Runaway Emotions by Jeff Schreve Book Review (Book Sneeze)

I read Runaway Emotions by Jeff Schreve, for honest review for BookSneeze. I received a paperback version of the book. The book was published by Thomas Nelson.

I chose the book because I deal with runaway emotions. Worry, anger, sadness, loneliness, happiness. My emotions can go overboard at times.

Emotions can guide our behavior. Schreve provided a great analogy towards the beginning of the book, using a smoke detector. Smoke detectors come in different shapes and colors. No one really pays a smoke detector any attention until it goes off, which means potential trouble, either a fire or your batteries need to be changed. Nothing can cause more alarm at times than the shrill of a smoke detector. Schreve discussed how negative emotions are like the shrill of a smoke detector. Negative emotions means there is a problem, we need to resolve before the flames get higher and higher. It is easier to deal with a small fire than a big fire.

Next, Schreve discussed how when the alarms go off, we must figure out why it's going off, then we should ask God how to turn the alarm off.

The book consists of eight chapters. Each chapter deals with an emotion: embarrassment, loneliness, frustration, worry, anger, guilt, discontentment, and depression. Schreve also provides the message for each emotion. The book also provides biblical guidance for each emotion.


I wanted to focus on the loneliness, anger, and depression chapters first. The loneliness chapter discussed how loneliness is an attitude or a state of mind (p. 29). A lonely person feels isolated, alienated, and distant from others. (p. 29). The message for loneliness was Your God-given desire for companionship is on fire (p. 31). Finally, some tips for loneliness included:

1. Give yourself to the Lord. Start thinking of God as a friend.  Talk to God about your problems and concerns. 
2. Give yourself to others. Volunteer. Spend time with the elderly. Help out at church. Without expecting anything in return. 

This was an excellent book to read and review.