What do you think?
Rate this book
Spiritual Wisdom for a Happier Life: How Your 8 Key Emotions Can Work for You
There are eight basic human emotions that all people experience--hurt, guilt/shame, anger, anxiety, sorrow, fear, happiness, and love. We might believe we make sense of our lives by thinking through our experiences, but neuroscience shows that the part of our brains that processes emotions is many times faster than the part where logic and reason hold sway. It's the way God created us, but if we do not develop wisdom for handling our feelings, we may find that our emotions continue to get the best of us.
Thankfully, the Bible is full of guidance about our emotions. With keen insight into human psychology and a gift for drawing wisdom for life from Scripture, Dr. Mark Baker shows readers how they can find comfort and promote emotional health in their lives. Anyone experiencing distress in their relationships or struggling with overwhelming emotions or even traumatic events will find clear biblical help and healing, leading them to a happier, more fulfilled life.
Thankfully, the Bible is full of guidance about our emotions. With keen insight into human psychology and a gift for drawing wisdom for life from Scripture, Dr. Mark Baker shows readers how they can find comfort and promote emotional health in their lives. Anyone experiencing distress in their relationships or struggling with overwhelming emotions or even traumatic events will find clear biblical help and healing, leading them to a happier, more fulfilled life.
- GenresChristian Living
400 pages, Paperback
Published October 3, 2017
2 people are currently reading
321 people want to read
About the author
Mark W. Baker
7 books10 followersDr. Baker received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and Master's Degree in Theology from Fuller Seminary, and has received a Certificate in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy from the Southern California Psychoanalytic Institute. He is licensed as a Psychologist and Marriage and Family Therapist in California, and has served as an ordained minister. Dr. Baker is the Executive Director of the La Vie Counseling Centers with offices in Pasadena and Santa Monica, which has been serving the Los Angeles area for over thirty-five years. Dr. Baker is a frequent lecturer on the topics of spirituality and emotional heath on radio, television and churches, and his best selling book Jesus- The Greatest Therapist Who Ever Lived has sold over 2 million copies and been published in several languages around the world.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 23, 2017
Dr. Baker has written a book that blends real life challenges with scripture to help equip you with the tools you need to overcome what life throws at you and live a happier life overall. While you cannot control or change your circumstances you can choose how you want to live and thrive. This book is written in a way that is easy to understand with step-by-step guides that are easy to follow but provides outstanding payoffs. A great read for anyone who is struggling with loss or heartbreak.
October 20, 2017
For once, I truly feel overly critical of a book. I hate giving bad reviews. As much as I want to see the positives in Mark Baker's book Spiritual Wisdom for a Happier Life if I had it my way I wouldn't pick this book up. I chose to read the book due to its title. I knew nothing of Dr. Mark W. Baker until this book. Don't get me wrong, I know I get technical in how to come to Jesus; why we truly have a need for Him to save us from sins.
Usually, when someone writes a book, and this is totally a Benjamin H. Liles opinion here, it's not just to completely entertain but to keep us hooked. A book takes us somewhere. It should show us a great deal on the human condition, how--in the end--we become better. Even in fiction writing the character somehow changes. While there are some good things to say about Baker's book, it's not enough for me to say, "Yes, go pick up this book."
He's got some amazingly good points and fresh insight on scripture that I would never begin to grasp, but he does it in such a way that leaves you scratching your head. Let me show you what I mean. In one chapter he uses God's words written by Paul, "Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else" (1 Thessalonians 5:15, New International Version). Baker then gives us this: "Sometimes getting hurt makes you want to even the scales. You try to quantify your hurt, and then make someone else hurt in an equal amount...Because of this, you should remember that when you are hurt you are in danger of hurting others, too."
I understand Baker's reasoning for explaining things the way he does, and then providing client's stories (which he apparently got permission from them before using their lives in his book--I'm guessing), but--and another on my opinion piece--he doesn't give me much reason to want to grow. To me, he's coming across as saying, "You can do this without God's help through Jesus Christ, His Son." It may just be me on this, and if I'm wrong saying what I am, I truly am sorry. I have a problem giving a stellar review on a book I find lacking. I have to always keep it honest from my point of view. And that's the thing here...we ought to always be honest and loving. Forgive me if it seems I'm being unloving about Mark Baker's book. It isn't a reflection on him.
I know I do not know Mark Baker in the least bit. But I can say this and I will do so in the best way possible: he comes across knowledgeable, likable, and quite frankly very good-natured. My view on his book should not reflect on him in any way possible. It's not an attack on his person at all. I just don't like his writing style. With that said, I'm sure there will be some people who will feel the same way about my writing style. Some people have preferences and that's fine.
A couple of other things I want to note here: 1) it is theologically sound, in my perspective, which is a plus; 2) It's not what I expected, however, and 3) it will have a limited appeal for book lovers.
I received this book free from Revell for my feedback--my honest thoughts and opinions.
Usually, when someone writes a book, and this is totally a Benjamin H. Liles opinion here, it's not just to completely entertain but to keep us hooked. A book takes us somewhere. It should show us a great deal on the human condition, how--in the end--we become better. Even in fiction writing the character somehow changes. While there are some good things to say about Baker's book, it's not enough for me to say, "Yes, go pick up this book."
He's got some amazingly good points and fresh insight on scripture that I would never begin to grasp, but he does it in such a way that leaves you scratching your head. Let me show you what I mean. In one chapter he uses God's words written by Paul, "Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else" (1 Thessalonians 5:15, New International Version). Baker then gives us this: "Sometimes getting hurt makes you want to even the scales. You try to quantify your hurt, and then make someone else hurt in an equal amount...Because of this, you should remember that when you are hurt you are in danger of hurting others, too."
I understand Baker's reasoning for explaining things the way he does, and then providing client's stories (which he apparently got permission from them before using their lives in his book--I'm guessing), but--and another on my opinion piece--he doesn't give me much reason to want to grow. To me, he's coming across as saying, "You can do this without God's help through Jesus Christ, His Son." It may just be me on this, and if I'm wrong saying what I am, I truly am sorry. I have a problem giving a stellar review on a book I find lacking. I have to always keep it honest from my point of view. And that's the thing here...we ought to always be honest and loving. Forgive me if it seems I'm being unloving about Mark Baker's book. It isn't a reflection on him.
I know I do not know Mark Baker in the least bit. But I can say this and I will do so in the best way possible: he comes across knowledgeable, likable, and quite frankly very good-natured. My view on his book should not reflect on him in any way possible. It's not an attack on his person at all. I just don't like his writing style. With that said, I'm sure there will be some people who will feel the same way about my writing style. Some people have preferences and that's fine.
A couple of other things I want to note here: 1) it is theologically sound, in my perspective, which is a plus; 2) It's not what I expected, however, and 3) it will have a limited appeal for book lovers.
I received this book free from Revell for my feedback--my honest thoughts and opinions.
December 15, 2017
I selected to read "Spiritual Wisdom for a Happier Life: How Your 8 Key Emotions Can Work for You" by Dr. Mark W. Baker on a whim, because I've been studying up on the emotional life lately and Baker has strong credentials for speaking into this area of research. I was pleasantly surprised with the simple insights that Baker brings to communicate aspects of emotional health in ways that make sense.
This book is written like a collection of blog posts, including 91 brief essays (each about 4-5 pages on average) which explore various aspects of the 8 primary emotions in focus. These eight essential sections focus on 1) Hurt and Suffering, 2) Guilt and Shame, 3) Anger, 4) Anxiety, 5) Sorrow, 6) Fear, 7) Happiness, and 8) Love. In each essay, Baker introduces a principle (i.e. that anger is a part of grief) and then illustrates how that principle may play out in real life by telling a story of one of his clients. This method proves helpful for understanding the practical implications of how emotions affect actual lives in distinct contexts.
Overall, I recommend "Spiritual Wisdom for a Happier Life" for two contexts. First, as a leader, this is a nice resource to have on my shelf as a reference material when I'm discipling or training people who are first venturing into the realm of emotional intelligence. Second, this book could function as a good devotional for someone who would like a small reading each day. Over the course of three months, it would provide much food for thought.
My biggest criticism of this book is its title: I think it markets the book poorly. This is not just a self-help book that offers a quick fix for how to become happy. Exploring the emotional life is a lot of hard work. Dr. Mark Baker is also a credible psychotherapist--not a prosperity preacher/self-help guru type. If the expectation of a reader is to find an easy road to happiness, they will most likely be very disappointed. Rather, readers can expect a simple primer on some of the many nuances of emotion, which should be read alongside other books and explored in community. It's probably most helpful when used as extra resource material to accompany counseling.
With the right expectations, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. It well accomplishes its aim.
* A special thank you to the Revell publishing company for providing a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This book is written like a collection of blog posts, including 91 brief essays (each about 4-5 pages on average) which explore various aspects of the 8 primary emotions in focus. These eight essential sections focus on 1) Hurt and Suffering, 2) Guilt and Shame, 3) Anger, 4) Anxiety, 5) Sorrow, 6) Fear, 7) Happiness, and 8) Love. In each essay, Baker introduces a principle (i.e. that anger is a part of grief) and then illustrates how that principle may play out in real life by telling a story of one of his clients. This method proves helpful for understanding the practical implications of how emotions affect actual lives in distinct contexts.
Overall, I recommend "Spiritual Wisdom for a Happier Life" for two contexts. First, as a leader, this is a nice resource to have on my shelf as a reference material when I'm discipling or training people who are first venturing into the realm of emotional intelligence. Second, this book could function as a good devotional for someone who would like a small reading each day. Over the course of three months, it would provide much food for thought.
My biggest criticism of this book is its title: I think it markets the book poorly. This is not just a self-help book that offers a quick fix for how to become happy. Exploring the emotional life is a lot of hard work. Dr. Mark Baker is also a credible psychotherapist--not a prosperity preacher/self-help guru type. If the expectation of a reader is to find an easy road to happiness, they will most likely be very disappointed. Rather, readers can expect a simple primer on some of the many nuances of emotion, which should be read alongside other books and explored in community. It's probably most helpful when used as extra resource material to accompany counseling.
With the right expectations, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. It well accomplishes its aim.
* A special thank you to the Revell publishing company for providing a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
October 7, 2017
"Spiritual Wisdom for a Happier Life" is a book that tells deep truth about ourselves even when our circumstances are horrible. While we cannot change circumstances and we feel real human emotions, we must lean on the truth. Our emotions will lie to us, but the truth will always set us free. I love how this book is such a practical tool for anyone in the helping profession through stories, model, practical illustrations and opportunities to utilize reflective listening, the reader can learn how to better interact with people. This book will help you manage your emotions and it will help you, help others when they are going through difficult situations. The chapters are small and easy to digest, which doesn't make this book super wordy or hard to understand, which I love. Anyone can read this book, but as a Licensed Social Worker, I love this book. I really like the section on fear and that resonated with me a lot when I was reading the 9 key emotions. Overall, this is a book I will keep on my shelf and read from time to time. I give this book 4.5/5 stars. Thank you to the publishers for providing a copy. A favorable review was not required.
November 2, 2017
Spiritual Wisdom for a Happier Life is written by Mark W. Baker, PhD. The book is broken up into eight sections that deal with the key emotions we all have. Each of these sections is broken up into several small, easy to read chapters. Each of the chapters starts with a Bible verse and then the author uses his personal experiences or clients stories to bring across what he is trying to teach the reader. In these chapters the author shows the reader how to deal with these emotions to be able to heal from emotional pain. The author uses his counseling experiences to help the reader to understand and learn how to deal with emotions.
This book is well written and gives a lot of very valuable information, but I personally feel it is not written as a self help book. I feel that this is more a resource for professionals who deal with helping those struggling with problems. The author explains emotions differently that I typically would think. Some examples would be: anger is energy to solve a problem and grief is a way you make room in your heart for future love.
I received a copy of this book from Revell Publishing, this is my honest review.
This book is well written and gives a lot of very valuable information, but I personally feel it is not written as a self help book. I feel that this is more a resource for professionals who deal with helping those struggling with problems. The author explains emotions differently that I typically would think. Some examples would be: anger is energy to solve a problem and grief is a way you make room in your heart for future love.
I received a copy of this book from Revell Publishing, this is my honest review.
October 30, 2017
Spiritual Wisdom for a Happier Life: How Your 8 Key Emotions Can Work for You is a delightful Christian self-help book by psychologist Mark W. Baker. The author shows how people can better thrive in life as he explores how to deal with the emotions of hurt and suffering, guilt and shame, anger, anxiety, sorrow, fear, happiness, and love.
Spiritual Wisdom for a Happier life is a great book for those who enjoy both psychology and theology. Baker writes thoughtfully, covering his subject matters in depth. Though the content of the book is informative from a psychological standpoint, Baker wonderfully incorporates the message of God’s grace and love into the book. I liked how Baker sometimes used stories of real people to illustrate his points; the stories gave the book a warm and personal feel.
*I received this book for review*
Spiritual Wisdom for a Happier life is a great book for those who enjoy both psychology and theology. Baker writes thoughtfully, covering his subject matters in depth. Though the content of the book is informative from a psychological standpoint, Baker wonderfully incorporates the message of God’s grace and love into the book. I liked how Baker sometimes used stories of real people to illustrate his points; the stories gave the book a warm and personal feel.
*I received this book for review*
September 24, 2021
Honestly, I'm the wrong reader for Spiritual Wisdom for a Happier Life. I'm not the biggest fan of so-called self-help books. These books can come off a bit too preachy, and sadly this happens to the case for this book. There was something about the narration that was offputting, and I became bored. The Christian aspects of the eight basic human emotions were interesting, but I couldn't relate to the story examples.
In the end, I didn't like reading Spiritual Wisdom for a Happier Life. Don't get me wrong - there are plenty of good points and suggestions from the author. There are probably many readers that will love reading this and find it meaningful, but I'm not one of them.
In the end, I didn't like reading Spiritual Wisdom for a Happier Life. Don't get me wrong - there are plenty of good points and suggestions from the author. There are probably many readers that will love reading this and find it meaningful, but I'm not one of them.
September 28, 2017
This book had a brilliant writing and compelling to read with fully insight easy to understanding and had a lot of tool that can be very helpful and it rich with a stories and examples that illustrate how to learn about to heal and grow from pain and disappointment of the eight human emotions, their cause, impacts most common problem, and the healthiest way to engage all of them. I highly recommend to everyone must to read this book. “ I received complimentary a copy of this book from Revell Reads for this review”.
April 30, 2018
I am pleased I found the time to read this book. I have gleaned some more wisdom to live a happy life. Now is the hard part! To put it into practice! As always change is hard but it is worth it if it is change for the better!
June 9, 2018
Very nice book and helps a lot in opening your mindset and with spiritual wisdom of God - Faith, hope and love. Thank you! I enjoy it a lot and very useful to apply to my life too! Change my thinking and the way I act.
October 27, 2017
this book deals with emotions and how to have happy ones. It has a lot of information. The book shows you how to see the positive in everything.
December 31, 2017
Spiritual Wisdom for a Happier Life is a Christian Living book by author Mark W. Baker, PHD. Dr. Mark explains how your 8 key emotions can work for you. Each chapter begins with a Bible verse that fits that chapter.
The 8 key emotions people feel every day:
* Hurt and Suffering
* Guilt and Shame
* Anger
* Anxiety
* Sorrow
* Fear
* Happiness
* Love
This book helped me in knowing that I am not alone in my feelings. When I would have certain feelings I would question my faith. Now I know even Christians have these emotions. As Christians we must learn to go to Jesus with these thoughts and emotions, knowing that He understands.
It is my pleasure to be able to review this book and I recommend author Mark W. Baker, PHD. to Believers, Seekers, and Unbelievers.
Disclaimer: "I was provided a free copy of this book. All opinions are my own."
The 8 key emotions people feel every day:
* Hurt and Suffering
* Guilt and Shame
* Anger
* Anxiety
* Sorrow
* Fear
* Happiness
* Love
This book helped me in knowing that I am not alone in my feelings. When I would have certain feelings I would question my faith. Now I know even Christians have these emotions. As Christians we must learn to go to Jesus with these thoughts and emotions, knowing that He understands.
It is my pleasure to be able to review this book and I recommend author Mark W. Baker, PHD. to Believers, Seekers, and Unbelievers.
Disclaimer: "I was provided a free copy of this book. All opinions are my own."
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews