Morrison - Confessions of a control freak: [and hope for those who know one]

The desire to be in control is deeply imbedded in the human nature. The evidence can be seen in tyrant world leaders, crafty politicians, sly business people, and even the church secretary. But for a person to be a true representative of Christ, our human urge to control must be surrendered. Confessions of a Control Freak is a guide to move from needing to control the world around you to joyfully surrendering control to the God of the universe. If you are serious about your testimony for the Lord, make this book a part of your growing experience. Not only will it enhance your testimony, but also your joy and freedom in living for Christ.

Simon Schrock
President, Choice Books of Northern Virginia

It is difficult to live with a control freak. It is even more difficult to be one. In her honest, poignant, and often humorous confessions, Priscilla Morrison leads the way to true inner peace that offers hope for recovering control freak and a blessing to those who are called to love them.

Bob Allums
Director of A Praying Life Ministries and seeJesus Ministries

Confessions of a Control Freak is a delightful read full of practical advice from a woman who knows her subject well. The personal illustrations are humorous and fun to read, and the faith-based advice Priscilla gives is very practical. This is a great book for every control freak who has come to the realization that control is just an illusion, and who wants to learn how to trust God and enjoy people.

Beth Moorhead
Counseling Ministries, Wayzata Free Church

Priscilla Morrison has written a wonderfully honest, insightful, and practical book on the epidemic of trying (with good intent) to obsessively control our lives and the lives of those around us. She confronts the personal, social, and spiritual dynamics of wanting to be the creator rather than the created. Confessions of a Control Freak is a valuable resource for identifying some of our unhealthy compulsions and then living life with greater freedom and delight.

Robert A. Fryling
Author of The Leadership Ellipse: Shaping How We Lead by Who We Are

Priscilla Morrison writes honestly about the destructive pattern of control in her relationship to her husband and children. She writes compellingly of how God used His Word, prayer, family, and friends to uncover and ultimately bring sanity and healing in her life. It is a truly helpful guide for those who see this same pattern and want guidance on how to change.

Rose Marie Miller
Author of From Fear to Freedom

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Verses marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version NIV . Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Verses marked ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Cover by Dugan Design Group, Bloomington, Minnesota

Cover photos iStockphoto /3355m; Kreber / Corbis Super RF / Alamy

Back cover author photo by Adriana Margriet Grant

All the incidents described in this book are true. Where individuals may be identifiable, they have granted the author and the publisher the right to use their names, stories, and/or facts of their lives in all manners, including composite or altered representations. In all other cases, names, circumstances, descriptions, and details have been changed to render individuals unidentifiable.

CONFESSIONS OF A CONTROL FREAK
Copyright 2010 by Priscilla Knox Morrison
Published by Harvest House Publishers
Eugene, Oregon 97402
www.harvesthousepublishers.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Morrison, Priscilla Knox

Confessions of a control freak / Priscilla Knox Morrison

p. cm

ISBN 978-0-7369-4620-9 (pbk.)

ISBN 978-0-7369-4621-6 (eBook)

1. Control (Psychology)Religious aspectsChristianity. 2. Christian women

Religious life. I. Title.

BV4597.53.C62M67 2012

248.8'43dc23

2012007751

All rights reserved . No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any otherexcept for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

To Arenda, a girl who by a split-seconds event lost all control of her lifeher movements, her thinking, her ability to communicate, her relationships, her dreams and whose subsequent gentle and contented spirit daily taught me much about control.

And to Larry, Jesse, Leah, Elizabeth, Susanna, Clay, and Abby my incredible family, who not only encouraged me to write this book, but endured lifes classroom along with me as I learned to let go and be more at peace.

Confession #1
I care too much about what people think of me.

Confession #2
I dont always trust God with the future, so I do all I can to make things turn out okay.

Confession #3
I havent (really) forgiven people of their past faults, so I try to protect myself from being hurt again.

Confession #4
I want things my way!

Confession #5
I love to help peopleI just dont always stop at whats helpful.

Confession #6
I dont think I need help from others.

Confession #7
No matter how hard I try, I cant control anything!

Confession #8
My words reveal what I truly believe.

Confession #9
I let others control my emotions.

Confession #10
I havent always repented of these confessions.

Chapter 11
The Common Denominator

Chapter 12
Aging

Chapter 13
Survival Guide: Coping with the Control Freak in Your Life

M y name is Priscilla, and Im a recovering control freak.

Since the time I first began to face this personality trait of mine, Ive actually made significant progress. It has been an interesting trek, sometimes painfulfor me and for those I lovebut nonetheless, a positive journey. The encouragement it has brought me has led me to write this book.

However, writing this book was particularly challenging because a control freaks work is never done. I havent learned it all, havent read all the other books. Im still a work in progress.

My ultimate goal is to glorify God as I write. After all, it is He who has made the changes in me. My second goal is to help othersperhaps you, perhaps someone you love. A control freaks life is often unhappy, stressful, dissatisfied, and certainly not peaceful. I hope and pray something you read here will meet you there. There is hopelots of it.

I know its often tedious to read an authors thanks to those who helped them in their writing, but now I know why writers take the time to do it. I must thank those friends and family members who didnt snicker when I told them I was thinking of writing a book, and who dutifully answered my questions, teaching me and helping my thoughts to gel. I also thank my husband and walking concordance, Larry, for his trust and assurance that I could do this, and all our childrenJesse, Leah, Elizabeth, Susanna, Clay, and Abbyfor allowing me to expose our lives. Special thanks to Leah and Abby for their countless hours of editing and for bringing me back to the drawing board with constructive criticism and encouragement. And to Clay, who helped me express the joy Ive found in becoming a child of God. I thank my sister JoAnn, who patiently taught me that the computer can be my friend. Deepest gratitude goes to Simon Schrock and Bob Allums, who gave of their time and wisdom to graciously encourage this novice. And to God, who gave me all these people and gave me Himself. How can it be?