Confronting the Thief Within (Paperback)

Most books can be spun out in six months to a year or so. A few take half a lifetime to bring to birth. This one you hold has taken a lifetime and a half. Wes Olds and Bonnie Crandall offer well over a century of very costly pearls straight from the Kingdom of Heaven here. Sell whatever you must and purchase this treasure.

Wow! Fortunately I had the time when I began this book; I spent the day with it. As I read I thought of two of my favorite authors, Henri Nouwen and Brennan Manning. I commend Bonnie and Wes for such a winsome partnership. Here is thoughtful content expressed in a convincing and creative way, including deep emotion. Like me, you will have difficulty putting it down.

Wonderful, vulnerable, purely written, honest beyond words. I'm loving reading it. This book will save many lives. Thank you.

On a wonderful day years ago, Wes as an SLI Coach was sharing vulnerably his story, scripture and the wonderful effects of accepting the title of COGPOW a Child of God and a Person of Worth. That day changed my life. That moment marked the beginning of a new path that I have been living ever since.  Over the years this teaching has been helping Spiritual Leaders around the world set down debilitating self-criticism and to grow health and unity with their ministries. This book is an important resource for anyone but especially those who hope to guide others in a shared mission.

Having coached so many leaders who struggle with their own sense of identity and wrestle with negative scripts like ‘I’m never enough,’ this book now offers a remedy. Through his own story of transformation, Wes Olds leads us in a profound yet practical journey to truly receive our identity as the beloved in Christ and embody this in our lives.

Confronting the Thief Within is a life-changing book! I was so drawn into what God seemed to be saying to me through Wes’ story that I could not lay this book down! My hunger only grows to re-read and re-read sections of his story and insights. It is one of those rare books that many of us will buy multiple copies of to pass along to those we love and others we desire to find the freedom Wes Olds has found in his life and God surely yearns for all of us to find!

Around the church that Wes and I lead together, we have a saying. “We get a front-row seat at life change!” I have known Wesley Howard Olds since he was 14 years old. I was his Youth Pastor through high school. We served together at three churches and in that time I have seen the life-transforming work of the Spirit remaking him into a child of God and a person of worth. He’s the real deal. Friends, what Wes writes about ain’t theory. It’s been life tested by the author. He eats what he cooks.

Primarily drawing from God’s Word, Wes Olds unveils his healing journey with the help of kind guides, moonflowers, the Rocky Mountains, Al-Anon wisdom, punching bags, and the Hokey-Pokey. There is nothing inauthentic here – Wes’ raw honesty and real experiences with a loving God offer hope to all of us.

Confronting the Thief Within describes the powerful story of Wes Olds’ journey from combatting self-criticism to embracing his identity as a COGPOW (Child of God Person of Worth). This inspiring book is full of insights applicable to other COGPOWs who desire to grow in relationship with the God of the Universe, Jesus Christ the Son and the Omnipresent Holy Spirit.

Hi, my name is Michael and I am a recovering performance addict. For most of my life, I believed the lies of the inner thief, “you’re not enough, you’re broken, you’re unlovable.” I attempted to silence those lies with achievement and activity. At times, I was working for God, while not walking with God. I was trying to do my way into a state of being. While it remains an ongoing journey of recovery, most days, I know myself as Child of God Person of Worth. My friend Wes Olds will show you the way to claiming your core identity as God’s beloved. He is a trusted guide who has made the journey himself.

Confronting the Thief Within is as bold and courageous as the title itself. Wes’ writing is evidence of how God uses the power of testimony as a tool for helping others on their healing journey. The stories show us how pain mixed with therapy, love, God’s grace, and His mercy can be given back to the world as medicine. Confronting the Thief Within allows readers to see that we are not alone on the journey of working to turn our wounds into scars. Wes has done, and is doing, his inner work. Through this book he walks alongside us as we do our inner work  and offers practical tools on the journey to become the people God meant us to be when we no longer carry the weight of our trauma.