Out of the Dark: My Journey Through the Shadows to Find God's Joy
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- Create Date：2022-03-17 02:19:38
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Mandisa
- ISBN：1954201001
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Summary
Grammy award-winning music artist Mandisa tells an inspiring story of peaks and valleys， trials and joys， wins and losses。 Through her gripping narrative， she shows that our choice to trust God can not only overcome our need to understand why bad things happen， but can help us to embrace a life of joy and freedom。 Out of the Dark is Mandisa's exploration of the journey she's taken from when she first became a Christian， to her rise as an American Idol finalist and receiving multiple Grammy and Dove Award nominations， as well as the dark and challenging times she experienced along the way。 She writes personally and openly about the hardships she has faced and the way she felt betrayed by God， but also about how God has brought her out of the valley into His glorious light。 Along the way， she also shares her struggles in learning how to love her body and care for her health。 Just as Mandisa's Grammy-award winning song "Overcomer" was topping the Contemporary Christian Music charts， her friend for whom "Overcomer" had been written passed away。 After losing this close friend to cancer， despite years of prayers on her behalf， Mandisa descended into depression， isolating herself and turning to her familiar friend， food， for comfort。 Throughout Out of the Dark， Mandisa uses her experiences to address the following themes: The pain of grief and loss Surviving abuse Embracing true beauty and a healthy body image Coping with severe depression Healthy--and disordered--eating The role of faith in hope and healing Letting go of shame Following your unique calling and passion How friends and family are crucial for healing The challenges of 2020， including protecting mental and emotional health while navigating a public health crisis; quarantining; and coping with racial injustice Trusting God daily for hope and healing In the darkness， Mandisa knew God was there -- but she wondered if she could trust Him。 Even at her lowest point where she saw no human way forward， God was at work， powerfully redeeming her story and calling her out of the dark。 Mandisa tells her story with warmth and vulnerability， challenging us all to focus on God's purpose for our lives， surround ourselves with friends who will fight for us， and face life's challenges with courage and faith。 If you've ever found yourself in a dark place as the result of grief， depression， or loss， Mandisa's story will reassure you that even when you're walking through dark valleys， God can and will lead you on a path to joy and hope。
Reviews
Ruth
，
Mandisa bares her soul in this new memoir as she recalls the ups and downs of her relationship with God， music and food。 She does not hold back in describing the deep darkness she succumbed to following the death of her best friend。 Thank goodness for friends who did not give up on her。 Mandisa is truly an inspiration。 Thanks to NetGalley and K-Love Books for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy。
Eunice R
，
I'd say that Mandisa is first and foremost a great woman of faith in Jesus Christ and cherishes her relationship with Him。 This she articulates in her songs， several of which， are co-authored with others。 Her song lyrics have a very "Psalms" feel to them and have great potential for touching the heart in deep places。 Being able to read the background from which Mandisa's songs spring， helps give a reality check for "getting real" with God and relationships with others， even for the listener， rea I'd say that Mandisa is first and foremost a great woman of faith in Jesus Christ and cherishes her relationship with Him。 This she articulates in her songs， several of which， are co-authored with others。 Her song lyrics have a very "Psalms" feel to them and have great potential for touching the heart in deep places。 Being able to read the background from which Mandisa's songs spring， helps give a reality check for "getting real" with God and relationships with others， even for the listener， reader and singer of her songs。 I found this Out of the Dark author to be very honest and believe her testimony is exactly what many of us need to hear。 Those faltering in their faith because of trauma， health issues， or those struggling with mental health should all find Mandisa's memoir of great value。I really appreciated that this singer-songwriter and book author has chosen to illustrate her thoughts with Bible stories and verses， assisting her readers to connect at premium meaningfulness as she drives her meaning home with greater impact， understanding and insight。Being a person who prefers the more staid， traditonal music， this new-to-me， avenue of song took me by surprize。 As each song was introduced in the book， I went and listened to it。 Although some of the music was not my preferred genre， I did love "Good Morning" and " Bleed the Same"。 In fact， this latter one really hits in the gut especially knowing the background of events that most of us would， not so long ago， have seen or heard of in the news， if not experienced firsthand on the street。 No matter how dark our lives my get， Mandisa tells of her survival， and of the mercies of her Lord and Heavenly Father of compassion， which are new every morning。 Herein， lies hope。At the end of each book chapter is a section called， "Get Real" where pertinent "think about it" questions are delineated for the reader to ask his or herself。 Take action however and wherever necessary to bring yourself out of the dark with Jesus' help and with those He puts in your life community to be as "real" and whole as possible this side of Heaven。 ~Eunice C。， Reviewer/Blogger~ December 2021Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher。 。。。more
Leslie
，
I loved Mandisa’s Out of the Dark: My Journey Through the Shadows to Find God’s Joy。 Out of the Dark is Mandisa’s personal testimony of how she was in the “deep dark” of depression and how God brought her through。 Mandisa shares what led up to the “deep dark”， what she did while she was in the “deep dark”， and the wake-up call that made her persevere through the “deep dark”。 Mandisa shares her story unafraid and to give others hope。I loved how raw and real Mandisa was in her testimony and held n I loved Mandisa’s Out of the Dark: My Journey Through the Shadows to Find God’s Joy。 Out of the Dark is Mandisa’s personal testimony of how she was in the “deep dark” of depression and how God brought her through。 Mandisa shares what led up to the “deep dark”， what she did while she was in the “deep dark”， and the wake-up call that made her persevere through the “deep dark”。 Mandisa shares her story unafraid and to give others hope。I loved how raw and real Mandisa was in her testimony and held nothing back。 I loved how Mandisa saturated her writing with the Word of God， showing us Hope in the middle of the struggle。 On a personal note， as one who has went through depression and still perseveres through anxiety and panic attacks almost daily， I appreciated what Mandisa said about counseling and how she chose her counselor。 It was very similar to the way I chose mine and I am thankful that I was not alone in that aspect。Reading Out of the Dark， you are reading a testimony of a woman who has went through it and survived。 Surviving doesn’t mean you went through it unscathed， but that your relationship with God is stronger。 I believe that you will be encouraged reading Out of the Dark: My Journey Through The Shadows to Find God’s Joy。I would like to thank NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this book。 All thoughts and opinions are my own。 My review is also on Goodreads and my blog， Leslie's Library Escape。 。。。more
Kasia Hubbard
，
Mandisa， oh Mandisa， you ARE an Overcomer！ I have heard of Mandisa being on American Idol， but did not know of her journey before that。 What a story of a girl of just following her dreams。 Not that any story ever told doesn't include heartache， doubting yourself， and some really really hard blows that come your way。 I love the song lyrics at the beginning of each chapter， the scripture sprinkled throughout， and even the reflective questions at the end of each chapter as well。 Mandisa is extremel Mandisa， oh Mandisa， you ARE an Overcomer！ I have heard of Mandisa being on American Idol， but did not know of her journey before that。 What a story of a girl of just following her dreams。 Not that any story ever told doesn't include heartache， doubting yourself， and some really really hard blows that come your way。 I love the song lyrics at the beginning of each chapter， the scripture sprinkled throughout， and even the reflective questions at the end of each chapter as well。 Mandisa is extremely transparent of her journey from low points to stardom。 I mean， hello， she's Mandisa ladies and gentlemen。 And while that isn't where her focus should be， neither should it be ours， but because of her stardom， she also has a bigger platform to influence more people for good。 Mandisa， keep being who you are。 That's why we love you。 *I received a copy of this book from NetGalley。 This review is my own opinion* 。。。more
Val （pagespoursandpups）
，
Ever since I saw Mandisa's entrance on American Idol， I have loved her！ To me， she defines a "glowing spirit"。 Her songs are uplifting and full of hope。 When I saw this book that talks about her struggles along with her victories， I immediately requested a copy。This book is such a great reminder that the person we "show" the world， is not always the person we are。 We are all dealing with issues - lack of confidence， questioning faith， depression， financial， job related， family related and so man Ever since I saw Mandisa's entrance on American Idol， I have loved her！ To me， she defines a "glowing spirit"。 Her songs are uplifting and full of hope。 When I saw this book that talks about her struggles along with her victories， I immediately requested a copy。This book is such a great reminder that the person we "show" the world， is not always the person we are。 We are all dealing with issues - lack of confidence， questioning faith， depression， financial， job related， family related and so many others - but we rarely show that side to others。 We tuck that away and so many times feel obligated to only show the positives。。 In a world filled with social media accounts highlighting success， beauty and perfection， it's hard to not compare your life with others'。 Mandisa does a wonderful job of walking us through her journey to follow her passion for singing and finding a way to make her passion and her work the same thing。 I loved when she recounted how God plants seeds for us to find if we will pay attention。 Had she not followed up on the name "Lifeway" seeming implanted in her mind， she would not have applied for a job there， met people pivotal to her journey and joined the Christian instruction industry which led her to performing and eventually trying out for American Idol（AI）。 As someone who "met" Mandisa on AI， I was enamored with her behind the scenes experience and stories of that time。In each chapter she shares experiences， bible verses and song lyrics。 I watched YouTube videos of the collaborations she talks about and listened to the songs she references with new understanding。 To understand the emotion behind a song is just a gift。 There were so many lines that stood out to me that I highlighted to refer back to。"Guilt is different from shame。 Guilt is seeing the sinful thing you have done; shame is seeing yourself as a failure because of it。"This book was exactly what I hoped it would be。 It reinforced my love for Mandisa。 I loved her honesty - the way she showed the reader her insecurities and her struggles with faith， food and confidence felt so heartfelt。 I took away so much information because it was presented in a non-preachy way。 Not once did I feel like God's words were thrown at me， rather， they were presented to me on a platter to decide if I wanted to partake or not。So very grateful to have had the chance to digest this book。 Thank you so much to NetGalley and K-love books for the advance copy to read and review。Pub date: 3。15。22 。。。more
Barbara Powell
，
I’ve been a fan of Mandisa for many years。 I admire her fun personality at concerts and online so this was an eye opening look behind the scenes and the highs and lows of her life and how they affected her walk with God。 We always think of celebrities having no problems， but Mandisa was open in expressing her very dark lows of depression that so many of us deal with。 God never said our walk with Him would be easy， but He did say that it would be worth it。 I appreciated her vulnerability in telli I’ve been a fan of Mandisa for many years。 I admire her fun personality at concerts and online so this was an eye opening look behind the scenes and the highs and lows of her life and how they affected her walk with God。 We always think of celebrities having no problems， but Mandisa was open in expressing her very dark lows of depression that so many of us deal with。 God never said our walk with Him would be easy， but He did say that it would be worth it。 I appreciated her vulnerability in telling her story and each chapter is filled with scripture references and bible stories that relate to what she was going through at the time， and that most of us can relate to at one time in our life or another， along with a few questions at the end of the chapter as a way to look back on what you just read。 This was raw and inspiring and not “preachy” but definitely “teachy”“It’s not a story about Mandisa， really， it’s a story about a big God who has changed one woman’s life in unbelievable ways”Thanks to K-LOVE Books， the author and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my review。 。。。more
Leslie McKee
，
I've been a fan of Mandisa's since American Idol， so I was excited to read this one。 The book is heartfelt， and Mandisa is transparent about her struggles with depression and food addiction。 She is relatable， which isn't always the case with celebrities。 Her struggles will likely resonate with many readers。 I like the fact there are discussions questions， which could make this book a good option for a small group study。Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy， but I wasn't required to leave a I've been a fan of Mandisa's since American Idol， so I was excited to read this one。 The book is heartfelt， and Mandisa is transparent about her struggles with depression and food addiction。 She is relatable， which isn't always the case with celebrities。 Her struggles will likely resonate with many readers。 I like the fact there are discussions questions， which could make this book a good option for a small group study。Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy， but I wasn't required to leave a positive review。 。。。more
Christine
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"When we proclaim to fellow Christians what God has done in our lives， it strengthens their faith and ours"This is exactly what Mandisa has done in her book， "Out of the Dark: My Journey Through The Shadows To Find God's Joy" due to be released on March 15th。After the unexpected death of a friend despite believing through prayer that she would be healed， Mandisa shuts out the God of her faith and all who would encourage her in it。She courageously shares her experience with such vulnerability， ho "When we proclaim to fellow Christians what God has done in our lives， it strengthens their faith and ours"This is exactly what Mandisa has done in her book， "Out of the Dark: My Journey Through The Shadows To Find God's Joy" due to be released on March 15th。After the unexpected death of a friend despite believing through prayer that she would be healed， Mandisa shuts out the God of her faith and all who would encourage her in it。She courageously shares her experience with such vulnerability， honesty and humility all while trying to keep the grace and mercy of God at the forefront。 If you find yourself wrestling with a God who no longer makes sense to you or just need some encouragement that there is hope， even in the darkness， you will not regret reading Mandisa's story。Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read an advance copy！ 。。。more
Brianna
，
Out of the Dark by Mandisa is a very transparent and open book。 Mandisa tells of her journey as a Christian and her life。 Mandisa opens up about the heartache she experienced as well as her troubles and tribulations。 Make no doubt though she did mention her good experiences as well。 I love how Mandisa tells of how she escaped from her pain and troubles through food。 Even when she had lost her weight， she still experienced having trouble with food。 In a way， she is telling others who experience t Out of the Dark by Mandisa is a very transparent and open book。 Mandisa tells of her journey as a Christian and her life。 Mandisa opens up about the heartache she experienced as well as her troubles and tribulations。 Make no doubt though she did mention her good experiences as well。 I love how Mandisa tells of how she escaped from her pain and troubles through food。 Even when she had lost her weight， she still experienced having trouble with food。 In a way， she is telling others who experience trouble with food and weight， myself included， that its okay and how there are others who go through the same thing and not to give up。 That can be said for just about any kind of addiction。 Another thing I love about Mandisa's book is how she includes Scripture in each chapter to help bring together the lesson or message she is telling in that chapter。 Overall， this is a good book to read for just anyone， especially those who are fans of Mandisa or Christians or just anyone in general。 Thank you K-LOVE Books， Independent Book Publishers Association （IBPA）， Members' Titles， and NetGalley for an advance read。 。。。more
Jennifer Wilder
，
I truly loved this book！ It was such an inspiring and uplifting read， I even read it in one sitting。 I wasn’t expecting that but it was exactly what I needed。 Like many others I know Mandisa from her Idol days and have followed her through her years。 It goes to show how you never know what someone is going through behind close doors。 Yet what she went through is relatable and thankfully becoming less and less taboo because of people like her speaking out。 She boldly talks about her faith， music， I truly loved this book！ It was such an inspiring and uplifting read， I even read it in one sitting。 I wasn’t expecting that but it was exactly what I needed。 Like many others I know Mandisa from her Idol days and have followed her through her years。 It goes to show how you never know what someone is going through behind close doors。 Yet what she went through is relatable and thankfully becoming less and less taboo because of people like her speaking out。 She boldly talks about her faith， music， mental health and especially the current racial events happening in the world。 This book is for everyone needing a lift， wanting to feel like they have a friend in a book and an encouraging read。 Thank you NetGalley for the arc！ 。。。more
Chenita
，
I absolutely loved reading this book。 Mandisa was very real and transparent with her readers and we really appreciate it。 Her vulnerability will let her readers know that their experiences with questioning their faith can happen to all Christians。 I felt like I was truly on her journey with her while reading her story。 Too often we get told we aren’t being “Christian enough” or made to feel like something is wrong with us if we have mental or emotional struggles。 Mandisa’s story is similar to ma I absolutely loved reading this book。 Mandisa was very real and transparent with her readers and we really appreciate it。 Her vulnerability will let her readers know that their experiences with questioning their faith can happen to all Christians。 I felt like I was truly on her journey with her while reading her story。 Too often we get told we aren’t being “Christian enough” or made to feel like something is wrong with us if we have mental or emotional struggles。 Mandisa’s story is similar to many and this coming from one of the top CCA is very timely。 I am also glad to know a little more about her， my favorite parts were her true experience on American Idol and the grace she showed Simon on national TV。 That was definitely God working through her。 Losing her BFF Kisha wrecked me and her journey through all of it was real and raw。 Her victory out of the darkness and the love from her friends， I just loved all of it。 We all go through it famous or not and Ms。 Disa kept everything so real。 I highly recommend this memoir。 This was a 5* read。 Thank you to K-LOVE Books， Independent Book Publishers Association （IBPA） and NetGalley for the EArc and the chance to review it！ 。。。more
Kaitlin
，
I have followed Mandisa since her days on American Idol （which she shares about in this book）， and I have always admired her talent， faith， and vulnerability。 She has shared her highs and lows before， but this book ties everything together in a way that feels more complete。 From song lyrics， to Bible scripture and stories， to personal anecdotes， and reflection questions， Out of the Dark shares Mandisa's story in way that is truly authentic to who she is。 I laughed and cried my way through this b I have followed Mandisa since her days on American Idol （which she shares about in this book）， and I have always admired her talent， faith， and vulnerability。 She has shared her highs and lows before， but this book ties everything together in a way that feels more complete。 From song lyrics， to Bible scripture and stories， to personal anecdotes， and reflection questions， Out of the Dark shares Mandisa's story in way that is truly authentic to who she is。 I laughed and cried my way through this book。 Although， I am personally not sure where I stand with my faith and religion， I very much enjoyed this raw look into Mandisa's unfinished journey。 。。。more
Dawn
，
Mandisa’s honesty and openness about her struggles were touching。 It is a big step to share， but Mandisa takes it a step further and discusses how she is making sure her recovery stays on a healthy path。 Her story about her time on Idol and how God used it in her own words is a strong point in the title。 Over the years， I have heard and read about it， yet in her words it sunk in deep。Take the time to read this title it will be worth it。
Angela~
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This was a good book by Mandisa。 She is writing about herself and things she has struggled with since being on American Idol。 She writes about losing a very best friend， Kisha。 She couldn’t understand why God took her and Kisha so young and had little children。 She writes how God brings her out of the dark during these times， because she went low into the darkness。 Very inspirational and beautiful for her to bear her soul the way she has in this book。 Thank you to #NetGalley and the publishers， This was a good book by Mandisa。 She is writing about herself and things she has struggled with since being on American Idol。 She writes about losing a very best friend， Kisha。 She couldn’t understand why God took her and Kisha so young and had little children。 She writes how God brings her out of the dark during these times， because she went low into the darkness。 Very inspirational and beautiful for her to bear her soul the way she has in this book。 Thank you to #NetGalley and the publishers， for the opportunity to read and review #OutOfTheDark with my own thoughts and opinions。 。。。more
SaraFair
，
Seldom do we want to discuss our weaknesses or times when we could not stand up to the world’s standard。 But that is exactly what Mandisa has done in her memoir Out of the Dark: My Journey Through the Shadows to Find God’s Joy。 In a brave and open manner， Mandisa carries us back through her life’s highs and lows， explaining her innermost thoughts along the way。 Explaining how God and His Word got her through it。 The author shows us her early life and how she became a Christian。 Then she describe Seldom do we want to discuss our weaknesses or times when we could not stand up to the world’s standard。 But that is exactly what Mandisa has done in her memoir Out of the Dark: My Journey Through the Shadows to Find God’s Joy。 In a brave and open manner， Mandisa carries us back through her life’s highs and lows， explaining her innermost thoughts along the way。 Explaining how God and His Word got her through it。 The author shows us her early life and how she became a Christian。 Then she describes the education and conditions that led her to be a Grammy award winning Christian artist。 Even including an insult that was broadcast around the country。 Mandisa has a way of using scripture that is quite motivational。 She gives so many relatable examples of dark times in her life leaving her to wonder “why me” or “should I give up here”？ Then she shows us that the answers were right there all along， in God’s promises。 What a giving person to announce all her issues so that we can glean hope from the ways that she has found her help through God。 I highly recommend this to those that are dealing with mental and physical roadblocks。 I also recommend to those who want to be ready for when they happen in the future。 Thank you to NetGalley for a free ecopy of this book， given for an honest review。 。。。more
Gretchen Garrison
，
We all go through hard times。 Just because a person is famous does not mean he/she is immune to struggles。 When suffering comes our way， we all have different reactions。 For Mandisa， she chose to hide away and to seek solace in food and in television。 I appreciate her candor in sharing what took her down that path - one she thought that she was free from。 When a friend died after being diagnosed with cancer， Mandisa took the loss very hard。 Working through that took time， and she did not always We all go through hard times。 Just because a person is famous does not mean he/she is immune to struggles。 When suffering comes our way， we all have different reactions。 For Mandisa， she chose to hide away and to seek solace in food and in television。 I appreciate her candor in sharing what took her down that path - one she thought that she was free from。 When a friend died after being diagnosed with cancer， Mandisa took the loss very hard。 Working through that took time， and she did not always process her grief well。For me， there are some important takeaways from this book。1） In this world， you will have trouble。 Rather than hiding， we need to deal with our issues and our losses。 After Mandisa was on the right path again， the pandemic started。 She took purposeful steps to make sure that she did not spiral again。 Coping is not automatic。2） We need friends to hold us accountable。 Her friends knew she was spiraling。 They did not let her stay there。 They were persistent in reaching out。 Because she had developed strong relationships during the good times， those people were there for her during the hard times。 We need community。 We are not meant to do life alone。3） Just because you follow God does not mean you will not get depressed。 Mandisa talked about her faith all of the time。 She still wanted to walk away when God did not deliver。 We all can falter。 Help is available。 I appreciate that Mandisa was honest about her suicidal thoughts。 God loved her anyway and chose to provide a way for her to climb out of her personal darkness。 Not everyone can do that。 But hopefully this book will inspire those who are struggling to seek help。I think if you are a fan of Mandisa's music， you will appreciate this book even more。 All of the chapters start with the lyrics of one of her songs。 But she does explain her story and how she became a noted musician， so if you are just "meeting" her， you will still be able to follow along。 I do recommend this book because it is hopeful even in the midst of moments of despair。 There are Bible verses aplenty， but the book feels full of life lessons rather than of sermons。I read a copy of this book through NetGalley。 I requested it for review purposes。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
Lauren
，
This was a very heartfelt and honest memoir。 Fans of Mandisa will definitely enjoy this。 I appreciated how open Mandisa was about her pain and struggles。 This covers some hard topics， but her writing was very encouraging。 The thoughtful discussion questions at the end of each chapter could make this good for a book club。Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC！
Lisa
，
Thank you to Mandisa for sharing her struggle and how she has used God's Word to help her overcome her struggles。 She expressed many different struggles so many of us face and it was inspiring to hear how she came through it at the end。 After reading this， I feel that I know a little more about her and like her more and more。 Thank you K-LOVE Books， Independent Book Publishers Association （IBPA）， Members' Titles， and NetGalley for an advance read。 Thank you to Mandisa for sharing her struggle and how she has used God's Word to help her overcome her struggles。 She expressed many different struggles so many of us face and it was inspiring to hear how she came through it at the end。 After reading this， I feel that I know a little more about her and like her more and more。 Thank you K-LOVE Books， Independent Book Publishers Association （IBPA）， Members' Titles， and NetGalley for an advance read。 。。。more
Mrs ELL
，
I really enjoyed reading ‘Out of the Dark: My Journey Through the Shadows to Find God’s Joy’ by Mandisa。 Before reading this book I didn’t think I’d heard of Mandisa but I do know [and love] her song ‘Press On’ from the movie ‘War Room’。 This book is an inspiring， encouraging， honest and heartbreaking recollection of Mandisa’s life [so far]。 Her journey covers her vulnerability with emotional eating; Simon Cowell’s derogatory comments during American Idol; her crisis of faith/dying faith after l I really enjoyed reading ‘Out of the Dark: My Journey Through the Shadows to Find God’s Joy’ by Mandisa。 Before reading this book I didn’t think I’d heard of Mandisa but I do know [and love] her song ‘Press On’ from the movie ‘War Room’。 This book is an inspiring， encouraging， honest and heartbreaking recollection of Mandisa’s life [so far]。 Her journey covers her vulnerability with emotional eating; Simon Cowell’s derogatory comments during American Idol; her crisis of faith/dying faith after losing her very close friend; self-imposed isolation and other mountaintop and valley experiences。 It’s a rollercoaster of a journey。 Mandisa’s light shines brightly for God。 I can [so much] relate to emotional eating and isolating at home， hiding away， not praying or reading the Word of God， not going to church and watching way too much TV instead。 I also do this。 I think many of us do and it’s reassuring to know that we’re not alone。 The shame and guilt it brings can be unbearable。 Reading this book felt like a good friend was holding my hand and guiding me through her faith journey。 The questions at the end of each chapter were thought-provoking and I enjoyed reflecting on them。 Overall， a very encouraging book。 Especially for people who are emotional eaters or those having a crisis of faith， those who [like me] cut off from others when they hurt and feel ashamed。I received a temporary e-ARC of ‘Out of the Dark: My Journey Through the Shadows to Find God’s Joy’ by Mandisa from Netgalley。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
Heather
，
This was a “quick” read， but WOW was it still impactful！ Mandisa’s music has been playing on the soundtrack of my life for many years & seasons now， but I still really appreciated this “behind-the-scenes” view of her life！ From her early childhood up until present-ish （~2020/21） day， she gives you a raw and real （see TW’s below） look at how the Lord has worked in her life - in the high highs， the low lows， and the everyday moments - & there was so much I didn’t know！ Though this book is mainly f This was a “quick” read， but WOW was it still impactful！ Mandisa’s music has been playing on the soundtrack of my life for many years & seasons now， but I still really appreciated this “behind-the-scenes” view of her life！ From her early childhood up until present-ish （~2020/21） day， she gives you a raw and real （see TW’s below） look at how the Lord has worked in her life - in the high highs， the low lows， and the everyday moments - & there was so much I didn’t know！ Though this book is mainly focused on sharing the story of the Lord’s presence in HER life， I loved how Mandisa included the “Getting Real” section at the end of every chapter （which were creatively named after some of her songs - so fun！）。 Each prompt was very thought-provoking， for just yourself as a reader or possibly a small group chat， & helped me to process the info and apply the Truth。 Overall， I really enjoyed this book & think it could be an encouragement for any reader…if they at least give it a chance！ It felt like coffee with a friend， and was a sweet reminder that the Lord is always for us & at work in our lives…even on the dark days！！！ Mandisa， thank you for being vulnerable & sharing your “scar story”， & for always pointing us back to Jesus and His Light！！ TW: death （a friend & an infant）; contemplation of su*cide[Thank you to NetGalley & K-LOVE Books for the advanced e-copy that I was given access to， in order to read/freely review！] 。。。more
Jenaye White
，
I so appreciate Mandisa’s honesty and transparency in sharing her journey。 Very well written and engaging， I read it in just a few sittings。 I loved her first book Idol Eyes and appreciate how this follows up and tells the “since then。。” part of her story while not shying away from the hard parts。 This would be great for book clubs and discussion groups with the Getting Real questions at the end of each chapter。
Michelle Kidwell
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Out of the DarkMy Journey Through the Shadows to Find God's Joyby MandisaPub Date 15 Mar 2022 K-LOVE Books， Independent Book Publishers Association （IBPA）， Members' Titles Biographies & Memoirs | Christian | Religion & Spirituality I am reviewing a copy of Out of the Dark through K-Love Books， Independent Publishers Association and Netgalley:Out of the Dark is Mandisa’s exploration of the journey she’s taken from when she first became a Christian， it also speak of her rise as an American Idol f Out of the DarkMy Journey Through the Shadows to Find God's Joyby MandisaPub Date 15 Mar 2022 K-LOVE Books， Independent Book Publishers Association （IBPA）， Members' Titles Biographies & Memoirs | Christian | Religion & Spirituality I am reviewing a copy of Out of the Dark through K-Love Books， Independent Publishers Association and Netgalley:Out of the Dark is Mandisa’s exploration of the journey she’s taken from when she first became a Christian， it also speak of her rise as an American Idol finalist and receiving multiple Grammy and Dove Award nominations， as well as the dark and challenging times she experienced along the way。 In Out of the Darkness Mandissa tells her story with warmth and vulnerability， challenging us all to focus on God’s purpose for our lives。 She calls readers to surround themselves with friends who will fight for and with them and to face life’s challenges with courage and faith。While in the darkness Mandissa knew God was there — but she wondered if she could trust Him。 Even at her lowest point where she saw no human way forward， God was at work， powerfully redeeming her story and calling her out of the dark。I give Out of the Dark five out of five stars！Happy Reading！ 。。。more
Lisa
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Wow， wow， wow。。。what inspiration。 What a true raw story that Mandisa shares her life story for God's glory。 So much in this book is where we live as Christians。 Fighting the good fight of faith。 Falling flat on our faces， but learning to get back up and turn back to God。 I couldn't stop reading！ Spell bound。 This is my honest review for a book received from Netgalley。 Wow， wow， wow。。。what inspiration。 What a true raw story that Mandisa shares her life story for God's glory。 So much in this book is where we live as Christians。 Fighting the good fight of faith。 Falling flat on our faces， but learning to get back up and turn back to God。 I couldn't stop reading！ Spell bound。 This is my honest review for a book received from Netgalley。 。。。more
Cassie
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Out of the dark is a great look into the deep and dark parts of life that， as Christians， we tend to push down。 Mandisa has been outspoken in mental health and how damaging it can be， this book follows that vein。 Mandisa had me tearing up from the start。 Her openness about her struggles was very relatable。 I feel that anyone can read this book and walk away with a different feeling。 But the underlying feeling I got was the love of God that Mandisa radiates。
Cassondra Perea
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I loved this book！ Five stars simply isn’t enough！！！！I would recommend this book to everyone I know who has struggled with their mental health and physical appearance！！！！ If this is you， run don’t walk to get a copy。 It is a difficult thing to be a Christian and face issues such as those Mandisa discusses in her book。 I have found that when talking to other Christian’s they can tend to question my faith or the ever favorite， pray it away。 However， Mandisa， having gone through them herself admits I loved this book！ Five stars simply isn’t enough！！！！I would recommend this book to everyone I know who has struggled with their mental health and physical appearance！！！！ If this is you， run don’t walk to get a copy。 It is a difficult thing to be a Christian and face issues such as those Mandisa discusses in her book。 I have found that when talking to other Christian’s they can tend to question my faith or the ever favorite， pray it away。 However， Mandisa， having gone through them herself admits Christians will struggle in their life on earth。 In fact， some of the trials Christians face may never go away as they are our “thorns in our flesh” like Paul wrote about。 She preached the word of God honestly throughout the entire book without casting judgment or alienating her audience。 I read this as an e-book and I will asking for this as a gift or buying it myself so I can reread in a season of darkness。 I also want a physical copy so that I can highlight and take notes！ There is too much gold in this book to not delve deeper。 This will now be my go to gift for friends who I know have struggled and or are struggling in these areas。Special thanks to K-Love Publishers and NETGALLEY 。com for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my pure honesty。 You will never truly understand what this book means to me！ 。。。more
Daniel Rose
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I’m so thankful I received an ARC of this book！ Mandisa is one of my top favorite Christian singers。 I followed her on American Idol and have been a fan ever since。 Mandisa gets very real with this book。 She doesn’t hold back on her battle with depression， her struggle with her weight as well as the pandemic and racial issues。 It’s all in here and it all points back to how God uses everything for His glory and good for us。 We don’t always see it when we are going through it but God uses everythi I’m so thankful I received an ARC of this book！ Mandisa is one of my top favorite Christian singers。 I followed her on American Idol and have been a fan ever since。 Mandisa gets very real with this book。 She doesn’t hold back on her battle with depression， her struggle with her weight as well as the pandemic and racial issues。 It’s all in here and it all points back to how God uses everything for His glory and good for us。 We don’t always see it when we are going through it but God uses everything， good and bad， for our good。 Thank you Mandisa for this book。 Please make sure you read this book when it releases March 15th！ 5 stars！！ 。。。more
Angela Payne
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Memoirs are one of my favorite genres to read so I was excited to dive in to Mandisa’s narrative about her rise to fame， her struggles and her victories。 Out of the Dark was beautifully written with so much honestly and vulnerability and it proved to be a powerful story of God’s redemptive work in the life of a broken vessel and how He can turn our ashes into beauty when we allow Him to do so。 I found myself very drawn into Mandisa’s story and I believe that it can be used as a beacon of hope fo Memoirs are one of my favorite genres to read so I was excited to dive in to Mandisa’s narrative about her rise to fame， her struggles and her victories。 Out of the Dark was beautifully written with so much honestly and vulnerability and it proved to be a powerful story of God’s redemptive work in the life of a broken vessel and how He can turn our ashes into beauty when we allow Him to do so。 I found myself very drawn into Mandisa’s story and I believe that it can be used as a beacon of hope for many others as they go through various struggles of their own。 。。。more
Vonda
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In， Out of the Dark， Mandisa openly shares her struggles with depression after the death of a very close friend。 In this day and time， it’s fairly safe to say everyone has been affected by depression。 This book is for anyone and everyone。 Any believer in Jesus faced with unanswered prayers or disappointments in life will relate to Mandisa’s story of running from and then eventually facing and wrestling through those difficulties with God。 In Mandisa’s case， she had prayed and believed that God w In， Out of the Dark， Mandisa openly shares her struggles with depression after the death of a very close friend。 In this day and time， it’s fairly safe to say everyone has been affected by depression。 This book is for anyone and everyone。 Any believer in Jesus faced with unanswered prayers or disappointments in life will relate to Mandisa’s story of running from and then eventually facing and wrestling through those difficulties with God。 In Mandisa’s case， she had prayed and believed that God would heal her friend from cancer。 When He did not， she had to deal with the resulting pain and disappointments and reestablish her trust in Him。 You will also get a peek into how God led Mandisa into music which opened the door for her to sing with Beth Moore’s ministry and eventually led to her audition on American Idol。 In chapter 8， Mandisa explained how she visualizes taking her hurts to Jesus at the tomb。 He places 7 colored scarves around her neck clothing her with compassion， kindness， humility， gentleness， patience， forbearance， and forgiveness。 This was a beautiful depiction of God’s love and care in the midst of her hurts。 She said， “This technique helps me make the choice to leave the heaviness that I often carry at the feet of Jesus。” Jesus can always bring beauty from pain。 Mandisa’s stories are a testament to His goodness in her life。 When we surrender our lives into His hands， He does something beautiful。 I love how Natalie Grant said it in the forward， “We don’t need a quick fix; we just need Jesus。”I received an arc copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion。 。。。more
Sue
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I had never heard of Mandisa until she was on American Idol。 I don't watch the show， but I heard about her response of forgiveness when Simon made fun of her weight。 I've heard a few of her songs on the radio since then， but I've never known much about her as a person until I read Out of the Dark。What an inspirational story she has！ From a regular girl struggling to find her identity and place in the world to American Idol fame and a recording contract only to fall into depression and doubt at t I had never heard of Mandisa until she was on American Idol。 I don't watch the show， but I heard about her response of forgiveness when Simon made fun of her weight。 I've heard a few of her songs on the radio since then， but I've never known much about her as a person until I read Out of the Dark。What an inspirational story she has！ From a regular girl struggling to find her identity and place in the world to American Idol fame and a recording contract only to fall into depression and doubt at the height （so far） of her fame。 Mandisa tells her story with honesty but not scandal。 The questions she wrestles with are the same questions everyone struggles to answer。 Mandisa is a Christian， but she doesn't throw out platitudes about the difficulties she faces and doesn't back away when life circumstances cause doubt。 I really enjoyed this book。There are discussion questions at the end of each chapter that would make this book an excellent choice for a book club or for members of a bible study to read together。Appropriate for all readers。Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of the book。 My opinion is my own。 。。。more
Julia
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