An excellent book dealing with guilt, shame, and secrets we keep from people because we're too embarrassed to bare our souls honestly to other Christians. I could relate to much of Jamie's struggles and commend her for sharing them openly.

I knew about Jamie Ivey because of her podcast, The Happy Hour, a podcast some of my favourite bloggers/ writer were guest on. She is bubbly and funny. You can tell right away that she is authentic (something she mentions people say about her all the time) and blunt. She tackles a rather taboo subject in her book/ memoir, but she is open with the readers, clear and concise in sharing her message so as to understand where she's been, what she's in the process of, and where she's going.
I closed the book feeling encouraged and pushed to get closer to Jesus. Not many books can do that.

I loved the illustration she used with the letters: for every thing we think we are, every bad thing, we usually pin a letter on us. It's a "The Scarlet Letter" thing. We are not the letters we pin, but the stories we tell. "We are not our letters anymore. We belong to a new Storyteller." As a lover of a good story, her words carried weight. What's I walked away with was that we are all a walking story that could point to God and what He does in us.

The things you learn in the book, what she shares is not something new. She knows this and she says it. Her book is just one more story that can show and testify to what God is able to do. It's a quick read, but not because it's an easily read story. What makes it accessible is that it's written in a friendly tone and it's relatable no matter your Christian background or lack of it. I left with this nudge: "God uses the stories of His people to change the world. It’s true. Your story can change the world, but you first must be willing to share it."

This book wrecked me. I am a loyal listener to The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey. I knew I enjoyed her voice and views. This book increased my love for her and her voice to Christians today. Jamie shares some hard and vulnerable things about her life in hopes of encouraging vulnerability for all of us today. As someone who has a hard time sharing the tough stuff in my life this book greatly convicted me. If you struggle with shame or guilt over sin this book is for you. If you are part of a small group or church this book for you. Jamie challenges everyone to be vulnerable and to admit "I am not enough, but that's ok because JESUS IS BETTER."

Love her story and how she was able to find happiness and purpose through it. She writes honestly and openly , will be kept on my reread shelve

Wow. This book is a beautiful version of how us women need to stand together with our arms linked and say yes “Me too.” If you’ve ever needed a friend to hold your hand and listen to your struggle with sin, loneliness, strongholds then you need to read this book because Jamie sits down at her backyard table with you and shares directly from her heart the story of God’s redemption in her life. She makes you feel as though your sitting right there with her. At the end you want to wrap her in a hug and say “me too.”

This book was such an amazing read! The truths spoken here will be life changing for anyone who reads it. This is the gospel, simplified and spoken in our every day language. This is important. We are not defined by the things we have done in our pasts. We are defined by what Jesus has done for us.

Jamie Ivey creates a stage in this book for others to sing. By sharing her story in such a way as to make the reader feel like your chatting with a dear friend, she is not only sharing who she is but how we can support and help each other as women and as humans. Even more, she brings to light how God sees each of us and loves us anyway! This book was so eye opening to the ideas of vulnerability, how to have courage ourselves but also how to support others to be bold as well. The community that can rise out of a book like this will be powerful. For anyone who has felt alone, ashamed, like there wasn’t a place for them; to anyone who has walked into church and felt like they needed to hide their questions or frustrations; to anyone who felt like no one would love them if others truly knew; for anyone who wants to reach out with empathy but doesn’t always know how, this one is for you!!!

If You Only Knew is a book about vulnerability, past mistakes and overcoming them. It is about how the Scripture frees us and takes our mistakes into Freedom, a new life in CHRIST relying on HIM. We are to be honest in our lives. He will work with us. Is it all that what we are looking for? Oh what a wonderful book of helpful, hopeful stories.

This was my favorite book of 2017, topping even the likes of Jen Hatmaker. Jamie Ivey poured her heart, soul, and truth out in a way that will resonate with every woman. No matter what stage of life you are in or what story you have lived, this book will speak to you.

I must commend Ivey for having the courage to share her story with the world. There are few women, especially those within Christian circles, who would dare voice their struggles with addiction and sexual promiscuity, let alone put them into a book for the world to read. Her bravery gives hope to women who might otherwise believe the lie that they are alone in their struggles and a disappointment in the eyes of God.

Judging by her wildly popular podcast and frequent status as a speaker, you’d never guess her personal history did not match her present success. You’d also never know that she still struggles even now with her past.

Even if you don’t have “a past” and you’re confident in your faith journey, this book will help you develop an even deeper sense of identity and purpose. No matter what our personal stories, we are each called to share with others and this book will help you considerate your role.

Claiming this as my favorite book of 2017 is not an exaggeration. I felt both relieved and uneasy as I read through the pages. There were moments when I felt like she was telling my story and others when I was annoyed because it felt like she was pushing me to be even more honest with myself and others. There will definitely be times when you are uncomfortable as you read this book. Even in your most uncomfortable parts, Ivey includes truth with an air of compassion. She tells her story in a way that is relatable and gives you hope in how your story can also be used for greater good.

This book gives hope to all the “good church girls” who struggled to live up to expectations they couldn’t achieve and still today carry with them the shame of their past choices. She says all the things that we think but are too afraid to share. Her words take away the power of shame and help us understand what healing can look like. “Most of the women seated around you on Sundays, most likely including the woman who’s sitting there wearing your shoes and outfit and smiling to people across the room, are afraid that if others knew their struggles, they’d be disqualified from doing the work of God.”

In everything she shares, Ivey always brings the reader back to the way that God has redeemed her story. This isn’t as much a story about her as it is the way that God was persistent in her life and has given her the voice and opportunity to impact a new generation of women. She challenges each women to use their voice and their story to impact their communities, to share their redemption, and give hope to others.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the Publisher.

I love being part of Jamie Iveys launch team. I feel this book not only brings hope to it’s readers but raw honesty from someone that was so broken at different points in her own life. I found her by accident over a year ago and I’m glad I did. Her story is relevant to anyone
Willing to take the time to read it. She lets the reader know there is mercy and grace found in Jesus. I saw so much good to come out of this story the family and friends that accept you for who you are. I can appreciate the fact that it’s never easy to speak about our personal struggles for fear of being unaccepted. Jamie reminds all of us to embrace those around us when they’re struggling and be their strength. Jamie speaks to you like a family member or a trusted friend. Definitely worth the read. Makes me want to be a better and more accepting person. Bravo .. Jamie Ivey thank you for sharing your story.

This week I read the book If You Only Knew by the popular podcast host of The Happy Hour, Jamie Ivey. While I was familiar with Jamie from her podcast, this book was different from what I anticipated. It’s no secret that she is a Christian or that she is married to a pastor. However, I was surprised by her vulnerability and openness in sharing her testimony.

And, to that end, that is what this book is essentially. It is her testimony. Readers learn who she was before she began to follow Christ and who she is today. She reveals the secrets and hidden struggles that she was sure “if you only knew,” you would judge her for.

Jamie was highly dependent on admiration from the opposite sex, which led to her making some unwise decisions that hurt her heart. For example, she was sexually promiscuous and became pregnant while attending a Baptist college and miscarried. However, what made it even more difficult over time was the fact that she felt she had to hide this part of her story.

For those who have struggled under the weight of hidden sin or have looked for love in all the wrong ways, you may find Jamie’s testimony healing. She speaks openly and continually offers readers grace and reminds them that no one is perfect.

My one caveat in recommending this book to everyone is that is specifically geared to a Christian audience (as I’m sure it was intended). With this being said, I do not know how much of it would resonate with (or even make sense to) someone who does not go to church or has not read the Bible, as it is full of verses and Christianese. In other words, I wouldn’t necessarily give it to just anyone struggling.

And, there were several times when I highlighted things she said. For example, here are a few quotes I loved:

“We’re either the church people that others feel too ashamed to be themselves around, or we’re the bottled-up people whose sense of failure or inadequacy makes us want to hide or maybe hate you.”

“Struggling through your faith is not an indication of lack of faith; struggling through your faith is an indication that you are fighting for your faith.”

“When we allow ourselves to be a safe place for women to confess their struggles, we are imitating Jesus.”

“What if people knew all the moments of my past that I am not proud of? What if you really knew me, the parts that I’ve hoped to forget and worked to conceal? For so long, I was so afraid that if you only knew the mess I am so good at creating in my life, then things would be different. In many ways, my greatest fear was what you might think of me if you only knew the whole story,” (from the publisher).

Those words—“if you only knew”—paralyze and isolate women every hour of every day. We create masks to hide those things that we believe define us: our pasts, our mistakes, and deep dark desires of our hearts.

For years, Jamie Ivey has cultivated an environment of vulnerability and grace in her podcast, “The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey.” Now, she shares her own struggles with “if you only knew” and how God transformed her deepest fears into opportunities for gospel community.

Reading “If You Only Knew” was like sitting across from a friend with a mug full of steaming hot coffee. Jamie wrote these words with tenderness and vulnerability that shone through in every single chapter; she used her story of shame, discovery, and transformation to communicate vital gospel truths. Jamie says, “When we hide the mess we’ve been through, we also hide the redemption that God has lavishly poured on us. We can’t proclaim His grace until we expose our mess,” (Location 1208 in Kindle version).

I especially enjoyed Jamie’s challenges to the church and its leaders. In an age of #metoo and #churchtoo, transparency and openness about sin has never been more important. She claims, “No one should be left wondering if those in positions of spiritual authority are above having any struggles. If the leaders of your church have never admitted to sin struggles from their platforms, you might need to find some new leaders,” (Location 1363 in Kindle version).

Jamie continues to show that she is a leader worth following; not only does she offer the good news of the gospel and its radical transformative power, but she illustrates it at work in her own life. She lives out her roles of pastor’s wife, mom, Christian podcaster, and all-around influencer with compassion, courage, and joy that is simply contagious.

My only critiques of Jamie’s writing are its repetition and conversational style. She speaks with confidence and persuasion but that doesn’t exactly translate to her writing in the book. I love that she has taken such a step of faith in telling her story in print, but her writing style is just not up to par with her vocal communication. Even so, her heart and the gospel shines through.

I already loved Jamie from “The Happy Hour” but now I enjoy her even more. Knowing the journey she walked with God to get here is encouraging for my own spiritual life and my pursuit of authentic community.


(This review will be posted on my blog, The Novel Endeavor, on Tuesday, January 30.)

In If You Only Knew, Jamie Ivey delivers a huge dose of freedom and grace to all of us. Through her personal story, she shows how our own past, our own sins, the letters we use to label ourselves do not define who we are in Christ. These parameters are our hindrance, but grace and mercy are so abundant and freedom is waiting.

I am an avid listener of Jamie Ivey’s podcast, and I was so excited to hear her story. I could hear Jamie’s voice as I read her words, and her story of grace and redemption was inspiring. I will certainly recommend to others.

Jamie has been open about her life on her podcast, but I was missing some pieces in her story, and If You Only Knew filled in the gaps for me. Her story is one most girls can relate with, whether they love Jesus or not. She's super vulnerable about some years she spent searching--and not knowing she was searching, about how she feared the church would treat her, about how she finally gave her life over to God.

Many of us have, at some point, thought "if this person knew who I really was, they wouldn't speak to me again." This book is for us.

Jamie Ivey writes about her past openly and honestly, and follows every part of her story with how the the gospel frees us to be honest, vulnerable people. It's a gospel-soaked book and a joy to read. I don't tend to like books that rely heavily on the author's life to talk about Jesus, but the way this book is written makes it different from other story-heavy books.

The only reason I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 is that I wish it had been written to a broader audience. Yes, Ivey is a woman - but that doesn't mean her book has to be written directly to women. Men can also identify with feeling this way, and while a woman's specific sins and struggles may not directly relate, men should be able to work out situations in their lives where they have struggled with something similar (just like women who have struggled with completely different things will have to do).

I have been a fan of Jamie Ivy's for a while now and listen to her podcast, The Happy Hour, every week. I loved reading her book, If You Only Knew, and getting a glimpse into her story. She speaks with a vulnerability and honesty that is refreshing and left me feeling empowered to be able to share my own story with others.

Jamie, I am so thankful for you, your story, and your willingness to be vulnerable with us. I've been a big fan of the Happy Hour for a while, so I've been looking forward to this one. So excited for all the Lord is doing in you and through you!

I love how candid, hilarious and authentic Jamie is with sharing her story. Thanks for giving language to those who need it! Enjoy this read!

Unlike many reviewers, I had no idea who Jamie Ivey was prior to receiving this book for review and had never listened to her podcast. I feel that I got a chance to get to know her through reading "If You Only Knew" and appreciated the book for its vulnerability and Gospel-centered message—I mean truly Gospel-centered, as in she tied the work of Christ back into every mistake she's made and lesson she's learned—and for that reason alone I would recommend this book because I believe that God can use it to help free many people. She was truly preaching in a lot of sections. However, my appreciation for the work is not because it was well-written (I thought the writing style was quite flat), but an acknowledgement of the value of her story and her willingness to tell it. Many people need to read it and find that they're not alone, and now countless people will because of the author's faithfulness.