“Helpful and Wise”
3.5 stars, rounded up.
In this book, Tieler Giles encourages people to consider the wisdom that the Bible offers for life, in contrast to self-help principles that lack the same understanding of human nature, and which cannot offer true grace, salvation, or Spirit-empowered paths towards life change. Giles explains a Christian view of the world, shares personal anecdotes, and compares and contrasts typical self-help principles with teachings from the Bible. She also concludes each chapter with some paradigm shifts or action steps, along with a memory verse that people may find helpful for reinforcing these ideas.
Although I enjoyed this book, I found it disappointing that Giles did not provide guidance for how people can still read self-help books while being discerning. I understand why she left the self-help world behind after her unhealthy immersion in it, but for many Christians, secular self-help books can be a useful source of information about psychology, life management skills, and emotional healing. I think that this book would be even more helpful if Giles had laid out advice and ideas for how people can faithfully engage with some self-help resources while still being faithful to Scripture and weighing the truth of what they hear.
This is a great book for Christians and spiritual seekers who are interested in exploring grace-filled, realistic alternatives to self-help ideas. This author's perspective will resonate with other people who have pursued self-help principles and worn themselves out on endless striving, and I would especially recommend this to single, professional women, who will relate to Giles's life stage and many of her experiences.
I received a free copy from the publisher, and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
