Terry went through hell and back with his anxiety but I really still don't understand why he had to write a book about it. There wasn't anything that made me feel connected with him. There was a lot of boasting about what he did with his church and how he felt betrayed by the places he worked when they asked him to leave as their principles weren't lining up with what he was teaching. In my opinion, there was no accountability on his end. A lot of shifting of accountability to his family, friends, and to others who didn't do things for him or what he felt should have been done for him. A lot of people have had horrible lives growing up and have done wonderful things with their lives but didn't need to write a book about it. Some wrote books that really made an impact, this is not one of them in MY opinion.

Terry Wardle believes that it is only by looking back that we can begin to move forward on the healing path. “Some Kind of Crazy” is his story about healing.
Terry experienced a traumatic and abusive childhood in the Appalachian coalfields of southwestern Pennsylvania. Despite that brokenness, Terry became a pastor. But his past still haunted him, and he entered a psychiatric hospital before he turned 40. In his own words, “Old wounds always found new ways to keep me in bondage.”
These and other life experiences let Terry to depend even more on God’s love and grace. He allowed God to perform an emotional and spiritual transformation that launched his personal journey and ministry toward greater health and personal freedom.
Terry Wardle has a unique writing style. It’s clear, concise, engaging, and humorous. Even though the details of his story are heartbreaking, I found myself chuckling at his phrasing.
I also appreciated his message of hope. No matter what brokenness we’ve experienced in childhood and in life, God is love. God even uses imperfect people to advance His purpose, and it’s our weaknesses that he can truly use to change individuals and the world.
Terry founded a healing ministry that allows us to “reexperience the memory, touch the pain, grieve the loss, and integrate that part of our past into our story.” This book shares how this ministry was birthed and how it changed Terry’s life.
“Some Kind of Crazy” is a book I would give to others. It offers hope in the midst of brokenness.

Terry and I would get along really well. His grace-in-trauma is the kind of tender mercy that more Christians need to learn to speak about the broken places in the world, and in our own lives. Although the details of our stories are different, I found myself connecting deeply with the heart that he carried throughout his testimony. It is the kind of heart that I both know intimately and pray intently to develop in my own life. But what I loved most about this book is that somehow, I didn't get the sense that I was supposed to come out of it having any particular thoughts about the author; I was anchored to God and grace and goodness and love in such a way that I find that I wasn't thinking much about Terry at all, which is the best way to bear a real witness to God in the world.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.

This book was extremely well-written.
The memoir was emotional, raw and powerful.
I would definitely read more.

Wow!! I'm not really sure what else to say about this book. I want to talk about it, but the concepts are a little hard to explain, so I kind of want to just say, read the book. And yet, I know that not everyone is going to like it, but I just thought it was so good and healing even for me to read. I know that might sound weird, but let me see if I can explain a bit without totally messing up the storyline.

Terry had a tough, tough childhood. Raised by parents who carried a boatload of hurt and brokenness into their marriage and parenting, Terry never knew if he was going to be loved or beaten. The stories he told of his childhood are heartbreaking. I don't want to give a lot of details, because I don't want to give away the story, but here's one example: enemas whenever he was sick. It didn't matter what kind of illness, an enema with the bathroom door wide open was the consequence. Ridicule, shame, rejection, all these emotions were heaped on Terry by the bushel load in his childhood.

Growing into adulthood, he struggled with fear and anxiety. Trying to be a preacher, he felt no relationship with God even though he could quote Scripture with the best. He longed for an experience with God even though some said that wasn't necessary. And this is where I am not sure how to explain it or even how much I should say, but finally through the Scripture and the Holy Spirit he was able to, through imagination, relive some of his painful memories and this time to imagine Jesus being there with him. I think this was powerful for me because I recognize the power of emotions and I can imagine how to relive those experiences with Jesus beside me would be so healing.

Another thing that really struck me was the idea of little faith and big faith. Terry was asking God to take away his anxiety, but then he felt like God said there are two options: He could remove the fear or He could walk with Terry through the anxiety. "'Little faith' insists that Jesus always calm the storm, heal the disease, eliminate all the fear from life. This is good faith, necessary faith, even miracle-working faith. But Jesus seemed to be saying the 'big faith' takes trust to an entirely new level. Big faith recognizes that two options are present in every trial. There is the possibility of complete deliverance as Jesus calms the sea. But there is also the option of trusting him even when the storm doesn't subside....Big faith is when I look to Christ and say, 'Jesus, you choose.' Big faith is the ability to relinquish my desire and submit to what the Lord deems necessary, knowing that his love always chooses what's best whether or not I understand what he's doing."

This was a really good interesting story with an underlying message of going to God in our brokenness and we are all broken people.

I received this book from Waterbrook via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Because I enjoy memoirs, I chose Some Kind of Crazy when I saw it available for review. I really had not much of an idea what it was about, but thought it sounded interesting. Then, when I started reading, I wondered if I really wanted to read it. Soon, however, I realized it would be a good one.

Terry Wardle was born to a family living and working in the coalfields of southern Pennsylvania. His father worked in the mines; his mother took care of the house. His grandparents and extended family, as well as his parents, were a mess! This is what made me wonder what I was getting into, as I read many references to his grandfather’s infidelity to his wife, the guns, the emotional abuse suffered by all the members of the family as those older dished it out to the younger ones…. Terry’s young life was full of trauma. Where would he end up?

After becoming a Christian, Terry’s traumatic past still had an enormous hold on him. It took many years of walking with God, some time in a psychiatric hospital, and much submitting to God before he was able to find victory. Time after time, he would think he was getting to where he wanted to be—and then the bottom would fall out from under him again!

I found this book inspiring. It’s hard to believe that anyone would have to live through the kind of abuse and trauma that Terry suffered as a child and young man, but it’s wonderful to know that God can take a person as broken as he was and turn him into someone useful for Himself. I appreciated the way he described the abuse he lived through; he told enough that I knew where he was coming from but not so much that I felt dirty from reading it. One passage that stood out to me was where he was being attacked unjustly, later in life, for things he hadn’t done—and God told him not to resist, but to follow Jesus’ example when He was on trial just before His crucifixion.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.

A well written memoir about one Pastor's struggles and how he used his faith to reach a better place in life. The memoir was very honest and personal about his experiences. and what he used to ultimately heal and get to where he is now. Not everyone has experiences like Terry’s and many of us choose to ignore our wounds and the things we have been through. Perhaps we all can learn from Terry's experiences and find a way to true healing. Thank you to Netgalley and WaterBrook & Multnomah for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

All through his writing, his feeling of brokenness does come through, as he relates coming up in his family feeling like he never quite measured up in his father’s eyes. As Terry Wardle finally got invited to join the men and learn how to cut up his first deer, earning the privilege of thereafter going out hunting with all of them, his dad decides to give up hunting at that time. Terry just never felt he fit in, even with his own family. As he grew up and went out into the work world, his anxiety only grew, until one day it overtook and just froze him.

I found this to be a decent read, grimly humorous at times, very up and down and religion-filled. There are some really good points, but it’s also repetitive at times too. It’s compared to ‘Educated’ but I found it not as good. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, author Terry Wardle, and the publisher.

I appreciated this very honest and personal memoir of Terry Wardle’s journey to emotional and mental health. His ability to be transparent about issues that we all too often glaze over in evangelical circles is refreshing and beneficial. Not all of us have experienced a childhood like Terry’s but so many of us have chosen to ignore deep wounds instead of finding healing for them

A couple of years ago, I took a road trip through the hills and mountains of Kentucky, encountering a culture I had only seen in movies and on TV. A life in the Appalachian foothills with its own distinct culture within our American culture. After that trip I was eager to learn more and read J.D. Vance's "Hillbilly Elegy." So when the reviews on "Some Kind of Crazy" said it was similar to J.D. Vance's book, I had to read it.

Yes, there are some similarities--both men grew up in dysfunctional families in the poverty of the Appalachians. Both men used their experiences in their early lives to motivate them and propel them to achieve more and live a better life style.

But I think of the two books, this one is much harder to read. It isn't a lighthearted look at the idiosyncrasies of the Appalachian culture. It is a painful recollection of how one's upbringing can lead a person down a dark and dismal path if s/he doesn't deal with the hidden demons. Wardle shows that even a person leading a prayerful Christian life is not immune to the wounds from one's childhood.

It shows that ignoring the emotional wounds often causes them to fester and eventually affect one's whole body in deeper ways.

It shows how God may allow certain things to happen in our lives, but then he gives us tools to cope with those things, although we will need to seek out those tools.

It isn't an easy book to read, but if you make it through it, you feel like you've traveled with the author on a journey of inner discovery and healing, And even if you haven't experienced the same things in your childhood, you can still relate to Wardle's experiences. You will come away with a better understanding of how a child's past directly shapes his future.

I always enjoy a memoir, as I find the lives of others quite fascinating. It was hard but good to read about Terry's tumultuous childhood, and to see the solid man he grew up to be, overcoming many hardships (family alcoholism and abuse, to a psych ward), and how he used his Faith to strengthen himself.

Some kind of Crazy by Terry Wardle started off as a very interesting novel. We are introduced to a man, the author. who is very religious but also suffers from severe anxiety to the point that he is hospitalized. As his journey continues Wardle describes the many challenges that he faces on a daily basis. I would have liked to see a better insight into the people in his family. His children are barely discussed . Their coverage is very scattered. Although they are mentioned there is no significant information about them. We really do not know their feelings about their dad’s anxiety or if any of them also suffer from anxiety. What is the mother/wife’s reaction to Terry being hospitalized. How did she handle the children and how old were they? I also feel like the title is a bit deceiving . There is no mention of Christianity in the title . I believe that some mention of this in the title would have brought the correct audience to this novel . Overall, I was disappointed in a novel that had a lot of potential . I received this book from netgalley and the publisher in return for a fair and honest review .

I have received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I will be honest, I am not really into autobiographical memoirs, but I did enjoy reading this book. Partially probably because I can relate to what Terry Wardle is trying to say.
In this book, we follow a story of Terry Wardle from his childhood in a dysfunctional family to becoming a very successful and sought after preacher while suffering from mental illness. We might not all have a mentall illness or grow up in dysfunctional families and, definitely, not all will find ourselves in Christ or become a pastor, but regardless of that many will find this book uplifting and motivational.

I am in charge of our Senior School library and am looking for a diverse array of new books to furnish their shelves with and inspire our young people to read a wider and more diverse range of books as they move through the senior school. It is hard sometimes to find books that will grab the attention of young people as their time is short and we are competing against technology and online entertainments.
This was a thought-provoking and well-written read that will appeal to young readers across the board. It had a really strong voice and a compelling narrative that I think would capture their attention and draw them in. It kept me engrossed and I think that it's so important that the books that we purchase for both our young people and our staff are appealing to as broad a range of readers as possible - as well as providing them with something a little 'different' that they might not have come across in school libraries before.
This was a really enjoyable read and I will definitely be purchasing a copy for school so that our young people can enjoy it for themselves. A satisfying and well-crafted read that I keep thinking about long after closing its final page - and that definitely makes it a must-buy for me!

Terry Wardle grew up in a strange and challenging family! Terry had a grandpa who liked to blow up people’s houses, and his mother thought an enema would cure any sickness!
Terry’s close relatives shot each other, cheated on each other, and hunted even when hunting season was over?
Terry’s Mom did not know how to bond with him, she belittled him, his anxieties, and his academic decline. His Dad, a coal miner, did not know how to relate to him, so Terry’s male relatives helped him grow up as a “redneck” teenager.
You will have to read the book for yourself to see how God transformed Terry’s life, even when Terry was fired from his professional jobs, ridiculed by his peers, and even spent time in a psychiatric facility. If God can help someone who grew up like Terry, He can help you, too!

Author Wardle bares his soul in this revealing and well-written book. Parts of it were extremely hard to read for those who have ever been emotionally wounded or betrayed, and other parts were so foreign to this reviewer that it was like reading about another country. But I believe this book offers lessons to be learned by those who were blessed with a "normal" upbringing so they can bridge the gap to reach out to others with different life-blessings. For me, personally, I have few memories of my life before about 5 or 6 years old -- an isolated memory of a carousel birthday cake and an airplane flight,, for example. So it was eye-opening to read of people who experience emotional trauma at an early age and remember every aspect of incidents that happened when they were only 3 years old. The book does not just focus on the trauma experienced, but also on the healing available through a relationship with Christ. Four solid stars from this reviewer.

This is a very well written book. At times it was hard to read, but it was worth it. This is a book everybody should read, we are all broken in one way or another and we all need God's help to overcome our pain. Thank you WaterBrook via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own and I highly recommend this book.

As a sucker for a good Memoir I really enjoyed this book and the author's story. As a pastor it spoke to many of the pitfalls of the occupation, but also to the many joys. The scripture references and the theology presented was insightful and though provoking. The story involves physical and emotion abuse as well as mental health, so be aware if those are triggers for you. It was a rare look into the life of a pastor who was presented not as perfect. I would recommend this book to those who are clergy, but also to those who are struggling with mental illness and/or with their faith.

The only negative for me was that I would have liked to hear more about the courtship and love of his wife it seemed a bit glossed over, but you still get the picture of what happened.

Good read!

This autobiography is a very personal book about Terry Wardles youth and his journey to healing and what it means to find one's identity in Christ.
We might not all have a diagnosed mental illness, but we're all broken in one way or the other, and this book can encourage us not to give up and to let Jesus heal us the way he chooses. Sometimes we need to go through darkness to find the light.

Terry's story is one that many can relate with. His abuse as a child may have been more extreme than some, but each of us has experienced hurt and need to process through these hurts and allow God to bring healing. This book was one I wasn't sure I would enjoy reading, but when I was finished, I said to my family, "I'm so glad I read that book!"
Terry shares some fairly detailed scenes from his childhood to paint the picture of his growing up experiences. Many are to show us what shaped his mindset heading into adulthood and some just seemed a bit gratuitous. I skipped a few pages as it seemed a bit much but I don't think I missed any of the meaning of the book.
I recommend this book and recommend self reflection and plenty of prayer as a result.

I received an advance copy of this book free from WaterBrook, the publisher. The opinions are entirely my own!