A Review of, “Stressed Out: A Practical, Biblical Approach to Anxiety” by Todd “Freakishly Tall” Friel.

First off, I must issue a disclaimer. I am a fan of Wretched Radio, and Wretched TV. That being said, I will still give an honest review of this latest work from Todd. If you aren’t familiar with Todd, and the gang over at www.WretchedRadio.com I suggest you go look at their web page. Make sure to stop by the Wretched Store and peruse their wares. You can also pick up a copy of this book there. If you prefer you can get it at Amazon or Christianbook as well.

The thought that I kept having while reading this book was, “Where was this when I was in my 20’s?” I had so many issues with stress then. I got married to my Wife when I was 19 years old. She had 2 little baby boys from a previous marriage. I was an instant Daddy. I was working part time for K-mart, and Wendy’s. We lived in a low income apartment with people using drugs near by, and couples fighting, police in the parking lot every weekend breaking up said fights, and little to no opportunities to get out. So, I was stressed. My Wife was stressed. Our families were stressed. It was a stressful time. I think you are getting the picture. I was a new Christian. I didn’t have anyone to disciple me, and the only resources I had to draw from were the Bible, and prayer. I had to swallow my pride, and ask my Dad for money for hamburger to feed the kids dinner. I worked as much as I could, and we kept going forward, even when we got knocked down. What it has taken me the better part of 25 years to learn, Todd has isolated in his new book. The Biblical principles detailed in, “Stressed Out” have been distilled from the Bible skillfully with a focused effort to apply the knowledge for the benefit of the reader’s peace of mind, and sanctification.

Before you get all upset and… triggered, don’t assume that Todd is one of those wacky guys who wants you to, “Name it, claim it!” your mental illness away. He makes sure to acknowledge the differences between situational stress/anxiety from biological/chemical problems with the brain. This book is for people who are experiencing situational stress and anxiety, who are having difficult times dealing with it. I don’t want to give too many details away. I also don’t want to leave information out that would encourage you to pick up a copy. I want you to have an idea of what is in the book so take a look at this screen capture I did of the Table of Contents;

So much of our peace of mind depends on our view of God, and ourselves. In this book, Todd helps you to see the sovereignty, omniscience, omnipotence, righteousness, and love of God, as well as our own condition in relation to Him. With the Bible applied to properly inform us, and correct us in areas where needed, we can discover a deeper, satisfying, peace with God. That peace and contentment will affect every aspect of your life. So to say, I recommend this book is an understatement. It is a quick read, but by no means “lite, cotton candy theology.” If you are a young person, who is struggling to make sense of things, pick up a copy of this book. Even if you are older, and need a reminder of the peace that comes with trusting God and who He is, this book is for you.

Todd’s book is a good reminder for us. When we don’t see things rightly, we are like Don Quixote. He didn’t see things as they truly were, and he wasted his time tilting at windmills. He thought they were enemies. In reality they were faux-foes or pseu pseu pseudo-foes whoa oh oh… (The butchering of Phil Collins’ song is for mature audiences only, “old people.”) We can see the things, and situations, that we have anxiety, worry, and stress over as ominous, and potent enemies. Todd reminds us in his book, via abundant scripture references, that we are in sin if we succumb to these assaults. In light of God’s word, His attributes, and our place in His redemptive plan, we should know peace, security, gratitude, and contentment.