Lord, I Want To Be Whole by Stormie Omartian Summary

Lord, I Want to Be Whole is a Christian self-help book offering a seven-step roadmap to emotional healing through prayer, scripture, and confronting past trauma. Stormie Omartian draws from her own experiences overcoming childhood abuse and clinical depression, emphasizing forgiveness, spiritual deliverance, and aligning with God’s purpose to achieve wholeness.

This book targets Christian women grappling with emotional pain, unresolved trauma, or spiritual stagnation. It’s particularly relevant for those seeking faith-based strategies to overcome depression, release bitterness, or deepen their prayer life, with reviewers noting its value for group Bible studies or personal healing journeys.

Omartian outlines seven steps:

• Addressing past wounds through prayer
• Rejecting spiritual oppression
• Embracing God’s truth over negative self-perceptions
• Identifying deceptive thought patterns
• Maintaining physical health as emotional care
• Practicing forgiveness relentlessly
• Cultivating sensitivity to God’s guidance

She shares her personal story of maternal abuse (including being locked in closets) and demonstrates how scriptural prayer helped her reframe self-worth, release anger, and break cycles of pain. The workbook companion provides journal prompts for readers to apply these methods.

Key scriptures include Psalm 139:14 (“I am fearfully and wonderfully made”) for self-worth restoration and Ephesians 6:12 (“struggle not against flesh and blood”) for spiritual warfare. Omartian integrates over 50 verses to reinforce each healing step.

With 4.7/5 stars from 36+ reviews, readers praise its life-changing impact on emotional healing and faith growth. Critics note its heavy church-centric framing may limit appeal to secular audiences. Ideal for those open to Christian counseling approaches.

While both emphasize prayer, Lord, I Want to Be Whole focuses inward on personal healing rather than marital relationships. It delves deeper into psychological recovery techniques, whereas Power of a Praying Wife offers外向型 strategies for intercessory prayer.

Some reviewers critique Omartian’s caution against yoga and mindfulness practices unrelated to Christianity, viewing it as overly restrictive. Others find her trauma recovery timeline unrealistic for severe cases.

The 257-page companion guide provides weekly prayer journals, scripture meditation exercises, and group discussion questions. It breaks the book’s concepts into five progressive stages: acknowledgment, surrender, renewal, action, and maintenance.

“Forgiveness leads to life. Unforgiveness is a slow death… It means you can’t have all that God has for you.” This encapsulates Omartian’s thesis that emotional freedom requires releasing bitterness.

Omartian frames depression as both a spiritual battle and biochemical condition, advocating prayer alongside practical health steps like nutrition and sleep. Critics suggest supplementing with professional therapy for severe cases.

Its focus on post-pandemic emotional recovery, faith-based resilience, and prayer-driven mindset shifts aligns with current searches for “Christian mental health resources” and “healing from relational trauma”.