Your Blue Flame: Drop the Guilt and Do What Makes You Come Alive

I’ve loved all of Jen’s books, so I knew I’d enjoy this one, too. She is honest, funny, vulnerable, and real. It’s not a “crush your dreams!” or “get it, girl” book. It’s more of a book that gives you permission to be who God created you to be, to take up space, to ask for help, and to do what makes you come alive, be it big or small. I will definitely revisit this one.

The final chapter of this book is the magic of this message. The thing you bring to the world isn’t about you. You don’t get to see how far reaching the blessing that will occur to others is going to be. You have a responsibility to show up, do the thing, and let it go. You must trust God to do the work of getting it in the hands of the person He wants to bless with your trusting “yes” to His call. This isn’t about you, even though it may feel good to do it. It is so much bigger than you. <br /><br />This book will help you discern what that thing is, but more than that, it’ll light the flame under your butt to actually do the thing, all while remembering the why behind the what. Genius, inspirational, and now I want to go sit on her porch and drink wine and talk about Aquinas and be best friends.

I'm a big Jen Fulwiler fan. She is funny, practical, down-to-earth, smart, and an unabashed encourager of creativity in others. I've enjoyed both of her other books - the sharp writing, the hilarious family anecdotes - and I enjoyed this one just as much. The only reason it's not 5 stars is perhaps because I am TOO much of a fan a lot of the book was quite repetitive for me. I've heard a lot of the advice and anecdotes on her radio show already. However, I plan on giving/lending this book to lots of friends not as familiar with her (both people of faith and no faith) as it's an incredibly accessible look at gifts, vocation, and meaning. Well-done, again!

To start, I'm a big fan of Jen and the work she is doing in this world &amp; for God, and I've read all her books. This one started out a bit slow, but I'm glad I persevered to the end. Much of the content wasn't new to me, mainly because I listen to her podcast and she's discussed a lot of the topics on there. Easy, simple, story-heavy read, but I did feel inspired and challenged in some ways, and learned some new things.

Jen Fulwiler is the real deal in many ways. And her newest book, Your Blue Flame, is her best one yet.<br /><br />Your Blue Flame could be—and probably will be—shelved self-help. The central idea of the book (spoiler alert) is that you have something that will add to the world, something that only you can do, and that doing this thing will fulfill you and the world.<br /><br />But she says it so much better. And so much funnier. And so much…more Jen.<br /><br />Maybe only a mom of six who’s a full-time radio talk show host who homeschools her kids, produces her own comedy tour, and is married to a CPA/MBA can pull this off.<br /><br />Then again, maybe this is a panel of fluroescents to light up the world and shake up the mentality that limits so many of us. Why can’t a mom of many write books and have a successful radio show and travel around the country with a comedy tour?<br /><br />And actually, this isn’t about Jen at all. I think, in fact, that’s the whole point.<br /><br />Jen is amazing. But what she’s trying to get you to realize, in this book especially, is that YOU ARE TOO. “My transformation started when I discovered my blue flame,” she writes in the first chapter, continuing, “Now, let’s talk about what that is, and how you can find yours.”<br /><br />You’d do yourself a disservice not to read this book twice. The first time, zip through it, nod, and marvel. It’s not rocket science. It could be commonish sense. Appreciate that you’re holding it and that it’s not hard and that you have a margarita in your hand. (If you don’t, that’s fine too.)<br /><br />The second time through, you’ll find yourself pausing—maybe because you had more than one margarita, but maybe also because you suddenly appreciate something that the team behind this book has done: Make something that’s so valuable (though many of us don’t recognize that yet) and that should be so obvious (but isn’t) both valued AND obvious.<br /><br />Jen is coaching, instructing, and—let’s be honest—drinking. But don’t be fooled by her light tone and easy manner. What she’s unpacked in 200 or so pages is brilliant both for its presentation—straightforward and skimmable—and for its value. Jen knows what she’s saying, both that it’s important and that it’s hard. She also knows—and insists that you recognize it, too—that it’s going to change your life.<br /><br />And the permission slip at the end? Photocopy it and use it liberally. And then get out there and set some things on fire with your blue flame!

I stan Jennifer Fulwiler, so I didn’t think the book would have much I hadn’t heard before, but it was full of great, practical advice that can apply to anyone! I don’t like reading self help books that have no practical application to real life so this was refreshing. As with all Jen’s books the writing is top notch and makes for an easy and enjoyable reading experience, would recommend to everyone.

Insightful, yet funny. A book everyone should read. A book I should probably re-read every few years.

Great inspiration and practical ideas. I appreciate that this is not a drop everything and follow your dream book. It's more real world. I listened to the audio version, and the narration was fun to follow. However, it would be nice to have a paper copy to make some notes.

This is a book I think I will be revisiting often. It strikes the right mix of self-deprecation/humor on the part of the author and inspiration. As a mom with two little kids it’s really easy to be sucked into despair that I’ll ever have space/time to have a blue flame. The reality is that I already have a couple outlets, and I know just what she means when she says I feel more alive when I make an effort to use them.

I’d recommend instead PowerSheets, to help identify personal speed bumps and road hazards and what makes you fly; The Lazy Genius Way and Essentialism, to make the step between where you are and where you want to be a little more natural and immediate; and probably, after I finish it, I will also recommend Effortless, because, Greg McKeown. <br /><br />There were some good ideas. As an audiobook at double time, I don’t regret reading it while folding the vacation laundry. Admittedly, she is a humorist, so I should have known this wouldn’t have been a tremendous fit for me from the outset. I deeply value humor, but for this type of topic, I’d rather get to the point much more quickly and take care of laughing on my own.