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Live Your Truth and Other Lies: Exposing Popular Deceptions That Make Us Anxious, Exhausted, and Self-Obsessed
Are you tired of feeling like you have to check social media to find out what you're supposed to think? Are you weary of the latest self-help books that promise to set you free but only imprison you with laundry lists of studies to consider, positive affirmations to recite, and Facebook groups to join?
We've all seen the memes that populate the internet: live your truth, follow your heart, you only have one life to live. They sound nice and positive. But what if these slogans are actually lies that unhinge us from reality and leave us anxious and exhausted? Another Gospel? author Alisa Childers invites you to examine modern lies that are disguised as truths in today's culture. Everyday messages of peace, fulfillment, and empowerment swirl around social media. On the surface, they seem like sentiments of freedom and hope, but in reality they are deeply deceptive.
In Live Your Truth (and Other Lies), Alisa will help you to:
uncover the common lies repeated within progressive circles
hold on to the soul-restoring truths that God's Word offers
be empowered to live the way your Creator designed you
Being the captain of your own destiny and striving to make your dreams a reality is a huge burden that you were never meant to bear. Discover true freedom instead.
We've all seen the memes that populate the internet: live your truth, follow your heart, you only have one life to live. They sound nice and positive. But what if these slogans are actually lies that unhinge us from reality and leave us anxious and exhausted? Another Gospel? author Alisa Childers invites you to examine modern lies that are disguised as truths in today's culture. Everyday messages of peace, fulfillment, and empowerment swirl around social media. On the surface, they seem like sentiments of freedom and hope, but in reality they are deeply deceptive.
In Live Your Truth (and Other Lies), Alisa will help you to:
uncover the common lies repeated within progressive circles
hold on to the soul-restoring truths that God's Word offers
be empowered to live the way your Creator designed you
Being the captain of your own destiny and striving to make your dreams a reality is a huge burden that you were never meant to bear. Discover true freedom instead.
240 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2022
504 people are currently reading
4932 people want to read
About the author
Alisa Childers
16 books409 followersAlisa Childers is a wife, a mom, an author, a blogger, a speaker, and a worship leader. She was a member of the award-winning CCM recording group ZOEgirl. She is a popular speaker at apologetics and Christian worldview conferences, including reThink. She has been published at The Gospel Coalition, Crosswalk, the Stream, For Every Mom, Decision magazine, and The Christian Post. Her blog post “Girl, Wash Your Face? What Rachel Hollis Gets Right . . . and Wrong” received more than one million views. You can connect with Alisa online at alisachilders.com.
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February 23, 2023
“You see, the best lies are the ones that sound the most beautiful. They are made up of at least 50 percent truth.”
I could say the same about Alisa Childers’s book.
Live Your Truth (and Other Lies) could be renamed Your Truth Doesn’t Exist (Unless it Aligns with Alisa Childers’s Truth).
This book juxtaposes common cultural sayings like “live your truth”, “you only live once”, and “put yourself first” with tenets of the gospel such as the nature of God, original sin, and the atonement.
The author quotes popular self-identified Christian authors such as Rachel Hollis, Jen Hatmaker, and Glennon Doyle to prove how they are false teachers and unbiblical.
The main message of the book is that truth is not subjective. Truth is fact. Love tells the truth. And a Christian must live the truth instead of living your truth.
Here’s What I Liked
It is difficult to rate a book when you disagree with most of the author’s approach and perspective. This is Alisa’s second book (following Another Gospel? A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity) and I have read them both. The book is well-written, and I like how it was organized around each common cultural saying that she tackles.
I actually do agree with several of the author’s points. Many of these cultural sayings do go too far and crown a god of Self instead of making Jesus our Lord. I agree that it is misleading to make someone a guru when their personal choices have wreaked havoc and they have intentionally misled their audience in order to sell books (see: Glennon Doyle). Our culture, especially social media culture, does value “artificial authenticity” and gaining followers over becoming who God created you to be. I also agree that “you shouldn’t judge” is thrown around way too much to mean that no one can disagree with me or have a different opinion.
Alisa points out the inconsistencies with Glennon Doyle’s assertion that “If you want to change me, you do not love me.” This cultural value of “accept me as I am” is a myth. Alisa is trying to change our beliefs with her book. Glennon is trying to change our beliefs with her platform. I am trying to change your beliefs with this book review (or at least influence your opinion about this book).
I also agree with the problems with the emphasis on happiness over biblical joy (though I have some problems with the application of this, which I will address later). “The Bible defines happiness in a completely different way. It’s not a psychological state or an emotion we experience. It’s described more like an alignment with God and obedience to his Word. It’s a God-focused joy, not a self-centered mood enhancement.”
Mostly, I strongly agree with Alisa’s point that “if you are a Jesus follower, he is in charge. Jesus is the boss of you, and he says the Bible is also the boss of you.”
The Problem with Apologists
But we disagree on what our boss is telling us.
Like other apologists, Alisa seems to assume that historical evidence and “proof” means we will all agree on every theological point and that her (read: conservative) interpretation of Scripture is the only correct one.
I disagree. We can agree the Bible is true and authoritative but still disagree on the interpretation and application of it.
For example, Alisa says “your truth doesn’t exist”. Yet the book is filled with her versions of biblical truths and glaringly omits those that aren’t popular among conservative Christians yet are still biblical, nonetheless. There is no mention of social justice (Micah 6:8), no denouncement of racism or sexism (Galatians 3:28), no acknowledgement of systemic inequalities and Jesus’s command to serve the poor (Proverbs 14:31, 1 John 3:17; among others).
Alisa encourages readers to argue with other believers on nonessential aspects of the faith. We should evaluate “Am I being persecuted for my unwillingness to compromise on essentials?” If so, continue speaking up, she says. “Am I being persecuted for my unwillingness to agree to disagree on nonessentials?” Continue arguing your points, she suggests.
What a successful way to drive hoards of Christians away from what she defines as “historic Christianity” and into the “evils” of progressive Christianity, as her first book unpacked. Indeed, Alisa shows a fundamental misunderstanding--or refusal to understand--deconstruction. She defines deconstruction as “the slow unraveling of someone’s faith as many of the beliefs they grew up with are picked apart and discarded.”
So to Alisa, deconstruction = deconverting. She leaves no room for deconstruction to lead to the reconstruction of a deeper, more nuanced faith with space for openness, doubt, and questions while holding strong to a love of Jesus and the fundamentals (“essentials”) of the faith. (This has been my experience of deconstruction and a journey I offer my followers in Faith Reconstruction Coaching.)
Complementarian “Truth”
Alisa’s truth (the only truth) contains a lot of the usual complementarian jargon. (As an aside, I have always found it ironic that self-identified complementarian women influencers who write, speak, teach, and lead say women have “unique and different roles” than men. Yet they are occupying many of those same roles in the work that they do. Carry on, Proverbs 31 women.)
She argues against modern feminism with many of the same tired and old arguments typical of complementarians.
Here are a few quotes:
“The way to build up girls is to help them embrace and celebrate the specific role and traits God hardwired into women”.
“It’s a beautiful truth that God made men and women equal in value and worth but different in role and responsibility. Could it be that God actually hardwired an emotional intelligence into women because they are literally responsible for bringing all the new humans into the world? Could it be that they need to be naturally intuitive and nurturing? Could it be that God has built into men an instinct bent toward protecting and providing?".
“There is great value in reminding women that God has hardwired them with intuitive insights, nurturing qualities, and natural mothering instincts. A woman’s body is beautifully designed by God to carry a baby, birth a baby, and feed a baby. In the same way, he has hardwired men in specific ways that make them naturally protective and bent toward work and providing”. (This is all said without any consideration for women whose bodies are unable or do not have the opportunity or desire to carry, birth, and feed a baby. Or men who choose to serve their family in other ways besides “work and providing”.)
All this language of “hardwiring”, “natural,” “God-built”, “bent”, and “instinctual” presupposes that it is a fact that God created all men and all women differently for these different roles. Yet there is no scientific evidence or proof that women are “naturally intuitive and nurturing” or that men are “hardwired for protecting and providing” in a way that the opposite sex is not. Or even that those supposed “hardwired” differences mandate separate and unequal roles. Men and women are different, but as a feminist (and a psychologist rooted in evidenced-based research), I believe the differences between individuals are greater than the differences between the sexes. This is a scientific fact.
Alisa cites overused stereotypes and weak arguments against feminism, such as feminists can’t accept help with a heavy suitcase or opening a door. She then makes the absurd claim that “the damage this does to women and girls is significant, and the devastation it brings to men and boys is incalculable.” So not allowing a man to open my door or help me with my suitcase (which I typically would not have a problem with) brings “damage to women” and “devastation” to men? What a low opinion of both men and women. And there is no research to support this; yet remember, there is no subjective truth so everything Alisa says must be taken as fact.
Love & Emotions
While her writing flows from cultural statement to “objective truth”, her chapters felt incomplete at times. She lays out her theological arguments but doesn’t always connect them fully back to the original cultural statement she was objecting to. For example, she states “love is love” has to be rooted in an understanding of God’s nature and character because God is love. Agreed.
But what does that love look like in action? Will it look like speaking up for the value and dignity of black lives? She would likely say no, at least to the current cultural expression of the BLM movement. Would it look like voting against the rights of gay people to marry, adopt, or be safe from workplace discrimination? She would likely say yes.
Alisa gives an example of love as her bandmate calling her out on her eating disorder because it was harming her. This is a reasonable example because it is an objective, measurable fact that an eating disorder harms the physical and mental health of a person. But when it comes to other issues, Christians often disagree on what causes harm and what doesn’t.
This is where she explores the problem in trusting our feelings and letting those be our guide. I agree our culture puts too much emphasis on “following your heart” and “doing whatever makes you happy”. But there is so much harm from conservative Christianity telling us only that our hearts are “wicked and deceitful” and never teaching us that our feelings are valid and worthy of attention. As a psychologist, the majority of my work is helping people learn to identify, validate, and communicate their emotions effectively instead of avoiding, suppressing, and denying them.
Alisa ultimately sets up a false dichotomy when she says, “we can choose to follow our hearts or we can choose to follow Christ.” Why not recognize that Christ gave you that heart and those emotions, and yes we ultimately need to seek his discernment, wisdom, and guidance, but our emotions are still valid.
Glorifying Suffering
Alisa cites Elizabeth Elliot as a shining example of the faith and Elizabeth Cady Stanton as a black sheep. Like other evangelical teachings, this book glorifies suffering and persecution instead of focusing on attempts to end it. I see many evangelicals wearing their experiences of “persecution” like a badge of honor and exalting martyrs.
There is also the usual conservative jargon about suffering in your marriage; you can be unfulfilled in your marriage yet still have deep abiding joy because of Jesus, she says. To me, this is another half-truth. You can pursue joy in Jesus despite a disappointing marriage and you can seek help and work toward change in your marriage. It doesn’t have to be either/or.
There are other problems with the book I won’t unpack, such as her odd fat shaming comments toward herself and talk of her body and weight consistent with diet culture.
Ultimately, Alisa insists that “Christians must remain committed to speaking and living the truth, because as we’ve already established, 'your truth' doesn’t exist.”
In a book filled with some biblical truth but a lot of her own Evangelical-shaped opinions, beliefs, and assertions, Alisa has offered us the same thing she set out to dismantle: half-truths.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley.
I could say the same about Alisa Childers’s book.
Live Your Truth (and Other Lies) could be renamed Your Truth Doesn’t Exist (Unless it Aligns with Alisa Childers’s Truth).
This book juxtaposes common cultural sayings like “live your truth”, “you only live once”, and “put yourself first” with tenets of the gospel such as the nature of God, original sin, and the atonement.
The author quotes popular self-identified Christian authors such as Rachel Hollis, Jen Hatmaker, and Glennon Doyle to prove how they are false teachers and unbiblical.
The main message of the book is that truth is not subjective. Truth is fact. Love tells the truth. And a Christian must live the truth instead of living your truth.
Here’s What I Liked
It is difficult to rate a book when you disagree with most of the author’s approach and perspective. This is Alisa’s second book (following Another Gospel? A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity) and I have read them both. The book is well-written, and I like how it was organized around each common cultural saying that she tackles.
I actually do agree with several of the author’s points. Many of these cultural sayings do go too far and crown a god of Self instead of making Jesus our Lord. I agree that it is misleading to make someone a guru when their personal choices have wreaked havoc and they have intentionally misled their audience in order to sell books (see: Glennon Doyle). Our culture, especially social media culture, does value “artificial authenticity” and gaining followers over becoming who God created you to be. I also agree that “you shouldn’t judge” is thrown around way too much to mean that no one can disagree with me or have a different opinion.
Alisa points out the inconsistencies with Glennon Doyle’s assertion that “If you want to change me, you do not love me.” This cultural value of “accept me as I am” is a myth. Alisa is trying to change our beliefs with her book. Glennon is trying to change our beliefs with her platform. I am trying to change your beliefs with this book review (or at least influence your opinion about this book).
I also agree with the problems with the emphasis on happiness over biblical joy (though I have some problems with the application of this, which I will address later). “The Bible defines happiness in a completely different way. It’s not a psychological state or an emotion we experience. It’s described more like an alignment with God and obedience to his Word. It’s a God-focused joy, not a self-centered mood enhancement.”
Mostly, I strongly agree with Alisa’s point that “if you are a Jesus follower, he is in charge. Jesus is the boss of you, and he says the Bible is also the boss of you.”
The Problem with Apologists
But we disagree on what our boss is telling us.
Like other apologists, Alisa seems to assume that historical evidence and “proof” means we will all agree on every theological point and that her (read: conservative) interpretation of Scripture is the only correct one.
I disagree. We can agree the Bible is true and authoritative but still disagree on the interpretation and application of it.
For example, Alisa says “your truth doesn’t exist”. Yet the book is filled with her versions of biblical truths and glaringly omits those that aren’t popular among conservative Christians yet are still biblical, nonetheless. There is no mention of social justice (Micah 6:8), no denouncement of racism or sexism (Galatians 3:28), no acknowledgement of systemic inequalities and Jesus’s command to serve the poor (Proverbs 14:31, 1 John 3:17; among others).
Alisa encourages readers to argue with other believers on nonessential aspects of the faith. We should evaluate “Am I being persecuted for my unwillingness to compromise on essentials?” If so, continue speaking up, she says. “Am I being persecuted for my unwillingness to agree to disagree on nonessentials?” Continue arguing your points, she suggests.
What a successful way to drive hoards of Christians away from what she defines as “historic Christianity” and into the “evils” of progressive Christianity, as her first book unpacked. Indeed, Alisa shows a fundamental misunderstanding--or refusal to understand--deconstruction. She defines deconstruction as “the slow unraveling of someone’s faith as many of the beliefs they grew up with are picked apart and discarded.”
So to Alisa, deconstruction = deconverting. She leaves no room for deconstruction to lead to the reconstruction of a deeper, more nuanced faith with space for openness, doubt, and questions while holding strong to a love of Jesus and the fundamentals (“essentials”) of the faith. (This has been my experience of deconstruction and a journey I offer my followers in Faith Reconstruction Coaching.)
Complementarian “Truth”
Alisa’s truth (the only truth) contains a lot of the usual complementarian jargon. (As an aside, I have always found it ironic that self-identified complementarian women influencers who write, speak, teach, and lead say women have “unique and different roles” than men. Yet they are occupying many of those same roles in the work that they do. Carry on, Proverbs 31 women.)
She argues against modern feminism with many of the same tired and old arguments typical of complementarians.
Here are a few quotes:
“The way to build up girls is to help them embrace and celebrate the specific role and traits God hardwired into women”.
“It’s a beautiful truth that God made men and women equal in value and worth but different in role and responsibility. Could it be that God actually hardwired an emotional intelligence into women because they are literally responsible for bringing all the new humans into the world? Could it be that they need to be naturally intuitive and nurturing? Could it be that God has built into men an instinct bent toward protecting and providing?".
“There is great value in reminding women that God has hardwired them with intuitive insights, nurturing qualities, and natural mothering instincts. A woman’s body is beautifully designed by God to carry a baby, birth a baby, and feed a baby. In the same way, he has hardwired men in specific ways that make them naturally protective and bent toward work and providing”. (This is all said without any consideration for women whose bodies are unable or do not have the opportunity or desire to carry, birth, and feed a baby. Or men who choose to serve their family in other ways besides “work and providing”.)
All this language of “hardwiring”, “natural,” “God-built”, “bent”, and “instinctual” presupposes that it is a fact that God created all men and all women differently for these different roles. Yet there is no scientific evidence or proof that women are “naturally intuitive and nurturing” or that men are “hardwired for protecting and providing” in a way that the opposite sex is not. Or even that those supposed “hardwired” differences mandate separate and unequal roles. Men and women are different, but as a feminist (and a psychologist rooted in evidenced-based research), I believe the differences between individuals are greater than the differences between the sexes. This is a scientific fact.
Alisa cites overused stereotypes and weak arguments against feminism, such as feminists can’t accept help with a heavy suitcase or opening a door. She then makes the absurd claim that “the damage this does to women and girls is significant, and the devastation it brings to men and boys is incalculable.” So not allowing a man to open my door or help me with my suitcase (which I typically would not have a problem with) brings “damage to women” and “devastation” to men? What a low opinion of both men and women. And there is no research to support this; yet remember, there is no subjective truth so everything Alisa says must be taken as fact.
Love & Emotions
While her writing flows from cultural statement to “objective truth”, her chapters felt incomplete at times. She lays out her theological arguments but doesn’t always connect them fully back to the original cultural statement she was objecting to. For example, she states “love is love” has to be rooted in an understanding of God’s nature and character because God is love. Agreed.
But what does that love look like in action? Will it look like speaking up for the value and dignity of black lives? She would likely say no, at least to the current cultural expression of the BLM movement. Would it look like voting against the rights of gay people to marry, adopt, or be safe from workplace discrimination? She would likely say yes.
Alisa gives an example of love as her bandmate calling her out on her eating disorder because it was harming her. This is a reasonable example because it is an objective, measurable fact that an eating disorder harms the physical and mental health of a person. But when it comes to other issues, Christians often disagree on what causes harm and what doesn’t.
This is where she explores the problem in trusting our feelings and letting those be our guide. I agree our culture puts too much emphasis on “following your heart” and “doing whatever makes you happy”. But there is so much harm from conservative Christianity telling us only that our hearts are “wicked and deceitful” and never teaching us that our feelings are valid and worthy of attention. As a psychologist, the majority of my work is helping people learn to identify, validate, and communicate their emotions effectively instead of avoiding, suppressing, and denying them.
Alisa ultimately sets up a false dichotomy when she says, “we can choose to follow our hearts or we can choose to follow Christ.” Why not recognize that Christ gave you that heart and those emotions, and yes we ultimately need to seek his discernment, wisdom, and guidance, but our emotions are still valid.
Glorifying Suffering
Alisa cites Elizabeth Elliot as a shining example of the faith and Elizabeth Cady Stanton as a black sheep. Like other evangelical teachings, this book glorifies suffering and persecution instead of focusing on attempts to end it. I see many evangelicals wearing their experiences of “persecution” like a badge of honor and exalting martyrs.
There is also the usual conservative jargon about suffering in your marriage; you can be unfulfilled in your marriage yet still have deep abiding joy because of Jesus, she says. To me, this is another half-truth. You can pursue joy in Jesus despite a disappointing marriage and you can seek help and work toward change in your marriage. It doesn’t have to be either/or.
There are other problems with the book I won’t unpack, such as her odd fat shaming comments toward herself and talk of her body and weight consistent with diet culture.
Ultimately, Alisa insists that “Christians must remain committed to speaking and living the truth, because as we’ve already established, 'your truth' doesn’t exist.”
In a book filled with some biblical truth but a lot of her own Evangelical-shaped opinions, beliefs, and assertions, Alisa has offered us the same thing she set out to dismantle: half-truths.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley.
April 4, 2023
“Will you choose to stand on the unchanging truth of the God-breathed Scriptures, or will you choose whatever trendy catchphrase people are currently obsessed with?”
Alisa Childers (author of ‘Another Gospel?’) was part of the Christian band ZOEGirl back in the 90s. She had her own deconstruction journey and questioned her faith and Christianity. In her study and questioning, she reconstructed in truth and is now an apologist. Her podcast, blog, and more can be accessed HERE.
She also received over a million hits on her article she posted in response to Rachel Hollis’s book Girl, Wash Your Face which reflected a lot of my own thoughts on it.
I was drawn to this book because of the title—Live Your Truth (and Other Lies). I hear that phrase ‘live your truth’ so often as positive encouragement. What Childers tackles in this book is exposing phrases like this and ideas that are marketed as positive and life-changing and showing how they actually promote the worship of self instead of God.
She quotes a lot of popular progressive Christians who have drawn an audience by espousing these ideas and shows how they are leading Christians astray.
If you’re a fan of Jen Hatmaker (Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire and For the Love), Glennon Doyle (Untamed), and Rachel Hollis (Girl, Wash Your Face and Girl, Stop Apologizing), you may find this book insightful and possibly even surprising.
If you’ve thought there’s just something off about some of the ideas these Christians promote but can’t put your finger on why, this book will affirm your discernment and wariness and direct you to what God’s Word says about them.
Wherever you stand on these phrases, it’s worth pondering whether the underlying principles of these phrases align with the gospel message.
What are the Lies?
Of course there are more than ten lies in the world, but in this book she has chosen to focus on these popular ones:
- Live your truth.
- You are enough.
- Put yourself first.
- Authenticity is everything.
- YOLO
- God just wants you to be happy.
- You shouldn’t judge.
- You’re the boss of you.
- Love means agreeing.
- Girls are most powerful when they act like men.
Are you uncomfortable? You’ve heard these a lot right? You maybe even promote them yourself. They sound so encouraging. Many of them fall under the cultural umbrella of ‘self-love.’ Aren’t we supposed to love ourselves? After all, God created us in his image and we should be physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy.
It is true that we are image-bearers and being healthy is a way to honor God with our bodies. But self-love inevitably elevates self above self-sacrifice. It takes truths of the Bible and twists them, or in some ways completely ignores what the Bible actually teaches.
“What if those little slogans that sound positive and life-affirming are really just lies that will unhinge us from truth, reality, and hope? Relying on popular wisdom can cause unnecessary pain and confusion. In other cases, it leads to absolute bondage to whatever virtue signal of the day is dominating the internet.”
Childers takes each of these lies and sheds the light of Scripture on the truth behind the lie. And in case you need this reminder, the truth is not discouraging. The truth actually frees us from having to be our own saviors, our own constant source of strength and sufficiency. The truth actually offers rest, hope, and authenticity and love as God intended.
“Recognizing who we are in Christ is the ultimate self-care because the Word of God doesn’t reinvent itself along with a constantly changing culture.”
How to Be Deceived in 7 Easy Steps
Childers includes this list in her book and I think it’s super helpful to think about as we discern the messages we hear in the world, whether from secular or Christian sources.
And again, these are not Childers’ invention. We see these at play when Adam and Eve first sinned. If you want to follow Glennon Doyle’s suggestion that “Maybe Eve was never meant to be our warning. Maybe she was meant to be our model. Own your wanting. Eat the apple,” then essentially you’re attempting to become your own god.
Like Eve, if you want to be deceived by lies, follow these steps:
1. Question what God actually said.
2. Twist what God said.
3. Paint God like the mean bully in the sky who uses fear tactics to keep you from having any fun.
4. Persuade you to trust yourself more than you trust God and his Word.
5. Catapult your life into darkness and chaos.
6. Convince yourself that darkness and chaos are actually good things.
7. Rinse, recycle, repeat.
Take a moment to reflect. I think we do these a lot more fluidly than we realize. We like to trust ourselves and believe things that feel good and allow us to do whatever we want.
“It’s easy to point people to themselves. There will always be a market for that. We love it! We love to talk about ourselves, focus on ourselves, pamper ourselves, and adore ourselves… But we were not created to worship ourselves.”
My Favorite Parts
Childers is bold and has a great sense of humor. This book is easy to read— she shares information in a really accessible and oftentimes entertaining way. Yet it is also gospel-centered and Scripture-filled.
Other reviewers have commented that she is merely presenting ‘her truth’ as what everyone should believe. But that is not the case. She is not just offering a forceful opinion. She is offering biblical evidence, context, and linguistic information to support a historically believed truth.
She touches on linguistic theft (quoting the fantastic book Mama Bear Apologetics, in which she was a contributor). Linguistic theft describes the practice the culture has made of redefining words like love, tolerance, bigot, justice, truth, hate, etc. This is a significant thing and the cause of many hurtful conversations. If we’re not operating from the same definitions, we are not understanding each other properly.
One of the most important of these words is ‘truth.’ As Christians, we should believe in objective truth. And we can know truth. After all, ‘true’ just means ‘corresponding to reality.’
“Truth is true for all people in all places and times. It’s also something you can’t invent, think up, or create. It is something you discover. It doesn’t change, no matter how much people’s beliefs about it do. Truth isn’t altered because of how it makes someone feel. Truth is entirely unaffected by the tone and attitude of the person professing it. A lie is still a lie even when communicated with humor and just the right amount of whimsy.”
“Defending the gospel requires defending objective truth. There’s no way around it. Christianity is based on truth.”
It makes me sad when I see everyone trying to be authentic and struggling with who they actually are. They’re so often not looking in the right place. And even as they attempt authenticity, they are unfulfilled and depressed. Because our own attempts to define ourselves are never going to be enough.
“Living according to the truth is the most authentic way to live because it’s what we were made for.”
“Paul writes, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” That doesn’t mean the unique talents, personalities, and giftings we’ve been created with are dead. Rather, we continually put to death the sin that stains and taints those God-given gifts and qualities. This frees us to be who we were truly created to be.”
When our identity is in Christ, He defines the truth, and we allow God to sanctify the ways we taint the gifts he’s given us, we find true authenticity.
“As Christians, we have to submit our inner lives to the authority of Scripture, and sometimes that requires denying our desires, repenting of our sinful proclivities, and reforming our ideas to align with God’s revealed truth. When we don’t do that, we can find ourselves fighting against God and trying to build our identities on a cracked foundation.”
Another thing I think about a lot that she addresses in her book is that to love someone doesn’t mean you always agree with them.
She quotes Glennon Doyle saying:
“If you want to change me, you do not love me… If you wish me well but vote against my family being protected by the law, you do not love me… to love me as yourself means to want for me and for my family every good thing you want for yourself and your family. Anything less than that is less than love.”
This is a common sentiment- love doesn’t desire change in someone. But that is not logical. Of course anyone is welcome at the foot of the cross exactly as they are, but Jesus doesn’t leave us there. The Bible clearly teaches sanctification which is God changing us to be more like himself.
Doyle’s definition would mean that Jesus isn’t loving. It would also mean that she herself isn’t loving because these words were directed towards her friend whom she was subtly trying to change.
Childers rightly points us to the famous 1 Corinthians 13 passage who helps inform our view of biblical love:
"‘It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful.’ (You mean, I can’t demand that other people capitulate to my very specific theological and political views if they want to love me?) Next Paul wrote, ‘It does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.’ (Well, shoot. This means that when I’m a loving person, I cannot rejoice in sinful behavior but am commanded to rejoice only when things line up with the truth of God’s Word?) According to Scripture, love means I cannot affirm someone in their sin, even if they insist that love requires that. In that sense, the biblical definition of love is the exact opposite of the cultural one.”
“True biblical love is neither a trite affirmation of someone’s life choices nor holding someone hostage to our own politics or theology.”
Now to still show compassion even in disagreement is challenging and I fail at that regularly. But it exposes that lie that anything that feels good must be true and right. God gave us emotions so they must be important, but he also gave us his Word which is far more important than feelings. And His Word warns us that our hearts are deceitful. They cannot be our ultimate authority in determining what is right and wrong.
The choice Childers gives us to either follow our heart or follow God is a real choice.
Our hearts can still lead us to sin. They can lead us to celebrate sin. But God’s Word will always direct us to truth and life.
Conclusion
While there is a bit of overlap on this book with Mama Apologetics, this is still a valuable read. The tone here is a bit different. Mama Bear Apologetics takes on the ‘-isms’ like feminism, moral relativism, Marxism, etc., but Live Your Truth takes on specific phrases.
Books like the ones Hatmaker and Hollis (at least before her meltdown) put out garner a lot of interest. I wish Childers had quoted more of the other progressive Christian authors that have become popular as well, because Christians are getting sucked into this positive, seemingly healthy worldview that is really based on anti-gospel ideas.
It’s going to take some humility, honesty, and willingness to self-reflect for us to recognize some of the lies we’re believing. But Childers is a great writer to take us on that journey. She is a bold lover of truth (and hopefully my future best friend) who has courageously written this book, knowing that she will face a lot of backlash.
“it must be said that if 99.9 percent of a god-hating culture loves you and your message, chances are you are not being prophetic. They killed the prophets. They adore influencers who sanctify sin.”
If we fit in too much with the culture, we may have strayed from the radical and selfless teachings of Jesus.
“None of the lies we’ve talked about in this book can exist in the same space as the Cross. If you want to be enough for yourself, you cannot have the Cross. It is the irritant that aggravates our sense of self-sufficiency, and it is the remedy that cures the defect that self-sufficiency creates.”
If you haven’t figured it out yet— I highly recommend this book!
More Quotes:
“‘You are enough’ is a message that enslaves people to the false idea that they are responsible to be the mastermind of their current circumstances and future realities—even when they feel overwhelmed. It burdens them with the obligation of being the source of their own joy, contentment, and peace.”
“You are not enough, but when your trust is placed in Jesus, his enough-ness is transferred to you.”
“The self can’t be both the problem and the solution. If our problem is that we’re insecure or unfulfilled, we’re not going to be able to find the antidote to these things in the same place our insecurities and fear are coming from.”— Allie Beth Stuckey
“When we dedicate our lives to serving God and others, we are not like a car running out of gas. We are more like a house with solar panels.”
“The secret is Christ in me, not me in a different set of circumstances.”— Elisabeth Elliot
“Authenticity is not unimportant. It’s not wrong when defined correctly, but it’s not everything. Do you want to know what is everything? God’s holiness. That’s everything.”
“Heaven is not escapist. Worldliness is escapist. Heaven is home.”
“Popular culture tells us that happiness means controlling our circumstances in a way that allows us to have those good feelings as often as possible, and if we don’t experience those good feelings, we should change our circumstances. Are you unhappy in your marriage? Get a divorce. Feeling down? Get drunk. Overwhelmed by motherhood? Take to social media to vent about what little monsters your kids are.”
“Biblical happiness doesn’t come from having stuff, feeling good about our circumstances, or even finding romantic fulfillment. Those things feel good, but they can’t bring ultimate happiness. In some cases, they may even distract us from real happiness. True biblical happiness is knowing deep down that no matter our circumstances, we were lost and now we’re found. We have experienced the love of Christ, which always brings encouragement and comfort.”
“Scripture actually commands us to judge but to do it carefully, rightly, humbly, and without hypocrisy.”
“In our culture, to claim that there are differences between men and women has become taboo. Sadly, we’ve taken all the strengths that men typically possess and made them the standard of goodness and value. Because of this, women feel they need to fight like a man, compete with men in the workplace, and achieve all the things men do. But why is no one making womanhood the standard of goodness and value?”
“Take, for example, the claim that women are “too emotional.” Why do we automatically believe this is a negative stereotype that must be toppled in order to crush the patriarchy? Could it be that God actually hardwired an emotional intelligence into women because they are literally responsible for bringing all the new humans into the world? Could it be that they need to be naturally intuitive and nurturing, with sharp instincts designed toward the survival and flourishing of individuals? Instead of viewing this as a weakness to be overcome, I praise God for the beauty of his diverse creation.”
“The fruit wasn’t something good that was being withheld but something incredibly destructive that God was protecting Adam and Eve from.”
“Satan wants us to view God’s commands as barriers that keep us from enjoying the things we are entitled to. In reality, God is protecting us from what will harm us.”
“Already we can see the precious value assigned to women from their creation. From the language used to describe God’s divine activity to the man’s response and the woman’s role, the Bible ascribes a value to woman that was unique in the ancient world.”
“Sometimes I think we humans tend to downplay our own sinfulness, not realizing how much our sin is an affront to a holy God.”
Books She References
Mama Bear Apologetics: Empowering Your Kids to Challenge Cultural Lies by Hillary Morgan Ferrer
Live Not by Lies by Rod Dreher
Cynical Theories: How Activist Scholarship Made Everything about Race, Gender, and Identity- and Why This Harms Everybody by Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay
The War Against Boys: How Misguided Feminism Is Harming Our Young Men by Christina Hoff (on my TBR)
Other Relevant Books:
The Intolerance of Tolerance by D.A. Carson (discusses the changing definition of tolerance)
The Secular Creed: Engaging Five Contemporary Claims by Rebecca McLaughlin (discusses the ‘love is love’ sentiment)
You Who?: Why You Matter and How to Deal With It by Rachel Jankovic (a book basically in response to Girl, Wash Your Face and one of my favorites)
**Received an ARC via NetGalley**
Shelf Reflection Book Review Blog
Book Review Blog | Facebook | Pinterest
Alisa Childers (author of ‘Another Gospel?’) was part of the Christian band ZOEGirl back in the 90s. She had her own deconstruction journey and questioned her faith and Christianity. In her study and questioning, she reconstructed in truth and is now an apologist. Her podcast, blog, and more can be accessed HERE.
She also received over a million hits on her article she posted in response to Rachel Hollis’s book Girl, Wash Your Face which reflected a lot of my own thoughts on it.
I was drawn to this book because of the title—Live Your Truth (and Other Lies). I hear that phrase ‘live your truth’ so often as positive encouragement. What Childers tackles in this book is exposing phrases like this and ideas that are marketed as positive and life-changing and showing how they actually promote the worship of self instead of God.
She quotes a lot of popular progressive Christians who have drawn an audience by espousing these ideas and shows how they are leading Christians astray.
If you’re a fan of Jen Hatmaker (Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire and For the Love), Glennon Doyle (Untamed), and Rachel Hollis (Girl, Wash Your Face and Girl, Stop Apologizing), you may find this book insightful and possibly even surprising.
If you’ve thought there’s just something off about some of the ideas these Christians promote but can’t put your finger on why, this book will affirm your discernment and wariness and direct you to what God’s Word says about them.
Wherever you stand on these phrases, it’s worth pondering whether the underlying principles of these phrases align with the gospel message.
What are the Lies?
Of course there are more than ten lies in the world, but in this book she has chosen to focus on these popular ones:
- Live your truth.
- You are enough.
- Put yourself first.
- Authenticity is everything.
- YOLO
- God just wants you to be happy.
- You shouldn’t judge.
- You’re the boss of you.
- Love means agreeing.
- Girls are most powerful when they act like men.
Are you uncomfortable? You’ve heard these a lot right? You maybe even promote them yourself. They sound so encouraging. Many of them fall under the cultural umbrella of ‘self-love.’ Aren’t we supposed to love ourselves? After all, God created us in his image and we should be physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy.
It is true that we are image-bearers and being healthy is a way to honor God with our bodies. But self-love inevitably elevates self above self-sacrifice. It takes truths of the Bible and twists them, or in some ways completely ignores what the Bible actually teaches.
“What if those little slogans that sound positive and life-affirming are really just lies that will unhinge us from truth, reality, and hope? Relying on popular wisdom can cause unnecessary pain and confusion. In other cases, it leads to absolute bondage to whatever virtue signal of the day is dominating the internet.”
Childers takes each of these lies and sheds the light of Scripture on the truth behind the lie. And in case you need this reminder, the truth is not discouraging. The truth actually frees us from having to be our own saviors, our own constant source of strength and sufficiency. The truth actually offers rest, hope, and authenticity and love as God intended.
“Recognizing who we are in Christ is the ultimate self-care because the Word of God doesn’t reinvent itself along with a constantly changing culture.”
How to Be Deceived in 7 Easy Steps
Childers includes this list in her book and I think it’s super helpful to think about as we discern the messages we hear in the world, whether from secular or Christian sources.
And again, these are not Childers’ invention. We see these at play when Adam and Eve first sinned. If you want to follow Glennon Doyle’s suggestion that “Maybe Eve was never meant to be our warning. Maybe she was meant to be our model. Own your wanting. Eat the apple,” then essentially you’re attempting to become your own god.
Like Eve, if you want to be deceived by lies, follow these steps:
1. Question what God actually said.
2. Twist what God said.
3. Paint God like the mean bully in the sky who uses fear tactics to keep you from having any fun.
4. Persuade you to trust yourself more than you trust God and his Word.
5. Catapult your life into darkness and chaos.
6. Convince yourself that darkness and chaos are actually good things.
7. Rinse, recycle, repeat.
Take a moment to reflect. I think we do these a lot more fluidly than we realize. We like to trust ourselves and believe things that feel good and allow us to do whatever we want.
“It’s easy to point people to themselves. There will always be a market for that. We love it! We love to talk about ourselves, focus on ourselves, pamper ourselves, and adore ourselves… But we were not created to worship ourselves.”
My Favorite Parts
Childers is bold and has a great sense of humor. This book is easy to read— she shares information in a really accessible and oftentimes entertaining way. Yet it is also gospel-centered and Scripture-filled.
Other reviewers have commented that she is merely presenting ‘her truth’ as what everyone should believe. But that is not the case. She is not just offering a forceful opinion. She is offering biblical evidence, context, and linguistic information to support a historically believed truth.
She touches on linguistic theft (quoting the fantastic book Mama Bear Apologetics, in which she was a contributor). Linguistic theft describes the practice the culture has made of redefining words like love, tolerance, bigot, justice, truth, hate, etc. This is a significant thing and the cause of many hurtful conversations. If we’re not operating from the same definitions, we are not understanding each other properly.
One of the most important of these words is ‘truth.’ As Christians, we should believe in objective truth. And we can know truth. After all, ‘true’ just means ‘corresponding to reality.’
“Truth is true for all people in all places and times. It’s also something you can’t invent, think up, or create. It is something you discover. It doesn’t change, no matter how much people’s beliefs about it do. Truth isn’t altered because of how it makes someone feel. Truth is entirely unaffected by the tone and attitude of the person professing it. A lie is still a lie even when communicated with humor and just the right amount of whimsy.”
“Defending the gospel requires defending objective truth. There’s no way around it. Christianity is based on truth.”
It makes me sad when I see everyone trying to be authentic and struggling with who they actually are. They’re so often not looking in the right place. And even as they attempt authenticity, they are unfulfilled and depressed. Because our own attempts to define ourselves are never going to be enough.
“Living according to the truth is the most authentic way to live because it’s what we were made for.”
“Paul writes, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” That doesn’t mean the unique talents, personalities, and giftings we’ve been created with are dead. Rather, we continually put to death the sin that stains and taints those God-given gifts and qualities. This frees us to be who we were truly created to be.”
When our identity is in Christ, He defines the truth, and we allow God to sanctify the ways we taint the gifts he’s given us, we find true authenticity.
“As Christians, we have to submit our inner lives to the authority of Scripture, and sometimes that requires denying our desires, repenting of our sinful proclivities, and reforming our ideas to align with God’s revealed truth. When we don’t do that, we can find ourselves fighting against God and trying to build our identities on a cracked foundation.”
Another thing I think about a lot that she addresses in her book is that to love someone doesn’t mean you always agree with them.
She quotes Glennon Doyle saying:
“If you want to change me, you do not love me… If you wish me well but vote against my family being protected by the law, you do not love me… to love me as yourself means to want for me and for my family every good thing you want for yourself and your family. Anything less than that is less than love.”
This is a common sentiment- love doesn’t desire change in someone. But that is not logical. Of course anyone is welcome at the foot of the cross exactly as they are, but Jesus doesn’t leave us there. The Bible clearly teaches sanctification which is God changing us to be more like himself.
Doyle’s definition would mean that Jesus isn’t loving. It would also mean that she herself isn’t loving because these words were directed towards her friend whom she was subtly trying to change.
Childers rightly points us to the famous 1 Corinthians 13 passage who helps inform our view of biblical love:
"‘It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful.’ (You mean, I can’t demand that other people capitulate to my very specific theological and political views if they want to love me?) Next Paul wrote, ‘It does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.’ (Well, shoot. This means that when I’m a loving person, I cannot rejoice in sinful behavior but am commanded to rejoice only when things line up with the truth of God’s Word?) According to Scripture, love means I cannot affirm someone in their sin, even if they insist that love requires that. In that sense, the biblical definition of love is the exact opposite of the cultural one.”
“True biblical love is neither a trite affirmation of someone’s life choices nor holding someone hostage to our own politics or theology.”
Now to still show compassion even in disagreement is challenging and I fail at that regularly. But it exposes that lie that anything that feels good must be true and right. God gave us emotions so they must be important, but he also gave us his Word which is far more important than feelings. And His Word warns us that our hearts are deceitful. They cannot be our ultimate authority in determining what is right and wrong.
The choice Childers gives us to either follow our heart or follow God is a real choice.
Our hearts can still lead us to sin. They can lead us to celebrate sin. But God’s Word will always direct us to truth and life.
Conclusion
While there is a bit of overlap on this book with Mama Apologetics, this is still a valuable read. The tone here is a bit different. Mama Bear Apologetics takes on the ‘-isms’ like feminism, moral relativism, Marxism, etc., but Live Your Truth takes on specific phrases.
Books like the ones Hatmaker and Hollis (at least before her meltdown) put out garner a lot of interest. I wish Childers had quoted more of the other progressive Christian authors that have become popular as well, because Christians are getting sucked into this positive, seemingly healthy worldview that is really based on anti-gospel ideas.
It’s going to take some humility, honesty, and willingness to self-reflect for us to recognize some of the lies we’re believing. But Childers is a great writer to take us on that journey. She is a bold lover of truth (and hopefully my future best friend) who has courageously written this book, knowing that she will face a lot of backlash.
“it must be said that if 99.9 percent of a god-hating culture loves you and your message, chances are you are not being prophetic. They killed the prophets. They adore influencers who sanctify sin.”
If we fit in too much with the culture, we may have strayed from the radical and selfless teachings of Jesus.
“None of the lies we’ve talked about in this book can exist in the same space as the Cross. If you want to be enough for yourself, you cannot have the Cross. It is the irritant that aggravates our sense of self-sufficiency, and it is the remedy that cures the defect that self-sufficiency creates.”
If you haven’t figured it out yet— I highly recommend this book!
More Quotes:
“‘You are enough’ is a message that enslaves people to the false idea that they are responsible to be the mastermind of their current circumstances and future realities—even when they feel overwhelmed. It burdens them with the obligation of being the source of their own joy, contentment, and peace.”
“You are not enough, but when your trust is placed in Jesus, his enough-ness is transferred to you.”
“The self can’t be both the problem and the solution. If our problem is that we’re insecure or unfulfilled, we’re not going to be able to find the antidote to these things in the same place our insecurities and fear are coming from.”— Allie Beth Stuckey
“When we dedicate our lives to serving God and others, we are not like a car running out of gas. We are more like a house with solar panels.”
“The secret is Christ in me, not me in a different set of circumstances.”— Elisabeth Elliot
“Authenticity is not unimportant. It’s not wrong when defined correctly, but it’s not everything. Do you want to know what is everything? God’s holiness. That’s everything.”
“Heaven is not escapist. Worldliness is escapist. Heaven is home.”
“Popular culture tells us that happiness means controlling our circumstances in a way that allows us to have those good feelings as often as possible, and if we don’t experience those good feelings, we should change our circumstances. Are you unhappy in your marriage? Get a divorce. Feeling down? Get drunk. Overwhelmed by motherhood? Take to social media to vent about what little monsters your kids are.”
“Biblical happiness doesn’t come from having stuff, feeling good about our circumstances, or even finding romantic fulfillment. Those things feel good, but they can’t bring ultimate happiness. In some cases, they may even distract us from real happiness. True biblical happiness is knowing deep down that no matter our circumstances, we were lost and now we’re found. We have experienced the love of Christ, which always brings encouragement and comfort.”
“Scripture actually commands us to judge but to do it carefully, rightly, humbly, and without hypocrisy.”
“In our culture, to claim that there are differences between men and women has become taboo. Sadly, we’ve taken all the strengths that men typically possess and made them the standard of goodness and value. Because of this, women feel they need to fight like a man, compete with men in the workplace, and achieve all the things men do. But why is no one making womanhood the standard of goodness and value?”
“Take, for example, the claim that women are “too emotional.” Why do we automatically believe this is a negative stereotype that must be toppled in order to crush the patriarchy? Could it be that God actually hardwired an emotional intelligence into women because they are literally responsible for bringing all the new humans into the world? Could it be that they need to be naturally intuitive and nurturing, with sharp instincts designed toward the survival and flourishing of individuals? Instead of viewing this as a weakness to be overcome, I praise God for the beauty of his diverse creation.”
“The fruit wasn’t something good that was being withheld but something incredibly destructive that God was protecting Adam and Eve from.”
“Satan wants us to view God’s commands as barriers that keep us from enjoying the things we are entitled to. In reality, God is protecting us from what will harm us.”
“Already we can see the precious value assigned to women from their creation. From the language used to describe God’s divine activity to the man’s response and the woman’s role, the Bible ascribes a value to woman that was unique in the ancient world.”
“Sometimes I think we humans tend to downplay our own sinfulness, not realizing how much our sin is an affront to a holy God.”
Books She References
Mama Bear Apologetics: Empowering Your Kids to Challenge Cultural Lies by Hillary Morgan Ferrer
Live Not by Lies by Rod Dreher
Cynical Theories: How Activist Scholarship Made Everything about Race, Gender, and Identity- and Why This Harms Everybody by Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay
The War Against Boys: How Misguided Feminism Is Harming Our Young Men by Christina Hoff (on my TBR)
Other Relevant Books:
The Intolerance of Tolerance by D.A. Carson (discusses the changing definition of tolerance)
The Secular Creed: Engaging Five Contemporary Claims by Rebecca McLaughlin (discusses the ‘love is love’ sentiment)
You Who?: Why You Matter and How to Deal With It by Rachel Jankovic (a book basically in response to Girl, Wash Your Face and one of my favorites)
**Received an ARC via NetGalley**
Shelf Reflection Book Review Blog
Book Review Blog | Facebook | Pinterest
September 16, 2022
I was very excited to receive an ARC of Alisa Childers’ forthcoming release Live Your Truth (and Other Lies): Exposing Popular Deceptions That Make Us Anxious, Exhausted, and Self-Obsessed. Thank you to Tyndale House and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I highly respect Alisa Childers’ willingness to speak up for the truth of the Gospel and push back on the continual winds of change in our postmodern world. Her first book Another Gospel? is one of my favorites of the year so far and this new book is now a top contender as well. Her books, podcast, and social media posts give me such encouragement in my faith every single day.
In her newest book, Childers tackles many of the popular mantras of self-help and self-glorification that are rampant in society today- “Live your truth,” “You do you,” “You are enough,” “Do what makes you happy,” and others. Childers addresses these self-obsessed philosophies with the everlasting truth of the Word of God. I took so many notes and highlighted countless quotes, but I’ll share just a couple of my favorites.
“We all have a choice. We can worship ourselves or deny ourselves. We can choose to follow our hearts or we can choose to follow Christ.”
“Pursuing Christ in a world that tells you to put yourself first is a difficult road. It stinks like death to those who are perishing. But to those who are being saved, it is life and hope and peace. Christian, your truth doesn’t exist. Your truth won’t bring hope or save anyone. You must speak and live the truth, no matter the cost."
I am so grateful to Alisa Childers for continuing to proclaim boldly and stand firm upon the Word of God. The entire book is exceptional and one that I highly recommend to Christians. Look for this book from your favorite bookseller on October 18, 2022.
I highly respect Alisa Childers’ willingness to speak up for the truth of the Gospel and push back on the continual winds of change in our postmodern world. Her first book Another Gospel? is one of my favorites of the year so far and this new book is now a top contender as well. Her books, podcast, and social media posts give me such encouragement in my faith every single day.
In her newest book, Childers tackles many of the popular mantras of self-help and self-glorification that are rampant in society today- “Live your truth,” “You do you,” “You are enough,” “Do what makes you happy,” and others. Childers addresses these self-obsessed philosophies with the everlasting truth of the Word of God. I took so many notes and highlighted countless quotes, but I’ll share just a couple of my favorites.
“We all have a choice. We can worship ourselves or deny ourselves. We can choose to follow our hearts or we can choose to follow Christ.”
“Pursuing Christ in a world that tells you to put yourself first is a difficult road. It stinks like death to those who are perishing. But to those who are being saved, it is life and hope and peace. Christian, your truth doesn’t exist. Your truth won’t bring hope or save anyone. You must speak and live the truth, no matter the cost."
I am so grateful to Alisa Childers for continuing to proclaim boldly and stand firm upon the Word of God. The entire book is exceptional and one that I highly recommend to Christians. Look for this book from your favorite bookseller on October 18, 2022.
October 11, 2022
The statements we often hear now such as “live your truth” and “you do you” are ones I have heard and know are unbiblical, but Alisa Childers’ new book deeply unpacks the nuances behind them and the problems with these lies in a helpful way.
She does not hold back in sharing the truth, as well as underlining again and again the importance of the Bible as the foundation of truth and the standard of measure for our lives.
Some key understandings the book shares are the consequences of basing whether something is true on if it feels good and comfortable versus negative, harmful or uncomfortable. The author writes:
“The truth is that some biblical teachings are difficult. They make us uncomfortable. They call us to deny ourselves and prefer Jesus even over our family and friends. They get all up in our sex lives, our relationships, and our identities. . . . it’s not brave or revolutionary to deny *the* truth in order to speak *your* truth. . . . It might feel good for a while, but in the end it will simply bring anxiety, pain, depression, and exhaustion.”
The charts used in most chapters are a goldmine. One question I had never thought of before was especially key for discerning if something isn’t THE truth: “Is truth in this situation dependent on how it makes you or someone else feel?” or “Is truth in this situation dependent on what the Word of God says?”
This book truly hits the target, addressing the lying “truths” of our current society and the actual truth of God’s Word and ways. With such truths, this book is a must read for believers and unbelievers alike.
Lastly, I was unexpectedly touched by how she shared her own challenges and story in various chapters.
I received a review copy of this book for free from Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.
She does not hold back in sharing the truth, as well as underlining again and again the importance of the Bible as the foundation of truth and the standard of measure for our lives.
Some key understandings the book shares are the consequences of basing whether something is true on if it feels good and comfortable versus negative, harmful or uncomfortable. The author writes:
“The truth is that some biblical teachings are difficult. They make us uncomfortable. They call us to deny ourselves and prefer Jesus even over our family and friends. They get all up in our sex lives, our relationships, and our identities. . . . it’s not brave or revolutionary to deny *the* truth in order to speak *your* truth. . . . It might feel good for a while, but in the end it will simply bring anxiety, pain, depression, and exhaustion.”
The charts used in most chapters are a goldmine. One question I had never thought of before was especially key for discerning if something isn’t THE truth: “Is truth in this situation dependent on how it makes you or someone else feel?” or “Is truth in this situation dependent on what the Word of God says?”
This book truly hits the target, addressing the lying “truths” of our current society and the actual truth of God’s Word and ways. With such truths, this book is a must read for believers and unbelievers alike.
Lastly, I was unexpectedly touched by how she shared her own challenges and story in various chapters.
I received a review copy of this book for free from Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.
February 24, 2023
I went into this book with my red-flag receptors on high alert because I don't trust any contemporary theological book. Give me Ryle, and Boston, and M'Cheyne any day over the deluge of 'self-help' professing Christianity that has diluted and twisted the gospel in far too many churches and minds in North America. And I admit I was fully aware of my prejudice going into this book that I might not like it.
However, you can see by the rating I liked it more than I expected to. I have to say I am quite impressed with how the author deals with this subject. This book is a refreshing, unapologetic deep dive into the common lies in today's modern culture, and especially in the Christian culture. The best part was seeing how continually the author goes back to the Bible as her foundation for her arguments. This seems to be rare in self-help books, where the basis of the argument tends to be self.
Unlike a popular review I read here states, the message of this book is not subjective, and Alisa Childers does not share 'her truth' based on her scriptural interpretation. Study the Bible for yourself, and you will find what she shares in this book is not merely an interpretation of doctrines and truth, but in fact it is truth. You cannot study the scriptures and find an instance where what the author has said is only just one interpretation of what the Bible could have meant.
I did find the tone and style of each chapter a bit off-putting, as it reads like a number of blog posts compiled into one large volume. This, and the modernized manner of speaking are several reasons I prefer the old fathers' writings to books of today. This is just personal preference, though.
However, you can see by the rating I liked it more than I expected to. I have to say I am quite impressed with how the author deals with this subject. This book is a refreshing, unapologetic deep dive into the common lies in today's modern culture, and especially in the Christian culture. The best part was seeing how continually the author goes back to the Bible as her foundation for her arguments. This seems to be rare in self-help books, where the basis of the argument tends to be self.
Unlike a popular review I read here states, the message of this book is not subjective, and Alisa Childers does not share 'her truth' based on her scriptural interpretation. Study the Bible for yourself, and you will find what she shares in this book is not merely an interpretation of doctrines and truth, but in fact it is truth. You cannot study the scriptures and find an instance where what the author has said is only just one interpretation of what the Bible could have meant.
I did find the tone and style of each chapter a bit off-putting, as it reads like a number of blog posts compiled into one large volume. This, and the modernized manner of speaking are several reasons I prefer the old fathers' writings to books of today. This is just personal preference, though.
February 15, 2023
First of all, I love any book that unironically quotes “Twilight” for the sake of demonstrating Biblical principles. I could never have seen anything beneath the Bella-Jacob-Edward love-triangle, but I love that this author did.
In all seriousness, this book is a wonderful breath of fresh air. When I saw the big words in the title “Live Your Truth”, I was expecting a prosperity gospel self-help book, but what Childers wrote debunks all of it, starting with the subtitle “And Other Lies.” The author does a great job of pulling out current cultural trends that feed into self-love and momentary positivity, while also tearing down each one with Scripture. This book is timely, to-the-point, and robust. I especially appreciated the conversation on language and the true meaning of “self-help.”
Even though I already have a copy, I will definitely buy this to have on my shelf. It is right up there with “Intoxicated with Babylon” in terms of confronting the worldly mindset that is infiltrating the Christian church.
I received this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Check out the full review on my blog: faithoverfantasy.com
In all seriousness, this book is a wonderful breath of fresh air. When I saw the big words in the title “Live Your Truth”, I was expecting a prosperity gospel self-help book, but what Childers wrote debunks all of it, starting with the subtitle “And Other Lies.” The author does a great job of pulling out current cultural trends that feed into self-love and momentary positivity, while also tearing down each one with Scripture. This book is timely, to-the-point, and robust. I especially appreciated the conversation on language and the true meaning of “self-help.”
Even though I already have a copy, I will definitely buy this to have on my shelf. It is right up there with “Intoxicated with Babylon” in terms of confronting the worldly mindset that is infiltrating the Christian church.
I received this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Check out the full review on my blog: faithoverfantasy.com
October 27, 2022
It sounds good, but contrary to popular belief, making ourselves the center of all things is not actually fulfilling or loving. Alisa does a fantastic job of explaining why with just the right pairing of personal story and biblical truth. As she mentions, though, the fragrance of Christ smells good to some, and stinky to others. We can’t control how other people respond, but we can present them with good solid information. I wish I could convince so many people to give this a sincere read/listen.
“Truth is a Person and HE is your reward.”
“Truth is a Person and HE is your reward.”
June 30, 2023
Alisa has done it again! This book would probably offend many people. She unpacks all the popular phrases we hear today and beliefs that are all based around us. People today have the self-centred mentality and choose to ignore what's really true to justify their way of living.
A lot of Christians now are on a slippery slope because instead of seeking for truth in the word they are following their heart. Our heart can be deceitful!
I really enjoyed all her life stories and funny references to our western culture today.
A lot of Christians now are on a slippery slope because instead of seeking for truth in the word they are following their heart. Our heart can be deceitful!
I really enjoyed all her life stories and funny references to our western culture today.
October 31, 2022
A refreshing look at the self-obsessed lies propagated by so many “Christian” self-help books today, counteracted by the Truth found in God’s Word. As Childers so wonderfully puts it, “We all have a choice. We can worship ourselves or deny ourselves. We can choose to follow our hearts or we can choose to follow Christ…Christian, ‘your’ truth doesn’t exist…you must speak and live ‘the’ truth, no matter the cost.”
July 17, 2024
I hesitated to review this book because I needed some time to process it and make sure I was reviewing it fairly.
First of all, I have a confession to make. I am biased, because Alisa’s music literally changed my life. I would not be the person I am today if I had never listened to the music of ZOEgirl. Alisa was a part of my life for over half of it, so even when I disagree with her, I will assume her motives were good.
I’ll start with what I liked. There are a lot of logical, biblically sound, and theologically accurate explanations given in this book to counteract many of the “lies” Alisa claims the culture has kowtowed to. However, if you aren’t a Christian (and most of the people who believe those lies aren’t), this book wouldn’t convince you not to believe them.
I also felt like some of the “common lies” aren’t very common. Maybe I’m just around Christians too much of the time to know what others are saying and believing. In other words, there isn’t much to glean here if you are firmly rooted in Christ. Alisa cites some fascinating studies to prove her points, which I appreciated. I also liked the way she explained things using scripture. Her defense of the usefulness of the Old Testament (in the chapter called “Friends”) was very helpful to me, as I know some people who tend to avoid the OT.
My biggest issue with the book is the other ways in which Alisa argued against these cultural lies. It almost felt like she was insulting the reader by using pretty juvenile scenarios and overly simplistic analogies. Her daughter once believed leprechauns were real, and somehow that’s supposed to teach grown folks a lesson.
The second biggest issue I have is the main reason why I hesitate to buy Christian books written by women. Alisa starts off every chapter with a personal story or anecdote. Some of these are so overly detailed that I forgot what the chapter was supposed to be about. We don’t need lengthy movie or novel summaries, or care which version of Charlie and the Chocolate factory is better, in a book that’s already pretty short. The amount of time she spent summarizing the plot of the movie Armageddon is ridiculous. It’s like she cared more about sounding witty and funny than the meat of the chapter.
To make matters worse, some of her explanations about the cultural lies people fall prey to are off topic. For example, in the chapter about the lie that “You are your own boss”, she talks a lot about the importance of Scripture. While I understand that she was trying to show that scripture is the boss of us, she went into so much detail that I forgot what lie she was trying to disprove. The book is very clearly poorly edited. I also listened to the audio version, so it’s not like I could easily flip back a few pages to see how the chapter started.
Sometimes I wondered if she just wanted to make a certain biblical argument and then tried to “find a lie” that people believed that went against it so she had some excuse to talk about that particular topic. It’s like she was working backwards. Her chapter about women and men came across as complementarian propaganda. She defended the idea that women are “more emotional” than men. Even worse, she didn’t use scripture to affirm her complementarian stance. It’s like she just wanted a chapter to argue this point, so she threw in some random lines about feminism.
Probably the most problematic thing in the entire book is Alisa’s overly simplistic view of suffering. I don’t believe that all suffering serves some purpose we don’t understand. Sometimes, life is just awful because we live in a fallen world. Pat answers to real suffering are to insult God Himself. John 11:35, anyone?
It’s also clear from this book that Alisa did not have a positive experience while being in ZOEgirl, which is new to me, especially as someone who was a fan for years. However, is that what the book is supposed to be about? Sometimes it felt like a memoir or a collection of personal essays. Alisa comes across as self-absorbed, which I don’t think she is.
Another reason I say that is how often she referenced the opposition she faces on her blog. The way she spoke about Rachel Hollis’s “fall from grace” (the rant about her not wanting to be relatable) was totally unnecessary and served no purpose. It also felt like she was looking for reasons to take digs at Glennon Doyle.
I feel like this is one of those books that people who already agree with Alisa would want to read to re-affirm their own stance on these issues (I feel like a lot of evangelical apologetics resources fall into this category). I don’t think it was persuasive enough to convince someone coming from a totally different framework or worldview.
It’s clear Alisa is very intelligent and well-read, but this book has a lot of filler that sort of takes away from it. It felt a bit incomplete and uncertain about who the target audience is.
I give this book 3.5 stars because I think about 90% of her arguments were good and strong. The main issue is how she delivered them.
First of all, I have a confession to make. I am biased, because Alisa’s music literally changed my life. I would not be the person I am today if I had never listened to the music of ZOEgirl. Alisa was a part of my life for over half of it, so even when I disagree with her, I will assume her motives were good.
I’ll start with what I liked. There are a lot of logical, biblically sound, and theologically accurate explanations given in this book to counteract many of the “lies” Alisa claims the culture has kowtowed to. However, if you aren’t a Christian (and most of the people who believe those lies aren’t), this book wouldn’t convince you not to believe them.
I also felt like some of the “common lies” aren’t very common. Maybe I’m just around Christians too much of the time to know what others are saying and believing. In other words, there isn’t much to glean here if you are firmly rooted in Christ. Alisa cites some fascinating studies to prove her points, which I appreciated. I also liked the way she explained things using scripture. Her defense of the usefulness of the Old Testament (in the chapter called “Friends”) was very helpful to me, as I know some people who tend to avoid the OT.
My biggest issue with the book is the other ways in which Alisa argued against these cultural lies. It almost felt like she was insulting the reader by using pretty juvenile scenarios and overly simplistic analogies. Her daughter once believed leprechauns were real, and somehow that’s supposed to teach grown folks a lesson.
The second biggest issue I have is the main reason why I hesitate to buy Christian books written by women. Alisa starts off every chapter with a personal story or anecdote. Some of these are so overly detailed that I forgot what the chapter was supposed to be about. We don’t need lengthy movie or novel summaries, or care which version of Charlie and the Chocolate factory is better, in a book that’s already pretty short. The amount of time she spent summarizing the plot of the movie Armageddon is ridiculous. It’s like she cared more about sounding witty and funny than the meat of the chapter.
To make matters worse, some of her explanations about the cultural lies people fall prey to are off topic. For example, in the chapter about the lie that “You are your own boss”, she talks a lot about the importance of Scripture. While I understand that she was trying to show that scripture is the boss of us, she went into so much detail that I forgot what lie she was trying to disprove. The book is very clearly poorly edited. I also listened to the audio version, so it’s not like I could easily flip back a few pages to see how the chapter started.
Sometimes I wondered if she just wanted to make a certain biblical argument and then tried to “find a lie” that people believed that went against it so she had some excuse to talk about that particular topic. It’s like she was working backwards. Her chapter about women and men came across as complementarian propaganda. She defended the idea that women are “more emotional” than men. Even worse, she didn’t use scripture to affirm her complementarian stance. It’s like she just wanted a chapter to argue this point, so she threw in some random lines about feminism.
Probably the most problematic thing in the entire book is Alisa’s overly simplistic view of suffering. I don’t believe that all suffering serves some purpose we don’t understand. Sometimes, life is just awful because we live in a fallen world. Pat answers to real suffering are to insult God Himself. John 11:35, anyone?
It’s also clear from this book that Alisa did not have a positive experience while being in ZOEgirl, which is new to me, especially as someone who was a fan for years. However, is that what the book is supposed to be about? Sometimes it felt like a memoir or a collection of personal essays. Alisa comes across as self-absorbed, which I don’t think she is.
Another reason I say that is how often she referenced the opposition she faces on her blog. The way she spoke about Rachel Hollis’s “fall from grace” (the rant about her not wanting to be relatable) was totally unnecessary and served no purpose. It also felt like she was looking for reasons to take digs at Glennon Doyle.
I feel like this is one of those books that people who already agree with Alisa would want to read to re-affirm their own stance on these issues (I feel like a lot of evangelical apologetics resources fall into this category). I don’t think it was persuasive enough to convince someone coming from a totally different framework or worldview.
It’s clear Alisa is very intelligent and well-read, but this book has a lot of filler that sort of takes away from it. It felt a bit incomplete and uncertain about who the target audience is.
I give this book 3.5 stars because I think about 90% of her arguments were good and strong. The main issue is how she delivered them.
October 20, 2022
If you’re a Christian, this new book from Alisa Childers is essential reading for 2022. It’s well-researched, packed with Scripture, and unapologetically committed to the message of following God at all costs. This book will undoubtedly offend many but as a believer, I found myself deeply convicted and further committed to loving Jesus.
May 31, 2022
Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers for the ARC!
What a great, refreshing read! Books like this further cement the fact that I will never again read a NON-Christian self-help book! They all fall so flat without the Bible as the foundation.
I love how quickly Childers tackles subjects that most tiptoe around like abortion, feminism (as we define it today), the lgbtq community, and progressive Christianity! It was so good to see a book written that isn't afraid of the backlash. If you write a book about the truth you have to actually tell it, and Childers does!
This book read really fast for me. It was just as entertaining as it was educational, and I will definitely be recommending it to friends when it releases this fall!
What a great, refreshing read! Books like this further cement the fact that I will never again read a NON-Christian self-help book! They all fall so flat without the Bible as the foundation.
I love how quickly Childers tackles subjects that most tiptoe around like abortion, feminism (as we define it today), the lgbtq community, and progressive Christianity! It was so good to see a book written that isn't afraid of the backlash. If you write a book about the truth you have to actually tell it, and Childers does!
This book read really fast for me. It was just as entertaining as it was educational, and I will definitely be recommending it to friends when it releases this fall!
September 25, 2022
Easily the best book I've read this year. Each chapter focuses on an aspect of our current culture and the lies it tells you. Its not don't do this, do this kind of book. This book is a call to examine yourselves in light of God's Word.. to test your heart and affections to see where they lie. In the end Childers has you examine yourself and ask who really is on the throne, you (self) or God?
October 14, 2022
Before writing my own review, I saw a two-star rating by Dr. Camden Morgante and decided to post this as my review in response to her comments:
It's interesting how Dr. Camden Morgante deconstructed in minute detail Alisa Childer's book Living Your Truth and Other Lies. It did lead me to check out her website and draw my own conclusions as to whose truth is more real and genuine. Hands down for Alisa Childers, especially after reading Dr. Morgante's endorsement of Joy Vetterlein's story. It's always sad to read about someone's experience in church and how it drove them away not only from going to church but from reading the Bible , resulting in a pursuit of their own "You be you and I be me" philosophy. While Dr. Morgante says in posting Joy Vetterlein's blog that "this has not been my path and may not be yours," her endorsement is telling. After a review of Joy Vetterlein's now deleted "Band of Misfits", not only has she left the church, she promotes books like The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd, a fictional account of the wife of Jesus, which leaves this Christian with a feeling of sorrow that the sufferings of our Savior and His shed blood is not enough, which is exactly the point of Living Your Truth and Other Lies. If your truth is not ultimately based on Jesus, who is The Truth, then it isn't truth at all. Instead, it is "a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." Proverbs 14:12.
It's interesting how Dr. Camden Morgante deconstructed in minute detail Alisa Childer's book Living Your Truth and Other Lies. It did lead me to check out her website and draw my own conclusions as to whose truth is more real and genuine. Hands down for Alisa Childers, especially after reading Dr. Morgante's endorsement of Joy Vetterlein's story. It's always sad to read about someone's experience in church and how it drove them away not only from going to church but from reading the Bible , resulting in a pursuit of their own "You be you and I be me" philosophy. While Dr. Morgante says in posting Joy Vetterlein's blog that "this has not been my path and may not be yours," her endorsement is telling. After a review of Joy Vetterlein's now deleted "Band of Misfits", not only has she left the church, she promotes books like The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd, a fictional account of the wife of Jesus, which leaves this Christian with a feeling of sorrow that the sufferings of our Savior and His shed blood is not enough, which is exactly the point of Living Your Truth and Other Lies. If your truth is not ultimately based on Jesus, who is The Truth, then it isn't truth at all. Instead, it is "a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." Proverbs 14:12.
October 18, 2022
Alisa did a great job in this book confronting some controversial topics head on. It’s tempting to prance in order to not offend, but Alisa speaks boldly and biblically and confronting many lies that all of us are subject to in our day and age. Sound, challenging and edifying. Highly recommend!
October 17, 2022
Alisa’s incredible insight combined with her skillful way of speaking truth boldly with kindness and clarity are what make this a book I strongly recommend to anyone looking to make sense of all of the half-truths and lies thrown around in our culture today. Alisa uses both common sense logic and scriptural support to point us back to the real truths we need to hear and most importantly to the Only One who can truly satisfy us. Self-love sounds so good on the surface, but it leaves you lost, condemned, and alone in the end.
As she puts it so well, “[w]ith the self as the foundation, our self-love will quickly become self loathing. I can’t love myself if I’m fooling myself about who I actually am. If I deny that there is something wrong with humanity and thus myself, the kind of love I will offer myself will be the opposite of authentic. It will be artificial authenticity. I might even recognize my sin. But without a Christ-centered understanding of the atonement, there will be no mechanism for me to be cleansed, forgiven, and released from the guilt and shame of my sinful actions….The only way to be truly free from the sin that distorts the image of God in each of us is to repent and trust in Jesus. We will be left with insecurity and even self-loathing if we fail to recognize and accept the cleansing nature of Jesus’ death on the cross.”
“Are we going to believe a popular writer about love, or are we going to believe Jesus, who is love itself?”
So very grateful for this book that sheds the light of God’s Word onto the confusing, inconsistent messages floating around on social media and throughout our culture currently!
As she puts it so well, “[w]ith the self as the foundation, our self-love will quickly become self loathing. I can’t love myself if I’m fooling myself about who I actually am. If I deny that there is something wrong with humanity and thus myself, the kind of love I will offer myself will be the opposite of authentic. It will be artificial authenticity. I might even recognize my sin. But without a Christ-centered understanding of the atonement, there will be no mechanism for me to be cleansed, forgiven, and released from the guilt and shame of my sinful actions….The only way to be truly free from the sin that distorts the image of God in each of us is to repent and trust in Jesus. We will be left with insecurity and even self-loathing if we fail to recognize and accept the cleansing nature of Jesus’ death on the cross.”
“Are we going to believe a popular writer about love, or are we going to believe Jesus, who is love itself?”
So very grateful for this book that sheds the light of God’s Word onto the confusing, inconsistent messages floating around on social media and throughout our culture currently!
October 14, 2022
This book is such a great read! It's written very conversationally, just like how Alisa Childers speaks. I've always found that to be a bonus when reading anything. Childers addresses culture's claims about living including "Live your truth," "You are enough," "God just wants you to be happy," "Authenticity is everything," and "You only have one life." Chapter 6 is the mic-drop moment in this book for me. Authenticity is everything is touted by many prominent influencers throughout social media on a daily basis. But as Christians, we should be living with the claim that "Holiness is everything." In Luke 6:26, Jesus says, "Woe to you when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets." Don't get so caught up in living your authentic life that you become celebrated by the world.
November 23, 2022
Truths to ponder and lies to deflect. So many important truths we must return to especially the day we live in.
Certain parts of the book and tone of the book I didn’t enjoy, overall I liked her first book better but this a good book to have in the arsenal.
Certain parts of the book and tone of the book I didn’t enjoy, overall I liked her first book better but this a good book to have in the arsenal.
October 30, 2022
45 stars. The editing could have been a little tighter for the side tangents/rabbit holes, but otherwise so good and spot on. An important read for the modern Christian.
February 15, 2023
What a gift it is to read Alisa Childers books. They are thought out, centered on scripture, convicting and honest. A wonderful counterweight to the ideas of our culture today.
September 10, 2022
Live Your Truth & Other Lies – Exploring Popular Deceptions That Make Us Anxious, Exhausted, and Self-Obessed by Alisha Childers is a must read, especially for older teens and young adults who hear these constant messages of live your best life, you are enough, follow your heart, you only have one life to live, your the boss, you do you, live your truth, etc… If you didn’t know it these are lies, not truth, though they sure do sound good and positive, but they will certainly lead you astray. As she stated, “Relying on popular wisdom can cause unnecessary pain and confusion.” This book takes some of these popular messages you hear from books and the internet, and compares them to the Bible.
Alisha shares in her book why these memes are false, where wisdom comes from, how to find what true freedom is instead, and it won’t be in some meme or internet post from a celebrity. So many of these lies are sold as truths, because they use some type of religious language to make it look true. She warns us that that seeing something with religious wording we often share it without thinking about is it really true or not, because it made me feel right instead. “You see the best lies are the ones that sound the most beautiful.” An import reminder right there, that our feelings do often lie to us and half-lies don’t make it true.
She also share the importance of the use of our language, what may of once meant this…, now instead means this. For example she says, “Words like love, hate, bigot, male, female, oppression, justice, and truth – many of which we’ll talk about in this book – are all being constantly refashioned.”
We have to wonder why is depression and anxiety sky-rocketing in our society? Well, she states, “No one knows where they can find reliable information about anything from brownie recipes to personal health to morality to politics.” Don’t worry she doesn’t point out all the bad without pointing us to good, she makes the case, by showing examples from popular books, social media celebrities, the self-gospel, how we have become self-worshipers, and then shows us how to build a firm foundation, comparing these false lies to the biblical truth. Which is found in the Bible and knowing who we are in Christ. She also stated, “Peace and unity are not always the highest virtue.”
Another great highlight I have (and I have many from the book) is: “The truth is that some biblical teachings are difficult. They makes uncomfortable. They call us to deny ourselves and prefer Jesus even over our family and friends. They get all up in our sex lives, our relationships, and our identities.” This whole quote right there, speaks to what we are seeing today in our culture! Here is truth: “We all have a choice. We can worship ourselves or deny ourselves. We can choose to follow our hearts or we can choose to follow Christ.” “You must speak and live the truth, no matter the cost. Your reward? As Jesus said in John 8:32 “The truth shall set our free.” Truth came as a person, and He is your reward.” You find that and so much more in this book!
Much thanks to NetGallery for providing me with a kindle version to review.
Alisha shares in her book why these memes are false, where wisdom comes from, how to find what true freedom is instead, and it won’t be in some meme or internet post from a celebrity. So many of these lies are sold as truths, because they use some type of religious language to make it look true. She warns us that that seeing something with religious wording we often share it without thinking about is it really true or not, because it made me feel right instead. “You see the best lies are the ones that sound the most beautiful.” An import reminder right there, that our feelings do often lie to us and half-lies don’t make it true.
She also share the importance of the use of our language, what may of once meant this…, now instead means this. For example she says, “Words like love, hate, bigot, male, female, oppression, justice, and truth – many of which we’ll talk about in this book – are all being constantly refashioned.”
We have to wonder why is depression and anxiety sky-rocketing in our society? Well, she states, “No one knows where they can find reliable information about anything from brownie recipes to personal health to morality to politics.” Don’t worry she doesn’t point out all the bad without pointing us to good, she makes the case, by showing examples from popular books, social media celebrities, the self-gospel, how we have become self-worshipers, and then shows us how to build a firm foundation, comparing these false lies to the biblical truth. Which is found in the Bible and knowing who we are in Christ. She also stated, “Peace and unity are not always the highest virtue.”
Another great highlight I have (and I have many from the book) is: “The truth is that some biblical teachings are difficult. They makes uncomfortable. They call us to deny ourselves and prefer Jesus even over our family and friends. They get all up in our sex lives, our relationships, and our identities.” This whole quote right there, speaks to what we are seeing today in our culture! Here is truth: “We all have a choice. We can worship ourselves or deny ourselves. We can choose to follow our hearts or we can choose to follow Christ.” “You must speak and live the truth, no matter the cost. Your reward? As Jesus said in John 8:32 “The truth shall set our free.” Truth came as a person, and He is your reward.” You find that and so much more in this book!
Much thanks to NetGallery for providing me with a kindle version to review.
September 6, 2022
"Live Your Truth (and other lies)" was a well-anticipated book in my corner, and I really appreciated the perspectives of Alisha Childers. It was quite a breath of fresh air - as when you normally see that phrase, you think of certain ideologies which more often than not distort the will and design of God. I rather enjoyed Childer's first book, "Another Gospel?" and was not disappointed with this one. Thankful for how quickly she tackled hard subjects, her humor and personal stories of her touring days throughout, and the research crafted behind the scenes of many of the circumstances mentioned. I applaud her for knowingly taking a class that seeks to debunk her worldview, and challenging first hand what we know as "progressive christianity." In the pages of this book, you will find relevant, genuine, and easily read dialogue about current events and how to understand and respond in love as Christians, while she narrates her own experiences in tour, in the class, and through seeking to understand what other popular "Christian" authors say about social topics of the day. This whole "christianiese" and progressivism is such an invasive mindset and worldview that sometimes it can be difficult to cut through the muddle and look to the truth. But Childers continually points us to the Truth! A few examples are the differene between subjective/objective thought, the scientific method or process to defining truth, and how we can use discernment in a world that is full of "personal truths." Her books are like a crash course or introduction into apologetics and you walk away wanting more, looking to keep the conversation flowing as if you are enjoying time learning from a friend. Despite a few more personal arguments that may go on a paragraph longer than you'd expect I give this book 5 stars and applause. It should be highly recommended reading, alongside a few other books which tackle culture and theology and the inerrancy of scripture, for youth groups and young women alike. Also, the audience and tone is definitely more geared toward women than men, but all those of faith will enjoy it. *Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to review! All opinions are my own.
January 9, 2023
Some years ago Lionel Richie came out with a song where he reminisced about the innocence of youth. It included these lyrics -
The world has moved on from some of these things, especially truth. We live in a time when people say truth can be whatever you want it to be. Many have monkeyed with definitions of words to make them fit their desires and justify their choices. Many have tried to remake God in their own image or lived as if they could be their own god. While this repeatedly happens throughout history, this has expressed itself in our time through the promotion of some popular philosophies, including moral relativism, the worship of the self, as well as feelings being treated as the ultimate compass or guide for life.
Here Alisa Childers challenges these philosophies, and others, as expressed in some of the trendy catchphrases that have popped up in the culture and are influencing the minds of many.
The book is well written, easy to understand, straightforward, yet kind, and gets to the heart of the matter. I hope it becomes a bestseller, especially with Christians. It'll help them discern between the true and the false and avoid pitfalls that are being dug by people claiming to be loving and "Christian."
On a side note: some have taken issue with this book but frankly, I find their criticisms lacking in substance. I'd recommend ignoring the negative reviews and checking it out for yourself.
"Golden days
Night was play
Pain was all a world away
We went to school
We learned the rules
We trusted all they had to say
"Then life took a turn
We all had to learn
And we can't go back again...
"God was God
And dreams were dreams
Life was all cake and ice cream
Truth was true
And lies were lies
And we thought love would never die
But the world moved on
My illusions gone
And I don't know who to blame..." - "Just for You" (2004)
The world has moved on from some of these things, especially truth. We live in a time when people say truth can be whatever you want it to be. Many have monkeyed with definitions of words to make them fit their desires and justify their choices. Many have tried to remake God in their own image or lived as if they could be their own god. While this repeatedly happens throughout history, this has expressed itself in our time through the promotion of some popular philosophies, including moral relativism, the worship of the self, as well as feelings being treated as the ultimate compass or guide for life.
Here Alisa Childers challenges these philosophies, and others, as expressed in some of the trendy catchphrases that have popped up in the culture and are influencing the minds of many.
The book is well written, easy to understand, straightforward, yet kind, and gets to the heart of the matter. I hope it becomes a bestseller, especially with Christians. It'll help them discern between the true and the false and avoid pitfalls that are being dug by people claiming to be loving and "Christian."
On a side note: some have taken issue with this book but frankly, I find their criticisms lacking in substance. I'd recommend ignoring the negative reviews and checking it out for yourself.
September 10, 2022
In my view, with this book Alisa Childers has set herself apart in the world of apologetics. She has taken 10 cultural mantras and exposed them for the lies they really are.
This is a book about the Bible, logic, and common sense. It’s about the solidity of God’s truth.
Childers presents rich theological truth as if you were her friend and you were simply chatting over a cup of coffee. Her writing is at some points conversational, and then she seamlessly moves into supporting her view with historical evidence, sociological analysis and backing from the Bible. This read is entirely approachable, relatable, and understandable.
She also takes up the mantle of exposing the victim-creating, female-enslaving indistry that is the self-help market.
Wrapping it all up with a strong & convicting call to Christians to consider the true cost of the cross, and then take up our own and follow Him.
Here are some favorite quotes - couldn’t pick just one!
“Ditching the jargon and clinging to the timeless truths of the Bible is the most freeing and stabilizing thing we can do.”
“"You are enough" is
a message that enslaves people to the false
idea that they are responsible to be the
mastermind of their current circumstances and
future realities-even when they feel
overwhelmed. It burdens them with the
obligation of being the source of their own joy,
contentment, and peace.”
“Could it be that differences between men and women fit together like puzzle pieces to ensure that both flourish and that the whole family and society in general thrive?”
**Thank you to NetGalley & Tyndale House Publishers for an advanced copy. This is my honest review and all thoughts are entirely my own.
This is a book about the Bible, logic, and common sense. It’s about the solidity of God’s truth.
Childers presents rich theological truth as if you were her friend and you were simply chatting over a cup of coffee. Her writing is at some points conversational, and then she seamlessly moves into supporting her view with historical evidence, sociological analysis and backing from the Bible. This read is entirely approachable, relatable, and understandable.
She also takes up the mantle of exposing the victim-creating, female-enslaving indistry that is the self-help market.
Wrapping it all up with a strong & convicting call to Christians to consider the true cost of the cross, and then take up our own and follow Him.
Here are some favorite quotes - couldn’t pick just one!
“Ditching the jargon and clinging to the timeless truths of the Bible is the most freeing and stabilizing thing we can do.”
“"You are enough" is
a message that enslaves people to the false
idea that they are responsible to be the
mastermind of their current circumstances and
future realities-even when they feel
overwhelmed. It burdens them with the
obligation of being the source of their own joy,
contentment, and peace.”
“Could it be that differences between men and women fit together like puzzle pieces to ensure that both flourish and that the whole family and society in general thrive?”
**Thank you to NetGalley & Tyndale House Publishers for an advanced copy. This is my honest review and all thoughts are entirely my own.
October 20, 2022
Follow your heart.
Be true to yourself.
Self-love.
You are enough.
Live your truth.
These phrases all sound good but if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, these words share a false dichotomy. We cannot find love and acceptance within ourselves without the knowledge of the One who created us. This is where true freedom and acceptance comes from, guided by sanctification through Jesus Christ. THIS is truth. THIS is love. We will never be enough without this knowledge because “our hearts are deceitful above all things” (Jeremiah 17:9).
This book shares all of this and more in a practical, yet powerful way. God is using Alisa Childers to be a truth teller in our self-focused culture. But it’s not her truth, it is the timeless, unchanging truth of God’s Word. Read it. Process it. And let this book guide you toward a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.
On a personal note, this is the second book by Alisa that has encouraged me to dig deeper into the Word of God. Every Christian author should feel encouraged when the reader wants to close the pages of their book and open the Bible to find greater understanding. Well done!
Be true to yourself.
Self-love.
You are enough.
Live your truth.
These phrases all sound good but if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, these words share a false dichotomy. We cannot find love and acceptance within ourselves without the knowledge of the One who created us. This is where true freedom and acceptance comes from, guided by sanctification through Jesus Christ. THIS is truth. THIS is love. We will never be enough without this knowledge because “our hearts are deceitful above all things” (Jeremiah 17:9).
This book shares all of this and more in a practical, yet powerful way. God is using Alisa Childers to be a truth teller in our self-focused culture. But it’s not her truth, it is the timeless, unchanging truth of God’s Word. Read it. Process it. And let this book guide you toward a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.
On a personal note, this is the second book by Alisa that has encouraged me to dig deeper into the Word of God. Every Christian author should feel encouraged when the reader wants to close the pages of their book and open the Bible to find greater understanding. Well done!
August 18, 2022
Great book! I was selected for a pre read from NetGallery and was so excited to read this book. She hits so many nails on the head regarding the current culture amongst many (mostly female) “Christian” authors. Alisa just calls them out and their lies. I highlighted so much of this book. It was quite convicting for myself too. I realized I have been swept up into some of these authors lies as well at times. Remember know your Bible so well you can spot a fake was a theme of this book.
Alisa’s writing was easy to read and engaging. Her stories were helpful in making her points. I loved that she just called out these authors and exposed them and their lies directly. I think every Christian woman should read this book.
Alisa’s writing was easy to read and engaging. Her stories were helpful in making her points. I loved that she just called out these authors and exposed them and their lies directly. I think every Christian woman should read this book.
October 25, 2022
“We all have a choice. We can worship ourselves or deny ourselves. We can choose to follow our hearts or we can choose to follow Christ. As the prophet Elijah said to the Israelites when they were double-minded about whom they should worship: “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him” (1 Kings 18:21). We could put it like this today: If the LORD is God, follow him; but if the self, follow yourself.”
Another fantastic book by one of my favorite apologists. She is a truth speaker and seeker- and she takes you on that journey. Every Christian needs to read this book.
Another fantastic book by one of my favorite apologists. She is a truth speaker and seeker- and she takes you on that journey. Every Christian needs to read this book.
September 28, 2022
I have been so excited for this book and it lived up to my expectations! I love how Alisa is so strong in her understanding of the word and is also able to relate it to popular culture! She hits on so many of the popular lies and phrases we are are inundated by everyday. These lies all sound so good and empowering but if we take a step back and really think about what God's word says we will see that we are being deceived. I would recommend this to anyone and I'm especially excited to take my older kiddos through this book as well. Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book!
October 27, 2022
This is a very timely book. Childers has done a great job of walking through many of our cultural assumptions and shows how they are broke. They offer no hope. This book is the perfect book to go through with youth. But don’t think this means it is only for youth. If you want to understand our world’s slide into what appears to be lunacy you should read Carl Trueman and the follow it up with this book. Good legs added to some of the headier books about the same topic. Chapter 12 is my favorite chapter and is worth the price of the book. Very well done!
October 11, 2022
It is far too easy to be sucked into the self-love that is overpoweringly prevalent in the current culture. With the same clarity, kindness, and truth that is a trademark of her excellent podcast, author Alisa Childers explains why this is not only unwise but ultimately hurtful. Her conversational style makes this book both compelling and easy to read.
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