On Getting Out of Bed by Alan Noble had a heartfelt message, but it didn’t quite work for me. I appreciated the compassion behind it, yet the repetition made it feel stretched, even for such a short book. I was hoping for more practical advice, but it leaned heavily on abstract encouragement. The strong Christian focus also limited its relatability for me. While the intentions were good, I found myself wanting something more grounded and applicable to daily struggles.

This book is a gift. Alan Noble does a beautiful job of reminding us that sorrow and darkness are often a part of life. And while we would love to get rid of them entirely, that isn't always what life looks like. Instead, we can trust daily that life is worth living, even when it isn't how we envisioned it. If you are someone you love need some encouragement and a reminder that you are not the only one thinking these things, this book might be a gentle encouragement. Don't hesitate to buy a couple copies to have on hand to share with those in your life who might need it.

Well written and hope filled reflections from a writer I had previously not encountered. This book could be a great encouragement to those with depression and anxiety. I appreciate this short but well written book.

On Getting Out of Bed, by Alan Noble
Rating: 4/5
Published: NOW
We all suffer from anxiety and dark days sometimes, and anyone who says otherwise is lying. Alan Noble sees this struggle, and his response is a heart-warming book that I’d love to give to everyone that I know. I love his raw honesty about how we all pretend to be fine sometimes, and his insight into our darkest days is powerful. I had to stop and reread sections because they were so impactful.

This was the first book I read by Alan Noble, and it was very impactful. This author was highly recommended to me. I hope to read more of his books. I highly recommend this book.

On Getting Out of Bed was a breath of fresh air in a category of writing (Christian living) that can often fail to address mental health in a balanced way and informed way. As someone who struggles with depression, it was an encouraging read that I plan to revisit, as it encourages one to acknowledge the beauty and gift of life and do "the next thing", even if that is merely getting out of bed and proceeding with your day.

lan is a compelling thinker and author and always worthy of consideration.

On Getting Out of Bed (galley received as part of early review program) is a very serious book about a very challenging subject. In it Noble confesses his own struggles with depression and sets out to explore the nature of the struggles of mental illness in terms of Christian faithfulness and how to find the inspiration and encouragement, every day, to get out of bed.

Throughout Noble takes the reality of mental illness seriously, finds value in the therapeutic, but remains skeptical of the therapeutic being able to fully deliver on any of its promises. He balances the framework of the subtitle well.

He speaks frankly and honestly about the burden of living with mental illness. It is very much a challenge for many to get out of bed every morning. The despair can well be crushing. Noble has experienced such things and sympathizes with others who do so. He is attempting to normalize the experience of suffering and to not flinch at or shy away from the ugliness it can reveal.

But much of the book centers on the gift of living, to give reason for people to get out of bed every day. Noble is not trite in his discussions of the gifts life provides and the opportunity to bear witness in and despite suffering. He is putting forth all the rhetorical effort he can to persuade those who maintain faith in God in Christ to endure and persevere. He also makes his appeal, more fully explicated in his previous work above, to remember we are not our own, and we will indeed be called upon to serve others despite our own suffering, just as, no doubt, others have served us despite theirs.

Many who experience mental illness would do well to consider this work; hopefully they can see at least a little of their own experience in it, and find strength from it to indeed get out of bed.

This book is not lengthy, which left it feeling just right for someone who's struggling with mental health, and for their loved ones who want guidance on how to live and love well. There's much that's unknown about mental illness, and Noble is quick to point that out. But he's lived with mental illness himself, and has counted on his faith to get him past the emotions amd racing thoughts. There's help here.

In this book, Noble shares his personal stories and practical advice to help us find motivation and embrace more fulfilling lives. The writing is clear and straightforward, making it easy to understand and apply his ideas. Reading this book is like having a supportive friend cheering you on.

The book is organized into different chapters, each focusing on a specific topic like building healthy habits or dealing with uncertainty, so you can easily jump to the sections that most interest you. While the book touches on deeper philosophical concepts, Noble keeps it accessible and relatable. He offers valuable guidance and encouragement to take small steps towards a more meaningful and motivated existence.

Mental health is increasingly in the news. In the past, the mere mention of mental problems can be taboo. Thus, there is a subconscious effort to dumb down any such talk. That said, times are changing rapidly. At the onset of Covid, talk about mental struggles has come to the fore, primarily because it is experienced in many places, thanks in part to a lockdown world. This seems to create a greater openness to discussing mental health in a post-covid world. This book is about "mental suffering" which is an all-encompassing term to describe mental afflictions of all forms, both clinical and non-clinical conditions. Author Alan Noble is convinced that for most people, it is less about clinical techniques or medications to solve the mental issue and more about understanding the person's unique situation. The trouble arises when people presume a clinical solution to anything related to mental health. This will be just like a hammer solution that presumes every person is a nail. Another problem is the social stigma that comes with anything mental-related. As the author is not a medical professional, this book is about sharing his thoughts based on Anne Harrison's alternative approach to "mental affliction" that is beyond medical realms. Rather, it is acknowledging the "cultural, social, and familial circumstances" surrounding the person concerned. The book traces the thoughts of Noble along this line. Noble begins with personal encounters with people struggling with their lives. Hiding behind their external smiling faces, many people do hide their struggles in more ways than one. Some even "choose" the path of suffering. On top of that, they choose their own prescription, thinking that mental issues are problems to be solved, instead of being understood and lived. Noble cautions us about reliance on techniques. He uncovers potential barriers such as "fear of failure," presumptions of "PTSD," over-reliance on "the language of mental health," etc., all of which minimizes the need for simple human touch. This might lead to finding the right prescription for a wrong diagnosis. The author's prescription: Do whatever it takes to motivate one to get out of bed.

Noble asks some probing questions such as:

Why do we go through so much trouble to prolong the inevitable?
Why is life worth this agony?
Why put up with all this suffering?
...

Instead of providing comprehensive answers to these, Noble hikes with us through the ups and downs of life's terrains like a faithful walking partner. His key point: Courage to get back up especially when we are down. Getting out of bed daily is essentially a choice we all have to make. Such a choice is not some personal grit but anchored on hope. Here, Noble connects us with the need for faith in God and the need for us to respond. We might not be able to control what happens to us but we can definitely control our responses. Each of our responses will reflect the kind of faith and life principle we have.

My Thoughts
===============
This book revolves consistently around one thing: The courage to get out of bed. This discipline essentially helps one deal with any form of mental suffering. Noble does not belittle the challenges of mental afflictions. Let me offer three thoughts.

First, I appreciate the cautions on any reliance (or over-reliance) on techniques or medications for any form of mental health. By clarifying the vocabulary used, we are better able to attach a name to the emotion we are feeling, something that many counselors would encourage us to do. The caution against over-reliance is an important one. Having one problem is one thing. Creating another problem due to a misdiagnosis only multiplies the problem. If we are too quick to presume our own mental situation, we do ourselves a disservice. Not every situation requires a rushed visit to the ER or a pill to pop. Life is hard and this awareness should be part of the library of expectations in our minds. A healthy mind is one that is not too pessimistic or overly optimistic. It is learning to make sense of the situation and if necessary, seek help.

Second, we need to learn more about mental afflictions BEFORE it actually hits us. We all will struggle with mental suffering from time to time. For many of us, it is inevitable that life will hit us hard at some point in life. Thus, it is beneficial to be prepared, just like having a first-aid kit at home in case accidents occur. Noble shows us that we do not need to become a psychiatrist or psychologist before we can tackle mental suffering. Truth is, not everything comes under the purview of either of these specialties. Discernment is as important (if not more important) than proper diagnosis. The part about mental suffering and suicide is a complex matter altogether. Having a buddy who is willing to walk with us is also an important part of any healing process. Far too many people make the mistake of drowning themselves in alcoholism or drug addiction. Noble's brute call to "Get Out of Bed" is also a wake-up call for us to snap out of such reliance. Strengthen your grip on your own mental health with this discipline not to let the world hem us down, but to let courage in Christ lift us up, and out of bed.

Finally, Noble's thesis is a reminder of what spirituality is all about. The ancient monks and desert fathers often teach us that the spiritual life is about learning to get up every time we fall. The main thing is to make sure that the getting up is more frequent than the falling down. As Christians, we demonstrate hope by learning to pick ourselves up every time we fall. Noble ends with a bright message that we can all smile with and act upon. When we live, we live for God. Just as the apostle Paul has said in Philippians 1:21, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain," this book is Noble's interpretation of this very principle. Noble has written wonderful book that is simple to the core without the bell whistles of complex mental language or techniques. If you like to read books in bed, you might even practice strengthening your mental health each time when you are getting out of bed.

Alan Noble (PhD, Baylor University) is associate professor of English at Oklahoma Baptist University. He has written for the Atlantic, Vox, The Gospel Coalition, Christianity Today, and First Things. He is also the author of Disruptive Witness and You Are Not Your Own.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5.

conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of InterVarsity Press via NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book.

While this isn't a bad book, it's not one that worked for me. While its short, it could have been even shorter because I feel like the author repeats the same things. For someone else that would work, but it didn't for me.

Moreover, I'm not in the sort of space where I want read any book with a religious undertone and it wasn't even an undertone but a central thing.

I really liked this very quick read on how to live with mental illness. The author has a lot of references to the Bible and to God, so if you are not religious, that part might be a little difficult to get through. But the main focus of the book, finding a reason to get out of bed (or to live) is helpful to those of us that suffer with mental illness, or to people who have loved ones that may suffer from this. The author did a good job describing how it feels sometimes...I want to thank the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for giving me an e-copy of this book, in return for an honest review.

Noble expertly conveys not only what it feels like to live with a mental illness, but also why we must keep on living, illness and all. This book is a bandage for a broken mind as well as a light in the darkness.

I couldn't put this book down. Each work has a place that flowed smoothly one after another. Such a good encouraging book.

In his latest book, Alan Noble pulls no punches. Undergoing a nuanced, difficult, and stressful topic—which all of us can relate to—he writes candidly and gracefully on mental health and the Christian life. This book breaks down the real, undeniable feelings that we all may have about life, and challenges us to focus on getting out of bed as an active choice. Every day, we have the opportunity to make choices in the moment that will change our day. Strength for today—not tomorrow or next week—Noble argues, is a sure way to navigate tumultuous times.
In addressing the topic of mental health, Noble does not write a trendy self-help book, nor a stoic theological book—he converges the two. While affirming human worth in Christian orthodoxy and the imago dei, he also reminds Christians that they are truly needed (by friends, family, the community) daily. It's hard to fulfill those needs, but it's what God calls us to and gives us strength to do. Overall, Noble's short work is a robust yet profound conversation on mental health, which is equally as honest as it is encouraging.

"Your life is a good gift from a loving God, even when subjectively it doesn't feel good or like a gift, and even when you doubt that God is loving. Please get out of bed anyway."

This book, far from self-helpism, gives an encouraging argument for living for those sufferers of mental anguish of all kinds who still somehow hold to the Christian notion of a good and loving God. I had long been a fan of Noble for his writing online before I read "You Are Not Your Own: Belonging to God in an Inhuman World," but this book was even more impactful to me. I found myself writing down quote after quote and sharing them with others and reminding myself of them.

Noble addresses the certainty that we will suffer in this life and for many of us that suffering will be mental and not just physical by answering the question behind that question--not that we ought to get out of bed, but why. Building from an interpretation of living sacrifice found in Romans 12, Noble argues that "Christ's death is the once-for-all sacrifice and now we participate in that sacrifice by participating in His life."

I especially appreciated the gentleness the author uses. Far from coming across like Job's friends (as he references early on), Noble writes as a fellow sufferer but also as a co-heir to the kingdom and a Christian brother.

I would recommend this book to any believer struggling with mental anguish (diagnosed, chronic, or otherwise) or someone who loves one affected. It's important to note this book is written by a believer largely (I would argue) to believers. Personally, this is right next to Zach Eswine's "Spurgeon's Sorrows" as a book I'll return to for encouragement. Read this book!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The book “On Getting Out of Bed” presents us with the question, “Why get out of bed? Or, more bluntly, why live?” This book carries a helpful, challenging, and refreshing message. The author reminds us of the truth that life is a God-given gift and ponders along with the reader in making the choice to live it despite the mental (and other) suffering we all face. The honesty contained in these pages, though challenging at times to live out, was refreshing.

The subject of this book is aptly expressed in these words:

“…however you explain the difficulty of living in the modern world, whatever theory you accept, you’re still stuck with the reality that a normal life includes a great deal of suffering. Ultimately, you must have some reason to put up with such a life, some reason for still getting out of bed even when you know it will mean pain. Even though getting out of bed in the morning can be incredibly hard.”

More than once we must often answer the question of why we should get out of bed, of why life is worth living in order to persevere. The author writes, “we don’t answer this question once in some dramatic moment of revelation that clarifies our lives forever. The choice to live is made every moment of every day, consciously or unconsciously.”

As someone who has dealt with chronic pain, as well as anxiety since childhood, this book was a helpful reminder on knowing why I choose to do the next right thing or why I choose not to set down a responsibility to those in my life. It was a quick read that gives you much to ponder on, and the writing style both gently and kindly expresses the truths we need to hear, even when they are difficult ones.

I received a review copy of this book for free from Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.

“There’s a kind of unspoken conspiracy to ignore how difficult life is, or to reframe it as something romantic — a heroic challenge we overcome on our way to the good life.” Alan Noble starts here and then explores what we can do about it. How (and why) do we get out of bed anyway even on the hardest days? There are many good points packed in this little book. It did feel a bit scattered and redundant at times, but I still highly recommend it.

This book presents a Christian viewpoint to support of individuals who are experiencing depression or mental anguish or anxiety. The author expresses that no matter how a person feels about himself or herself, that individual serves others by being an example of the image of our Savior. The author does not claim to be a psychiatrist or psychologist, but serves as a Christian counselor with ideas about the importance of each person and the contribution he or she makes to society. This book presents an inspirational read for any person who has ever experienced depression or anxiety in any form.

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

On Getting Out of Bed {Book Review}

“What’s the bravest thing you ever did?
“Getting up this morning.”

~Cormac McCarthy, THE ROAD

“Your life is a good gift from a loving God, even when subjectively it doesn’t feel good or like a gift, and even when you doubt that God is loving. Please get out of bed anyway” (40).


In the new book On Getting Out of Bed: The Burden & Gift of Living, Alan Noble addresses the universal problem of mental suffering with compassion born of experience and perspective born of listening to others. This is not a memoir or a self-help book. Its discussion is not limited to officially diagnosed mental illness; Noble pans out to consider mental suffering in all its intensities and hues. Somehow, it comes across as both literary and comfortably readable; Noble is an English professor, after all, and that shows. His main idea is that in this earthly life, suffering is the norm and ease the exception, and at the same time our pain-marked lives are ultimately good, marked by God’s grace and love, and worth fighting for. And sometimes that fight starts with the courage to get out of bed.

Noble begins by normalizing and destigmatizing mental suffering. So much stigma and shame still surround anxiety and depression, though some progress has been made. The loneliness of that shameful silence compounds the suffering of the initial anxiety or depression. Noble comes alongside the suffering person and those who love him or her in empathetic recognition of how hard, how very hard, life in this broken world is. The tone of this book is that of a kind hand on the shoulder, a face inclining to make contact between his wet eyes and the sufferer’s, a gentle voice saying, “I’m so sorry. It will be okay. Hold on.”

Suffering and the Culture of Technique

Noble recognizes that, in times of mental anguish, simply getting out of bed is a monumental act of worship and testifies to God’s goodness. As he contemplates the divergent choices of two characters in Cormac McCarthy’s book The Road, he asserts:

To choose to go on is to proclaim with your life, and at the risk of tremendous suffering, that it is good. Even when it is hard, it is good. Even when you don't feel that it is good, even when that goodness is unimaginable, it is good. When we act on that goodness by rising out of bed, when we take that step to the block in radical defiance of suffering and our own anxiety and depression and hopelessness, with our heads held high, we honor God and His creation, and we testify to our family, to our neighbors, and to our friends of His goodness. This act is worship (Kindle location 352).

And again,
While it is terrible (and occasionally horrifying) to be under a cloud of depression or anxiety, you also have the chance to testify to God's goodness. By watching you endure, others will know that it is possible to keep going (Kindle location 722).
I found that many of his thoughts, especially in the section on our contemporary culture of technique, applied to physical suffering due to my chronic illness and breast cancer also. In brief, the concept of a “culture of technique” implies that suffering is the exception rather than the rule. If one finds the right technique of job/spouse/home/school/diet/exercise/money management/supplements/productivity, suffering is avoidable or at least fixable. This feels true because it is so pervasive in our culture, but it does not align with the Bible’s teaching or millennia of human experience.
The fallout from that myth is the insinuation that suffering people are at fault to some degree for their affliction and can get out of it through their own efforts if they just ___________. This adds to the shame of physical and emotional suffering and contributes to the felt need to keep one’s suffering invisible. This harms rather than helps.
In reality, much suffering occurs independent of the hurting person’s choices and techniques. (See the book of Job.) The Bible affirms throughout that life is hard, and life is good, and God’s grace is bigger than our suffering.

The Myth of Utilitarianism and the Grace of God
Another section encouraged me with its particular relevance to my story as an immunocompromised cancer survivor at this point in the pandemic. Mental struggles common to chronic illness include the grief of lost capacity and activities and the depressing weight of feeling useless and burdensome.

Given the stories I’m hearing from people with chronic illness, parents of high-risk children, and sufferers with Long COVID, the current season of marginalization and loneliness is making this struggle much worse. Whether implied or stated outright (yes, some people do say this outright), the message many of us are receiving from society is that we are expendable because we are not useful or productive.

Mental suffering in and of itself also depletes productivity, slowing down and distracting mind and body, sometimes causing physical pain. A lie all too easy to believe in that space is that one’s life is a burden to others, that one is useless, that there is no point to keeping on keeping on. (Noble is forthright about encouraging sufferers to seek professional mental health assistance. Please call for emergency help if you are trapped in believing these thoughts. If you are in the US, please call 988 and tell a friend. Sometimes the bravest thing to do is ask for help.)

Into that burdensome loneliness, Dr. Noble points readers back to the chief end of man, the only goal in life that is always attainable and will never fade away: the glory of God. He pushes back on the lie of utilitarianism with words like these:

…the only reason to keep living is if you live before God for His glory. If His Word is true, then we were divinely created to glorify Him and enjoy Him always. And our creation was a fundamentally good act—good and prodigal. Neither earned nor necessary but a gracious gift. And when we live in gratitude, recognizing and delighting in this life, we honor God (Kindle location 864, emphasis mine).

The only other reasons to live are for the World, the Flesh, or the Devil, and they only care about you so long as you are useful to them (867).

Usefulness is the sole criterion for the World, the Flesh, or the Devil. But you have no use value to God. You can't. There is nothing He needs. You can't cease being useful to God because you were never useful to begin with. That's not why He created you, and it's not why He continues to sustain your existence in the world. His creation of you was gratuitous, prodigal. He made you just because He loves you and for His own good pleasure. Every other reason to live demands that you remain useful, and one day your use will run out (885, emphasis mine).

Even when you can't feel it or rationally understand it, life remains good. And while suffering is a normal part of fallen human life, it is not the essence of life. At the center of existence is not suffering but grace—the grace of Christ. The grace that created you, that cleanses you from all unrighteousness and provides all the blessings of this life (Kindle location 883, emphasis mine).

The same God who sent His Son to die for you sustains your existence and created you—you—miraculous you, because He loves you. Whether you believe it or not. At the heart of being is grace, not suffering. ‘For nothing is real save his grace.’ We will forget this fact many times throughout our lives. The task before us is to hold each other up, to remind one another of the truth that is truer than our deepest misery, to attend to the gift God has given us, and to accept that our lives are good even when we do not feel that goodness at all (Kindle location 895).
Dear suffering saint, you are a miracle. God made you because He loves you. Your life is a gift. Suffering may be the loudest part of your present experience, but it is not the defining essence of your life. That is grace. Your life is good and precious even when you feel the opposite. Courage, dear heart.

Do the Next Thing
Noble returns often to the concept, “Do the next thing.” Readers of this blog or of the writings of Elisabeth Elliot have heard that not infrequently. Sometimes we spin out trying to answer the Big Questions of life while ignoring the God-given task right in front of us. When enduring mental suffering, it is all too easy to turn all one’s attention inward, where the pain is. To become trapped in our own thoughts. One needful and helpful counsel in that season is to turn one’s gaze outward to the material world and the people the Lord has placed in our lives. Look around, and do the next thing. Do it slowly; do it crying; do it when you feel like it and when you don’t. Get out of bed. Smooth the covers. Make tea or toast. If able, walk into the backyard with the dog or children. Help fold laundry. Sit next to a family member watching their favorite show. Take your medicine. Drink your water. Rest if that’s the next thing. “It is never a good time to sacrifice for others, but it’s always the right time to sacrifice for others.”

This section of Noble’s argument reminded me of Elisabeth Elliot’s life, not only her words, and of my first experience of brokenness and depression.

Mom and I have been watching Elisabeth’s messages on YouTube during our Wednesday visits. More than once Elisabeth has said that obedience and “doing the next thing” got her through the grief of widowhood twice over. She had a baby she had to feed, wash, and dress; food to prepare; a house to clean; Bible lessons to prepare; translation work to carry on. In the third part of a series on loneliness, she said, “The most wonderful therapy in my deepest grief was obedience. There is no consolation like obedience. That’s where I found the transformation of my suffering.”

In my own young adult life, in a season when future plans and present community had been shattered and I was in the Slough of Despond, two of God’s instruments in bringing me back into the light were a puppy I adopted and the infant in my care in a job as nanny. The physicality and frequency of their needs, as well as the life-affirming knowledge that they were depending on me for the sustenance of their own lives, disrupted my melancholy rumination. The close personal contact with other living creatures helped too.

“Doing the next thing” is not a cure-all technique. It may not be enough to carry you out of your mental suffering, and that is no reflection on you. Even if it is not enough by itself, it is something, and it is an act of worship and love.

Your task is to be faithful: to do the next thing. And when you cannot get up on your own, let someone carry you, knowing that in due time you will be called on to do the same for others. And when you are blessed with the responsibility of carrying someone else, then your own experience with suffering, your own experience of depending on others, will give you the wisdom and empathy you need to love them well. Christ's body here on Earth is one of His greatest mercies to us. It's the only way we make it through (Kindle location 927).

Summing Up
Dr. Alan Noble’s new book On Getting Out of Bed offers compassionate, fortifying encouragement to those suffering mental distress, whether clinically diagnosed or not. The author affirms the goodness and value of life as a gift from a good God, even when we can’t see or feel that goodness. He affirms that life is worth living, even when it hurts. A lot. If the bravest thing you can do is get out of bed, then, please, get out of bed.

“I'm so sorry. It will be okay. Hold on” (Kindle location 753).


Note: I received a galley copy of this book for review purposes.