Thirty biblical meditations for women that offer hope in times of suffering. Thirty biblical meditations for women that offer hope in times of suffering. Hurt is real. But so is hope. Kristen and Sarah have walked through, and are walking in, difficult times. So these thirty biblical reflections are full of realism about the hurts of life-yet overwhelmingly full of hope about the God who gives life. This book will gently encourage and greatly help any woman who is struggling with suffering-whether physical, emotional or psychological, and whether for a season or for longer. It is a book to buy for yourself, or to buy for a member of your church or friend. For anyone who is hurting, this book will give hope, not just for life beyond the suffering, but for life in the suffering. Each chapter contains a biblical reflection, with questions and prayers, and a space for journaling.
"Church hurt" is a cultural crisis that headlines news stories, fuels documentaries, and trends on social media. Millions of people have endured this unique pain, have disengaged to some measure, and are searching for a way to heal. Written for any believer wounded in a place of worship, and unsure how to move forward in their faith, this powerful book is an insightful and honest guide into the 9 unique types of church hurt and how to heal from them. Having helped thousands move from anger, distrust, apathy, and heartache to safely re-engaging in their faith--and local church--Pastor Joe Dobbins offers compassion, wisdom, and practical advice to help you · understand why church hurt is so potent and hard to address · break free from bad beliefs, self-defeating patterns, and cycles of pain · discover the way to inner healing and find hope to move forward · release your pain and reframe your story · re-engage in a faith community and protect yourself in the future Even though the people of God hurt you, the heart of God is to heal you--and that healing can begin today!
The body of Christ is full of people who have been wounded by Christians or the church. Author Dr. Angela Corprew-Boyd helps the hurting recognize they are not alone and provides them with wisdom and knowledge to reach out to Christ and receive deliverance from wounds that have made them bitter, resentful, and less effective in ministry. Church leaders and laypeople will benefit from Dr. Corprew-Boyd’s testimony and teaching. Once crippled by wounds inflicted by her pastor and trusted members of her church family, the author describes how she found healing and offers words of comfort and practical advice for readers grappling with their own church hurt. She emphasizes the importance of acknowledgement, reaching out to God, and, finally, forgiveness of others and oneself. Her message serves as a crucial reminder that there is hope for the future in spite of what our adversaries have said and done. Topics covered include the many possible sources of church hurt, how to recognize when a wound is still open, how woundedness can be transferred to church members, and the process of healing.
If you’ve been part of a church, you have probably suffered a “church hurt”—or know someone who has. Maybe the pastor had an affair or the congregation fought over money or the leaders were disguising gossip as “prayer.” Stephen Mansfield knows how it feels. Though he is now a New York Times bestselling author, he was a pastor for more than 20 years, and he loved it—until he learned how much a church can hurt. Yet he also learned how to dig out of that hurt, break through the bitterness and anger, stop making excuses, and get back to where he ought to be with God and his people. If you’re ready to choose the tough path to healing, Mansfield will walk you through it with brotherly love, showing you how you can be better than ever on the other side of this mess—if you’re willing to start Healing Your Church Hurt. Previously published as ReChurch.
Church should be a safe place, right? Then why do so many get hurt there? Ray Beeson and Chris Hayward combine their years of ministry experience to address head-on the elephant in the room: church members and church leaders hurt Christians. All the time. And the long-lasting effects—rejection, shame, despair, loneliness, fear—can be devastating. The authors have witnessed the rise of the “dones,” those who are just done with God thanks to scars from church. With first-person stories of hurt and loss, this book is a wake-up call for any who deny woundedness in the church but is also a redemptive message for any who hurt from church wounds. Leaders and laypeople alike will learn how to grieve over abuse, to leave unhealthy attitudes and patterns that cause pain, and to trust in God’s real, delivering work through churches that build up, not tear down. Thanks to the grace of God, there is always hope beyond the pain.
Over the past few years, John Pavlovitz's blog, Stuff That Needs To Be Said, has become a virtual hub for millions of people from all over the world, drawn there by his clear, compelling words on compassion, equity, love, and justice. This expansive, like-hearted community transcends race, orientation, gender, religious tradition, political affiliation, and nation of origin--and finds its affinity in the deeper place of our shared humanity, which is the True North of his writing. This collection lovingly pulls together some of John's most widely-read and most beloved essays on faith, politics, grief, and the elemental parts of being human. It is an encouraging, inspiring, challenging storehouse of "stuff that needs to be said."
Are we looking mostly to please God or ourselves? The myth of Narcissus describes a young man who dies because he falls in love with his own reflection. When surrounded by the Narcissistic messages of contemporary society¿¿you¿ve got to believe in yourself!¿¿we need to listen to a Bible teacher from a past age who can drag us back to reflecting less on ourselves and more on God. Jonathan Edwards, perhaps the greatest of all American Bible teachers, was so God-centered. In The God-Centered Life, Dr. Josh Moody calls us to listen to Edwards in order that we might stop living for ourselves and start living ¿the God-centered life.¿ How to do church, teach the Bible, have a healthy family, deal with failure, engage postmodernism, assess spiritual experiences and more are envisioned through the eyes of Jonathan Edwards with freshness and accessibility. A study guide is included and further resources can be found at . Josh Moody (PhD, University of Cambridge) is Senior Pastor of Trinity Baptist Church, New Haven, Connecticut, serving the Yale community and surrounding New England region. He is also the author of Authentic Spirituality and Jonathan Edwards and the Enlightenment. ¿The God-Centered Life is a graced prescription for truly engaging today¿s culture....¿ ¿ R. Kent Hughes, Senior Pastor Emeritus, College Church in Wheaton ¿Tremendous. Extremely well-written. It will be a blessing for many.... I heartily commend this work as a timely and valuable resource....¿ ¿ David S. Dockery, President, Union University ¿Josh Moody is uniquely qualified to bring the reader along the path of a greater joy of knowing God and loving God through a person whose life was ablaze for this Triune God of glory and grace.¿ ¿ Paul Lim, Assistant Professor of the History of Christianity, Vanderbilt University ¿Potent, thoughtful, and constructive....¿ ¿ R. Albert Mohler, Jr., President, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary ¿At last, someone who stands in the tradition of Edwards as a pastor-scholar, interpreting and applying the lessons from Jonathan Edwards for today....¿ ¿ E. David Cook, Holmes Professor, Wheaton College, Fellow, Green College, Oxford ¿I recommend this book most highly, praying that Josh Moody¿s labors will encourage the kinds of `Edwards influenced¿ lives and congregations that our world so desperately needs....¿ ¿ Douglas A. Sweeney, Associate Professor of Church History, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School Josh Moody (PhD, University of Cambridge) is Senior Pastor of Trinity Baptist Church, New Haven, Connecticut, serving the Yale community and surrounding New England region. He is also the author of Authentic Spirituality and Jonathan Edwards and the Enlightenment.
Practical Ways to Support and Care for Your Pastor Do you pray for your pastors? Do you encourage them? Do you have realistic expectations for them? The office of pastor is simultaneously a rewarding and draining position. Pastors today have immense pressure on their shoulders and they need the support of their congregations. Peter Orr has written Fight for Your Pastor as an exhortation for church members to stand behind their pastors through the difficulties of ministry. Orr specifies ways in which congregations can be intentional in caring for church leaders, including prayer, encouragement, generosity, and forgiveness. Featuring stories from current pastors about their struggles, this book is perfect for thoughtful church members eager to understand the weight of their pastors' positions and support leaders in their important ministry. For Thoughtful Christians: Specifically those wanting to know more about their pastors and how to care for them Current: Features insight from pastors about their personal experiences in ministry Applicable: Gives practical examples of how to love and care for pastors, including specific prayers for church leaders and the best ways to encourage them
A healing book for those in the wake of life’s devastating storms. We can never plan for the unexpected turns of this life that sometimes lead to great personal suffering. Sometimes that suffering can overshadow everything and threaten to pull us under. Nancy Guthrie knows what it is to be plunged into life’s abyss. Framing her own story of staggering loss and soaring hope with the biblical story of Job, she takes you by the hand and guides you on a pathway through pain—straight to the heart of God. Holding On to Hope offers an uplifting perspective, not only for those experiencing monumental loss, but for anyone going through difficulty and failure. (Includes an 8-week study on the book of Job for readers who want to dig deeper into what the Bible says about dealing with suffering and grief.)
When all seems lost, where can you find hope? Katherine and Jay Wolf married right after college and sought adventure far from home in Los Angeles, CA. As they pursued their dreams--she as a model and he as a lawyer--they planted their lives in the city and their church community. Their son, James, came along unexpectedly in the fall of 2007, and just six months later, everything changed in a moment for this young family. On April 21, 2008, as James slept in the other room, Katherine collapsed, suffering a massive brain stem stroke without warning. Miraculously, Jay came home in time and called for help. Katherine was immediately rushed into brain surgery, though her chance of survival was slim. As the sun rose the next morning, the surgeon proclaimed that Katherine had survived the removal of part of her brain, though her future recovery was uncertain. Yet in that moment, there was a spark of hope. Through forty days on life support in the ICU and nearly two years in full-time brain rehab, that small spark of hope was fanned into flame. Hope Heals documents Katherine and Jay's journey as they struggled to regain Katherine's quality of life and as she relearned to talk, eat, and walk. As Katherine returned home with a severely disabled body but a completely renewed purpose, she and Jay committed to celebrating this gift of a second chance by embracing life fully, even though that life looked very different than they could have ever imagined. As you uncover Katherine and Jay's remarkable story, you'll be encouraged to: Find lasting hope in the midst of struggle Embrace the unexpected Welcome God's miracles into your everyday life In the midst of continuing hardships, both in body and mind, Katherine and Jay found what we all long to find: a hope that heals the most broken place--our souls. Let Hope Heals be your guide along the way. Praise for Hope Heals: "As I read this book, tears streamed from my eyes even as joy flooded my heart. Jay and Katherine are a raw yet refreshing testimony to the unshakable trustworthiness of God amidst the unimaginable trials of life. This book reminds all of us where hope can be found in a world where none of us know what the next day holds." --David Platt, author of the New York Times bestseller Radical and president of the International Mission Board "Hope Heals is a beautiful, true story that illustrates the love and protection God has for us even in the darkest times of our lives. Katherine and Jay's dedication to each other and the Lord through their most devastating season is inspiring. This book will help your heart believe that He sees, He knows, He cares, and He is still working miracles today!" --Lysa TerKeurst, New York Times bestselling author and president of Proverbs 31 Ministries
