Book Review - It’s All Under Control by Jennifer Dukes Lee
It’s all Under Control: A Journey of Letting Go, Hanging On, and Finding a Peace You Almost Forgot Was Possible, by Jennifer Dukes Lee
I have seen this book come on and off the bestseller list for years, literally. It came out in 2018 and clearly still resonates with people. So, I wanted to find out why it was a long-standing popular book. If you have read articles from this site, you may know that I am already skeptical of the mantra ‘God in control’ and this title certainly alludes to that. So, I was fairly unsure what I would get from the book.
It’s All Under Control – About the Book
Much of what Lee discussed in the book is about her own desire to control processes and outcomes. In fact, it was loaded with personal stories and accounts of life, control, and expectations. She told of how loaded her schedule was and overworked and perhaps even how she lost sight of priorities. It is easy to connect with the author since she writes about all kinds of things in her life. What a storyteller.
There was plenty of opportunity for self-reflection while reading. The book includes a number of examples that are applicable for each chapter topic. It also included a reflection section at the end of each chapter, called ‘Cracking the Control Code,’ where readers are encouraged to apply the concepts that were within the stories of the chapter.
It’s All Under Control – Review
Most of the book was about handing over the control of our lives to God, and generally the thought explained was ‘God’s got this.’ I can agree with that, but by not addressing God’s powers, it implied that God controls all the outcomes, accidents, and sufferings of life.
I appreciated some of the mini lessons within the chapters: God wants to partner with us, we are called to risk, you don’t need to be ‘fixed’, we have responsibilities for God, obedience means God is working even when we don’t see it, rest doesn’t mean stopping or giving up everything, and more. There was a nugget or two in each chapter, generally quite practical.
Conclusion - 2/5 Stars
In attempting to have women (her audience, even though men deal with similar issues) release their tight grip on control, Lee offered perhaps too many stories to demonstrate the good, bad and ugly of control. I’d have liked to see more of the Bible and examples form there; though it referred to the Bible or biblical ideas in each chapter, it wasn’t what I would call a Bible study, though it still sits at the kindle store #16 in Bible Study Guides. Perhaps it is better suited to Women’s Christian Living, where it is #38. As one reviewer stated, the first Bible verse was on page 16 and the next on page 35 – it was not heavily supported by the Bible, but her personal stories. She is great storyteller, but that is not necessary in a Bible study.
Additionally, the book didn’t instill greater trust in God when I hand over the issues of my life to him. I would have liked to see more about who God is than the fact that he isn’t me or that ‘he’s got this’. God wasn’t really the focus of the book, but rather all the ways that Lee needed to give up control and set priorities which align with God.
