Christina Jonas Kennedy interviews Dr. Linda Mintle on her latest book, Letting Go of Worry. Here is an excerpt of that interview:
Christina Jonas Kennedy: If people could only gain a few key ideas from reading your book, Letting Go of Worry, what ideas would you like them to be?
Dr. Linda Mintle: I am like a lot of people. I thought worry was a part of my every day life and had to be managed. But worry is not something to be managed. It is a bad habit that needs to be stopped. We can be free of worry and do not need to keep worry as our life companion. It is also important to remember that letting go of worry is something we practice with our minds and work on daily. So rather than feel guilty when worry pops up, accept God’s grace, and intentionally cultivate a worry free life. This is only possible because of our relationship with God. Without God, you should worry!
Christina Jonas Kennedy: Was there a specific incidence that spurred you to write this book, or had it been an ongoing thought?
Dr. Linda Mintle: I’ve wanted to write a book on this topic for years because it is personal for me. I’ve had experiences that I could use to justify worry—my mom had cancer twice, one of my brothers was hit on his motorcycle and almost killed, my other brother was killed from a terrorist bomb on an airplane and I struggled with infertility for seven years. These experiences create an awareness of feeling out control and are a set up for worry. Thus, worry became a natural default for my family. Yet, I knew God’s word and the instruction to be anxious about nothing.
Christina Jonas Kennedy: Was the prime idea of Letting Go of Worry your first idea for your book, or did your thoughts transform during the duration of writing your book into something that you hadn’t foreseen at the beginning?
Dr. Linda Mintle: That is an interesting question because I usually write a book thinking I know exactly what I want to say. But I was surprised by how definitive Jesus is about the subject of worry. There is no wiggle room in His words. In Luke 21:14 Jesus tells his disciples to make up their minds not to worry. He basically says don’t do it. Worry is evidence of doubt. I came to the conclusion that if I intentional allow worry in my life, I am sinning—a very difficult concept for me since worry comes easily. I know God’s grace is there to help and that He wouldn’t tell us to do something that is impossible to do. But I was personally challenged to make changes in my own life.
For the rest of this interview, click here.