Take Back Your Life by Levi Lusko – Part 1
Trigger Warning:
This book frequently references the heartbreaking loss of Levi Lusko’s young daughter, Lenya. While it doesn’t go into graphic detail, the topic is mentioned often.
How I Read Books
Take Back Your Life is designed as a 40-day interactive journey to help you think right so you can live right. However, if I tried to read just one chapter a day, I’d never finish! Instead, I prefer to read the entire book quickly, usually in a day or so. Then, I go back and highlight the parts that stand out to me. That way, when I revisit the book, I can focus on those key takeaways rather than rereading everything.
For those who want to know my reading process—it’s a bit unconventional. I start with the introduction, then jump straight to the last chapter. From there, I read the ending notes and acknowledgments before finally circling back to chapter one. I realize this might seem odd, but it’s how I’ve always read books. Of course, you should read in whatever way works best for you!
Ants vs. Mosquitoes: An Analogy That Sticks
Levi Lusko opens the book with an unusual analogy. When I reread my highlighted passages, his words hit me hard:
“Ants… public enemy number one… Ants do not carry yellow fever or malaria… Mosquitoes do… Mosquitoes love water. Mosquitoes were laying their larva and thriving. The ant moats—the very things people thought were keeping them safe—were actually costing them their lives. I’ve made the mistake of doing the right thing the wrong way. I fought the ants but fostered the mosquitoes. By following my feelings, I became trapped in moods that should not have had a hold on me. By failing to take my thoughts captive, I allowed anxiety to have a seat at the table reserved only for God and paid for with the blood of His Son. Leave the ants alone. It’s time to swat some mosquitoes.”
Wow. That needs to go on a notecard: Ants vs. Mosquitoes.
This analogy might seem like a strange way to start Take Back Your Life, but it’s unforgettable. It forces us to reflect on whether we’re fighting the wrong battles while allowing the real threats to thrive.
Lusko also discusses idols, explaining that they aren’t necessarily bad things. Instead, he says:
“They are good things that are treated as ultimate things.”
That statement makes me pause. What are my “ultimate” things? What am I prioritizing in a way that might be unhealthy? I need to sit with that thought.
Feelings vs. Faith
Romans 7:15 says:
“I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.”
Feelings are fleeting. We can’t base our lives on emotions that shift from moment to moment. Lusko compares this to vision, explaining:
“Looks can be deceiving. We can look at something but not see what’s there. That means we cannot trust what we see with the naked eye. You can’t trust what you see or the decisions you make based on that. You need more.”
We’re quick to judge, decide, and react based on what we see. But what if what we see isn’t the full story?
Take a child who has experienced trauma and neglect. Imagine a parent walks in to find them hiding in the kitchen, stuffing food into their shirt—even though they just ate a huge meal.
To a parent without experience in trauma, this looks like stealing, lying, and disobedience. Their reaction?
“Go to your room. No movie. No dessert. Why did you lie? Why didn’t you just ask?”
But through the lens of trauma-informed parenting, the picture shifts. This child isn’t stealing out of greed—they’re acting out of fear and survival instincts. Their brain remembers the hunger and neglect they once endured.
As parents, our feelings in these moments might be anger or frustration. But Lusko reminds us to see what’s unseen. We need a “night-vision telescope called faith.”
“You’re going to see potential. You’re going to see they’re destined for impact. They were made in the image of God. There is amazing potential packed inside of them.”
That’s an incredibly hard concept to grasp in the heat of frustration. When we’re dealing with the same issue for the hundredth time, our first thought isn’t always God is working this for our good. But faith calls us to look beyond what’s visible.
Your Story Now Is Not the End of Your Story
Lusko writes:
“Through faith, eternity becomes visible. When you operate in faith, you know that what you see is not the end of the story. You may not be happy with your story right now. You may be disappointed or grieving or bored, or maybe you’ve forgotten you’re living a story at all. But you are. Uncover what has been hidden in plain sight. When you see the invisible, you can do the impossible.”
Right now, many parents see brokenness—the things that still need fixing, the progress yet to be made. It’s hard to appreciate what has improved when there’s still so much to do. But when we look through the lens of faith, we see beyond the immediate struggles.
The Battlefield of the Mind
Lusko says:
“Before we can do the great things we’re called to do out there, we must get things squared away on the inside. I’m talking about the war within.”
This hits home. The battlefield of the mind is real. Joyce Meyer even wrote an entire book and Bible study on this topic.
As someone passionate about ending the stigma around mental illness, I believe we need to have more compassion, love, and encouragement for those struggling.
People often tell me to “capture my thoughts”, but sometimes my thoughts are already speeding 200 mph down the track before I even have a chance to catch them.
My self-image is a constant battle. When I look in the mirror, I see flaws—wrinkles, weight, moles, personality quirks, behaviors. I instinctively make myself small, hoping to avoid attention. It’s exhausting.
But Lusko reminds us:
“Jesus said, the message of the gospel isn’t try; it’s trust. You don’t have to carry the weight of what you can do for me; just stand on the strength of what I have done for you. Once you’re under that umbrella called grace, how God views you—your identity—doesn’t change day to day with your behavior or with your activity.”
And this:
“What God says about you? You are loved. You are chosen. You are called. You are equipped.”
No matter how I feel—on my best day or my worst—those truths remain.
Honestly, those words—Loved. Called. Chosen. Equipped.—might just find a permanent place on my body. I already have “perseverance, survivor, warrior” tattooed in Amharic. This feels like the next step.
Because I need those reminders. Every. Single. Day.
Final Thoughts
Take Back Your Life is an incredibly powerful read. Whether you’re struggling with fear, doubt, mental battles, or past trauma, Lusko challenges you to shift your perspective—to stop swatting at ants and start taking down mosquitoes.
I’d love to hear your thoughts! Have you read this book? What parts stood out to you? Let’s discuss.
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