My Own Worst Enemy by Janet Davis

Matthew 5:16 commands us to let our light shine before others, so that they may see our good deeds and give glory to God.  Yet so often women tend to hide their lights instead of letting them shine.  We can get stuck in cycles of fear, insecurity, and self-doubt.  This is what Janet Davis explores in her book, in what she calls self-sabotage.  Each chapter is structured around a specific topic and includes a story of a modern day woman and a biblical woman.  There are also discussion questions at the end of each chapter.

I think this book does a great job of bringing awareness to the ways our thinking can hold us back from being all that God calls us to be as women.  I especially identified with the first chapter which talks about our refusal to shine as a sin of omission (good works we fail to do) and results in the absence of the fullness of what God has called us to do and be.  I know my own fears, insecurities, and self-doubt hold me back at times from living the way I desire to live, which is one reason I picked up this book in the first place.  The back cover claims the book will help women to "break destructive patterns in order to live out your purpose in God's kingdom"....unfortunately I didn't find this to be true.  Her advice was more along the lines of choosing to be vulnerable, say no when necessary, tell your story, persevere, realize your worth....all of which are helpful things...but simply not enough.  This book ignores the influence of spiritual warfare and how to fight with the sword of the Word of God, which I believe is necessary to break these cycles of "self-sabotage".

Another aspect I liked about the book were the insights the author shared about various biblical women.  While I'm not sure I agree with all of them, I like to learn about different viewpoints and applications that others see in the biblical stories.

Overall, this book contains some good thoughts, but wasn't what I expected it to be.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.