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Book Review – Restore by Vince Antonucci
Vince Antonucci pastors Verve, an innovative church that seeks to reach people who work on and live around the Las Vegas Strip. The television series God for the Rest of Us chronicles Vince’s work there. In addition to being an author, Vince leads mission trips around the world, speaks nationwide, and performs stand-up comedy in Las Vegas.
Wow. That’s quite the combination of a resume, right?!
I was intrigued to read Vince’s book, Restore, as he presents the book as “rehab for the rest of us.” He explains the benefits of rehab but acknowledges that most people don’t have issues that warrant attending formal rehab. Or simply their isn’t a specific program for the issue you are struggling with.
For example your not going to find rehab for gossiping, lying, binge watching Netflix, being judgmental, etc.
As a therapist, I have a strong appreciation for the benefits that rehab and 12-step programs can provide.
The problem
Restore is broken up into six steps and breaks the chapters up into 30 days as most rehab programs are 30 days.
Vince starts the book by helping you pinpoint and identify the problem and issue you are struggling with.
Very early into the book you will realize that Vince writes with humor. There were multiple times that I chuckled out loud because of the random comments and jokes that he adds as footnotes.
I found this enjoyable. I think it is important that we are able to laugh. Laugh at ourselves and laugh at situations around us. I think the use of humor also helps nonbelievers and new-believers become a part of Christianity.
That being said, if humor is not your thing, you might struggle with this book.
Step One: I can’t; God can
Step one addresses how desire, motivation, and will power won’t help get over your issue. I think we can all attest to New Year’s resolutions that were made with the best of intentions but very quickly fell flat.
Vince also discusses how faith in God alone also won’t help us get over our issues. Why? Because we were created for action.
Restore provides a great illustration of Moses and the stick God provided him. It was just a stick until God allowed it to be a tool for Moses to use to provide miracles. But it wasn’t the stick that was doing the miracles. It was God’s power through the stick.
We are the same. God has given us gifts and talents that we can use as tools to help our situations. But we must remember it’s not simply the talents that will help us towards healing but rather focusing on God and acknowledging that He gave us those talents.
Step Two: Because I’m God’s child, I give my life to His will
Step two focuses on three important points.
One – what you do is determined by what you think of you. This is such a true statement that I see time and time again in my therapy office as well as in my own life. We can become fixed in the way we live based upon how we view ourselves. If you believe you are a failure – you will be a failure. You need to change and alter your thoughts about yourself before you are going to be able to change your behaviors.
Two – what we believe about ourselves is largely based upon what we have been told about ourselves. This can be a painful chapter as Vince asks you to think of and write the messages you have received about yourself over the course of your life. While painful, this is an important step to then being able to alter those thoughts.
Three – your true identity is as a child of God! That is the most beautiful news, right?! And so often we forget this.
Step Three: I ask God to help me own and release my past
Vince presents the concept of taking a “moral inventory” of habitual sins and the damage they have caused others. This is the act of acknowledging your part in your past. Restore focuses on how everyone has had hurtful and potentially even abusive things happen to them. However, we have to move beyond the victim stance to own the behaviors we have since done. It is not until we own those behaviors will we believe we have the ability to change them.
Step Four: With God’s help, I always forgive and ask to be forgiven
Vince steps through what forgiveness is and isn’t and the how to forgive. This is a powerful step that I believe would be beneficial for anyone. If for no other reason, I think Restore is worth reading just for Vince’s explanation and examples of this step!
Step Five: I stay connected to God and others
I greatly appreciated step five as Vince discusses the science of the brain and how we become habitual creatures. (I know, the therapist gets giddy about brain conversations.)
This is why attempting to change simply based off of will and/or desire doesn’t work. Our brain will work against us and sooner or later win. Vince takes this step to walk you through ways to create new brain connections and “prime your brain” by focusing on God and utilizing scripture memorization.
Step five also discusses the importance of staying connected with others through this healing process.
Vince also has a website TheRestoreCommunity.com to engage with other people on the journey to restore. The website has videos that go along with each chapter of the book as well as a PDF journal for reflection questions, Scripture passages, and activities.
Step Six: I seek to get others connected to God
Step six focuses on our job, as Christians, to bring others to connect with God. He discusses the selfless act of helping others for the sake of glorifying God and how ultimately that also benefits us.
The end of the book also discussed how to continue the process even after the 30-days to have lasting healing and hope.
Restore also includes a short discussion guide for each step.
Disclaimer: I was given a free copy of this book by Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.
For more of my book reviews check out posts on Transforming Grace, Trust Protocol, Anatomy of an Affair, A Life Long Love, The Five Love Languages, Curious Faith, Captivating, and Made to Crave.
I hope you enjoyed the review and have found yet another book to add to your reading wish list!
God bless!
Melissa
It’s actually sounds like a possible read. I like the six steps you shared from the book and I do believe God is able to help us heal from personal life issues. After all he is our healer. However I do know sometimes we need to walk out that healing through rehab. That’s why he gave man wisdom for this process.
Yes, it is a good read. There needs to be the coupling of focusing on God and His forgiveness and grace, along with our own actions to change behavior and thought patterns. If you choose to read, I hope it blesses you! Thank you for stopping by! God bless!
It’s actually sounds like a possible read. I like the six steps you shared from the book and I do believe God is able to help us heal from personal life issues. After all he is our healer. However I do know sometimes we need to walk out that healing through rehab. That’s why he gave man wisdom for this process.
I love, love, love the concept of this book!! Thanks for sharing about it!!
I really enjoyed it and appreciated the combined use of a 12-step program with faith and trust in God. I hope you enjoy it! God bless!
This looks like another great book! I love the tips you’ve listed…I will be adding this to my ever-growing book list!
Mine is ever-growing as well! We need more bookcases in our house! 🙂
So interesting! I hosted a pastor who often visits rehab centers. He runs an inner healing center and the rehab centers have begun to beg him to come because Jesus makes such a difference in the lives of the patients.
Yes, so often therapy alone doesn’t work. But also, God without action on our part is not always good either. We need Him but are called to do our part. Thank you for sharing your experience. God bless!
“what we believe about ourselves is largely based upon what we have been told about ourselves. ” This is such an important point. Sometimes we don’t even realize what we believe about ourselves . Self-discovery is healing in and of itself. This book sounds really great.
Self-discovery is so important. Often times that is the journey I take with my therapy clients. Until they understand what they believe about themselves and where it came from or got rooted, they aren’t going to be able to move beyond it. Thank you for stopping by and sharing your insights. God bless!
This sounds like a great book for anyone, not just people with a specific life area to overcome. I love the point that we can’t, but God can. So often we feel as if we’re failing, but it’s because we haven’t asked God to come in and help us! Thanks for this review!
Yes! We can’t but God can was a point I appreciated a lot too. I can start out thinking, “I’ve got this – and very quickly I realize I absolutely do not!” But God!