Made To Crave — Book Review

Book Review by Val Viljoen

MADE TO CRAVE: SATISFYING YOUR DEEPEST DESIRE WITH GOD, NOT FOOD by LYSA TERKEURST

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The whole issue of our eating habits versus the need to be healthy and /or slim is the subject of a vast array of books, magazine articles, websites, etc. This is no longer the preserve of the secular only, with much being written in recent years from the Christian perspective. There is recognition in such writings of the body as the temple of God and much advice regarding good stewardship in the form of healthy eating and regular exercise. The idea that many of us find emotional fulfillment in food to the point where we could use the label “food addiction” is also not a new one.

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So why did I feel that this was a worthwhile book to read? In the words of Lysa herself I “know it all” when it comes to what healthy lifestyle choices actually are. But what she sets out to do in this book (and I feel succeeds to a great extent) is to provide the “want to”. And what she means by this is not merely the grand resolution of starting on Monday, after the holiday or in the new year – those resolutions which we find result in so many moments of despair when we realize that we have failed yet again – but a motivation grounded in our relationship with God which helps us in the very next choice. If we can truly believe that victory in this area is not trivial to God and that he truly loves us as we are but also loves us enough to want to empower us to have victory in any area where failing causes despair and disappointment, then we are better equipped to deal with this battle.

Lysa’s book is both the the story of her walk and a bible based teaching of what she has learnt through her particular struggles. She approaches the topic with a sense of humour, so you will find chapter headings such as “But Exercise Makes Me Want to Cry” “The Curse of the Skinny Jeans” and “The Demon in the Chips Poster”.

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Whether you are unhealthily overweight as Lysa once was (and in the habit of eating sugary donuts for breakfast) or just frustrated about a few extra kilos, this book could help you in finding some extra resolution and a better perspective.