We are all in need, and God has purposed us for His own name sake. Although He cannot allow us to fail, He respects the gift of the free will that is given to humans. Omomaro Okekaro interweaves scripture with his personal experiences while on an emotional odyssey that leads believers on a thoughtful journey within so that they, too, can walk through life with unwavering faith, knowing that each step is guided by a higher purpose. While sharing insights into the challenges and lessons embraced by diverse biblical characters, Okekaro also offers inspiration by examining the spiritual inheritance in Christ, encouraging believers to fight the good fight of faith, and sharing miracles of the mouth through positive confession. Lord I Am in Trouble is an inspiring presentation that blends uplifting stories with scripture to remind believers that they are not defined by their struggles, but instead, how they rise above them. “ ... A raw and emotional journey through the tumultuous landscapes of life. Within its pages, you will find the unfiltered expressions of human experiences—tales of heartache and triumph, of loss and redemption, of faith tested and strengthened.” —JP Tucker, PhD, professor and clinical therapist
The healthy Christian life is one of continuing spiritual, emotional, and relational growth. But so many of us feel stuck or stagnated at one stage of the journey. It's not always clear to us where or why we are stuck, making it difficult to take the next step on our journey of the soul. That's where Bill and Kristi Gaultiere come in. After decades in private practice as counselors and therapists, they have developed a unique model for growing in grace. In Journey of the Soul, they draw on more than 70,000 hours of providing therapy and spiritual direction to show you how to identify your current stage of faith and the next steps to take based on your unique needs and struggles. With Scripture, self-assessments, and soul care practices to support your progress along the way, this insightful and inspiring book will be a treasured companion on your journey no matter where you are or how long you've been following Jesus.
The author explores dozens of scriptural passages from the psalms, offering personal ideas and insights and sharing his testimony that "no matter what the trouble and trial of the day may be, we start and finish with the eternal truth that God is for us."--
Rick Renner unearths a rich treasure trove of truths in his remarkable devotional. Drawing from an extensive study of both the English Bible and New Testament Greek, Rick illuminates 365 passages with more than 1,285 in-depth Greek word studies. Far from intellectualizing, he blends his solid instruction with practical applications and refreshing insights. Find challenge, reassurance, comfort, and reminders of God's abiding love and healing every day of the year.
A compassionate, shame-free guide for your darkest days “A one-of-a-kind book . . . to read for yourself or give to a struggling friend or loved one without the fear that depression and suicidal thoughts will be minimized, medicalized or over-spiritualized.”—Kay Warren, cofounder of Saddleback Church What happens when loving Jesus doesn’t cure you of depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts? You might be crushed by shame over your mental illness, only to be told by well-meaning Christians to “choose joy” and “pray more.” So you beg God to take away the pain, but nothing eases the ache inside. As darkness lingers and color drains from your world, you’re left wondering if God has abandoned you. You just want a way out. But there’s hope. In I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die, Sarah J. Robinson offers a healthy, practical, and shame-free guide for Christians struggling with mental illness. With unflinching honesty, Sarah shares her story of battling depression and fighting to stay alive despite toxic theology that made her afraid to seek help outside the church. Pairing her own story with scriptural insights, mental health research, and simple practices, Sarah helps you reconnect with the God who is present in our deepest anguish and discover that you are worth everything it takes to get better. Beautifully written and full of hard-won wisdom, I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die offers a path toward a rich, hope-filled life in Christ, even when healing doesn’t look like what you expect.
In Love Life Again, Tracie reminds readers they each get only one life to live and inspires them not to take it for granted. Through compelling personal stories and powerful insights from Scripture, she helps women identify the stumbling blocks to their joy and offers tools and insights to take back control of their happiness. Every chapter ends with a practical call to action to motivate readers to begin loving their lives again. She also offers reflection questions, prayers, and creative ideas to help readers smile. Love Life Again helps readers learn how to live the abundant lives Jesus died for them to have, despite the circumstances they may face.
Mother Mary Francis, abbess of a Poor Clare Monastery for over forty years, left an enduring legacy in her writings and in the conferences she gave to her spiritual daughters. In this work she presents beautiful meditations on the liturgical season of Lent, revealing the treasures of the liturgy to Christians in all walks of life. Her insight into Holy Scripture and her poet's heart engendered reflections that illuminate the daily Mass readings in a fresh and attractive way. These meditations enlighten the reader to see conversion as positive and enriching, and help us to understand that the generous embrace of Lenten penance has a purpose and brings a wondrous reward: deeper union with God. She was a true daughter of Saint Francis of Assisi, who found perfect joy by turning away from self to God. As a spiritual guide, Mother Mary Francis excels in the art of persuasion, aware that the human heart cannot be forced but only gently led to holiness. She makes this goal attractive and desirable by tirelessly explaining why striving for holiness is the happiest and wisest way to live. This book provides a wealth of material for plundering the riches of the Lenten season and for deepening one's spiritual life. Her meditations are profound and timeless, not changing from year to year, thus providing a lifetime of Lenten meditations in this one volume.
Oh Lord, I Am So Wounded! is an inspirational book that ministers to those who have emotional scars. Have you ever been wounded, whether physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually? Then this book will inspire you. It is written with the aim of reaching all age groups and ethnicities and genders. Mrs. Yvonne Rose looks at some of the people in the Bible who also suffered tremendous hurts, from family members, strangers, and other people who should have shown them love, but instead rejected and abused them. Hannah was married to a man who loved her, but because she was barren, he had to take another wife who could give him the children he needed. The second wife made life miserable for Hannah, because Peninnah knew that Hannah was the love of Elkanahs life. Peninnah had his children, but Hannah had his heart. Hannah became very depressed due to the vicious attacks from her jealous rival until she decided to call on God to help her, and He answered her prayer. Leah and Rachel were sisters who were married to the same man. How did this happen? It was love at first sight for this man Jacob. He had swindled his brother Esau out of the inheritance that rightfully belonged to him, now he was a man on the run, from a brother who threatened to murder him. He ran to his uncles home and fell in love with his beautiful daughter Rachel. His uncle Laban agreed to give Rachel in marriage to Jacob in exchange for seven years of hard work. However, on the wedding night, Laban switched sisters, and the next morning, Jacob woke up to find the ugly sister Leah in his bed. Leah would spend the rest of her life having babies and trying to win the heart of a man who could never love her. She did not know that God loved her and because God saw that she was not loved, he opened her womb and made her fertile, while Rachel was barren. This only created a Baby-Mama-Drama in Jacobs household. The sisters were in a struggle for babies. Then the servants were given to Jacob, and they also had his babies. There was a battle for Jacobs love between two sisters who were emotionally wounded because of their fathers greed. Joseph was a teenager who God had chosen for greatness. He was the love of his father, and the envy of his brothers. His eleven brothers hated him and sold him to strangers who took him shackled in irons to Egypt. The man who bought him was a high official in the land. He put Joseph in charge of his household, but his alluring wife could not keep her eyes off this handsome young slave with the great body. When Joseph refused to sleep with Mrs. Potiphar, she cried rape and caused him to be imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. But God was with this young man, and everywhere he was placed, he was put in a position of authority, until he was promoted to become the prime minister in the land of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh. Naomi was a bitter mother-in-law who left own land when her husband took his family to a strange land away from the protection of the God they served. Naomi lost her entire family in this foreign country, her husband, and her two sons. She blamed God for her troubles, but what seemed at first like a bad situation, turned out to be a blessing because God had given her a daughter-in-law who loved her and vowed never to leave her. Her daughter-in-law Ruth married a rich man who was able to provide for both of them. This blessing only took place when they left the place of death to go to the place of life. Naomi and Ruth returned to Bethlehem. Then there was the case of the princess who was raped by her eldest brother, but their father, King David, did not do anything about the situation. As a result, Tamars other brother Absalom murdered the brother who had dishonored their sister. Princess Tamar would remain an emotionally wounded woman for the rest of her life, because of the brother who humiliated her, abused her, and then turned and threw her out of his house. Jephthah was a young man who
She's seen slave dungeons in Ghana. Genocide in Rwanda. Systemic sexual abuse in Brazil. Child abuse and domestic violence in the US. After forty years of counseling abuse survivors around the world, Dr. Diane Langberg, a world renowned trauma expert, remains certain that what trauma destroys, Christ can and does restore. This book will convince you, too, of the healing heart of God. But it's not a fast process, instead much patience is required from family, friends, and counselors as they wisely and respectfully help victims unpack their traumatic suffering through talking, tears, and time. And it's not a process that can be separated from the work of God in both a counselor and counselee. Dr. Langberg calls all of those who wish to help sufferers to model Jesus's sacrificial love and care in how they listen, love, and guide. The heart of God is revealed to sufferers as they grow to understand the cross of Christ and how their God came to this earth and experienced such severe suffering that he too is "well-acquainted with grief." The cross of Christ is the lens that transforms and redeems traumatic suffering and its aftermath, not only for the sufferer, but it also transforms those who walk with the suffering. This book will be a great help to anyone who loves, listens to, and seeks to help someone impacted by trauma and abuse. There is no quick fix, but there is the hope for healing through the love of God in Christ.
We live in a world of questions: What does...? Who knows...? Why is...?. Fortunately, we also live in a world with the answer -- a wise and all-knowing Father. God Is In Control is inspired by a series of fresh messages from pastor and best-selling author Charles Stanley. His powerful message is simply that we can recognize, appreciate and rely on God's sovereignty even when our whole world seems out of control. God is always at work for His beloved. In addition, Stanley blesses the reader with his own nature photography, offering unique glimpses of the natural beauty crafted by our very own Creator. Whether a graduate, parent or simply someone going through a challenging time, Charles Stanley offers direction, trust and hope. Let him show you how blessed we are to have a God who is always in control.
