself and learning to navigate other's emotions as well.
Learning to understand the inner workings of each emotion is a foundation of relational understanding and deeper connection- and this book so simply and thoughtfully articulates that.
Also learning how to actually use your emotions as drivers of purpose and productivity was so helpful to understand.
Loved this book!

[Bethany Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, practical and very accessible!

This is a good book as an introduction to understanding our emotions or as a good review/overview. It also gives many practical next step options throughout to help meet the reader wherever they are in their journey of emotional Intelligence.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. This book has a different take than a lot on emotions. They talk about the value and also the drawbacks of each emotion and it really does help break down to identify what exactly you’re feeling. It’s not something I’m particularly good at so I think appreciated this book more than someone who is naturally emotionally intelligent would. But I still think it’s beneficial to read.

[Emily Magnus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good and necessary! Felt like a great reminder to read about emotions and delved into different ones, the value of emotions, the roadblock of emotions and how they present themselves in our bodies. Was especially interested when they mentioned anger being a result of unmet expectations. Always good to think harder and reflect on why we feel what we feel and how to identify 🧚‍♀️

[Emily Ziegler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book! I was especially impacted by the chapter on shame and the last chapter detailing vulnerability. As someone who has always been considered “emotional”, this book was healing to consider how to view emotions from a Biblical perspective, as well as the scientific research that supports scripture.

[Sydney Maxwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, once again read another book that is making me rethink literally everything in my life. Just out here allowing myself to feel things that I should’ve felt a long time ago and now we dealing with the consequences of that. Love that for me. RIP to my 3 Goodreads friends and my downward spiral of Emotions 101 books.

[Edith K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holistic, practical, solid and insightful! I honestly think every Christian should read this to enlarge their capacity to live holistically and more emotionally healthy and aware. One of the best books about inner health and emotions that I’ve read with a Jesus centered view!

[Taylor Burdiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

“At the end of the day, what matters is that you’re becoming more like the person God created you to be— more respectful of your body, your emotions, your needs, and those of others.”

This book is exactly what my soul and body needed. A must read.