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Jamie Ivey releases new book with Thomas Nelson: Why Can’t I Get It Together?

WHY CAN’T I GET IT TOGETHER? — THE LATEST BOOK BY TOP-CHARTING PODCAST HOST & BESTSELLING AUTHOR JAMIE IVEY — ENCOURAGES READERS TO EXCHANGE THE WAY THINGS ARE “SUPPOSED TO BE” FOR A LIFE FAR MORE FULFILLING

Known for meaningful conversations about life and faith on her popular podcast, The Happy Hour (45.5 million downloads), Jamie Ivey brings the same transparency to the page in her latest book, where she reminds readers they aren’t alone in wanting “better,” but first they have to give up the pursuit of perfection. 

“Ivey strikes a relatable tone that will easily earn readers’ trust. Her steadfast reassurances to ‘chase holiness rather than looking or feeling like you have it together’ resonate. This will be a balm to stressed-out believers.” – Publishers Weekly

_________________________________________________________________

(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) November 28, 2023 —“I always thought the older I got, the more I’d have my life in order,” admits Jamie Ivey, host of one of the fastest-growing podcasts, The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey, and author of the forthcoming title, Why Can’t I Get It Together? (2/13/24, HarperCollins).

That revolving door of “I know better but I can’t seem to do better” can get the best of anyone. Who hasn’t said, “I should be over this by now”? Who hasn’t been discouraged at falling into the same traps, the same old habits, the same struggles for perfection or control over things beyond our grasp?

As Jamie Ivey freely admits in this book, the struggle is all-too-real sometimes. Yet her newest title presents a welcome opportunity—one that she has personally experienced: the opportunity to escape the cycle of shame and frustration and open the door to a new path. A path that leads to greater peace and a surprising sense of personal satisfaction.

Sharing honest stories of her own relatable struggles—from marital conflicts to parenting challenges to physical insecurities—Jamie Ivey understands the flawed perceptions that keep people from living in the present moment and enjoying life as it’s meant to be enjoyed. For example, she writes, “When it comes to taking care of my body, I wonder how everyone on Instagram makes it look so easy. Do they wake up every morning and choose to drink water all day? Somehow they get to the gym five times a week and still have a job and family and friends. I can’t figure it out. No carbs? No sugar? No dairy? No fun! It’s hard to find what makes me feel good and doesn’t just push me toward wanting to look good. My body insecurities keep creeping up while I’m just trying to be healthy!”

The popular pattern of trying to “get it together” is essentially to embark on a hopeless quest. We have to exit the revolving door, she says, in order to find a new path. And what Ivey has discovered in her own journey is how much better it is to spend one’s energy on embracing the transforming power of God’s love versus spending it in the strive for the ideal.

Our own efforts to get it together in areas we have no control over, says Ivey, will “never move the needle to a better future because it has nothing to do with us or anything we can do. You don’t always have to give in to what the world, your family, or your own self declares is the way things are ‘supposed’ to be. God desires goodness and joy for us. [He] went to great lengths to offer you and me the best good news ever.”

To help move that needle toward joy and away from perpetual frustrations, Ivey guides readers through an examination of six critical areas of their lives:

  1. Past and Present Hurts
  2. Obligations
  3. Needs
  4. Desires
  5. Expectations
  6. Responsibilities

This inventory can then be used to map out what “getting it together” means for each person.

Ivey’s credibility on the subject matter stems from her breadth of experience as a writer, speaker, mother, wife, and podcast host. Her immensely popular podcast, boasting 4.5 million downloads and over 600 episodes, has become a gathering place for meaningful conversations about life and faith. Ivey’s ability to share raw, redemptive stories from her own life, coupled with her gift for delivering God-empowering messages, has garnered her a dedicated and diverse following.

Her fans and new readers alike will be relieved to give up the futile pursuit of perfection and redefine what it means to fully embrace themselves from a divine point of view and gain a personal definition of self-satisfaction that is achievable for them. Why Can’t I Get It Together? offers valuable insights on such relevant topics as:

  • How to get clear on your reality and shatter the illusion of the ideal
  • How to deal with the areas of life that seem stubbornly out of your control
  • How to put an end to the unhealthy spiral of self-shaming
  • How to set healthier expectations that won’t damage your sense of satisfaction
  • How to take steps toward a life of chasing holiness

Jamie’s latest work is a fresh reminder that we are all in this together, and there are rewarding ways to enjoy life for exactly what it is.

Why Can’t I Get It Together?: Kick Unrealistic Expectations to the Curb and Rest in God’s Truth will be available everywhere books are sold on February 13, 2024. Learn more at www.jamieivey.com/get-it-together. Subscribe to Jamie’s podcast, The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey, on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or other streaming services. Follow Jamie Ivey on social media @jamieivey on Instagram, @jamie_ivey on X (formerly Twitter), and @TheJamieIvey on Facebook. To learn more about Jamie, visit www.jamieivey.com/read.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: JAMIE IVEY is the creator and host of the popular podcast, The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey, a central gathering place for talking about life and Jesus, which boasts 45.5 million all-time downloads and 600+ episodes. Jamie is an author who shares gospel truths with raw, redemptive stories from her life. She loves to deliver God-empowering messages to women. Jamie and her husband, Aaron, live in Austin, Texas, with their four teenagers and two dogs.

ABOUT THE PUBLISHER: THOMAS NELSON is a world-leading publisher and provider of Christian content, providing readers with quality inspirational products for more than 200 years. With over 250 new, original books and Bibles published each year and distributed in more than 100 countries, translating content into more than 65 different languages, Thomas Nelson is committed to one central mission: inspiring the world by meeting the needs of people with content that promotes biblical principles and honors Jesus Christ. As part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., the publishing group provides multiple formats of award-winning Bibles, books, gift books, cookbooks, curricula, and digital content. Thomas Nelson is headquartered in Nashville, TN. For additional information, visit ThomasNelson.com.

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