Control Girl: Lessons on Surrendering Your Burden of Control from Seven Women in the Bible - Softcover

Shannon Popkin

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0825444292 ISBN 13: 9780825444296

Publisher: Kregel Publications,U.S., 2017

Synopsis

"I control because I care." "I just want to be sure of a happy ending." "I worry that everything is spinning out of control." Many women can identify with statements like these. They have a compulsion to make everything turn out just right and are willing to do anything to make it happen. But this unbalanced pursuit of control makes those around them anxious and defensive. And when they realize control is slipping from their grasp, they lose control of themselves and react in anger or fear.Shannon Popkin knows this struggle inside and out. Keeping her inner Control Girl hidden is a full-time job. Thankfully, she also knows another very important truth: no woman has to be a Control Girl.In this encouraging book, Shannon invites seven Control Girls from the Bible into the conversation. She examines each story for the moments in which grasping for control circumvented God's plans for good, whether it was Eve's desire to know instead of to trust, Sarah's inability to wait for God to move, or Rebekah's controlling hand on her family's future. Finally, Shannon finds God's perspective on each of the problems and then reveals how readers''can have their own happy endings in similar situations.The author shares from her own struggles and follows each Bible study with questions for personal reflection. In the end, controlling women will find insight into their own experience, peace in the knowledge that God is in control, and relief that they are free.

About this title

Review

"In the style of Liz Curtis Higgs, Control Girl is an easy and entertaining read, yet Shannon Popkin packs a punch where we so need it if we are to be set free from the stressful habit that robs our joy and ruins our relationships!"--Dee Brestin, author of Idol Lies (11/07/2016)

"Shannon gets painfully honest and to the point as she challenges all of us Control Girls to surrender that burden and experience the Happy Ending God has planned! I'm thankful for how she takes us through the lives of seven women from Scripture to help us discern more readily when we are grabbing for control rather than walking in the rest that Christ provides."--Kimberly Wagner, author of Fierce Women: The Power of a Soft Warrior (11/07/2016)

"Control Girl is easily readable and digestible. It makes a great tool for self-discovery, but also for group discipleship."-- (01/09/2017)

"Shannon has a wonderful ability to translate the truths of God's Word into interactive Bible studies that speak to relevant issues women face today. Control Girl is a penetrating look at how selfishness and self-protectiveness wreck lives--and why surrender and trust are God's life-giving pathways to true freedom and joy."-- (11/07/2016)

"Authentic, relevant, and truth-filled, Control Girl is written especially for any woman longing for security, peace, and joy. Through her Bible-based teaching and humorous stories, Shannon reminds us God never intends us to carry around the burden of control, and instead offers us the gift of sweet surrender to him. I finished Control Girl being reminded afresh that for those who love God, there awaits the happiest Happy Ending imaginable. Hooray! Highly recommended!"-- (11/07/2016)

"No one wants to be enslaved to anger, anxiety, or fear. Yet many battle those emotions without making any headway in their struggle to fix themselves and others. In Control Girl, my longtime friend Shannon Popkin offers an alternative strategy. She shows how biblical thinking helps readers understand the conditions of their hearts so that they can find freedom in true spiritual growth through the wisdom of the Word and the power of the Holy Spirit. I highly recommend it."-- (11/07/2016)

"When you start out reading a book for an endorsement and it becomes your Bible study, that is a good sign. Instead of making notes about how good the book is, I found myself writing down how God was using Shannon's words to address the heart of my own control issues. While I already knew that I had many inroads as a Control Girl, I believed I had released a lot of my tendencies after journeying with my husband through his porn addiction. And the truth is, I have. But I need reminders to practice my new habits. It seems like my instinct is still to control first and then ask questions later that eventually lead to my surrender. Control Girl is helping me solidify my foundation as a Jesus Girl, giving me confidence to practice surrender first and be OK with God not answering all my questions."-- (11/07/2016)

"If you've ever struggled with control issues, read this book. With personal vulnerability, biblical depth, powerful personal illustrations, and pointed application questions, Shannon Popkin reveals how seven women of the Bible can teach us how to surrender our will to God's design for our future. Control Girl is a must-read for women of all ages who long for a deeper relationship with him. It's ideal for personal use or for small-group studies."-- (11/07/2016)

"Psst . . . You there . . . the one with the control issues. I know you have a craving to control. We all do. We have since the garden of Eden, but there's hope! In this funny, tender, and truth-telling book, Shannon Popkin peels back the layers of our control problem. If that sounds a bit like a root canal, wait until you crack the cover. In a tone that feels like coffee with a close friend, Shannon bravely goes first, letting us see the reality of her own need to control while simultaneously pointing us to the hope found in God's Word. You will find your heart warming, your lips smiling, and your fists unclenching as Shannon leads you away from control and toward sweet surrender. A must-read for every woman east of the garden."-- (11/07/2016)

"Delightful. Insightful. Helpful. Popkin's sweet blend of storytelling and Scripture helps the medicine go down. If you're a control freak, this study is just what the doctor ordered."-- (11/07/2016)

About the Author

Shannon Popkin is a wife and mom, a speaker and teacher, and a leader of small group studies. She's been published by Family Fun, MOMsense, Focus on the Family Magazine, and other outlets, and has blogged for several years at Tiny Paragraphs. This is her first book.

Edition details

• Publisher: Kregel Publications,U.S.
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 0825444292
• ISBN 13: 9780825444296
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 240