Out of Control: Finding Peace for the Physically Exhausted and Spiritually Strung Out

Ben Young & Samuel Adams's book, Out of Control, has a very long subtitle: Finding Peace for the Physically Exhausted and Spiritually Strung Out. But the subtitle is accurate. They describe how our culture is out of control because rather than letting the greater efficiency afforded by technology such as cell phones and computers give us more time to rest, we have instead tried to cram even more activity into shorter time. They describe seven symptoms of an "out of control" lifestyle: out of shape (physical), out of sorts (emotional/mental), out of touch (relational), out of time, out of focus, out of balance and out of order (spiritual). Then they confront the lies that keep us out of control, particularly the idea of pleasing the world to be successful and the idea that getting rest is laziness. The rest of the book takes a pleasantly surprising turn, as it is NOT another "how-to" book with seven easy steps. Instead, they dig into the spiritual disciplines of the Bible, and encourage the reader to practice a real "Sabbath" and take time to unplug completely from technology in order to practice the other spiritual disciplines of solitude and prayer. This book influenced me to become more serious about unplugging from technology for a large portion of the day on my day off in order to spend more authentic time with God. It was a truly rewarding experience that I pray I will continue to explore for a long time to come.

This was an excellent book for helping me to gain back control of my life. There are so many "good" things to do with my time; I wasn't doing the "best" things: sitting at His feet, listening to His Word, allowing myself to rest in order to recharge and get back to life fully equipped. This book facilitated a major change in my thinking: from "I can do all things (period)" to "I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me." When my focus was turned back to Christ on a daily basis, rather than sporadically and whenever I "had time" for Him, then I was able to do well those things He has called me to do. And to enjoy doing them! And to realize *why* and for *Whom* I was doing them. I personally don't care for the more "loosely" translated versions of Scripture, which this book quotes alongside better versions, nor do I care as much for some of the examples/ quotes from people who I'm not sure are Biblically sound. YET, we truly can learn from anyone if we have eyes to do so, and many people do things well whether they know Christ or not. I can still learn from them and benefit, and I have. In short, this book has changed my life for the good. I am starting my second time through and have already begun applying its Biblical principles to my life. A whole day of rest? Wonderful! Time to remember my Savior? How did I go so long without it on a regular basis? The practical applications of this book have been tremendously uplifting and personally encouraging. I am now seeing things clearly that have been far too fuzzy for far too long. Thank you, Ben and Sam.

OUT OF CONTROL by Ben Young and Dr. Samuel Adams is an excellent place to start if you feel stressed and spiritually wrung out. As the quote from Lee Strobel, author of THE CASE FOR CHRIST, so succinctly puts it, "If you're too busy to read this book, then this book is especially for you." And while it's true that when we're feeling stressed the last thing we need is another task, just by taking time to focus on the solutions offered here will help to ease your problem. Ben Young, M.Div., leads seminars on how to build successful dating and marriage relationships. He is a teaching pastor at the 40,000-member Second Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. Samuel Adams, Psy.D., is a licensed psychologist. He earned his Master's from Western Seminary and a doctorate from George Fox University. He maintains a full-time counseling practice in Austin, Texas. The expertise that these two bring to OUT OF CONTROL is obvious on many levels. It is a book that does not waste time, which many readers who are seeking help consider their most valuable commodity. Instead it states problems and clearly offers feasible solutions that one can begin using immediately. Many of the suggestions are ones that we have heard before, but putting God into the equation is seldom found in secular self-help books and articles. Biblical references support the solutions and offer new hope for success. Taking their own advice to "simplify," the authors avoid complex psychological and Biblical exercises. "Not too long ago, during a difficult personal struggle, I recall desperately having searched for answers from a wise friend. I fully expected a long, philosophical explanation of my circumstances and I was prepared for a lot of advice and wisdom. The only thing he said, however, was, 'Pray, pray, pray.' I went away feeling slightly disappointed but willing to try." As it turned out for the author, and for us as well, sometimes there is nothing else to do. No matter how many degrees we have or how much influence we wield, there's nothing we can do but trust God. As with most self-help type books, readers can seek to shortcut the process by checking the table of contents and then turning to the chapters that seem most appropriate. A sure sign, by the way, that we really need to start at the beginning and allow the process to be part of the cure! --- Reviewed by Maggie Harding[...]

Very Timely and Relevant. This book not only diagnoses our current American condition of break-neck busyness and hyper-availability but it also offers prescriptions for recovery that are very practical and achievable. Their remedies are a return to proper priorities and the spiritual disciplines that Christians have practiced for centuries. I was both relieved and grateful that the authors solutions were not so drastic as to be unrealistic. The few baby steps I've managed to take so far have yielded great results in my life. I highly recommend the read and the results!

As of late, I've been feeling like perhaps I'm doing far too many things that don't matter at the expense of things that do. This is particularly true in the spiritual aspect of my life. The Nelson publishing group sent me a review copy of Out of Control: Finding Peace for the Physically Exhausted and Spiritually Strung Out by Ben Young and Dr. Samuel Adams. The timing could not have been better... Contents: Section 1 - Living Freely and Lightly: A Culture Spinning Out of Control; Are You Out of Control?; Seven Lies That Feed the OOC Lifestyle Section 2 - Spiritual Practices for Peace and Rest: It All Starts with the Sabbath; The Practice of Solitude and Silence; The Practice of Presence Section 3 - Three Movements for Lifestyle Change: Move Your Priorities; Move Away from Technology; Move into Community Conclusion: Your New Life in His Control Study Guide; About the Authors; Acknowledgements Now, I know they sent me this book because I mentioned that I am a software developer and write technology articles (and blog, and review, and and and...). They probably figured "here's a stressed out technogeek... let's see what *he* thinks!". This Christian technogeek liked the book a lot. Rather than present a list of ten steps to follow in order to have a more peaceful life (great... another "program" to incorporate into my schedule!), the authors make the case for establishing a few practices to recenter and refocus your life on things that matter. Taking the time to pray and meditate on a regular basis in order to reconnect with God... Turning off the ever-present cacophony of sound and stimulus that keeps us from learning about ourselves... And of course, stepping back from the tyranny of technology that demands more and more of our attention on a daily basis. Technology was supposed to help us *save* time, not become the slavemaster that forces us into being available 24/7. And while it would be good to be able to do everything in the book, they're realistic enough to know that small steps can start to change you. Maybe it's shutting off the cell phone after you leave work. It could be ignoring email for a day while you focus on family. It might even be as simple as starting to use the word "no" when people ask for your time and attention, and you don't have it to give. Written in a conversational tone, the authors deliver their message in an empathetic way while also challenging you to make some changes that will have significant rewards in other areas of your life. Fortunately, I'm not (yet?) feeling like I'm trying to fit 36 hours into a 24 hour day. But I know the time I *do* have isn't spent the way I want it to be. Now that I've read the book once, I'll be going back through it and pondering exactly how my life needs to be altered to make a difference in the lives of others. A very good and potentially life-altering read...