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The Wisdom of Your Heart: Discovering the God-given Purpose and Power of Your Emotions
Christians believe many myths about Emotions lead you astray. Emotions aren’t spiritual. And the biggest God is not emotional.
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The truth is emotions are a God-given source of wisdom when we know how to interpret them. Marc Alan Schelske
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The Wisdom of Your Heart provides a path for listening to the spiritual insights that your emotions offer every day.
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The truth is emotions are a God-given source of wisdom when we know how to interpret them. Marc Alan Schelske
Ìý Ìý
The Wisdom of Your Heart provides a path for listening to the spiritual insights that your emotions offer every day.
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304 pages, Paperback
First published February 18, 2025
36 people are currently reading
491 people want to read
About the author
Marc Alan Schelske
6Ìýbooks59ÌýfollowersMarc Alan Schelske writes about life at the intersection of grace and growth. He hosts The Apprenticeship Way podcast and writes about nurturing a healthy inner life. He serves as the pastor of Bridge City Community Church and lives in Portland, Oregon. You can find him and more writing at .
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
August 28, 2018
When I found out about Marc's book, I wasn't sure what to expect. I hadn't read any of his writing before. However, the concept of the heart intrigued me. Then, I realized the book dealt with emotional health as it ties to spiritual growth and I knew I had to read it. As I dug in, I was blown away by the content.
Marc begins by revealing part of his journey as it relates to stuffed emotions, which is something I relate to. I imagine many of us can, though sometimes we don't know we're doing it until they come out in various external behaviors or physical symptoms.
He addresses various myths Christians have about emotions as well as the physiological impact. This opens the door for continued understanding about emotions and the role they play. He underscores the theology of God as an emotional God and eventually dispels the myths with solid insight and truth.
TWOH provides in depth guidance for uncovering what your emotions say and reveal. By working through some of the questions and the processes, the reader may identify damaging belief systems and learn how to break unhealthy cycles.
Finally, Marc talks about the truth of various emotions which we'd rather do away with. In my opinion, this section is very encouraging for anyone who feels they've failed by living with with fear, anger, etc. The reader may find relief and hope. I did.
So far, TWOH is my top book pick for 2017.
Marc begins by revealing part of his journey as it relates to stuffed emotions, which is something I relate to. I imagine many of us can, though sometimes we don't know we're doing it until they come out in various external behaviors or physical symptoms.
He addresses various myths Christians have about emotions as well as the physiological impact. This opens the door for continued understanding about emotions and the role they play. He underscores the theology of God as an emotional God and eventually dispels the myths with solid insight and truth.
TWOH provides in depth guidance for uncovering what your emotions say and reveal. By working through some of the questions and the processes, the reader may identify damaging belief systems and learn how to break unhealthy cycles.
Finally, Marc talks about the truth of various emotions which we'd rather do away with. In my opinion, this section is very encouraging for anyone who feels they've failed by living with with fear, anger, etc. The reader may find relief and hope. I did.
So far, TWOH is my top book pick for 2017.
December 22, 2017
***scripture based book on emotions and how emotions are part of being made in God's image***
Marc Alan Schelske, writer, speaker and teaching elder at Milwaukie, Oregon’s Bridge City Community Church considers himself a “recovering fundamentalist who drinks tea and rides motorcycles.� That midlife discovery came after he had come to the “end of his rope� because of feelings of “emotional disconnectedness and emotional immaturity.�
Through an insightful therapist, journaling and God’s help that led to understanding and healing Marc regained a “stable footing� and writes about how emotions and spiritual maturity are connected in “The Wisdom of Your Heart.� Where he explores myths about emotions, spiritual maturity and the “God-Given Purpose and Power of Your Emotions� the subtitle of his new release.
Accepting the concept that emotions and spiritual life were connected had at first offended Marc when he read Pete Scazzero’s book, “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality.� Where the author wrote, “It is not possible to be spiritually mature while remaining emotionally immature.�
Marc totally disagreed, he considered himself a spiritually mature adult. He had been raised in a faith community by wise and loving conservative Christian parents and it wasn’t until he entered the “second half of life� that he questioned his own “spiritual and emotional health.� Those questions prompted him to look at previous “painful experiences and assumptions that had proven untrue, misconceptions about God, even precious habits that turned out to be anything but life giving.� That’s when he realized Scazzero was right, “spiritual growth requires facing emotional brokenness.�
The book begins with Marc leaving a church board meeting feeling unheard, judged and crushed. He had pastored the church for over ten years and felt like a failure but, like he always did, he was determined to “work harder to solve� those feelings of inadequacy. Until he found himself gripping the car steering wheel like it was a life preserver, “unable to hold back a surging wave of tears.� That’s when he recognized he “needed help.�
Thus, begins Marc’s “…journey of emotionally maturing in Christ...,� an intense and practical journey that taught him “…spiritual growth requires facing emotional brokenness.�
The book includes seventeen scripture based chapters divided into four parts; Marc’s story, an “unexpected Bible story,� the purpose of your emotions and “how to hear God in your emotions.� Chapters end with insightful questions to reflect on and pray over. Marc says the message of the book is that emotions are a “God-given gift, they have elements of truth and contain enormous personal insight, “even into your relationship with God.�
The book would be excellent for anyone who struggles with fear, anger, grief, anxiety, insecurity and more to explore “emotions from the context of Christian teaching,� to foster an understanding that emotions are also a part of being made in God’s image, an integral part of who God created us to be.
‘The Wisdom of Your Heart: Discovering the God-Given Purpose and Power of Your Emotions,� by Marc Alan Schelske, David C. Cook, 2017, 304 Pages, 978-0781414517, $16.36
“Gail’s Bookshelf� Midwest Book Reviews: "December 2017"
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Marc Alan Schelske, writer, speaker and teaching elder at Milwaukie, Oregon’s Bridge City Community Church considers himself a “recovering fundamentalist who drinks tea and rides motorcycles.� That midlife discovery came after he had come to the “end of his rope� because of feelings of “emotional disconnectedness and emotional immaturity.�
Through an insightful therapist, journaling and God’s help that led to understanding and healing Marc regained a “stable footing� and writes about how emotions and spiritual maturity are connected in “The Wisdom of Your Heart.� Where he explores myths about emotions, spiritual maturity and the “God-Given Purpose and Power of Your Emotions� the subtitle of his new release.
Accepting the concept that emotions and spiritual life were connected had at first offended Marc when he read Pete Scazzero’s book, “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality.� Where the author wrote, “It is not possible to be spiritually mature while remaining emotionally immature.�
Marc totally disagreed, he considered himself a spiritually mature adult. He had been raised in a faith community by wise and loving conservative Christian parents and it wasn’t until he entered the “second half of life� that he questioned his own “spiritual and emotional health.� Those questions prompted him to look at previous “painful experiences and assumptions that had proven untrue, misconceptions about God, even precious habits that turned out to be anything but life giving.� That’s when he realized Scazzero was right, “spiritual growth requires facing emotional brokenness.�
The book begins with Marc leaving a church board meeting feeling unheard, judged and crushed. He had pastored the church for over ten years and felt like a failure but, like he always did, he was determined to “work harder to solve� those feelings of inadequacy. Until he found himself gripping the car steering wheel like it was a life preserver, “unable to hold back a surging wave of tears.� That’s when he recognized he “needed help.�
Thus, begins Marc’s “…journey of emotionally maturing in Christ...,� an intense and practical journey that taught him “…spiritual growth requires facing emotional brokenness.�
The book includes seventeen scripture based chapters divided into four parts; Marc’s story, an “unexpected Bible story,� the purpose of your emotions and “how to hear God in your emotions.� Chapters end with insightful questions to reflect on and pray over. Marc says the message of the book is that emotions are a “God-given gift, they have elements of truth and contain enormous personal insight, “even into your relationship with God.�
The book would be excellent for anyone who struggles with fear, anger, grief, anxiety, insecurity and more to explore “emotions from the context of Christian teaching,� to foster an understanding that emotions are also a part of being made in God’s image, an integral part of who God created us to be.
‘The Wisdom of Your Heart: Discovering the God-Given Purpose and Power of Your Emotions,� by Marc Alan Schelske, David C. Cook, 2017, 304 Pages, 978-0781414517, $16.36
“Gail’s Bookshelf� Midwest Book Reviews: "December 2017"
Google+GailWelborn
Pinterest: GailWelborn
Twitter: @GailWelborn
FaceBook: Gail Welborn
FaceBook Reviews: Gail Welborn
November 22, 2017
“Your emotions are made in God’s image,� states Marc Alan Schelske at the beginning of his book. For some Christians, this can be a difficult truth to wrestle with. It was for Schelske. In this book, Schelske takes the reader down his own road of discovery that emotions are a God-given source of guidance that can be used to deeper our understanding of self, others, and God.
I’ve so appreciated reading the author's nuggets of wisdom over the years that he’s shared on his blog, and so I began reading "The Wisdom of Your Heart" with confidence that I would find a better understanding of God within its pages. And I did. But, more than that, I resonated deeply with his story, his upbringing, and his struggle with emotions. As I read, I felt I was on the journey with Schelske, and we were discovering together a new-found understanding of God, of self, and of relationships. That, I think, is one of the marks of a great writer: when they can make you feel as if you are on the journey with them, even though in reality, they have found the path first through hard work and sometimes pain, and cleared the way for you to follow, to learn, and to discover.
I’ve so appreciated reading the author's nuggets of wisdom over the years that he’s shared on his blog, and so I began reading "The Wisdom of Your Heart" with confidence that I would find a better understanding of God within its pages. And I did. But, more than that, I resonated deeply with his story, his upbringing, and his struggle with emotions. As I read, I felt I was on the journey with Schelske, and we were discovering together a new-found understanding of God, of self, and of relationships. That, I think, is one of the marks of a great writer: when they can make you feel as if you are on the journey with them, even though in reality, they have found the path first through hard work and sometimes pain, and cleared the way for you to follow, to learn, and to discover.
May 8, 2017
Well, it's the book that grew from my own very painful life experiences and lessons learned. I hope it's helpful to people. I'm proud of the work.
February 17, 2019
The Wisdom of Your Heart is the guide I had wanted for many years.
Early in life, I had learned to stuff my emotions until I was pretty numb. Although a great therapist helped me with a major breakthrough, I still had work to do. This book enabled me to see where I still needed to grow emotionally in order to mature spiritually, and provided solid, practical steps for the next portion of my journey. Especially important for me: really digging into the understanding that God has all the emotions we do, but how he expresses them is only from love.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. I guarantee that that time you invest reading this book will be repaid many times over.
Early in life, I had learned to stuff my emotions until I was pretty numb. Although a great therapist helped me with a major breakthrough, I still had work to do. This book enabled me to see where I still needed to grow emotionally in order to mature spiritually, and provided solid, practical steps for the next portion of my journey. Especially important for me: really digging into the understanding that God has all the emotions we do, but how he expresses them is only from love.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. I guarantee that that time you invest reading this book will be repaid many times over.
September 12, 2017
Most of my adult life has been spent in the charismatic Christian world, where we would like to think we are comfortable with emotions, outward displays of fervency and passion, etc. And yet... somewhere along the line, I still didn't actually know what my emotions were, or what they meant, or how they affected me. Marc's book breaks down the very nature of emotions, their purpose and structure, and how they move us to action. He explains that all emotions have truth to tell us, but that it's often not the truth we are expecting to hear. I laughed and cried throughout the book, as I discovered a message of peace, hope and love. My emotions are not sinful, they are not defective, they are not a liability; they are God's great gift to me, and I can choose the actions that I take, I do not live at the whim of my emotions (but I can learn from what they have to say to me).
If you enjoyed Keep Your Love On, by Danny Silk, but want to go deeper, then this is for you. If you're interested in cognitive development, but don't feel like reading Dan Siegel, then this is for you. If you have ever struggled to understand your emotions in any way, shape or form, then this is for you.
If you enjoyed Keep Your Love On, by Danny Silk, but want to go deeper, then this is for you. If you're interested in cognitive development, but don't feel like reading Dan Siegel, then this is for you. If you have ever struggled to understand your emotions in any way, shape or form, then this is for you.
September 16, 2017
I have been an avid reader my whole life, in the past decade, I've read a lot of nonfiction Christian books. Nothing I had read thus far was helpful in sorting though the emotional rollercoaster I have felt the last year: loss, ministerial burnout, rejection, and resurfacing of ignored emotions. I found myself searching out secular books about our brain's responses to emotion. As I read, I wondered how to reconcile what I was learning with what I knew about God. Marc's book has done that for me. It was a Godsend, exactly what I needed in my emotional and spiritual life. This book is full of fresh ideas and practical next steps. I believe this book is a must read for anyone who wants to be a healthy member in the body of Christ. I bought my copy on Amazon, and I am so glad I did. If you are considering purchasing this book, I would definitely encourage you to so. You will be glad you did.
September 26, 2017
This is a Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ win review. I really liked this book. My life is up and down all the time. My faith in God goes up and down because I cannot see his plan for me. My emotions change way more often than I would like. So this book gave some insight on how to be better in my faith and facing challenges.
December 21, 2017
There is a stereotype that men shouldn’t show emotion. But as a woman, I was raised showing any “negative� emotion, i.e. anger, sadness, disappointment was wrong. (As if any emotion should be labeled as “negative�)
Schelske tackles emotion as a God given gift. He’s right. The Bible is FULL of emotion, full of mens� emotions. Emotions are just as important to our health as our temperature. We need to listen. We need to be aware.
The book is full of personal story, scripture reference, emotional maps, and reflection questions. A great solo read, this would also be a perfect book/study for groups. If everyone involved in ministry absorbed this book’s contents, churches may look like the compassionate bodies they claim to be.
Schelske tackles emotion as a God given gift. He’s right. The Bible is FULL of emotion, full of mens� emotions. Emotions are just as important to our health as our temperature. We need to listen. We need to be aware.
The book is full of personal story, scripture reference, emotional maps, and reflection questions. A great solo read, this would also be a perfect book/study for groups. If everyone involved in ministry absorbed this book’s contents, churches may look like the compassionate bodies they claim to be.
January 19, 2019
This book is written for Christians who want/need to move beyond a "transactional" spiritual life to a walk which is alert to one's God-created heart. A premise often repeated in this Pastor's processing is that "your emotions always tell the truth". I would qualify that. However, the way he develops a careful, God-involved evaluation of what is really happening with your emotional life is thoughtful. I read Peter Scazzero's treatment of this same topic a couple years ago and found it not as insightful-but maybe that was then for me as I am on my own wholesome journey. Schelske quotes Scazerro quite a bit; but this treatment goes further I think: doing a really good job detailing the signals that basic emotions reveal. He explains how we get to narratives that drive behavior, wether for good or ill, and shows a better way forward. Here's just one quote I highlighted: "What started as an attempt to make the sadness hurt less ends up numbing our ability to feel anything... Each pull of the cord narrows our view through the window" With Jesus' revealing and guiding help we can and must live full lives loving Him and others with our body, mind soul and full-beating heart.
June 7, 2018
loved. thanks Marc for your honesty and knowledge
June 2, 2019
Like many Christians, I have struggled with where and how my emotions fit with my faith. For a long time I had trouble even recognizing my emotions, because I had always thought of myself primarily as a thinking person, not a feeling person. In my 30's, I learned to recognize my emotions better, and to see that even the "negative" emotions could help me gain insight into my situation and give me energy to change things that needed to be changed. But I never really put those ideas into practice a whole lot. I tend to try to ignore negative emotions because they seem to just make things worse as I dwell on what's bothering me. This book provides information and steps to follow to really understand what is going on when we feel emotions, positive or negative. I'm still not sure what I think about some of what Schelske says about the emotional content of joy and love in the Scriptures, as opposed to the teaching I am used to, that they are choices rather than feelings. But he gives a lot of food for thought on these subjects.
March 2, 2019
An excellent resource for dealing with emotions. Far too many Christians don't face their emotional state, or worse, believe that their hearts are something to be distrusted and ignored. Here Marc Alan Schelske not only makes the case that emotions are an essential aspect of our humanity but also our Christianity. Having emotions is actually a reflection of the image of a God who is Himself emotional. The author also demonstrated how to process one's feelings and emotions in such a way to get to find the wisdom they are telling us or trying to tell us. I especially liked his interpretation and explanation of the oft-quoted Jeremiah 17:9 as well as his take on agape love and how compassion and emotions are connected to agape love. I will be returning to this gem often. 5 stars easily!!
March 7, 2019
This is the book I wanted to write! I'm so glad Marc Alan Schelske wrote it. There is such a need for this book in the marketplace. Too many people have been given bad teaching about emotions, which has led them to suppress and ignore their feelings, leaving them emotionally crippled. This book is a thorough primer on the topic of emotions and emotional health. It's easy to read, engaging, informative, and entertaining. I've referred to it often and recommended it more times than I can count. I highly recommend The Wisdom of Your Heart.
June 29, 2019
Fact - Faith - Feeling
I was taught to ignore my feelings if they contradict facts of faith. This is a very rational approach. I found myself shutting down emotionally in the church environment because there is no theology of emotions or teaching on how to listen to them. I love this book because the author is vulnerable about his journey toward emotional maturity. He explains how to explore emotions and listen to the wisdom of your heart.
I was taught to ignore my feelings if they contradict facts of faith. This is a very rational approach. I found myself shutting down emotionally in the church environment because there is no theology of emotions or teaching on how to listen to them. I love this book because the author is vulnerable about his journey toward emotional maturity. He explains how to explore emotions and listen to the wisdom of your heart.
May 12, 2022
So good. If you have trouble knowing how to process your emotions, this book is for you. I am a deep feeler, but grew up thinking intense emotions were bad, so I didn't know why God gave us emotions. This book has helped me to make peace with my emotions and learn how to walk through them practically and learn what God is trying to show me through those emotions. If you don't feel deeply or don't recognize your emotions easily, this book is super helpful as well.
June 5, 2019
We’re I a person that you know, someone you admire, trust, and respect, I would urge you to read this book, and you would. Since I am not, I still urge you to read this book, and should you, I will gain from you some admiration, trust and respect, because you will find it valuable and helpful. You, I am confident, will gain far more than I in the bargain.
December 31, 2020
Very helpful book! Loved how the author explained how emotions aren't bad, but we do need to understand how to notice and name them in order to discover God-pleasing responses to them. I loved the insight that our emotions often tell a greater truth about ourselves, especially what our heart idols might be.
June 29, 2021
This is a wonderful book and I can't say enough good things about it. As someone who had a pretty lacking education in emotions growing up, this book taught me so much. It is one I will revisit again and again as there is a wealth of information here.
I want to start using the journaling method he describes. His website has a ton of resources which I'll be driving into as well!
I want to start using the journaling method he describes. His website has a ton of resources which I'll be driving into as well!
October 14, 2022
I read this the year following my mother’s death as I continued to struggle with my grief. Marc’s sage advice was invaluable to me because I had always been told I was overly emotional about everything. This is a book I keep available for reference when I need reminding that emotions are not my enemy.
December 11, 2019
Very helpful. Will have me working on things forever.
November 6, 2024
Fantastic!
March 3, 2024
I’m really torn with this review. It was helpful at times, but missed the mark. Not sure what I was expecting, but I unfortunately have to rate it a 2.5 rounded down.
May 23, 2022
I discovered this book from a podcast interview Marc gave, and I couldn't have picked it up at a better time. My church was going through leadership turmoil, several friends had left, and I was feeling confused and alone, unsure of whether to stay or go.
Reading this book helped me realize that while many churches claim good theology and mature spiritual leaders, emotional immaturity can shipwreck it all. And it was a good time to realize some of the lies about emotions I had been believing, with a solid background of scriptural support.
This book is for everyone in the church right now, especially for those who may think that their emotions indicate spiritual weakness.
Reading this book helped me realize that while many churches claim good theology and mature spiritual leaders, emotional immaturity can shipwreck it all. And it was a good time to realize some of the lies about emotions I had been believing, with a solid background of scriptural support.
This book is for everyone in the church right now, especially for those who may think that their emotions indicate spiritual weakness.
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