Uninvited
| Lysa TeyKeurst
Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely
I was ecstatic when I found out that Lysa TerKeurst, New York Times bestselling author of The Best Yes and president of Proverbs 31 Ministries was releasing a book titled “Uninvited. Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out and Lonely” as rejection had been something I’d recently been working on with the Lord. I hadn’t read any of her previous books but heard great things about them, so when one of my friends asked what I would like for my birthday Uninvited was at the top of my list.
Reading this book was like sitting down for a chat with an old friend. Lysa’s honesty and authenticity are so refreshing! Each page that I turned I sighed ‘me too!’ I realised I wasn’t alone in this struggle, others have journeyed through this and I can too. There was hope. One practical thing I loved about this book were the chapter sizes. Each chapter ranged from 10 to 15 pages so reading a chapter a night was very achievable, even for slow readers like me.
In the opening chapter of Uninvited, ‘I’d Rather Ignore Honesty’ Lysa encourages us to be honest with ourselves and explains why this is so important. She writes ‘Rejection isn’t just an emotion we feel. It’s a message that’s sent to the core of who we are, causing us to believe lies about ourselves, others and God.’ Throughout the book, Lysa brings to light, and reveals truth where we may have believed lies. She discusses the root causes of feeling rejected, the effects this will have on our lives, and how to overcome.
I haven’t mastered rejection yet but after reading Uninvited I am a whole lot closer. I was reminded that ‘God’s love isn’t based on me. It’s simply placed on me. And it’s the place from which I should live… loved.’ I have learnt how to process hurts in ways that honour God, I have overcome insecurities that once held me back and I am now equipped with the word of God to fight feelings of rejection when they try to bring me down.
I am so thankful for Lysa’s obedience to write this book and I’m sure you will be too. I highly encourage you to pick up a copy of Uninvited for yourself and a friend. It’s definitely a must-read for anyone who has felt less than, left out and lonely./
book review by asha o'brien-grudzinskas