Book Review by Captain Harryette O’Brien
Divisional Youth Secretary, Southwest Division
We are our own worst critics. We hold ourselves on a platform of expectations high above everyone else. Whether this is a trait that was taught to us as kids, a learned behavior, or something we picked up from the surrounding Christian culture, it is a practice that will harden our hearts and deter us quickly. Friends, we have to stop doing this. Aundi Kolber talks about how this kind of behavior is detrimental to our health, or relationship with God, and our interactions with others.
Stress, anxiety, and survival mode are all things that each of us has experienced a few times in our lives. There is an expectation to be perfect, react perfectly, and have all the answers. In Try Softer, the reader is given techniques on how to cope and process things in a more positive way. “Through the latest psychology, practical exercises, and her own story, Aundi shows us how God specifically designed our bodies and minds to work together to process our lives and overcome obstacles”.
This book is one that should be on the shelf of Salvationists. While it is not necessarily an “easy” read, it is extremely helpful. The flow of the book is centered on professional terms, textbook concepts, and medical language. Aundi Kolber does a great job of walking the reader through technical terms and into practical concepts.
