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What If It's Wonderful? - by Nicole Zasowski (Paperback)
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About this item
Highlights
- Family therapist Nicole Zasowski challenges you to let go of dwelling in your anxieties and fears and instead ask yourself the question: What if it's wonderful?These questions haunt many of us, leaving us sick with anxiety and frozen into inaction: what if my hope only leads to disappointment?
- Author(s): Nicole Zasowski
- 240 Pages
- Religion + Beliefs, Christian Life
Description
About the Book
Don't spend your life practicing disappointment and rehearsing tragedy when you when you can experience God's gift of joy and celebration today.Book Synopsis
Family therapist Nicole Zasowski challenges you to let go of dwelling in your anxieties and fears and instead ask yourself the question: What if it's wonderful?
These questions haunt many of us, leaving us sick with anxiety and frozen into inaction: what if my hope only leads to disappointment? What if I embrace joy only to have it ripped from my hands? What if my celebration is the cause of others' sadness? What if my joy takes me away from the God I knew so well in my pain? But these fears don't have to control your life.
Author and marriage and family therapist Nicole Zasowski knows what it's like to suffer a blow that makes it difficult to look to the future. Despite the struggle, she found the courage to celebrate, and discovered that God is as present in our joy as He is in our pain.
Yes, God's purpose for us is worked out in our struggles. But what if it is also worked out in our dreams and our delighted joy? In What If it's Wonderful? Nicole helps you:
- Overcome the fears that keep you from looking toward the future with joy
- Let go of the lies you've believed about happiness and embrace celebration as a part of spiritual growth
- Approach life with an expectant heart and courage to trust God's good gifts
With a psychological and spiritual case for celebrating, Nicole challenges you to let go of the habit of practicing disappointment and fully embrace joy, beckoning you to ask yourself a new question: What if it's wonderful?
Dimensions (Overall): 8.3 Inches (H) x 5.4 Inches (W) x .8 Inches (D)
Weight: .45 Pounds
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Number of Pages: 240
Genre: Religion + Beliefs
Sub-Genre: Christian Life
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Format: Paperback
Author: Nicole Zasowski
Language: English
Street Date: March 8, 2022
TCIN: 84910479
UPC: 9780785226482
Item Number (DPCI): 247-33-5273
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
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Estimated ship dimensions: 0.8 inches length x 5.4 inches width x 8.3 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 0.45 pounds
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5.0 out of 5 stars with 13 reviews
100% would recommend
12 recommendations
“Where is God in the room? He is at the center of the celebration.”
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
- 3 years ago
I love the author’s reminder that “God’s people are marked by celebration- they are known for it.” For Christians, no matter our circumstances, Jesus Himself is our greatest comfort, joy and reward. “What if it’s Wonderful” is a beautiful exploration of what it can be like to encounter God as we actually ‘expect, receive and embrace His good gifts’. In her bio at the back of the book, the author describes herself as wearing ‘her heart proudly on her sleeve’… what an honor to read a book by such a sincere and true writer. Zasowski’s experiences of grief and disappointment have been instrumental in teaching her how to draw close to God in heartache and brokenness. Yet now she shares how that very same God has been inviting her to experience his nearness in uncharted territories of expectation, hope, and nearly embarrassing amounts of happiness! :) I’m so glad that she has accepted his invitation, and dared to gaze upon a God who laughs and delights with us in the loveliest moments of the lives he gave us. I’m so glad that she is letting him empower her with courage and faith, for the good discipline of celebration.
celebration is life-changing
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
meredithwboggs - 3 years ago
powerful catalyst in learning to celebrate amidst current circumstances and having to courage be present today instead of preparing for the next catastrophe. This book was inspiring encouraging and life changing for me!
Helpful book
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Rebecca LMFT - 3 years ago
“What If It’s Wonderful?” is such a perfect title for this book by Nicole Zasowski on celebration. She shares about the pain and trauma she went through during her miscarriages, which is very nice of her to do because it could help others who have had a miscarriage. Nicole writes about shame, in a way that I think is different from popular authors, like Brene Brown. She encourages us to “choose joy”, even in the midst of pain. I tend to cringe at the phrase “choose joy” because it sounds like it’s simple to just do that. Nicole doesn’t seem to say it’s easy though, but that it’s a discipline. She writes the following: “Connection with others in the midst of pain can be a path toward joy.” As I was reading Nicole’s new book, I came across this quote above and it is so true! One of the examples I see this true from my life, was last year when my baby, Tiffany, was in the hospital because she had open heart surgery. Some hospital staff told me that there was a great Chaplain available if I wanted to talk to him. I’m so glad I did! He was so helpful. Chris was so caring and wise. I was one of his “clients”, but he also treated me like a colleague since I told him I was a marriage and family therapist. It brought me joy talking with him and having his support. Nicole’s book has already helped me and some of my clients. When we have noticed our minds asking “What If…” questions, we have used “What If It’s Wonderful?” to calm our fears and anxieties.
Find Your Courage to Celebrate!
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Nicole W - 3 years ago
Nicole Zasowski does a magical job threading her professional and personal life experiences together to gently encourage us to live fully, be present, and choose joy. Having faced incredible loss herself, she gracefully guides us to the conclusion that the joy we have from Jesus is "uninhibited by the boundaries and conditions of circumstance." She tells a beautiful story of finding the courage to celebrate with God regardless of her circumstances. "Joy takes us by the hand and leads us into an experience of vulnerability that quite honestly, takes practice to tolerate." I can so relate to this! Vulnerability can be so tough; it's easy to feel exposed and out of control. What will people think if we say we believe in the power of God, but things don't go the way we hope and pray? Does it mean He's not with us or He's not good? Absolutely not. If we let fear dominate us, we miss out on the joy of celebrating our lives with Christ. Nicole's full circle story reminds us that God's with us in all of it and He's just waiting to be invited to the party.
Enlightening
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
ChritianFictionandMore - 3 years ago
This book is for those, like me, who approach life cautiously, who weigh all the options, who are more prone to plan for the worst than to expect the best. Nicole Zasowski challenges herself and her readers to consider the question, “But what if it's wonderful?” She provides insight into our cautious nature, and lays out the logic for the importance of joy and celebration in our lives. She shares intimate details from her own life that are both heart-warming and heart-wrenching. She does all of this while using the truth of God's Word to support her message. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of What If It's Wonderful from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Awesome & practical advice for infusing more celebration and joy into everyday life
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
CDouglas - 3 years ago
Nicole’s newest book, “What If It’s Wonderful?” is a beautiful examination of celebration and joy. I loved her practical advice for finding the courage to celebrate and the reminder that celebration doesn’t have to wait until the end of a goal or event to happen. When we invite God to the party and celebrate as a part of our daily rhythm, our life can be so much sweeter.
Journeying through self-protection into Delight
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Book Review - 3 years ago
Utilizing her understanding as both a human-sufferer and a therapist, Nicole gently dismembers the natural shields we tend to erect between us and God when we’ve been wounded, and find vulnerability and trust slain like a casualty in the debris of our hurt. She pushes us towards hope, celebration and joy! What if it’s Wonderful is a compassionate hug, and a gentle shove towards healing and delight. She digs deep into our hearts with wisdom, grace, and courage, showing us that there’s a better way, a jubilant way to live. She begs us to ask the hard questions our defenses shield us from. She invites us to ask ourselves if our defenses have not only shielded us from pain, real or perceived, but if they’ve also shielded us from knowing the celebratory nature of God, and from His fulness of joy!
Embracing Celebration & Releasing Fears!
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Tracye G - 3 years ago
I've never read a book that had more perfect timing! I had literally whispered, in very hushed tones, the very questions the author talks about. Just a few days later I was introduced to this book. Though I was terrified to read it because I knew to do so had the potential to open up some wounds and it felt very risky to me. "What if hope only leads me to disappointment again?" I found myself in every chapter of Nicole's book, finally able to put words to those deep feelings that I'd previously struggled to express. Her writing combines her personal stories, professional experiences, and a God given gift of sharing His truth. I'm currently on my 3rd reading of the book and each one brings me to another level of healing and closer to truly embracing joy, hope, celebration and a release of fears. So grateful for authors that are willing to be vulnerable with their own stories and share ways to walk towards hope and healing!
The Book You Didn't Know You Needed
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Correntemama - 3 years ago
This book has been so encouraging to help me have a good outlook going into unknowns. As someone that started experiencing anxiety as an adult, it’s hard to tell myself “what if it’s wonderful” going into a situation that’s hard for me. Even good things, it’s so easy to prepare for the worst instead of being hopeful for the future. This book talks about how celebration actually is a quality that showcases the glory of God in our lives. “Hope is not a denial of the cost. It honors the painful reality but does not fall to fear because it knows that what we can see is not all there is. Hope celebrates God’s promises and delights in what is possible with Him.”
Celebrating in the midst of pain and disappointment
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Amanda - 3 years ago
When we come up against obstacle after obstacle in our lives, it can be easy to lose our flair and our desire for celebration. The painful moments in our lives will always be difficult and in need of tender care, but Nicole challenges the slippery slope of allowing those difficulties to color our happy moments. I appreciate Nicole’s desire to ask the question “what holds us back from celebration?” And her encouragement to celebrate even in the small moments. It’s reminiscent of Margaret Feinberg’s Bible study “Fight Back with Joy.” Few can disagree that disappointment and disaster hurt, but it’s too easy to also agree to the throttling of joy because of those hurts. Instead, this book offers the challenge, not to forget hurt, but to allow space for celebrating even when it doesn’t feel 100% sure. For those clinging desperately to cynicism for the fear of yet another disappointment bringing pain and heartache, let me encourage you to walk a little closer to the gentle embrace the Father desires to hold you in. COVID has been difficult for us all. But as someone who has had death after death, hospitalization after hospitalization in her family and that on top of my own lack of health answers and chronic pain, being willing to even attempt to lean into the little joys of life is often frightening, but it’s worth it. It’s worth it to ask, “what if it’s wonderful?”
Finding the Courage to Celebrate
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Kristin - 3 years ago
What If It’s Wonderful by Nicole Zasowski is an incredible book that explores the ways that we hold fast to fear and try to protect ourselves from disappointment and pain through cynicism and a hesitancy to hope and celebrate. But at what cost? “What has your pain cost you?” is a question that the author wrestled with herself and now asks her readers to ponder as well. She then dives in to the beauty of letting go of our fear and finding joy in choosing to celebrate, both in the present moments and in the hope for the future. “Celebration is God’s healing balm for our broken world and to our scarred hearts.” This was exactly the book I needed, that I didn’t know I needed. I came across it by chance, or more accurately by God’s good grace, and it has opened my eyes to the freedom of fully embracing hope and celebration, something that I didn’t realize I had been tempering. God has been redeeming my perspective on hope through this book. And if you're also someone who is hesitant to celebrate or hope because of past painful experiences, then perhaps this book will breathe life into your tired soul too.
such a hopefilled read
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Booklover2021 - 3 years ago
Just like the author Nicole, I also have journeyed through a season of recurrent miscarriage, and I immediately recognised a lot of what she writes about the loss of joy in myself as well. What I especially loved about this book was Nicole’s insistence that joy is not just something to be experienced on the other side of waiting, or after we have received our desired outcomes - but right here, right now, in the messy middle of life. This book is a wonderful invitation to practice celebration in response to God’s goodness, regardless of our circumstances - and reading it was a timely balm for my soul.