How to Keep Your Inner Mess From Trashing Your Outer World: Creating Peace from Your Inner Chaos

by Bill Giovannetti

This shrewd and joyful book will help believers-at any stage in their spiritual journeys-encounter the real power of grace afresh.

256 pages, Paperback

First published October 24, 2008

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

While there have been scores of books written to help Christians deal with “the flesh” as it is referred to in the Bible (many of which are listed under “Recommended Readings” at the back of the book), I thought that Inner Mess was thoroughly original in its approach. The whole premise of the book is the concept that we humans have many aspects or characters that make up our personage that are “dedicated to doing what Jesus wouldn’t do.” These shady characters collectively make up the Inner Mess. Giovannetti’s goal in part one is to help readers recognize each Inner Mess character and understand the emotions, traumas, fears, etc. that give that character the gumption to “trash your outer world.” I found this method of distinguishing each fleshly personality as separate but related to the others to be much more practically helpful than the conventional view that typically globs all aspects of the flesh into one giant vat of Ugly and expects believers to clean up the entire mess in one fell swoop.

I also appreciated the author’s grace-saturated Part Two presentation on how to deal with the Inner Mess. It provides a clear, practical strategy that leaves no room for self-induced legalism and guilt or abdicating responsibility for sinful thoughts and actions.

Giovannetti’s writing is well organized and highly readable. He interjects a lot of humor, which is especially welcome in a book on such a weighty topic. The author also uses storytelling liberally to illustrate concepts. In fact, at the beginning of each chapter he tells a segment of a story featuring Scott, a bus driver who has to deal with a rowdy bunch of riders and the chaos they create. I’m usually pretty disciplined about peeking ahead in a story, but I have to admit I was tempted to skip ahead when Scott knocked out the felon and the punk pulled out a gun and… Well, you’ll just have to read it for yourself.

Overall, this was an excellent book which I would recommend to anyone who has ever shared the sentiment of the Apostle Paul when he said, “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.”

[Sparker4]

This is the pastor from the Church in Redding we attended, I look forward to reading it.

[Rachel lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super Book! Gave me lots to think about and ponder on.

[Bill Giovannetti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yep, my book, I wrote it, in spite of my inner demons. Hope you like it and the website at http://www.innermess.com. Thanks.