An interesting and unique perspective, Luke Norsworthy suggests not attempting to defeat or eliminate your monsters but to instead befriend them.

Norsworthy focusing on three specific monsters -- fears -- and encourages the reader to take a good, long look instead of running away.

The monsters that he writes about:
- Comparison
- More
- Success

The sections about the specific monsters are the strongest portion of writing in the book. The rest, especially the final few chapters, feel like a lot of small stories strung together to try to make a point. It's definitely a different take on the topic of fear, and I give him credit for that, but I was a little disappointed that the middle of portion of the book is the best part, meaning the reader ends on a lesser note.

We all know that the monsters we see on film or read about in books aren't real, but often we miss how those fake monsters can put fur, flesh, and fangs on the very real fears that haunt us. Pastor Luke Norsworthy shows you how to face your monsters, like the monsters of comparison (I am what others say about me), more (I am what I have), and success (I am what I do), and discover how they are warnings that invite you to become a truer version of yourself and have a deeper connection with your Creator.

You'll never completely eradicate your monsters and the fears they represent, but if you befriend them, they can lead you into becoming God's truest intention for you.

My Thoughts: We all have things that we are afraid of. This book is written to help us fact those things that make us afraid. The book begins with illustrations that look into the different types of "monsters" for fears that we may have. This book enables us to face what frightens us and enables us to be the person God wants us to be. This book is very helpful and useful.

Captivating, Thought-Provoking, and Liberating. First off, let me say this, I never noticed actual monsters being mentioned in biblical text before reading about the references herein Luke Norsworthy’s “BEFRIENDING YOUR MONSTERS’. Very enlightening, to say the least. I received this about two weeks ago and I can barely put it down. Some of the chapters I have to read over and over or slowly marinate on to take it all in. I was always taught that fear and faith did not mix in the life of a Christian. As a Believer, I often feel like a phony or fraud when grappling with fear. Luke presents a very persuasive argument that we should give our fears a face; that of a scary monster, and engage with them head-on so the darkness of things that truly scare us the most will not overcome us. While reading this book, I am reminded that a great deal of my fears are birth out of my own insecurities. There’s comfort and relief in finding and resting in God’s sovereignty and love. I highly recommend this book. Great job! I received this ARC from Baker Publishing Group and I’m leaving an honest review.

In author Luke Norsworthy’s Befriending Your Monsters, your monster is the metaphor for whatever prevents you from becoming what you were created to be. With this in mind, we all face monsters, and Norsworthy’s aim is to help us befriend them. We can’t eliminate life’s monsters, but when we see them and expose them for what they are, we have the ability to find God’s healing love.
Mr. Norsworthy’s storytelling is memorable, as expected of any great minister. Befriending Your Monsters unfolds as a series of engaging stories. The stories provide examples of the types of monsters we might face in our lives, such as fear, addiction, and comparison. And because we can’t eradicate them, we can befriend them and lead a monster-friendly life.
Befriending Your Monsters stops short of the ‘how-to’ or action steps to befriending your monsters, but sometimes acknowledgment alone is enough to spark change. This is not a book to lead the reader through change.
How this book affected me: I was drawn into the charismatic storytelling and thoroughly enjoyed that aspect, assuming it was being used to set the foundation of the concept of the monsters we face, which it was. But I was waiting for the ‘how to’ or instructional aspect and expected Section III – A monster-friendly life to include more concrete guidance.

Who would enjoy this book: Anyone who’s ready to take a serious look in the mirror and tackle the monsters that are holding them back in life might enjoy this book. The caveat is that the book primarily helps the reader open his or her eyes to the possibility of loosening the monster’s grasp and stops short of the methods to change.

Our Christian Book Reviews: The book reviews at Finding God Among Us focus on Christian books – adult and children, fiction and nonfiction. Our specialty is books on faith and new Christian book releases. We’re proud to be included in the Top 50 Christian Book Review Bloggers. Our publisher partners include New Growth Press, Shadow Mountain Publishing, and Revell and BakerBooks, divisions of Baker Publishing Group. I chose to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

There's some very good content in this book, presented in ways that will help every reader connect to main threads in some way, shape, or form. Every idea contains both didactic teaching and narrative examples, so you're not left with a story without a point or a point that you're trying to make workable in a story - you see both. And while I would say that the three monsters that Luke has picked to emphasize are not particularly monsters that I personally wrestle with, I was surprised to find myself in his chapters nonetheless, encountering a whole series of touch points from which to engage my own story.

He never really gets around to how to befriend your monsters. Rather, his suggestions on befriending are more one-off takes in chapters written in-depth about what NOT to do, which makes the last section a very strange way to end a book. The middle section does a great job of offering redemption where disaster seems certain, but with the last section emphasizing what not to do, it draws away from making a strong point. From a purely rhetorical understanding, the strongest arguments are made in the affirmative, so despite fantastic content in much of the book, closing the last pages feels like a letdown, ending on the negative. Perhaps if I pick it up to read again, I will read the last section somewhere in the middle and save the middle section for last so that I am walking away with an encouragement and a real action/engagement point.

'I am what others say about me', I am what I do, these are potent enemies of a healthy spiritual life.
Pastor and speaker Luke Norsworthy wants you to get to know your enemies and face them, to have a deeper understanding of yourself and a more intimate connection with God.
A fascinating read, as a Christian, I found myself questioning my beliefs, a good thing as learning and challenges are part of a healthy spiritual life.

I thank NetGalley, Baker Books and the Author Luke Norsworthy for allowing me to review this pre-publication novel.