Killing Wonder Woman (Tenaya T.J. Tison) – Review + Giveaway!

~ About the Book ~

POW! BLAM! OOF!
Working women of faith are subjected to daily blows of lies and deception. We are barraged with messages that we’re not good enough, smart enough, thin enough, spiritual enough. We believe that our professions mean very little in the eyes of God. We’re feeling tired and discouraged from holding ourselves to impossible standards. These damaging lies and labels now have a name: Wonder Woman.
Wonder Woman is a symbol of the unobtainable. She is a blend of all the women both real and fictional–that we idolize. She is the whispers of doubt and negative self-talk that run rampantly through our minds. It’s time to stop listening. It’s time to slay Wonder Woman!
Killing Wonder Woman is more than a book. It’s a long-overdue weapon that we, as working women of faith, can yield to cut down burnout, destroy discouragement, and set ourselves free of unrealistic expectations. Once we break loose of Wonder Woman’s deception, we can open ourselves more fully to trust God’s plan and integrate Him into all aspects of our lives, including in our workplace calling.
Are you ready to win at work and soar in faith? This is your call to arms.
Pages: 264
Publisher:  Wise Ink Creative Publishing

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~ Excerpt ~

When was that first moment you unwittingly let Wonder Woman into your life? When did you first put some ideal of a woman on a pedestal and start trying to emulate someone you’re not?
I found my first Wonder Woman in ballet class. I loved everything about ballerinas as a little girl. They were graceful and slender. They floated almost on air to the music and performed physical feats with ease. One little ballerina in my class became my first Wonder Woman. Her name was Jessica. Everything about her composed a beautiful ballerina, and I immediately measured myself against her. She had flawless posture; I slouched. She had a ballerina body; I had a pooching stomach and thick thighs. She could do pirouettes with precision; I often lost my balance and stumbled. If only I could be like Jessica! Then I could be a great ballerina.
This was only the first of many Wonder Women I let into my life. Who was your first Wonder Woman?
If you can’t think of one yet, you will by the end of this chapter. Wonder Woman is sneaky. She isn’t going to stand up, wave her arms wildly, and say, “Here I am!” She’s incognito because she knows if you spot her and deal with her, she’s doomed. You’re going to need some help finding her.
I divided Wonder Woman into her three usual disguises: Mythical, Spiritual, and Actual. You may recognize one or all of these in your life. You may have only a few, but I’m willing to guess you have many. When you begin to recognize Wonder Woman in your life and expose her for what she is, you’ll be better equipped to kill her.

~ Review ~

When I first picked up this book, I wasn’t convinced I was the audience it was aiming for. I’m a stay-at-home, homeschooling mum of five, and while that definitely makes me a working woman, that’s not the sense in which most people use the phrase. Not only that, but I thought Wonder Woman was well and truly in my past. Having fought a tough battle with depression in my late teens and early twenties, I thought I had accepted my limitations and come to peace with being less than perfect. I don’t obsess over having to be the best, or having a perfect house or the perfect body. I know I can’t do everything, so I set my goals, but if I don’t meet them all, it’s not the end of the world.
This book asked some pretty basic questions that opened my eyes. It turns out I haven’t dealt with Wonder Woman at all. Not really. I’ve just become adept at pretending to ignore her. Instead of stressing over the way my house looks, I avoid asking anyone to visit. Instead of getting depressed about the way I look, I avoid mirrors, photos, and clothes shopping. If at all possible, I avoid doing things that might put my imperfections on display to the general public. So, in actual fact, Wonder Woman has paralysed me. She’s holed me up in a corner, and I’ve convinced myself I’m quite happy living there. But I’m not truly free.
I think it’s going to be a while before I finish with this book.
But enough about me. On the face of it, this is an easy read. It’s a well ordered book, divided into four parts:
Part one identifies Wonder Woman and discusses why and how to get rid of her.
Part two talks about replacing Wonder Woman’s lies with God’s truth and equipping yourself to continue to walk in freedom (because Wonder Woman will keep trying to butt her way back in!)
Part three talks about looking at work in a new way, and although the author acknowledges that all women are working women, whether in the home or in the workplace, this section particularly addresses the challenges facing women who work outside of the home. Having said that, there was still much I found applicable to myself as a homeschooling mum.
Part four wraps everything up by talking about developing a faith that soars.
It’s all simple in theory, but in order to get the most out of this book, it really deserves a much slower read so you can apply it to your life. One of the things I loved about this book is the way it broke things down into bite-sized pieces—often spending no more than a few paragraphs on a particular point before asking ‘Let’s be honest’ questions. I’m going to be honest with you right now: I could probably take just one of those bite-sized pieces, read it every day for a week—or two!—and ask myself the ‘Let’s be honest’ questions that relate to it, and have enough to put into practice. That’s how much protein is in this book!
Whether your primary workplace is outside or inside the home, whether you’re a new Christian or have been a Christian for years, even if you think you killed Wonder Woman off years ago(!), there will be something in this book for you. It’s a great weapon in your arsenal against the messages we’re bombarded with daily.
I received a copy of this book through TLC Book Tours. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.

~ About the Author ~

T.J. is a business leader and entrepreneur, with a proven track record as a strategic advisor and change agent within the small business sector. She is passionate about seeing others in business realize their full potential and lead with their hearts. T.J.’s unique; “tell it like it is” approach, has propelled many in business to a level they never thought attainable.
Through her writing, speaking, and mentoring, T.J. guides both men and women to do their work, and impact others, with purpose, conviction and integrity.
T.J. and her husband of 25 years have two grown children and together enjoy the peace of their hobby farm with a myriad of animals. In her spare time, (ha,ha!) TJ likes to play golf, run, read, and kill Wonder Woman.
T.J. is also the founder and executive director of Working Women of Faith, a nonprofit that exists to equip women to win at work and soar in faith. To learn more about Working Women of Faith, visit: workingwomenoffaith.com.

Connect with T. J.:  Website // Facebook // Twitter

~ Giveaway ~

One lucky winner will get a copy of the book AND a T-shirt. Leave a comment telling me about a Wonder Woman (real or imagined) that you feel compelled to live up to, then click on the link below to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway!

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~ Tour Details ~

Tuesday, May 2nd: Read. Write. Repeat.
Monday, May 8th: Ms. Nose in a Book
Tuesday, May 9th: Dwell in Possibility
Monday, May 15th: An Anchored Faith
Tuesday, May 16th: Just Commonly
Wednesday, May 17th: Reading is my Superpower
Thursday, May 18th: From the TBR Pile – spotlight
Monday, May 22nd: Seaside Book Nook
Tuesday, May 23rd: Run Wright
Wednesday, May 24th: Laura’s Reviews
Monday, May 29th: Fiction Aficionado
Friday, June 9th: Dreaming Big