If you only knew …

We all have stories that begin with “If you only knew …” and continue with what we did or said or thought or wished or prayed. The thing is, our stories are different, but really they’re the same. Sure, the circumstances and details vary from person to person, but the guilt and shame and pain that follows these “If you only knew …” stories is the same.

Jamie Ivey vulnerably told her story that includes heartbreak, loss, and redemption in her new book “If You Only Knew: My Unlikely, Unavoidable Story of Becoming Free.” It officially releases Jan. 30.

“Our stories themselves are not what’s actually keeping us from being as free as we wish. When seen through the eyes of the gospel, our stories are not obstacles to our freedom; they are actually the key to unlocking it. … It’s by owning and revealing your story that God can shine light on Jesus through you.”

– Jamie Ivey in “If You Only Knew”

Y’all, this book is real. It’s Jamie’s story, but her words brought my own story to the surface and allowed me to surrender more of it to God for his glory.

About the book

Guarding our stories and struggles is exhausting. Fear of being found out had causes people to hide — but in doing so we aren’t just covering flaws, but we also block the beauty of God’s grace. Jamie’s journey to real freedom began when she quit running from my mess and started trusting Jesus to make something beautiful of it.

This book is that story. It’s stepping out of shame and insecurity into gospel freedom. It’s letting God turn our failures and frailties into testimonies of His faithfulness. Jamie discovered that when we quit hiding, God gets the glory and we are able to fully embrace not only our relationship with Him but also with one another.

Transparency brings freedom, and in every moment, we’ll find that God can absolutely be trusted.

“If You Only Knew” is a 240-page hardcover book published by B&H Books (Jan. 30, 2018). Learn more about the book’s website.

About the author

Jamie Ivey believes in women and wants big things for them. She wants them to know and believe their worth in this world and to the Father. Through her podcast, The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey, she uses a raw and intimate approach to connect with her audience. Jamie’s prayer and hope is for God to use her words to encourage and show others that they are not alone, while constantly pointing them to Jesus.

Jamie and her husband, Aaron, worship pastor at The Austin Stone Community Church, live in Austin, Texas with their four kids and two dogs.

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I’m on the launch team for “If You Only Knew” and received an advanced PDF copy to read after I pre-ordered the book myself. These opinions are my own, and this is the kind of book you’d find me talking about here regardless of whether I was officially on a launch team.