Now more than ever, life is a lot more complicated. At least it feels that way. From the COVID-19 pandemic to the Black Lives Matter movement to the upcoming presidential election – we have a lot to think about. If you are like me, you are feeling overwhelmed. Levi Lusko’s new book, Take Back Your Life couldn’t have come at a better time.

Instead of creating a book full of pithy sayings and “you can do it” chants, Lusko has developed a tool box to help people like me to get out of my own way and change my life. Take Back Your Life is “a 40-day interactive journey to thinking right so you can live right.” The chapters are short and easy to read even for those who “hate to read.” But what the chapters lack in word count, they pack a punch.

“Thank you, Jesus, for a seat at your table and for a giving me the power to win the war against the version of me I don’t want to be,” says Lusko on his dedication page. The book is broken down into six weeks which each address a different subject:

Each chapter in Levi’s book is filled with great stories and examples to get you going for that day, prayer and a “Breathe, Think and Love” section with questions you can challenge yourself throughout the day. It’s a simple book to get through and there will be those who will want to rush through it, but there is no reason to do so. Although this “map” is the same for every reader, each person’s journey will be different.

“Fight to take back your life,” says Lusko. “No substitute can fight these battles for you. No one can walk with God on your behalf. Either you drop to your knees and pray, love and serve other people, or you don’t. It’s the small choices that no one but you will know about that will lead you to the live that everyone wants.”

You may be surprised to learn that Levi enjoys writing about all kids of different subjects to use as illustrations in his book. In the very first chapter, “Hiding in Plain Sight,” Lusko talks about the FBI’s #2 most-wanted criminal, 60 Minutes, cats, Instagram, Thor and his brother Loki and the first person on earth – Adam. This is good news for people like myself who appreciate a lot of pop culture references. But there is a lot of scripture quoted here as well. This isn’t a “feel-good” book that is all light and fluffy. It’s written for real people with some chapters making a bigger impact than others. The easy part is the reading. The hard part is doing the actual work. Think of Lusko as a coach cheering you on.

This book isn’t really a new idea. It is the result of years of preaching and what the author learned from writing his three previous books, Through the Eyes of a Lion, Swipe Right and I Declare War. The book is sort of a collection of notes and unpublished pieces from those works. Where the man found the time to write them is beyond me. Lusko is the founder and lead pastor of Fresh Life Church (located in Montana, Wyoming, Oregon, and Utah), he is the husband of Jennie and the father of four kids.

Take Back Your Life will challenge you and when you get through the 40 days, chances are good that you’ll want to go through them again. You can read a sample chapter of the book here and see for yourself.