Sick of Me: From Transparency to Transformation by Whitney Capps
5 stars
Sick of Me is a fantastic Christian Living novel that packs one of the hardest and softest punches the Holy Spirit can hit you with. Whitney Capps talks in her opening chapter how she told a friend how that she was “sick of me” and then friend said in response that she should talk less of her and more about Jesus. This book tackles what a lot of women’s ministries struggle with: transparency and the lack of transformation. Often times, women want to confess, but not be changed. This novel looks at the important process of sanctification (the change that happens when we partner with the Holy Spirit to actively be changed and for our chains to brake without the guilt and shame, but the joy of Jesus). This novel is so important for women who are actively involved in the church whether it’s leading small groups or discipling. It’s important to not get stuck in the transparency trap of not allowing Jesus to transform us. This book was so convicting and each chapter looks at both the Old and New Testament and how Scripture guides us to accepting the process of sanctification through the glory of Christ and not through the glory of ourselves. I absolutely loved Sick of Me. I would go as far as saying that this is the book I’ve read all year. Even topping my favorite fiction read. I was convicted, challenged, and reminded of who Jesus is and who I am not and how that’s a good thing. For insight into what this book covers, I will list the chapters and my favorite quote from each chapter:
*Sick of Me “[Sanctification] is something that the Holy Spirit does in and through us to make us become more like Christ—that’s God process in us. But at the same time, we cooperate with His promptings to become more like Christ through obedience—that’s our pursuit."
*Happiness Over Holiness “We take God’s place on the throne of our hearts. When we unseat the sovereign Lord, we always take His place.”
*Set Apart “The overwhelming truth of Scripture is clear: Sanctification requires surrender. Holiness isn’t the pursuit of happiness. Holiness is the pursuit of Christ.”
*Separate is Hard, Hard is Good, God is Best “I bet some of us are root-bound. We are still green, but we’re not growing. We’ve dug in and refused the Lord’s transplanting of us… We are alive, but we aren’t thriving.”
“God’s goodness or grace us is unmerited, meaning we don’t deserve or earn it. He isn’t kind toward us because we are worthy; He is kind to us because He is worthy.”
*The Process is the Point “Our strong and tender God is completely competent to lead us. He knows all the move to take. He knows the rhythm of our life perfectly; He wrote the music. He isn’t making it up as He goes along. It’s all been perfectly orchestrated since the beginning of time. At the end of the day, this dance of sanctification is God’s process to lead. He’s the one who has designed it. He’s the one in control of it. He’s the one setting the pace.”
*Pursuing the Process, Part 1: Confident and Unashamed “The nails that pierced Him declared us free and clear. What marvelous news! It’s a sweet reminder to combat our shame and guilt. The cross is the antidote. The cross sets us free from shame.”
*Pursuing the Process, Part 2: Our Part “God’s word helps us identify the places that need attention. But God’s Word is also the cleanser that helps deal with that blemish.”
*Broken but Better “Often times, our disappointments can reflect our selfish expectations.”
*Avoiding the Transparency Trap, Part 1: Beyond the Bad and Believing the Best “Our thorns are used by God for our humility, not our complacency.”
*Avoiding the Transparency Trap, Part 2: The Categories of Transparency “Sometimes to get a breakthrough, God has to break you.”
*Transformed “Jesus invites us to change the world around us with a radical way of living and loving. Our world could use a heavy dose of this kind of Jesus-culture."
“Happiness Over Holiness” is one of my favorite chapters in this book because it looks at 1 Kings and points out that when God isn’t our center, we put ourselves in the center due to our own selfishness and idolatry. We often times want to be God and do things our way. “Set Apart” kick started the word for the season that I am currently going in through. To be set apart in Hebrew is quadosh and this important chapter enlightened me onto the good that comes from being set apart. Props to Whitney for capturing and using Scripture from Leviticus to show us the importance of sin in “Pursuing the Process, Part 2” because I’ve never looked at Leviticus this way and it convicted my heart. Whitney is also incredibly honest with a sin in her life and I loved how she openly confessed something that is so simple, but has damaging effects on her mind and marriage. Sometimes the simple sins are the ones that damage us the most. This novel is so important. It helped change me in my walk with Jesus and I hope it does the same for you if you decide to pick it up.
Whimsical Writing Scale: 5
Plotastic Scale: 5
Cover Thoughts: I love this cover. The white chalk on the face is so striking and it drives home that we are not the narrative of the story.
Thank you, Netgalley and B & H Books, for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. I am also a B & H Reviewer and worked in partnership to receive a free novel in exchange for a review, but this in no way has affected my opinions of this novel.
5 stars
Sick of Me is a fantastic Christian Living novel that packs one of the hardest and softest punches the Holy Spirit can hit you with. Whitney Capps talks in her opening chapter how she told a friend how that she was “sick of me” and then friend said in response that she should talk less of her and more about Jesus. This book tackles what a lot of women’s ministries struggle with: transparency and the lack of transformation. Often times, women want to confess, but not be changed. This novel looks at the important process of sanctification (the change that happens when we partner with the Holy Spirit to actively be changed and for our chains to brake without the guilt and shame, but the joy of Jesus). This novel is so important for women who are actively involved in the church whether it’s leading small groups or discipling. It’s important to not get stuck in the transparency trap of not allowing Jesus to transform us. This book was so convicting and each chapter looks at both the Old and New Testament and how Scripture guides us to accepting the process of sanctification through the glory of Christ and not through the glory of ourselves. I absolutely loved Sick of Me. I would go as far as saying that this is the book I’ve read all year. Even topping my favorite fiction read. I was convicted, challenged, and reminded of who Jesus is and who I am not and how that’s a good thing. For insight into what this book covers, I will list the chapters and my favorite quote from each chapter:
*Sick of Me “[Sanctification] is something that the Holy Spirit does in and through us to make us become more like Christ—that’s God process in us. But at the same time, we cooperate with His promptings to become more like Christ through obedience—that’s our pursuit."
*Happiness Over Holiness “We take God’s place on the throne of our hearts. When we unseat the sovereign Lord, we always take His place.”
*Set Apart “The overwhelming truth of Scripture is clear: Sanctification requires surrender. Holiness isn’t the pursuit of happiness. Holiness is the pursuit of Christ.”
*Separate is Hard, Hard is Good, God is Best “I bet some of us are root-bound. We are still green, but we’re not growing. We’ve dug in and refused the Lord’s transplanting of us… We are alive, but we aren’t thriving.”
“God’s goodness or grace us is unmerited, meaning we don’t deserve or earn it. He isn’t kind toward us because we are worthy; He is kind to us because He is worthy.”
*The Process is the Point “Our strong and tender God is completely competent to lead us. He knows all the move to take. He knows the rhythm of our life perfectly; He wrote the music. He isn’t making it up as He goes along. It’s all been perfectly orchestrated since the beginning of time. At the end of the day, this dance of sanctification is God’s process to lead. He’s the one who has designed it. He’s the one in control of it. He’s the one setting the pace.”
*Pursuing the Process, Part 1: Confident and Unashamed “The nails that pierced Him declared us free and clear. What marvelous news! It’s a sweet reminder to combat our shame and guilt. The cross is the antidote. The cross sets us free from shame.”
*Pursuing the Process, Part 2: Our Part “God’s word helps us identify the places that need attention. But God’s Word is also the cleanser that helps deal with that blemish.”
*Broken but Better “Often times, our disappointments can reflect our selfish expectations.”
*Avoiding the Transparency Trap, Part 1: Beyond the Bad and Believing the Best “Our thorns are used by God for our humility, not our complacency.”
*Avoiding the Transparency Trap, Part 2: The Categories of Transparency “Sometimes to get a breakthrough, God has to break you.”
*Transformed “Jesus invites us to change the world around us with a radical way of living and loving. Our world could use a heavy dose of this kind of Jesus-culture."
“Happiness Over Holiness” is one of my favorite chapters in this book because it looks at 1 Kings and points out that when God isn’t our center, we put ourselves in the center due to our own selfishness and idolatry. We often times want to be God and do things our way. “Set Apart” kick started the word for the season that I am currently going in through. To be set apart in Hebrew is quadosh and this important chapter enlightened me onto the good that comes from being set apart. Props to Whitney for capturing and using Scripture from Leviticus to show us the importance of sin in “Pursuing the Process, Part 2” because I’ve never looked at Leviticus this way and it convicted my heart. Whitney is also incredibly honest with a sin in her life and I loved how she openly confessed something that is so simple, but has damaging effects on her mind and marriage. Sometimes the simple sins are the ones that damage us the most. This novel is so important. It helped change me in my walk with Jesus and I hope it does the same for you if you decide to pick it up.
Whimsical Writing Scale: 5
Plotastic Scale: 5
Cover Thoughts: I love this cover. The white chalk on the face is so striking and it drives home that we are not the narrative of the story.
Thank you, Netgalley and B & H Books, for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. I am also a B & H Reviewer and worked in partnership to receive a free novel in exchange for a review, but this in no way has affected my opinions of this novel.
Have you read Sick of Me or plan to? What are some of your favorite Christian living novels? Let me know down below in the comments!
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