Publisher and Publication Date: New Growth Press. September 26, 2022.
Genre: Christian nonfiction. Counseling. Christian growth.
Pages: 144.
Format: E-book.
Source: I received a complimentary e-book copy from New Growth Press. I am not required to write a positive review.
Audience: Readers of Christian growth. Recovery.
Rating: Excellent.
Link for the book at New Growth Press. All the Ask the Christian Counselor series is 40% off.
Books in the Ask the Christian Counselor series:
Angry with God by Brad Hambrick.
Anxious About Decisions by Michael Gembola.
I Have a Psychiatric Diagnosis by Edward T. Welch.
Link for the book at Amazon.
About the Author:
Rush Witt, MDiv, DMin, is Lead Pastor of Paramount Church in Bexley, Ohio and a certified biblical counselor. He is the author of Diehard Sins and I Want to Escape. Rush and his wife, Kathryn, have three daughters and two sons.
Praise of the book:
“Bigger than a mini book, smaller than regular, just the right size to give biblical answers to common counseling questions. This book, along with others in the series, is an affordable, much-needed resource for the church community—strugglers, pastors, counselors, and other helpers.”
Barbara Miller Juliani, VP New Growth Press.
“God created human beings to seek and find peace in relationship with him. Sin separated us from him and destroyed that peace. Ever since the fall, mankind has sought after that peace, but we too easily settle for much less. I Want to Escape is a wonderful, concise look at how we seek relief from the trials of life through temporary pleasures and points us to what our hearts were created for: peace with God through communion with him.”
Curtis Solomon, Executive Director, Biblical Counseling Coalition; program coordinator for Biblical Counseling, Boyce College.
“Sometimes life is just so very hard, and it seems there is no relief from the pain, stress, and trouble. If you are here or know someone who is here, this wonderful little book will be a balm to your soul. Rush Witt reminds us of a comforting truth: Jesus is not only our Savior and Lord, but he is also the Good Shepherd who is with us in our distress. The one who understands suffering, abandonment, loneliness, and tragedy can meet us in our deepest needs. You don’t have to carry your burden alone. These words help you hear and listen to the One who loves you.”
Daniel Darling, Director, Land Center for Cultural Engagement; best-selling author of The Characters of Christmas, The Characters of Easter, and The Dignity Revolution.
“Amid the many ways we wrongly escape life’s problems, God promises his way—not to escape the problems but the sins they might occasion. Reminding us that our Savior fights ‘in the foxhole’ with and for us, Rush Witt skillfully and practically outlines God’s way to face trouble: to humbly pray, freshly believe the gospel, and act boldly in dependence on him.”
Robert D. Jones, Biblical Counseling Professor, Southern Seminary; author of Pursuing Peace and The Gospel for Disordered Lives.
“Insightful, practical, Scripture-driven, and hopeful, I Want to Escape: Reaching for Hope When Life Is Too Much provides keen observations about a pervasive problem and asks questions that draw out the reader’s heart. Rush Witt repeatedly reminds us that Christ is present in our current struggles, giving us the courage to engage our troubles rather than escape them.”
Darby Strickland, Faculty and counselor, CCEF; author of Is it Abuse?
“This helpful book puts flesh on a common yet easily disguised human response to life. Though we might not think of ourselves as natural ‘escape artists,’ Rush shows how easily the age-old urge of escapism can manifest in our present-day troubles. He then offers practical, pastoral counsel for how to exercise courageous dependence on Christ in the midst of despair and disappointment.”
Christine Chappell, Author of Help! I’ve Been Diagnosed with a Mental Disorder; outreach director and Hope + Help Podcast host, Institute for Biblical Counseling & Discipleship; ACBC certified biblical counselor.
“No matter who we are or what we experience, we’re all tempted toward escape to deal with the hurts and difficulties of life. In this insightful book, Rush Witt gently confronts our errant beliefs and wisely counsels our hearts to look to Jesus, the only truly safe place to hide.”
Paul Tautges, Senior Pastor, Cornerstone Community Church, Mayfield Heights, OH; author of Anxiety: Knowing God’s Peace and A Small Book for the Hurting Heart.
“When trials or temptations threaten, we feel the temptation to escape reality. If we follow this impulse away from God, we will only find more pain and suffering. But if we allow it to push us toward God in faith, we can trust that he will care for us. I Want to Escape provides simple, practical, gospel-centered help to courageously trust God in the face of adversity.”
Garrett Kell, Pastor, Del Ray Baptist Church.
“This book instructs us how to turn away from fleshly escapist responses to our troubles (which only make things worse) and to embrace wise biblical solutions (which bring hope). Realistic case examples are provided, and Scripture is helpfully applied.”
Jim Newheiser, Professor of Counseling and Pastoral Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary, Charlotte, NC; executive director, The Institute for Biblical Counseling and Discipleship.
Summary:
When life overwhelms, it’s natural to try to get away. Escape holds a powerful allure amid hard times. In every season, a myriad of pressures, challenges, regrets, and disappointments plague our lives. These trials and tribulations often provoke us to cry, “I’ve got to get outta here!”
Even though we have many good reasons for trying to escape, as Christians, we have even better reasons to depend courageously on our Savior in the ups and downs of life. Pastor Rush Witt helps us learn to bravely run to Christ instead of running away.
I Want to Escape explores the reasons why we so often want to run and offers hope-filled direction to experience Jesus’s grace and mercy to comfort us and lead us on a better path. You will learn to recognize the classic signs of escapism: denial, distraction, self-destruction, and thoughts of death and to instead take the path of courageous dependence on Jesus, who remains closer than a brother even when we’re ready to run. At the very center of Christian courage stands not a principle or a system, but a Person who intimately knows each one of us.
I Want to Escape is part of the Ask the Christian Counselor series. This series walks readers through their deepest and most profound questions. Each question is unpacked by an experienced counselor that gives readers the tools to understand their struggle and how the gospel brings hope and healing to the problem they are facing.
My Thoughts:
I love the start of the book: “From this point on, I want you to intentionally think on the every-present Person of Jesus. Let’s make a habit of knowing he is near.”
Eight chapters are included in this book:
- “I’ve Got to Get Outta Here!”
- “What Are the Common Escape Routes?”
- “The Better Way: Courageous Dependence.”
- “Why Doesn’t Denial Work?”
- “What’s Wrong with a Little Distraction?”
- “What Good Comes from Deflecting and Destroying?”
- “What Hope is There If I Just Want to Die?”
- “There’s Light after Darkness.”
I’ve heard plenty of people say, “just go to your happy place.” This is an escape. A form of escape to a place in our minds. It is a way to escape from the drudgery, boredom, stress, suffering, and fears in this life. In reality, this is not healthy, and it is not the thought and place to retreat during a time of suffering, etc. To think of Jesus. To think of His Word. To think of His promises. To think of His attributes. These are healthy Christian thoughts.
So much of this book is splendid. And the following are reasons why I believe this:
- “Mind renewing change. Romans 12:2. But we can ask for the wind of the Spirit to come and clear our vision and renew our mind. Turning to God for grace and forgiveness is the first step toward a clear mind and a clean heart. Then, Jesus enables us to draw ever closer to him as he changes us over time.”
- For a “God-gifted change.” “Our basic plan.” Three steps are given that are concise and applicable.
- This is a bullet point, concise type book. Easy to follow. Easy to understand the subject and themes. Great application helps.
- From chapter four. “1. Trials Prove the Genuineness of Faith.” “2. Trials Make the Beauty of Faith Appear.” “3. Trials Purify and Increase Affection for Christ.”
- I love the illustration of Christ our Savior fighting with and for us.
- “Questions for Reflection” at the end of each chapter.
- Chapter five is the perfect chapter to address our distracting social media era.
- Chapter seven is a hard chapter to read because it is one of unease. It is using death as a form of escape.
- A valuable letter written by the author’s wife. This is located in a later chapter. She has written the letter to those in despair.
- One of my favorite take-aways from the book. “Rather than isolating from others, engage people with love.” This is from chapter seven.
Scripture link is to Bible Gateway.
Words of Rejoice 
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