*Disclosure: A copy of this book was provided free of charge in order to facilitate this review. All thoughts belong to Marcia Kellogg participating writer at Be Your Best Mom *
About The Book :
The Mind Connection: How the Thoughts You Choose Affect Your Mood, Behavior, and Decisions
Thoughts can seem random and meaningless, but they are connected to your well-being and impact your life every day. What you think affects your words, attitudes, decisions, and emotions. Your thoughts influence you relate to yourself, to other people, and to God. The good news is that God has equipped you to take control of your thinking to increase your happiness.
In The Mind Connection, Joyce Meyer expands on the wisdom of her bestselling books Battlefield of the Mind and Power Thoughts to explain how to improve the quality of your thoughts and your life. She explores the undeniable connection between the mind, mouth, moods, and attitudes, so you can develop and maintain the right mind-set to overcome every challenge you face. Through practical advice and scriptural insights, Joyce will help you learn to think with purpose, gain greater confidence, and claim the joyful life you were meant to lead.
About the Author:
Joyce Meyer is one of the leading practical Bible teachers. Her TV and radio broadcast, Enjoying Everyday Life, airs on hundreds of television networks and radio stations worldwide.
Joyce has written more than one hundred inspirational books. Her best sellers include Power Thoughts; The Confident Woman; Look Great, Feel Great; Starting Your Day Right; Ending Your Day Right; Approval Addiction; How to Hear From God; Beauty for Ashes; and Battlefield of the Mind.
Joyce travels extensively, holding conferences throughout the year and speaking to thousands around the world.
My Review:
In The Mind Connection, Joyce Meyers uses a scriptural blueprint to bring to light how our conscious and subconscious patterns of thought shape our attitude and behaviors. As an extension of our own behaviors, we also shape the world around us, our health, and our spirituality. Meyer outlines each of these facets of life in concise but powerful sections with the help of biblical notation as well as references from modern literature and historical figures.
In Section One, Meyer sets out to give readers insight into how our own thoughts can lead us toward or away from the life we have “always wanted to live”. My favorite take away here was, “Take inventory of your thoughts, and eliminate the ones that are stealing your peace.” Ah, Peace. Doesn’t that sound wonderful. I know that with a busy elementary school aged son, and infant and a multitude of schedules to coordinate on limited time and income, peace hasn’t been easy to come by recently. What Meyer teaches is how to see my chaos as a blessing of a rich life and beautiful family. Rich life and beautiful family=peace for me. I just need to remember to remind myself of that! Even in times of difficulty, God has a guiding and conquering hand in my life to rely upon so I can be optimistic and grateful, then I can move forward to PEACE.
Section Two took me out of my little internal bubble realize that the thoughts and actions I put into the world every day really do have an impact on the community around me. Am I being positive and attracting positivity and creating solutions, or am I projecting my feelings of being overwhelmed pushing away friends and causing strife to others? I can tell myself how I am succeeding or tear myself apart about perceived inadequacies. So, as Meyer says, “God doesn’t focus on our faults; why should you?” In other words, I need to get over myself, take a breath, and admit that I am enough. I am good enough as a woman, a wife, a mother. Being enough is not about being perfect, so building myself up to do my best is ENOUGH! The health of my family and community is directly affected by how I speak to myself and speak to those around me. I love how the author highlights realistic expectations when she write, “It will be much easier for you to be merciful with others once you are fully aware of how much mercy God offers you.” It shows how kindness and humility start within.
By Section Three, I was already feeling lighter and brighter. Meyer really focuses on how our thoughts affect our physical and mental health. The key word here is joy. Peace is nice, and for me, joy is peace on steroids. Joy, I realized was lacking joy in my life, but not because I was missing anything that can bring me joy. I just wasn’t CHOOSING to feel joyful. Instead of seeing my funny, wild, caring eight year old for these joyful qualities, I was choosing to sigh, groan, and rant about his tendencies to be obstinate and argumentative (and we’re still working on that!). Choosing joy doesn’t mean that I ignore the problems and challenges I am facing, it means I approach them with an open heart, faith that God has my best life in my store, and a positive solution in mind so that I am not wasting energy and creating worry in my life. To remind myself of how my outlook projects into my mentality, I remember what Meyer writes, “Worry just makes a problem worse. Believe the best, trust God to take care of every situation.”
Spirituality and one’s relationship with God take center stage in Section Four. Meyer uses a multitude of scriptural insights here to remind the reader of the promises God gives us for successful and healthy lives. Truly the Word defines me, not the opinion of the world, so I must remember to find my confidence in the Bible and through prayer. By the end of the section, Meyer offers a guide to reclaiming the promises of peace and joy when we allow ourselves to be lost in the world or become overwhelmed by our day to day stresses or guilt. A simple, yet extremely successful and quick process of regaining peace of mind is sure to stay dog-eared for me. I still find myself slipping often into habits of doubt, fear, and anger, but the guide offers such a helpful solution that just by referring back to it at the end of a stressful day resettles my heart and mind.
In today’s day in age, even thoughtful and spiritual Christians can lose sight of the promises given to us in the Bible for peaceful and joy filled lives. What Joyce Meyer has developed with The Mind Connection is a reminder of what you can achieve in body, soul, and life by creating a guide of positivity and biblical reference. I’m looking forward to continuing building a successful and bright environment for my family and self with this book as a manual.
About Marcia Kellogg:
I am a mama living in the Hudson Valley of New York with my wonderful husband, two gorgeous children, and furry and finned pets. Aside from my family, my life revolves around FOOD–creating it, reading about it, sharing it, and eating it!! After getting a degree in Baking and Pastry Arts at The Culinary Institute of America, I realized cooking is really the area I love more, so I have taking part-time jobs as personal chef and culinary skills instructor. But even more than food, I love spending time with my family, whether it’s on the football field, baking cookies at home or going to mommy and me class. We adore traveling to see our relatives around the country, especially in Montana and Hawaii. I will make it to Europe one of these days, and I consider my only regret in life that I don’t have more stamps in my passport~
Rebecca Bryant says
this sounds like a good. I have a friend who loves these kinds of books will have to tell her about it. Thank you for showing it to me.
Marcia K says
Thanks for your post, hope your friend loves it!
Tamara says
I wonder about the mind-body connection all the time. I think they’re so related and I worry that stress or bad beliefs about myself harm me physically.
I’ll have to read!
Marcia K says
Please do, it’s powerful!
Jennifer B says
This sounds like a great book! I struggle with all of these things every day. I will add this to my reading list.
Marcia K says
It’s great to have a physical reminder to stay positive and put healthy direction in life for yourself.
Debbie Denny says
This sounds awesome. I like the thoughts and will put this on my reading list.
Marcia K says
Thanks for posting, I hope you get a lot of great information out of it.
Ashley @irishred02 says
I have participated in some Joyce Meyer studies. I really like her writing style. I need to look for this one
Marcia K says
It’s out now, check it out! She certainly has a powerful way with words.
Dawn says
I have been wanting to read this book. I have heard that Joyce Meyers is a good author.
Marcia K says
She does a great job of making self–help readable and inspiring, hope you can check it out~
Krista says
I really enjoy her books. I have read a few in the past but had not yet heard of this one. I will look into it. Thanks!
Marcia K says
It’s brand new and out now, hope you get a chance to check it out.
Carol Bryant says
I have not read her books before but judging by your review and the comments here, looks like I am adding this one to my reading list.
Marcia K says
JM has some incredible insights, anad she has a way of writing right to the reader, it’s great!
Rosey says
I always like Joyce Meyer. She speaks well and her books are inspiring too.
Marcia K says
She definitely has a confident and inspiring voice. I hope you have a chance to read this book.
victoria says
I think it was a great books and pretty interesting, i want to read this book
Marcia K says
Check it out, it’s out now!
Janeane Davis says
I read Joyce Myer’s previous book “Battlefield of the Mind.” I liked the connections she made between your mind and the world around you. It sounds like this new book is one that I should check out as well.
Marcia K says
Yes, she really takes it to another level here. Thanks for posting!