I Am Restored: How I Lost My Religion but Found My Faith
The untold story of how Lecrae's past nearly ruined his life--until he learned that the wounds we carry point to the healing and freedom we all desperately need.
When all you've suffered threatens to destroy your life, how do you get back to the truth you thought you believed?
I Am Restored is the shattering yet hope-filled story of how Lecrae faced the buried wounds of his past--sexual abuse, physical trauma, addiction, and depression--and emerged more fully human than ever before. With remarkable transparency and vulnerability, Lecrae reveals how at the height of his professional success, his life was spinning out of control, driven by a past that he had never confronted and a religious perspective incapable of meeting the challenge.
In this powerful, deeply personal account, Lecrae provides an unflinching look at the personal and public spaces that are too often places of pain and heartache--culture, politics, family, church--and reminds us that letting go and forgiving is the birthplace for the life of creativity and freedom God has for us. In addition, he shares the transformational yet simple practices he uses daily for mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
I Am Restored is a hopeful, inspiring charge to embrace the lasting healing and restoration available now, because no matter what you've experienced, God is near, he hears, and he's not done with you yet.
Reviews (46)
It was OK
Much respect to Lecrae for keeping it real. Tbh I was one of the people that noticed he went a little off (we all do so no judgement) and had to unfollow him but I never write people off without hearing their full message so I pushed through and read his book. I felt like I was reading the inside of his personal journal more than an composed piece of literature...which is fine as long as you're expecting something raw though it seemed all over the place to read. He is vague about trauma, goes on a tangent about politics and racism and don't fully see to the objective to it besides him sort of rambling about his unraveling, and not to invalidate racism and his advocacy or heart but I think he needs to expand his horizons of perspective to truly heal that wound, and his view doesn't seemed to framed entirely by Bible although he has many valid points. He talks about his steps to healing but I think there he didn't seem clear enough in himself to write fully on it. The book wasn't very impacting for me other than I guess I appreciate his voice in regards to politics and racism just because I value other people's story. I relate a lot to not being able to relate to religion. Overall it was an okay book but I probably wouldn't read it again. His book references are on par though !
God Restores, Lecrae is proof.
This was definitely a transformative book for me. It was very revealing of Lecrae and his life , even more so than his last book. It was also challenging as in it challenged me to do a lot of self reflection. This book grows compassion and builds up an understanding of what it means to truly be at the lowest of lows , still seeing that God can restore any and all things.
Shouldve left politics out of this
I adore Lecrae. His journey, his testimony, his triumph over addiction...but when he starts to praise Colin K and went on the unnecessary tangents of politics etc...I couldn't finish it. I wanted to read this book because Ive listened to his music for years and years, and his gift for spinning truth into lyrics is unmatched in a lot of hip hop especially Christian hip hop. But I was not expecting to be lectured on his political stance or why Obama is so great and Trump is so terrible. All of that could have been left out. Disappointed.
Powerful Testimony, Couldn't Put it Down
Lecrae is an excellent writer who speaks not only of his own powerful testimony of one called, used, and held by God but as someone who has been able to examine the Christian faith’s greatest commandment to love God and our neighbor from outside of the lens of white American cultural Christianity. He does this by chronicling his own walk through a crisis of faith and battle with depression. The companion docuseries ”The Road to Restoration” on YouTube is also excellent. I left this book challenged in many ways. Thank you for writing it.
Skip this one or at least the 2 chapters in the middle
I appreciate addressing the trauma and healing as well as the transparency in the valleys that he had to go through. The politics, race, always capitalizing the word black but the word white always lowercase speaks volumes. These two words in the english language are never capitalized unless of course the sentence starts with them. I wish I could recommend this book but I just can't, racism is not a one sided issue and this book left me feeling like he is racist.
Don't mistake your ability to become a masterpiece
When i first heard Lecrae was putting out a book about his struggle with trauma wounds and mental health, I knew I had to read it. Because I also just went through similar circumstances, and like Lecrae, and dealt with a heavy season where the wounds, the trauma, the unhealthy binge behavior could no longer be swept away or shooken off. Although there were parts of this book i strongly disagree with or lack the understanding to totally comprehended, I've always admired Lecrae. From the first time I listened to After The Music Stops in 2010 until now with his recent work, he is someone who never sugar-coated hard truths. From being a 116 clique and reading his first memoir, I was aware of parts of his story but just like myself, I knew several paragraphs don't make a chapter a story is comprised of a beginning, middle, and an end; rising action ➡️ conflict ➡️ resolve. In fiction, most stories can come to a place of true resolve. The character begins a happy ending with someone they love. Their long-lost parent didn't die. The princess wears armor and fights one last battle for the crown and the kingdom. The human marries the vampire, and they give birth to a child. You get the idea. Yet, unlike in fiction, life is more harsh, traumatic, and sometimes the only resolve we find is in our resolve we find is in our place or season of true healing. So is the case with Lecrae. His words reminded me of my own hard-pressed journey toward self acceptance, and the beginnings of true healing. He also talks about how the entertainment industry is filled with illusions. Later on in the book, he mentions how through counseling, he became aware of how debilitating social media can be for mental health with its comparison and an abyss of arguments. Overall, anyone who wants to grow in faith and expand your mind as a spiritual person should read this book because God's masterpieces are unfinished products. You are still his masterpiece even if all your pieces or parts feel weak, unusable, and broken. God has a habit of using people who make mistakes.
Helped me through PPD
This book was a source of comfort in a painful season for me. I read Lecrae's story while walking through postpartum depression in the midst of pandemic lockdown. It was like a healing balm to my pain. His honesty about his own depression and journey with treatment helped me have the courage to seek out therapy and medication. God used that season of my life to totally transform my relationship with Him. I'm forever grateful for Lecrae's book and music for coming alongside me with transparency and solidarity.
Looks short
Haven’t read it yet, but first thought upon opening the box is that this is a very thin book (as in not many pages) for $18!
Transparency like never before
I've been following Lecrae for a while and have often said if Reach Records was a Church, he's the Pastor. I for one am very humbled and uplifted from this Man of God giving us the details of his life amongst all the accolades and and notoriety. This book is the definition of, "You don't know what someone is going through." We all need to listen, pray, and follow Lecrae's lead with this book. There are many of us, me included, who feel the way Lecrae has and needs to be reminded of God's continual love and His desire to speak in ALL facets of life. Lecrae may never see this review but thank you for just being honest. Thank you for the practical view. May you continue to be Restored and live out God's calling on your life.
Great book.
Well written. My 17 year old son asked for this book and seems to really enjoy it. I’ll have to read it when he’s done. Seems to be a good message! I’m thankful for role models like Lecrae.
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