Alan Noble (1)

Alan Noble writes a helpful book for those who struggle with anxiety, depression, chronic illness, panic attacks, suicidal ideation and other mental afflictions.

There are many books in this space that offer comfort to people who are suffering. I think this book is doing something a little different. It's as though Noble gets alongside those who are suffering mental anguish and encourages them to press on.

Noble doesn't function like a personal trainer yelling at you to get fit. His tone is more like a good friend who offers to pick you up and take you to the gym. If you're not ready, they will say, "Come on, let's go." They will say difficult things and remind you of the reason to get out of bed. But he wont yell and scream or lecture you.

I personally found it an encouraging book and will be recommending it to others.

The title alludes to a moment from Cormac McCarthy's, The Road, where the boy asks his father, "What is the most courageous thing you've done?" The father replies, "Getting out of bed." For many the will to live on, to get up, to persevere in the midst of adversity requires great courage.… (mere)

An excellent little book on what it looks like to live for God when you are struggling with mental illness, depression, anxiety, etc.

The author knows about these struggles firsthand, and it shows. This is one of the most realistic and honest portrayals of Christian depression that I've seen, one that recognizes how difficult it can be to do even simple things, like showering or getting out of bed.

Noble doesn't make excuses for readers, but does offer grace, and consistently points them back to Jesus.

Though this is a short book, it was still a little too long, and was repetitive and wordy at times.

Note: This contains major spoilers for the book The Road by Cormac McCarthy. I really hate spoilers.

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley.… (mere)

Wow, I was really impressed with this book and Noble's taking on these sensitive issues. This is not a self-help book nor is it a "let go and let God" book. It is not a "name it and claim it" nor is it a "put on sack clothes and ashes it's you're fault" book. What this book is is a needed reminder that life is hard, we can go through hard times and live in hard ways, but God is God who has made promises we can trust and one of those promises is that He loves His children. This is a book about looking at depression, mental illness, panic attacks, or just feeling down through that lens and taking it on with the balance Noble gives it. I was so impressed with the balance here.

Noble stands on the line of truth and understanding. He will caution against over-diagnosis but then caution against turning a blind eye to issues that one needs to find help. He tells painful truths like one needs to avoid reveling in the dower nature for the attention of others while also being lovingly kind to people who stay silent to not burden people who need to seek out help from others. The overall arch is that sometimes just doing one little thing, like getting out of bed, is a goal and then you find your next, right thing to do.

Noble hangs the truth on a couple of different truths. 1) Being made in the image of God shows like our life is precious, 2) God has made promises we should believe in and one of the ways we can believe them is to show by actively doing so, and 3) we can biblically love ourselves, not in the worldly, superficial way but in the 1 Corinthians 13 way.

This is a book that I finished and ordered a physical copy to mark up and lend out to others. I would call this book one of my "reverse highlight" books in that I would have made it through it quicker if I highlighted what I DIDN'T want to pay attention to on quick glance. Noble's care and love for those struggling is evident and not just as someone who puts forward the "I am one of you too" but in the "God is a God who keeps His promises and the ultimate goal is for us keep on living for His glory". I highly recommend this book (I ordered his other two as well because of this). Final Grade - A+… (mere)

lan is a compelling thinker and author and always worthy of consideration.

On Getting Out of Bed (galley received as part of early review program) is a very serious book about a very challenging subject. In it Noble confesses his own struggles with depression and sets out to explore the nature of the struggles of mental illness in terms of Christian faithfulness and how to find the inspiration and encouragement, every day, to get out of bed.

Throughout Noble takes the reality of mental illness seriously, finds value in the therapeutic, but remains skeptical of the therapeutic being able to fully deliver on any of its promises. He balances the framework of the subtitle well.

He speaks frankly and honestly about the burden of living with mental illness. It is very much a challenge for many to get out of bed every morning. The despair can well be crushing. Noble has experienced such things and sympathizes with others who do so. He is attempting to normalize the experience of suffering and to not flinch at or shy away from the ugliness it can reveal.

But much of the book centers on the gift of living, to give reason for people to get out of bed every day. Noble is not trite in his discussions of the gifts life provides and the opportunity to bear witness in and despite suffering. He is putting forth all the rhetorical effort he can to persuade those who maintain faith in God in Christ to endure and persevere. He also makes his appeal, more fully explicated in his previous work above, to remember we are not our own, and we will indeed be called upon to serve others despite our own suffering, just as, no doubt, others have served us despite theirs.

Many who experience mental illness would do well to consider this work; hopefully they can see at least a little of their own experience in it, and find strength from it to indeed get out of bed.… (mere)