This book was enjoyable and helpful. I loved it so much that I couldn’t put it down. It is practical and Biblically-based. I highlighted so many encouraging passages as good reminders that I know I will return to again and again. The book even gave me some new insights on familiar Bible verses, and reinforced for me just how important it is to take our thoughts captive to Christ. Lucado’s style might not appeal to everyone (over-the-top optimism with lots of jokes and stories) but I enjoyed it, and it’s mixed with serious truth. Some parts were so beautiful, I teared up.

This book has something for everyone, whether the thoughts you want to mitigate tend toward pride, anger, anxiety, greed, lust, etc. The most important part of the book is the reminder that God loves us and will help us renew our minds; we don’t have to just keep striving out of our own (limited) willpower. It’s not about trying to think of bad things less, but replacing those thoughts with good things and focusing on Jesus. Christians, don’t miss this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the free eARC. I post this review with my honest opinions.

This review is cross-posted on Goodreads, and will be posted on Amazon and Instagram within one week of the book’s publication.

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Oftentimes, our thoughts get the better of us. We regret the past, worry about the future, and fail to enjoy the present. Well-known author and minister Max Lucado offers practical techniques to deal with our thoughts. These techniques can help identify problematic thoughts and ways to address them. Employ new techniques for thinking. He uses easy-to-remember mnemonics so readers can easily remember the different strategies. The suthors, writing draws examples from scripture to support their teaching. His analogies throughout the nook provide a deeper understanding for the reader. For those who are overthinkers and tend to ruminate, this book is a must-read

Love this book! Very thought provoking and inspiring! Definitely worth the time to read and ponder truths shared. Max Lucado has the ability to make difficult and tough issues plain and straightforward.

5/5 ⭐️
Release Date: August 12th, 2025


I really enjoyed Max Lucados practical steps in how to change the thinking of our minds. He gave examples from not only in the Bible but also personal stories of how the changing of our thoughts can produce peacefulness. Each chapter was full of verses to reflect on and be reminded of what God has called us to do. Great reminder that the Lord is with us and has gone before us. I did think this book was going to be more focused on anxiety but was glad to see if wasn’t just catered to that particular thinking.

Thank you NetGalley for a complementary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

In Tame your thoughts,he told us to really analyze ,reflect and and take captive our thoughts each day .Knowing that it's our battle to attain my thoughts and to discipline our thoughts. I enjoy his testimonies in the book to bring out the point that he was making One of my favorites was about the Bobby sized moment. Bobby were like built mostly an giant .He fear Bobby.Where Bobby had broken his nose, and he taught us about Bobby sized moments we should not fear them because God is with us in battle.Bobby sized similar to David and Goliath event For, example as David had defeated the giant with the Lord on his side. It shows we can defeat with confidence to these Bobby sized moments in our lives.it is encouraging that we have victory in Christ Jesus.I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. # Tame your thoughts # Netgalley #

'Tame Your Thoughts' is a timely and incredibly encouraging message for our world and generation right now. Pastor Lucado's voice is gentle and empathetic, and grounded in the Gospel. The book includes helpful and relatable tools for identifying unhealthy patterns of thinking and redirecting our "thought ruts" to truth in Scripture. After setting up a foundation and framework, the author teaches us how to apply it to common thought struggles, such as anxiety, guilt, overwhelm, lust, and rejection. I related to many of the struggles and found myself reading, praying, and taking notes with my Bible next to me. The questions for reflection at the end are perfect for self-study or working through the book with your bible study or community/life group. I will be pre-ordering this book and referencing it for years to come. My sincere thanks to Thomas Nelson, the author, and #NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ARC.

Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

When I opened this book, I didn't expect to be reading about UFOs. However, as I delved deeper, I realized that the acronym was a clever way to remember the truths that Max Lucado was sharing.

If you struggle with controlling your thoughts, this book provides practical tools to help you navigate challenging times and manage your daily thought patterns. The author grounds the book’s principles in the Bible, which is why I would recommend it to others.

I receive complimentary books from various sources, including NetGalley, authors, and others. I am not required to write a positive review and have not received any compensation.

Tame Your Thoughts: Three Tools to Renew Your Mind and Transform Your Life by Max Lucado is an interesting read based on the transforming and renewing of your mind found in Romans 12:2. Citing neuroscience and the brain’s neuroplasticity, its ability to change and adapt, Max gives readers three helpful tools to empower them to think clearly and rightly.

The book covers a number of common maladies including how to properly deal with anxiety, lack of joy, guilt, lust, feeling overwhelmed, rejection, pain, and dissatisfaction. Like Max’s other books, there are questions for reflection for deeper personal or group study. He also includes a database of scripture at the end for readers to use to help retrain their brains. I definitely recommend this book for those looking to take their thoughts captive and desire to change their way of thinking in a more productive and biblical manner.

I thankfully received a free electronic advance reader copy of this book from Nelson Books via NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Max Lucado is such a fantastic writer. I’ve read everyone of his books and his children’s books are my favorite: but this book was wonderful! Every community group at church should read this together.

Thank you, Net Galley, for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Max Lucado’s writing is always a refreshing delight. I found it intriguing how science and faith share a common approach to managing thought patterns. While the information itself wasn’t entirely new to me, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

Another winning book by Max Lucado! Filled with scriptures, personal stories, and staggering statistics, this book takes a look at our thought life and some practical steps for adhering to the passage that tells us to "take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ". Though written from a distinctly Christian worldview, this book would be of benefit to people from all walks of life and all faiths as a tool to help corral one's thought life. As a Christian, I was especially grateful for the scripture references and faith-based guidance, but I believe that people who are not Christian would also find sound advice within these pages. This book is timely as it addresses the negative thoughts and self-talk we have each and every day. With the influx of non-chemical mental health issues in our world today, having a plan to combat those negative thoughts is pure gold! The wisdom found in these pages is both practical and scriptural. The personal stories come from Lucado's own life, others he has met along his life's journey and the Bible itself. With great discussion questions in the back, this one would be ideal for not only personal study, but a group study as well. All in all, this is great and timely read and one I will likely re-read as needed. Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-copy of this book. I was under no obligation to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

I’m a huge fan of Max Lucado and was so excited for the opportunity to read and review Taming Your Thoughts. I love how he writes both inspirational and informative insights while making every truth easy to apply. The book lays out a clear, biblical plan to help you take control of your thoughts, reminding us that we do have a choice—whether to dwell on the negative or embrace the positive. Our minds can be renewed, our thoughts retrained, and our everyday lives transformed. The mind is a battlefield and if you’ve ever struggled with your thought life, you’ll want to read this.

“We are what we think”

“Challenge those inner voices. Test them against God’s Word”

“Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts” (Prov. 4:23)

“Let the Spirit change your way of thinking and make you into a new person” (Eph. 4:23–24)

“Prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long” (Eph. 6:18)

A deep dive into the science of our thought life and how it can affect us negatively or positively.

Max Lucado pulls from Scripture as he walks us through the most common problems in oue thought life. He addresses where they come from, how they affect us, and how leaning on Christ through faith we can manage them.

A must read book.

I have loved Max Lucado's previous books, and this one does not disappoint! Max has such a loving, supportive style of writing, and I could sort of hear his comforting voice as I read through Tame Your Thoughts. This book focuses on getting control of and eliminating disturbing thoughts resulting from anxiety, guilt, lust, pain, fear, and several other issues. Max offers a "toolbox" of strategies, based on Scripture, to help deal intrusive thoughts. I heartily agree with everything he recommends, and love the way he doesn't make me feel abnormal, or beyond hope, for experiencing such thoughts. He includes questions for thought at the end of the book, and that's actually the most helpful part. I can see how this book could be beneficial in a small study group, and also, as part of cognitive behavioral therapy. Highly recommend to those who appreciate Max Lucado, and his previous writings.

** “(Thoughts) are the inner chatter, the internal narrator who calls play-by-play on our deeds. Sometimes happy, other times grumpy. Some constructive. Some intrusive. They render verdicts on our choices. They rehash our failures, doomsday our future, and do their darnedest to sour the here and now. Thoughts are everywhere. And we are the sum of them.” **

Max Lucado delivers another inspirational book with “Tame Your Thoughts: Three Tools to Renew Your Mind and Transform Your Life.”

Written in a devotional manner, but with a conversational tone often injected with humor, Lucado as usual writes in a clear, concise and understandable manner, offering his words of wisdom and affirmation.

He offers several tools to use in taming your thoughts, including Practice Picky Thinking and identifying UFOs (untruth, false narrative and overreaction). As he discusses several issues with the thought process, he continuously goes back to these tools in each scenario, providing both biblical and modern day examples, like David, Job and Thomas Edison.

The book is also filled with quite a bit of scripture to highlight his points and advice. He covers many subjects that impact our thoughts, like pain, fear of God’s rejection, lust and finding contentment. He guides us in how to avoid anxiety, self-sabotage and guilt, and to find a life with better thoughts.

The end of the book includes Questions for Reflection, devotional questions to dive deeper into the subject, as well as a scripture database and footnotes.

“Tame Your Thoughts,” which is due out Aug. 12, is an inspiring book that offers encouragement and reminds us that “the battle belongs to the Lord.”

Five stars out of five.

Thomas Nelson provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

Max Lucado has served admirably as “America’s Pastor”. And as dependable as Max is, you can count on a new book every Fall. For 2025, we are given a true gift. In “Tame Your Thoughts”, Max tackles the major battlefield of every living person, our mind. But Max doesn’t just give you advice, he gives you tools to use.

“Tame Your Thoughts” is full of scripture (including a collection of scriptures in the back of the book for the user to read/memorize/pray), heart warming stories, laugh out loud moments, and tackling of tough subjects.

But that is not all. Max also includes a lot of scientific facts about how our brains work and to use that to your advantage as the reader seeks to tame their thoughts.

Every Fall, I make my journey to a bookstore or Amazon to find out what Max’s new release is going to be about. I always purchase the latest book knowing that I will enjoy Max’s sense of humor and interpretation of the scriptures. This year, with “Tame Your Thoughts”, I was given a gift. One that has led to freedom. Thank you, Pastor Max.

A very lovely read. Many thanks for my copy. One of my favourite Christian authors. I plan to buy some copies as gifts.

First Max Lucado book & I have to say I’m impressed! I greatly appreciated his metaphors, sense of humor, sincere & heartfelt writing style, and of course, his dedication to providing advice straight from scripture. (As a science girly I was also super excited about all the neuroscience references lol). I highly recommend to those looking for a biblical way to manage out of control thoughts and negative thinking.

Thank you to Nelson Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

I haven't found a Max Lucado book yet that didn't give me hope, comfort and inspiration. Tame Your Thoughts is this respected author's newest take on using three practical, Bible-based tools, as he calls them, to break away from negativity and escape from worry, anxiety and other mental traps. God loves us too much to leave us alone in this "battle of the mind," as he says. Highly recommended. Thanks to Netgalley for an e-copy of this title. My opinions are my own.

I always enjoy reading Max Lucado’s books. I love that he speaks from the scriptures but is always making it applicable to our everyday life. This book was spot on for what I needed right now. Solid advice from someone I trust. I will be doing my best to use the things he discusses to help my life to be different from how it’s been the last few weeks. Thanks Max Lucado and publisher for the ARC.

I have enjoyed reading how the author includes Bible references along with his narrative of practical advice on how to control your thoughts. I need to learn to shut the door on negative thought I have when I am around my husband , who totally dislikes me and makes mean faces at me.

I'm only 3 chapters into the book and once again Max Lucado doesn't disappoint. His quick dialog and anecdotes keep the book flowing. His 1 2 3 examples are not complicated. He's easy to understand and follow.

Max Lucado didn’t fail with this book “Tame Your Thoughts.” He shows you the toxic thoughts that you are probably experiencing and shows you how to get rid of them all in the phases and wordings that you can understand and learn ..

I enjoyed this book. I believe that we are all inside our own heads, creating tangled thoughts, untruthful thoughts and patterns. Max does a good job of reminding us of this and giving sound Biblical advice on how to change this. I was not a fan of the UFO though, it’s not something that will stick with me but I appreciated the attempt to find something to combat untamed thoughts and maybe it’ll help someone else.

Thank you NetGalley and Nelson Books for the ARC.

Thank you for this ARC.
I am always thankful when I am able to read a book by Max. In this book, the message is strong and helpful. 80% of our thoughts are negative and uninviting. Learn the UFO method in this book. Easy to read. Easy to understand. Enjoy.

Publication: August 12th, 2025

Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I love Max Lucado, and this book came at the perfect time. He shares simple, practical ways to uproot negative thoughts and replace them with God’s truth, reminding me to trust Him more and not stay stuck in my head. It went so much deeper than I can even describe. It really made me think, and I just love the way he writes.

Thank you NetGalley and Nelson Books
All thoughts and opinions are my own in exchange for a honest review

The timeliness of this book was spot on. I needed help with negative thoughts taking too much of my time. Learning about tools to help with this is what I needed. I think so many can use help in this area.

This book has helped me see Gods truths more clearly to change my thought life. The application of things Max suggests in his book have really helped with the guilt and shame cycles in my head. So thankful God gave me the opportunity to review this book.

Practical, biblical help for thinking more as Christ desires - like Christ Himself thinks. Author and minister Max Lucado is his usual wise, funny, sound self, applying his practical suggestions to a variety of common "stinking thinking" we might get caught up in. He helps us to see the value of taking thoughts captive, testing each thought against Scripture, getting rid of dangerous thought threads, and acting and thinking like Jesus. Not particularly deep, but a great, practical read.

Thank you NetGalley for a complementary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Anything that Max Lucado writes is inspiring and a great read with profound biblically accurate insights to help the reader develop a great relationship with our Lord.

This book helps us to better navigate our thought process during difficult times in our lives with principles set in the Bible. Not only do we get examples and situations from the Bible but also real world scenarios based with neuroscience. This book is well written, easy to understand and I would recommend this book to anyone that is struggling with negative thoughts and feelings. Honestly I believe that everyone can benefit from this book because we all have at least one point in our lives felt like life is pointless or we’re heavy burdened but once we can align our thinking with the Lord’s truth, we can achieve true happiness.

Thank you NetGalley, Max Lucado and publishers for a complementary copy of this book for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book; it was highly informative. I will certainly recommend it to others. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

As always Maxs book are so understandable. I have practiced this week allowing The Holy Spirit to help me take captive my wandering thoughts and filling my mind with gratitude. Taming your Thoughts also reminded me that I don’t have to allow every thought to expand and take up my time . Praying for God to quiet the storms in my mind praying and believing.
Max gives very clear practices.

Thanks to NetGalley for this early read. Who knew it would come at the right time where I needed a little guidance on how I was thinking throughout my days. I especially loved the questions and references at the end of the book and a quick overview but also guide to jump right to the meat/verse when needed in a moment. This is a book I would love to own a hard copy of!

Author and pastor Max Lucado illustrates the profound influence our thoughts have on us through personal and biblical stories. He shares practical strategies for battling “stinking thinking” and shows readers how to intentionally manage their thought life. Our thought life shapes who we are and colors our experience of the world.

Max said our minds process about 70,000 thoughts a day. Some of that inner chatter is positive and constructive, but many of our thoughts are negative, critical, or unhelpful. I reread the part where Max said 80 percent of our thoughts are negative. I did a search and found this article from Pratham Mahajan, writing for Medium here. He said the same. "This doesn’t mean we are bad or pessimistic people," Pratham said. "It simply shows how our brain is wired. Most of these negative thoughts happen quietly, in the background, without us even noticing." The mind replays failures, amplifies fears, and stirs up storms on otherwise sunny days.

Max highlights new research in the field of neuroscience. Thanks to neuroplasticity, our brains are more like pliable clay than hardened concrete. God made our minds this way. Max reminds Christians that we are "not be conformed to this age, but [to] be transformed by the renewing of [our minds], so that [we] may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2, HCSB)

After establishing that we humans can change how we think, Max urges readers to pay attention to what we think about and use tools he will provide to break the negativity cycle. Like the writer of Proverbs, he wants us to "guard [our hearts] above all else, for it determines the course of [our lives].” (Proverbs 4:23, ESV) We face an adversary who wants to trap us in mental prisons of our own making, Max said, and he will use every trick to confuse and discourage us. Satan loves to infect our thoughts the way a virus infects software.

First, we need to don God’s armor. (Eph. 6:10-18) Max focuses on the helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit, the word of God. For a soldier, the helmet was crucial for it protected the command center of the body. Without it, the rest of the armor is useless. (Source: Got Questions).

Max fully explains the three mental strategies he uses often in the first part of the book, and he shows the three in practice in the second part. They are:

Practice Picky Thinking
Identify UFOs (Untruths, False Narratives, Overreactions)
Uproot and Replant

In 1961, President John F. Kennedy had a bowling alley converted into a secure, windowless Situation Room to conduct White House business that cost around $35,000. (Source) The Chicago Tribune wrote a piece about the "sit room," and though it has been remodeled over time, its function "has remained the same: Duty officers working around the clock in the space sift through intelligence feeds for the president’s daily briefing. And when a crisis strikes, it becomes a secure communications center with global reach."

Max draws a parallel between the "sit room" and our minds. We have to be as selective as these duty officers in what are deemed trustworthy thoughts for us to consider. Yet, unlike with food, we often let every. single. crazy. thought into our personal situation rooms. And Max wants it to stop. He said, “Practice picky thinking.” Take your thoughts captive, as Scripture says in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (GNT):

“The weapons we use in our fight are not the world's weapons but God's powerful weapons, which we use to destroy strongholds. We destroy false arguments; we pull down every proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God; we take every thought captive and make it obey Christ.”

In Greek, he explained that "stronghold" refers both to an impenetrable citadel and a fortress where someone is held hostage. God’s word is the key to breaking those strongholds. Jesus Himself quoted Scripture to defeat Satan’s attempts to tempt Him in the desert after 40 days of fasting. He wants us to use Scripture as the sword it is. Unlike Jesus, we do not do this in our strength. Jesus is ready to help us spot lies and false narratives so that we don't overreact to them.

Uproot and Replant

Some weeds grow better than flowers in my backyard. My husband Dave does most of the yardwork, but I tackled a few beds on my own. Some roots were so deep I needed a shovel. Sadly, even with a shovel, I saw those stubborn weeds return. I thought, "This seems like a metaphor. I just know this is an object lesson."

Max knows how I feel about those weeds. He grew up in Texas and started yard work at age 12. His father asked him to remove grass burrs before mowing, but Max just mowed over them. They returned. His father showed him how to uproot them. Max said he felt dismay because mowing took much less time. His father agreed. He worked alongside Max.

Max notes that, unlike his dad, our Heavenly Father won’t do our mental weeding for us unless we agree and accept His help. God stands ready, but we must allow Him to help us replace negative thinking with His Word.

Max started with anxiety, using the acronym ANTs for "anxious, negative thoughts." (They really are like ants.) And he also discussed our very real circumstances God allows in our lives. God sometimes calms the storm, and other times He calms His child. Max recounted watching a peaceful scene of a mother feeding her baby during a chaotic layover at an airport. The baby was the perfect picture of the calm God wants for us. Max gives three steps—the 3 Ts—to claim peace:

Trust God
Tell God
Thank God

He said, “We cannot be anxious and thankful at the same time.”

Max’s chapter on joy references Jeremiah, the “weeping prophet,” and Jesus, a “man of sorrows,” both possessing courageous, resilient joy independent of their circumstances. Their joy became a shield during hardship. Job remembered God's character and sovereignty in the midst of great suffering and found hope. Paul accepted his thorn, trusted God’s wisdom, and leaned into his suffering for the joy of giving God the glory. They knew the secret that has become a favorite Scripture passage for many – Philippians 4:11-13 (NIV),

“…I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

While Christians are known for their love, Max said we should also be recognized for contagious joy. It’s not surprising that the first-century church’s joy was so compelling that others wanted to know Christ. Max outlines the ABCs of joy:

A – Assess your joy level.
B – Believe that joy is possible.
C – Call out to God for help.

And those "giants" in our lives? We all have them. Job loss. Rejection. Death of a loved one Chronic pain that has no end. A diagnosis. Anxiety and Depression. Max wants us to deal with them the same way the then-shepherd David did when he faced Goliath. We can claim victory in the name of Jesus.

Max doesn’t shy away from difficult topics. He talks about the struggle with lust that led to rape and murder in the biblical story of David’s children Amnon, Tamar, and Absalom in 2 Samuel 13. He then moves on to modern problems with lust, such as pornography’s devastating grip on men and women. His chapter about excess and over-consumption probably should have followed. Lust and appetite seem to go together. Max contrasts the lives of Nero and Paul in his chapter on "I Can't Get No Satisfaction." One man had everything yet lived a miserable and self-centered life. The other had next to nothing, yet lived contented and on fire for the Lord.

Max shares stories about rejection and the healing effect of love, and he reminds Christians of God’s promise: “Nothing can ever separate us from God’s love” (Romans 8:38). And he assures us of another promise in Jude, verse 24, that God “keeps you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into His glorious presence without a single fault.”

Concluding Thoughts
Tame Your Thoughts turned out to be the book I needed this summer. I tend to battle thoughts of regret and spend too much time thinking about "what might have been." I struggle with worry, anxiety, and sometimes feel weighed down by my thoughts. Max wants me to silence the enemy and those critical voices. He reminds me that I belong to God. He loves me and is for me.

I received an advanced ebook of Max’s book, Tame Your Thoughts: Three Tools to Renew Your Mind and Transform Your Life so I couldn't quote directly, but I so admire his writing. His style is light-hearted and down-to-earth, at times humorous, full of literary techniques like alliteration, which I enjoy. His storytelling befits a seasoned pastor.

Max excels at creative nonfiction. For instance, he discusses the Israelites’ complaints to Moses and Aaron after escaping Egypt, referencing several passages in Exodus and Numbers. Despite seeing miracles and receiving manna, they grumbled. Max joked that he received an email from Moses@Mt.Sinai.com. Moses pointed out that we Christians today grumble, too. We were slaves to sin and are now freed. We have God’s word and His Spirit within us. Yet we still find reasons to complain. He doubted we would have survived the desert.

One memorable illustration that will stay with me is about “rumination,” which the Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines as:

The act or process of regurgitating and chewing again previously swallowed food; And, obsessive thinking about an idea or problem, especially when it interferes with normal mental functioning, focusing on negative or distressing thoughts that can fuel depression.

In discussing this disordered thinking, Max gently jokes about us being like cows, “ruminating” for hours. Chewing, swallowing, regurgitating, chewing again, swallowing regurgitating.... You get the picture. I’ll never look at cows the same way again.

If you are thinking ahead about fall Bible studies, please consider Tame Your Thoughts. The book has questions for individual or group study, but Max also provides this 6-session workbook with a code for streaming video in back. He advertises this study on Facebook.

This book was great for turning your mindset around and trying to turn negatives into a positive which is great for people like me who unfortunately tend to be more pessimistic than optimistic. I loved how the author incorporated a bunch of scripture along with stories to really explain the point he was trying to make. I highlighted a bunch of scripture passages mentioned and will definitely go back and reread them when I need a refresher. Thank you for the ARC!

In Tame Your Thoughts, the inspiring Max Lucado provided Bible-based and practical tools to help us transform our thinking. Whether you are battling anxiety, are struggling with guilt, can't find joy, are lured by lust, feel overwhelmed, are puzzled by pain, fear God's rejection or can't get any satisfaction; you learn to practice picky thinking, identify untruths that lead to false narratives and overreactions (UFOs), and uproot & replant your thoughts. Recommended to everyone.
I got the ARC from Nelson Books | Thomas Nelson via Netgalley. This is my honest review

As ALWAYS, Max Lucado has come through with yet another great book!! His writing style and humor bring me God's message in easy-to-follow instructions. Notice I didn't say easy-to-do... That part is up to me.
We all have moments in life where the thoughts have our mind racing and we can't shut them up. Sometimes it seems overwhelming! This book is a guide to help shut that devil up!! Many passages in the book struck me right where I am at this point in my life. I've highlighted so many of them that my book is covered in yellow highlights. This is one book that I definitely recommend and will reread myself many times.

The book gives simple guidelines to transform the thoughts that have us captive. Max Lucado gives narratives of life events that we can identify with to uproot the stronghold of our thoughts. The book is exactly what the title reads - "Taming Your Thoughts," gives tools to help you manage your thoughts. Written in Max Lucado familiar style of mixing life events, scripture and cultivating a genuine solution to taming your thoughts.

This is a wonderful book so far and very insightful and inspiring that I can wrangle my jumbled thoughts! I look forward to finishing it.

One of my favorite authors/pastors over the years! Such a great storyteller and I’m thrilled with this book’s topic and content. He really captured my attention with “default thought”…what is that daily inner dialogue we carry on with ourselves…appraisals, criticisms, label yourself? Test them against God’s word! He goes on to share we need to guard the entryways to our minds. He explains the concept of UFOs (not the ones of outer space but of thoughts): Untruth, False Narrative and Overreaction. But there is a way to tame your thoughts. Max has a way of delivering this topic to allow it to resonate deeply. I highly recommend this book!!

Thank you Max Lucado, Nelson Books and NetGalley for this ARC opportunity!

What a great book! Have you ever gone to bed to have something that happened that day twirl in your mind and keep you up? Ever overreact to something? You NEED this book! Author Max takes us through a process to change this! Learn how to “uproot and rebuild lantern!” You won’t want to miss this read!!!

Tame Your Thoughts by Max Lucado provides helpful tools for managing your thoughts and renewing your life. Tame Your Thoughts goes onto covering common thought issues and applying the tools along with scripture to renew your life.

I have completed a number of Max Lucado books through Bible study and on my own that I very much enjoyed reading. I like how Max Lucado writes. It is easy to read, follow, and understand. When Max Lucado writes, he has scripture that supports what he is trying to say. The title, Tame Your Thoughts, caught my interest and Max Lucado presented the topic where I could easy follow and grasp.

I highly recommend Tame Your Thoughts by Max Lucado to anyone enjoys reading Max’s books and to someone who would like renew their life or to help a friend. The book is designed with “Questions for Reflections” so that it can be used for Bible study.

I absolutely love Max Lucado writings. I]'ve been a fan of Max writing since 2017 and everything he writes makes you go into deep thought!
This is definitely be one of my top reads of 2025.

In the book Tame Your Thoughts, author and pastor Max Lucado, writes about what the title says – our thoughts. Lucado writes: “Just for the fun of it, I attempted to count them. Thoughts. How many thoughts bounce around inside my head? As long as I can recall, I’ve had them, heard them, heeded them, and, at times, hated them. But I’ve never counted them. No simple task. Try it sometime. Take a pen and paper and make a mark each time you have a thought. Mark. Mark. Dot. Dash. Stroke. That’s what I did. I felt like a telegraph operator from a century past.”
Lucado continues: “Thoughts. We cannot see them. We cannot buy them. We cannot always predict them. But we cannot deny this about them: They define our lives. Think well, live well. Think poorly, live poorly. It’s no wonder that God urges us to "be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts" (Prov. 4:23 gnt).”
But Lucado does not just emphasis the importance of our thoughts but gives the reader Biblical ways to tame those thoughts. This is a solid book with easy to follow steps to help the reader tame their thoughts. I would highly recommend this book. I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received an arc from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Great devotional that utilizes scripture and great stories that apply to Taming Your thoughts, renewing your mind and tweaking our attitude.

Individual and group study with additional video capabilities.

Max Lucado still has it. Some truths are just timeless, and Max understands what it takes to be a soldier on the battlefield of the mind.

Using scripture, long-time successful author, spiritual leader, and pastor, Max Lucado, takes the reader on a journey through the landscape of the mind, encouraging the use of several tools needed for combat. We all battle negative thoughts that are allowed to take up too much space and live rent-free in our brains. Lucado identifies the importance of practicing:
1. Picky thinking
2. Not allowing U.F.O.s in - untruths, false narratives, and over reactions
3. Contagious joy vs. contingent joy
4. Uprooting lies and replanting truth
5. Contentment

"Unmet expectations are the groundwork for U.F.O.s"
Preach, Max! 🙌

Depending on the severity of the situation, this book would be best used as a supplement to mental health medical attention, if needed. Lucado does mention the use of a therapist briefly, but it should be stated that no amount of willful taming, however true the scripture or concept, can solve all challenging mental and chemical imbalances. As we learn more about mental health in the 21st century, we must meet the needs of each individual where they are, while spurring them on to an identity in Christ. This book is not opposed to this, but I do believe there should have been a PSA regarding seeking professional help if the reader or someone they love is dealing with mental illness. Otherwise, much of this could easily come across as toxic positivity to the unbeliever or to one who is suffering deeply. That being said, the valuable tools presented in this book are very practical and resonate deeply with every believer. I certainly will be putting these nuggets of wisdom into practice. I hope this book does well. We cannot be reminded enough that we must be intentional with what we allow into our minds.

" We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." - 2 Corinthians 10:5

A special thank you to NetGalley, Max Lucado, and Nelson Books for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Max Lucado has a gift for taking big biblical truths and making them simple, practical, and encouraging. Tame Your Thoughts is full of wisdom, scripture, and reminders that our thought life can either weigh us down or lift us closer to God. It’s uplifting, easy to follow, and left me with tools I can carry into my daily walk of faith.

A great book teaching you that thoughts have power.
By changing your thoughts, you can change your outlook on life!

I really enjoyed this study. I recommend having the book as a companion just so you can highlight and bookmark etc so you can revisit certain parts.

Tame Your Thoughts: Three Tools to Renew Your Mind and Transform Your Life by Max Lucado, narrated by the author himself, was an enlightening read. Lucado’s three-step method, UFO: An Untruth, presents a false narrative that triggers an overreaction, a concept soundly supported by scripture. I listened to the audiobook version, but I also had a physical copy. Lucado emphasizes the importance of mindful and tested picky thinking, urging us to take control of our thoughts. I found this book both helpful and biblical. If you’re struggling with persistent thoughts that are causing you distress, I believe this book could be a valuable resource for finding freedom and transformation. Thanks, Thomas Nelson via NetGalley.

✨Thank you NetGalley and Nelson Books for this advanced readers copy!✨

When I was first building a relationship back up with God, as an adult, one of the first books I got my hands on was a Max Lucado book. I didn’t know how I felt at first because it was so biblical and I had to look a lot of it up. Fast forard and my relationship has such a strong foundation because of his books. Reading this one helped me get back on track with an area I struggle hard with, my negative thoughts. As a Christian, I appreciate this book because it contained relatable material and situations, was easy to read/follow, and I learned from it what I haven’t other places. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly suggest for anyone that is looking to be more aware of their thoughts and how to bring your struggles to God in that moment.

This book provides a great blueprint for taking control of our thoughts. Once we start thinking about how much time we devote to thinking harmful thoughts, it can be shocking.

Headline: Stinky Thinking

The theme of this book is to understand that we can manage our lives by managing our thoughts. Scripture tells us "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2) Which to me means encouragement to Christians regarding a deep rethinking and not doing what the world expects.Be careful what you think.

Chapter One holds a powerful title: "Think About What You Think About" and for this reader the full chapter helped me to remain mindful of Romans 12:2. A bonus is the toolkit the author shared, tools that will support you in thinking clearly. See below
Practice picky thinking: Guard your thoughts
Identify UFOS: untruths creates a False narrative that leads to an Overreaction.
Uproot and Replant: weed out unhealthy thoughts

Lastly I loved the reflection questions at the end, one question that will sit with me long after flicking my finger is # 1 - describing my thought life and spending time thinking about WHAT I think about.

In exchange for my thoughtful and honest review I received a galley copy.
Thank you NetGalley

I was interested in this book as a gift for my sister who suffers from mental illness that's rooted primarily in negative thinking. This is an extremely easy read and so in line with what the Lord started showing me several years ago through other sources. The key to victorious living is right believing about God - who He is and how He sees me. Max provides clear outlines in this book for spotting thoughts that he calls UFOs (Untruth building to a False narrative leading to Overreaction) and provides clear and actionable steps for rooting those out and replacing them with right thoughts that are grounded in Christ. Highly recommend this book - easy to read, straightforward, and grounded in the Word of God - God's help, not self-help.

I read a critic on another site that fussed about this book being simplistic and not nuanced enough for mental health, but I think we over-complicate everything, and this book gets to the central root: trust God and focus on Him.

The Bible warns us that our thoughts have consequences. Numerous times, we're challenged to "take every thought captive." But what do we do when we're hounded by chaos and regret? Swirling thoughts that leave us confused and depleted?

In Tame Your Thoughts, author Max Lucado identifies three thought-management tools and applies them to some of today's most common problems: worry, anxiety, and other mental traps that threaten to keep us from the full life of Christ. In this battle of the mind, Lucado uses the Bible to help his readers combat toxic thoughts by:

*taking every thought captive
*renewing our minds
*testing our thoughts against Scripture
*and interrupting destructive thought patterns!

Tame Your Thoughts is Biblically rich, and Lucado does a thorough job of making it practical to today's world. He reminds his reader how important it is to take our thoughts captive and not create stories in our heads. Furthermore, he doesn't just show what we're trying to avoid, but rather creates a vision for the glorious life that awaits all of us as we mature in our thought life. This book includes questions for further reflection and would make a great resource for a small group study. While a lot of the focus is on worry, the tools outlined apply to a variety of scenarios. This is a great book for anyone wanting to mature in their thinking,

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Based on the Bible, this book has something for everyone. As someone who sometimes struggles with negative thinking, this book can help you refocus on positive things and help you work to change your outlook. While not a replacement for therapy or medication needed when facing a chemical imbalance, this book is helpful if you would like to regroup in a more positive mindset.

Tame Your Thoughts is another excellent Bible study from Max Lucado. Lucado offers practical advice through stories and Biblical teaching for those who need help focusing their thoughts. If you enjoyed other Bible studies by Max Lucado, particularly Anxious for Nothing, add Tame Your Thoughts to your to be read pile. Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

I love Max Lucado’s way of speaking and profound knowledge, He has a way of adding scripture and analyzing the words used to explain his point in a meaningful way.
I also loved the way the concepts were laid out. The chapters were structured in an easy to follow toolkit; easy to understand and recall.
A refreshing perspective on a topic that we ALL probably are in need of!
Questions in the back would means this a great group study too!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Nelson Books for giving me an e-ARC.

Believe it or not, Tame Your Thoughts is my first Max Lucado book. I’ve read his picture books but this is my first adult. I truly enjoy his writing style. His teachings are practical and Biblically-based. I highlighted so many encouraging passages I want to keep in my repertoire of positive thinking. I realize actively taking control of your own thoughts is powerful. His stories about people kept my attention and demonstrate how his words apply to real life situations.
This book offers insights into out thoughts concerning, pride, anger, anxiety, greed, lust, and more. Some admonishing? Yes, but still his bottom line is that God loves us and will help us tame our minds. It’s not a matter of thinking of bad things less, but replacing those thoughts with good things and focusing on Jesus.

Some gems:
in the chapter on confessions… confess your sins to God. List everything that comes to mind, and when you’ve exhausted that, ask God to search your heart and reveal any hidden sin that you’ve overlooked.
And… the example of Paul. Put him in a synagogue and he’d preach. Put him in a boat and he’d witness. Put him in jail and he’d write.

I also liked that Lucado sites lots of scripture from a wide variety of translations.

I have not completed the book yet, so let me clear that up. BUT, what I have read so far has been wonderful. I was going through something very difficult at the time that I was invited to participate in the reading and review. This book, Max’s suggestions, Max’s viewpoint … helped me see things in a different perspective and I think allowed me to hear from God more clearly. My problem did keep me from reading as much as I needed/wanted to … and I’m still plugging along. Thank you Max for listening to God and being His voice in times of chaos. God uses people like you to speak through in times of need. Wonderful book …

Tame Your Thoughts

by Max Lucado

Our inner thought life—we all have one. Often our thoughts bubble out into actions. Max Lucado, in Tame Your Thoughts, shares how to control our thoughts, turning the negative ones into positive ones.

Lucado shares three tools to help you manage your thoughts. He reviews the neuroscience that confirms the Biblical truths that God can change your brain. One of the most important truths is that just because you have a thought doesn't mean you have to dwell on it.

There are many thoughts we have that we wish we didn’t, but God gives us the helmet of salvation to protect us from the evil of the devil. In his typical anecdotal style, Lucado shares examples of the types of thoughts we should ask God to protect us from. The 70,000 thoughts we have each day include plenty of negative ones like anxiety, guilt, lust (craving for anything you can’t have), and anger. Where is the joy in your life? Do you fear rejection? Are you trying to understand the circumstances that are overwhelming you or your inability be satisfied with your life? Are you plagued with pain?

Thinking negative thoughts leads to untruths which we need to “uproot and replant” with positive truths. Tame Your Thoughts is a book that will focus your mind on Biblical truths that will help you reshape your thinking. God has a lot to say about what we think. Pertinent Scriptures are found throughout this book and many are gathered for reference at the end, compiled into a helpful Scripture Database that correlates with each chapter.

Max Lucado is a prolific writer. The “voice” in his writing is one of a pastor, counselor, and friend rolled into one. He is both wise and humorous. He has researched his subject well, but he is also a great storyteller and a creative and talented wordsmith who will always point the reader away from himself and towards God.


I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Christian, Religion and Spirituality, Self-Help

Notes: 1. Includes discussion questions and a Scripture Database.
2. Other items are available for purchase to accompany this book: Bible Study Guide including access to a streaming Bible Study led by Max Lucado and Audio version read by Lucado.
3. The same streaming 6 session Bible Study is available free online. It starts on September 22.

Publication:  August 12, 2025—Thomas Nelson Books

Memorable Lines:

Practice Picky Thinking whenever you’re tempted to grumble. Choose gratitude. Sometimes God calms the storm. Sometimes he calms the child.

Remember, joy is more than a good mood. It is a deep-seated confidence in God’s presence, power, and promises.

Being a disciple comes down to letting God change the way we live by changing the way we think. Good actions follow good thoughts, Behavior takes its cue from beliefs. If our belief is wrong, our behavior will be wrong. But, if our belief is godly, our behavior will be godly.

As always, Max struck gold with his wisdom in this book. Our thoughts take up nearly every minute of our time, both awake and asleep, and majority of these are negative. Learning how to stop the negativity and instead work on thoughts of truth are the clear cut way to improving the mental health crisis of today. I really loved his idea of uprooting negative thoughts and planting Gods truth!

I am a huge fan of Max Lucado and thoroughly enjoyed his latest book, "Tame Your Thoughts."

Our thoughts may consist of good and right things or things that are harmful to us. So Lucado walks through the process of recognizing which thoughts serve us and which ones trip us up, as well as how to tame our thoughts and what to do with the ones that aren't helpful to us.

His suggestions are insightful and actionable, and when practiced, they can have an immediate effect.

So if you're looking to tame thoughts like guilty, worry and anxiety, and to avoid the mental quicksand of doubt and other unhelpful thoughts, I highly recommend checking out this book.

Thank you to Max Lucado, Nelson Books, and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

I just finished reading Tame your Thoughts by Max Lucado. I would like to Thank Netgalley, and the Publisher Nelson Books/Thomas Nelson for the privilege of an ARC to read in exchange for an honest opinion and review of this book.
The Publish date was August 12, 2025 and so it is out on the open market for purchase . It should appeal to all readers as everyone has periods of time where we suffer from Anxiety, Lack of Joy, guilt, lust, our thoughts spiral down and we feel overwhelmed.
This book appealed to me personally after the loss of my Dad in April of 2025, I experienced many of those feelings and this book was helpful. The explanations of Neuroscience and that the brain has the ability to change and adapt. Negative thoughts lead to Negative feelings. When it comes to the hurts and heartaches of life, we have ideas, opinions, convictions and beliefs.
Thoughts of Faith create feelings of hope, Taking negative thoughts captive and looking at the desire to change the way of one's thinking in a more productive way of thinking points to Biblical thinking and Max leads us to the Bible and Words of God for hope and encouragement.
This book is a selection from the Christian/Religion/Spirituality section of books from Netgalley.
Many repeated phrases throughout the book is "The Battle Belongs to the Lord", you never have to face challenges without the back up of the God Almighty. Another is "Guard your Thoughts" and "Take your thoughts Captive" We may not understand the Reasoning of God, but we can trust the character of God.
Max encourages the reader to make a list from your Bible a list of unchanging qualities and press them into your heart.
When calamity strikes recite these over and over: 1. He is still Sovereign 2. He still knows my names 3. Angels still respond to his call 4. The hearts of Rulers bend at his bidding. Others he included are: The Death of Jesus still saves souls, The Spirit of God still indwells saints. Heaven is still only heartbeats away. He uses everything for his glory and my ultimate good. Sorrow may come in the night but Joy comes in the morning. No one understands your suffering more than Jesus does.
At the end of the books is quite a list of bible verses to keep as a reference that are helpful when you need to tame your thoughts.
Taming your thoughts is a daily practice in my estimation, because it doesn't take much for thoughts to take over and spin us out of control.
I would recommend this book and it was helpful for me to read.

Max Lucado does a wonderful job telling you how to stop stinking thinking, and renew. Your thoughts. Basically, if you you change your thoughts, you change your behavior. He states that the Bible contains all the necessary information on how to do this. Max .lays out a three step program to change your thoughts. I really like it since I already employ it. Plus, gives real world examples of how to do it, and how it has worked for others.

Thank you to the publisher, Harper Collins, and the author, Max Lucado, for the privilege to read this advanced copy through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I'm a fan of Max Lucado and this book does not disappoint. There is much spiritual food for thought through words of wisdom and Scripture. The three points Lucado provides to help you in life are easy to remember. "Mind management is God's gift to you." Who doesn't find themselves being negative or cross at times? This book helps you learn how to tame your thoughts! It dives into three tools for thought management.: 1. "Practice Picky Thinking," 2. "Identify UFOs," and 3. Uproot and Replant.

Whatever challenges come your way, his advice is sound. "Thoughts. We cannot see them. We cannot buy them. We cannot always predict them. But we cannot deny this about them: They define our lives. Think well, live well. Think poorly, live poorly." This book is insightful and I'm glad I read it. If you need a self-help book on getting through life with interpretations of God's Word and down-to-earth advice, this book is for you.

Thank so much to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC of this wonderful book!
This book was a perfect fit for “such a time as this”. When our minds get clouded with social media , comparison and the general propagation of bad news on TV this little book is a nice cleanse.
Lucado talks you through positive mindsets to have and how to combat anxiety, depression, pessimistic thoughts and also hidden sin.
In general I am more of an Optimist. I still found this book helpful in those smaller more depressing times and how to stop those thoughts before they even start.
I do think you need to have at least a baseline belief in Jesus, God and Christianity, for this book to actually make sense and have application. Someone just searching for faith should pickup something a little more basic by Lucado first. Otherwise, the solutions of keeping your thoughts on God and how to do that won't land for you.
I am not big on having NLT and MSG translations unless you are confused to other translations and just starting out reading the Bible. There are a few scriptures that are presented in these translations. Lucado maybe meant this book for the more “baby” Christian though, because other books I've read by him don't usually use these.
Overall, for me, this book was read at just the right moment. If you are struggling with negative thoughts or feelings, or general depression. I highly recommend this book to set you on the right path!

My heart sings at the sheer truth of the message of this book! I also get a little thrill at the way the author has such a way with words. Everyone would benefit with the treasures presented about how not to let wild, untrue, unkind, tempting, etc. thoughts seep into your mind. Remember how Proverbs 4:23 says, '"Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.'" I want to reread this many times, to let it go deep into my mind and life. Thress easy, practical and Biblical ways to tame our thoughts are given and explained.
I read this with the gracious permission from the publishers. The thoughts expressed are my own.

3.5 stars, not rounded up
“Those who live following their sinful selves think only about things that their sinful selves want. But those who live following the Spirit are thinking about the things the Spirit wants them to do. If people’s thinking is controlled by the sinful self, there is death. But if their thinking is controlled by the Spirit, there is life and peace. Rom. 8:5-6 ncv”

Lucado is an experienced writer and pastor. This book may provide a good starting point for those who have a problem with negative thought patterns. Lucado says to focus on thoughts like: “God is in control. I am cherished by my Maker…We are what we think! For that reason, God redeems the thought patterns of his children.” When you are saved God begins “the process of renewing your mind.” But I appreciate that Lucado also says “God’s help for this condition…will likely include therapy, pastoral counseling, and possibly medication. That’s okay.”

UFOs – Untruths lead to False narratives that result in Overreactions. These UFOs hurt, agitate, embitter your heart and “turn you into a grumpy gut and load your life with unnecessary weight.” Acronyms and analogies abound – sometimes too much so. I did like this turn of phrase: “The demon sees no barrier, alerts its buddies and they show up with a keg of chaos.”

I appreciated that relevant scripture is listed right in the text, rather than having to look it up or page back and forth to a footnote. I like that Lucado is understandable, without fancy religious words. His words and the Bible verses cited are comforting and positive. I felt like the book got long and repetitive, as points were re-emphasized. Note that the book is Evangelical, oriented towards converting the reader to Christianity.

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

I found this book extremely helpful. I can’t wait to get home and transfer the notes and begin implementing taming my thoughts. The last section has questions to help you journal your thoughts. I love that to help solidify the lessons. I highly recommend this book for anyone with anxiety.

I received this galley from NetGalley.

This book gives easy to follow, and practical advice on how to replace negative thoughts (thoughts that are not from God) with Gods promises. I love how Max weaves everyday stories with his lessons to give us real world examples. This will be a book that I pick up again and again.

Tame Your Thoughts (Three Tools to Renew Your Mind and Transform Your Life) by Max Lucado is the book I needed in this season. I read this during a difficult time in my life, filled with much uncertainty and this provided me with tools to help me get through it.
By recognizing that my thoughts about the situation were driving my anxiety more than the actual situation gave me more awareness and control over how I reacted to things.
This book provided science based and biblical principles to support these thought management tools. I have read many books on thought work and neuroplasticity and I thought this was one of the best!

I highly recommend reading Tame Your Thoughts (Three Tools to Renew Your Mind and Transform Your Life) by Max Lucado.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Tame Your Thoughts (Three Tools to Renew Your Mind and Transform Your Life) by Max Lucado
Narrated by Max Lucado
Publisher: HCCP & HCF Audio/ Thomas Nelson
Genre: Christian, Religion & Spirituality, Self-Help
Published: August 19, 2025

Of course any book by this author is worth the read and this one does not disappoint. He is no nonsense but his voice is also gentle and kind. He speaks truth and his suggestions put into practice actually help.

This is an encouraging and practical book that offers guidance for managing anxious thoughts or unhelpful thinking patterns. From a therapist’s perspective, the book does a nice job reinforcing core mental health principles. Max Lucado teaches these ideas with faith-based insight, and relatable examples, making them accessible without feeling clinical. It's an easy to read and return to book.

I've always been an overthinker and definitely not an overthinker who picks her thoughts. In recent times, I've realised I'm not meant to accept all thoughts that parade themselves through my head.

This book drove home that point with practical tips, affirmations from the word of God, anecdotes and analogies that just resonate. I highly recommend this book and I will be reading it again.
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Max Lucado’s Tame Your Thoughts aims at a simple but ambitious goal: a life made better by better thinking. He frames the problem in familiar, pastoral terms—guilt, anxiety, self-criticism, and a creeping sense of dissatisfaction—and argues that renewed minds are possible with God’s help.

The book is organized around a three-part “tool kit.” Lucado calls readers to practice picky thinking (guarding what you let in), identify UFOs (an Untruth that becomes a False narrative and leads to an Overreaction), and uproot and replant unhealthy patterns with God’s truth. From there he walks through common “thought ruts,” including anxiety, guilt, lack of joy, lust, overwhelm, pain, fear of God’s rejection, and that nagging “can’t get no satisfaction” feeling. The structure makes the book easy to dip into while still building a cohesive case.

Lucado’s storytelling is the glue. He opens with an extended illustration about the White House situation room, tells a vivid story about an elk freed from a tire around its neck, and returns repeatedly to biblical narratives like Moses at the Red Sea and Daniel in the lions’ den. The result is a devotional tone that feels gentle but purposeful, with Scripture doing the heavy lifting.

I appreciated how practical the framework is without pretending to be a clinical manual. Lucado even acknowledges that progress may require professional help, which keeps the book grounded. The short chapters, reflection questions, and Scripture database at the end make it easy to revisit specific themes when a particular struggle flares up.

If you are looking for a deeply technical treatment of thought patterns or a step-by-step therapy guide, this is not that. It is a pastoral, Scripture-centered encouragement to “take thoughts captive” and replace lies with truth. For readers who want a warm, hopeful, and very Christian guide to mental habits, this is a helpful and uplifting read.

I listened to the audiobook version, narrated by the author. Lucado’s warm voice and clear delivery added to the experience, making it feel like a personal conversation. The pacing was comfortable, and his emphasis on key points helped reinforce the message.

I appreciate the publisher also providing me with an ebook version for reference, which made it easy to revisit specific passages as I was preparing this review.

Overall, Tame Your Thoughts is a thoughtful and encouraging resource for anyone looking to align their thinking with their faith. Max Lucado’s compassionate approach and practical tools make it a worthwhile addition to the Christian living genre.