Man.

I requested this book to review thinking it wasn't going to be that hard of a book to get through. You see, I've done A LOT of work on healing from my past. A LOT, just ask my poor husband about it.

However, this book really shook me to my core. It wasn't the read I was expecting (though, I can't really put what I was expecting into words exactly...) I thought I had healed enough (I'm millions of miles away from where I was and who I used to be), but this book threw me back into dealing with it all again. Like, so discombobulated as I was thinking things through, I did regress quite a bit, to the point my husband noticed and grilled me on what in the world was going on in my mind and the thoughts of returning for another round of therapy were discussed.

I do suggest reading this book when you can tackle the story of your past (no matter what it is) and you have time to work on healing. This book can be a mighty tool for you to use. Just prepare yourself for it and know that it isn't going to be one of those feel good, affirmational reads that are so prevalent today. This book will make you examine yourself and deal with the hidden secrets you hold. No matter if you were abused or just have made some wrong decisions that you wish you could undo.

When I was invited to be part of this book launch I was very excited. The title of the book, "When You Don't Like Your Story" by Sharon Jaynes, especially appealed to me because right now (at the time I started reading), I don't like my story. I was hoping this book would "speak to me" as if it was written for me and I was not disappointed! Do you ever listen to a sermon or read a book and it is as if the pastor is speaking directly to you, or the author was in your head as they were putting pen to paper? Well this book will not disappoint!

Ask yourself, "Do you love your story?" What if you could transform a no answer into "I love my story!" If you could transform from question to exclamation it would be worth your time right?! Sharon explains, "He (the evil one) capitalizes on every hurt, magnifies every mistake, and punctuates every promise with a question mark." Let's get rid of those question marks and have more exclamation marks in our lives!!!

This book is the tool for you. And guess what? Sharon has a bible study coming out to accompany this book! I would be remiss if I did not tell you this book is about hard work. It's a good thing I am not afraid of working hard to navigate what God has in store for me. What about you? Does hard work scare you or do you like a challenge? I am glad to get rid of those question marks!

Sharon utilizes various real life stories to reach each of us. There is something for everyone here. No matter what your past was like, your future is bright and is in God's hands. Believe that, feel that, live audaciously the life God has paved for you! Don't give up or give in! I almost did and I am glad Sharon has taken the talents God gifted her with to share with all of us.

Perhaps THE best book I have read in a very LONG a time! No matter your age or present circumstances; whether the tough times are due to your choices or someone else’s; this book provides perspective, encouragement and most of all, HOPE that things CAN and WILL get better. It introduces the concept of“ “Meanwhile” , whe God seems to have forgotten you or appears absent, and assures that “when the situation is out of my control, it’s not out of God’s hands.” No matter how dire your circumstances, God still has the pen in His hand, and He’s still on the throne. “When You Don’t Like Your Story” provides many examples of trauma, chaos, “bad chapters” , and assures us our worst chapters can be changed into our greatest victories! This book is a MUST a read for our present times. I intend to reread it, this time following the Bible Study Guide in the back of the book.

It was an amazing book that has helped me through my life. This book helped me be able to forgive myself and others. Let me see of how much God loves and cares for ous as well. We are wonderful for who we are and our story will help others as well.

Sharon Jaynes offers us hope. She shows us that we are not our past. That God knows our story and wants to use it for His Glory. He can use us to help others and give them hope...if we let Him.
Bible stories we have read all our lives but never felt like they applied to us...she shows us that just because Jesus walked the earth then doesn't make the stories or the people any less applicable to us today.
We have to stop listening to Satan's lies that we will never be good enough and turn our attention to the only true voice that matters. God loves us and wants to use us. Bring our lives into the light and find out that we are not alone.

I really enjoyed When You Don't Like Your Story  by Sharon Jaynes. It is about moving past and letting go of the parts of your story you wish were different and wish you could change. Sharon uses parts of her story, the stories of friends and acquaintances, and the lives of Biblical people to show how God can use our story, even the dark or ugly parts, for His purposes. In seeing the title of the book I thought the book was going to be only about Sharon's life and personal experiences and how she came to move forward, coming to grips with the hard, ugly, painful parts of her life. By including the experience and examples of other people and Biblical people I see how we realize that this is not just about one person moving forward from the parts of her life that she doesn't like but it is applicable and available to everyone's struggles with their lives and the parts they wish were different. Sharon writes in her book, " We cannot delete, discard, or amend the past, but we can repurpose and reclaim the present."
The writing flows easily and the stories are inspiring to read. This book is much needed encouragement as we go through our lives trying to overcome, hide, understand and even like the struggles and messes of our past. In the book Sharon shows how God can use even the most difficult experiences of our lives for good and to comfort others. We learn not to look to the world or others for our worth and value but to look to God for our value. Sharon provides steps  in overcoming the parts of our story we don't like and look through a different lens. It is about reclaiming our lives and becoming the child of God we are created to be in life. It is about not dwelling on our hurts, pain, shame, guilt, and brokenness but moving forward allowing God to redeem the mess and ashes in our lives. Sharon provides a Bible Study Guide to use as you read through the chapters along with a list of verses showing our Identity in Christ and Prayers on forgiveness in the back of the book.
I received an advanced copy of this book fir my hosest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I have chapters and pages in my story that I do not like. I wish that I could tear them out, shred them, and set fire to them.

God can use the ugly and broken shards of your life to piece together beautiful and valuable artwork.

Bestselling author Sharon Jaynes examines her life and the lives of others in light of the stories that make us uncomfortable, those stories that we would like to forget. You know, the ones you have hidden away and hope no one hears about. We are missing the point.

Jaynes shows us how the worst chapters in our lives can become the best stories that show the work of God.

Defeats into victories.

God pieces together the shards of life with gold, much like the art of Kintsugi. The scars of gold tell others how God has transformed our brokenness into works of art that delight all.

Forward living, but backward understanding is how we understand our storylines, p. 32.

We do not know the strategic plan of God for our lives. However, when we look back and remember how He used those uncomfortable times, we understand His artistry in the scars of gold.

Jaynes shows how God transforms disappointment, guilt, shame, forgiveness, and much more into understanding, gratitude, and trust in His plan for us.

She has added resources like Scriptures that reveal our identity in Christ, prayers for forgiveness, and a Bible Study Guide that small groups can use to go through the book together.

This is a must-read for a time such as this - a must-read for those who do not understand how God can use their brokenness - a must-read for a new perspective on the disappointments of life.

I received an advance reader copy from the publisher for my honest review.

Sharon Jaynes most recent book, When You Don't Like Your Story has absolutely spoken into my life and deals with things I couldn't find help with elsewhere. The shame I've carried around for years over many different things that either someone else did to me, how people made me feel, things I daily tell myself, or choices I've made myself that were wrong, are all addressed. I'm so thankful that she wrote this story, shared so much, and put into words that there is forgiveness for us all, no matter what. That we can move past or even rename those chapters that we so desperately would love to rip out of our life's pages. I'm blessed for God's soverign grace, mercy, and love. I am excited to see these next chapters in my life and how God will use me for His glory and purposes.
I'm excited to see beauty in my coming chapters of life.

I hope you will give this book a chance, it truly is for everyone, it will bless you. I am a slow reader and I read through this book very quickly (two weeks), and looked forward to picking it back up to see what other truths and goodness I would hear about! I'm excited to do the upcoming Bible study on the book as I can only imagine how amazing that will be!

Sharon, truly I've loved each of the books I've read of yours, but deeply, truly, I can't thank you enough for this book. I thank you for being bold and standing up for those of us that had no idea how to move on from the shame and desperation of the choices we've made in the past. Thank you for making it clear from a Biblical standpoint that we aren't damaged goods, we ARE enough, we are beautiful, we are chosen, we are valuable, we are dearly loved, anointed, appointed, free of condemnation, washed, justified, and sanctified through Christ, and most importantly we are holy in God's sight, without blemish, and free of accusation!!
What a blessing!

This is a well written easy to understand book. Reading this book is like talking to a friend about your problems. A friend who gives sound biblical advice without judging you for how you feel and understands the emotional pain you are in. This book gives you hope for the future and let's you know you are never alone, God is always with you. Thank you Nelson Books--Thomas Nelson via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

When You Don't Like Your Story
What If Your Worst Chapters Could Become Your Greatest Victories?
by Sharon Jaynes
Nelson Books
Thomas Nelson
Biographies & Memoirs | Christian | Religion & Spirituality
Pub Date 26 Jan 2021



I am reviewing a copy of When You Don’t Like Your Story through Nelson Books/Thomas Nelson and Netgalley:



In When You Don’t Like Your Story we are reminded that many people aren’t happy with the stories that God is writing in their lives. We feel that the mistakes, failures, tragedies, and circumstances outside of our control linger in our minds and hold us back. But the author reminds us that God turns our broken stories into beautiful prose and the unwanted pages in the book that is our life into stunning narratives of victory.




Author Sharon Jaynes reminds us that our ravaged pages can turn into God’s redemptive victory. She goes on to teaming us that though we live our life forwards, we understand it backwards. She goes on to point at that their are times we prefer to live in the certainty of dysfunction rather than to embrace the uncertainty of change.




It is pointed out too that God does not simply want to comfort us in our distress, but infant he also wants to heal us from the history of hurt that causes it.. we are reminded too that just as forgiving others sets us free from the hate place forgiving ourselves sets us free from shame.





We are reminded too that our story is a divine weapon that has the power to defeat the devil. It is pointed out too that struggles remove fluff from our Faith to make it rock solid, and that hardships can prepare ordinary people from an extraordinary destiny.



I give When You Don’t Like Your Story five out of five stars!



Happy Reading!

Sharon Jaynes, an excellent women's Bible study author, has penned another excellent book! "When You Don't Like Your Story" is written for anyone who has parts of their lives that they wish didn't exist or they could ignore. Through personal anecdotes, sincere transparency, and Bible verses, Jaynes helps the reader see that every part of our story can be used for our good and God's glory. This is an excellent book to give a friend who is going through a difficult time.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book was written in a matter of fact way that made it easy to connect to. It offered guidance and hope.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.