Showing posts with label suffering. Show all posts
Showing posts with label suffering. Show all posts
Friday, January 5, 2018
Braving Sorrow Together: The Transformative Power of Faith and Community When Life is Hard by Ashleigh Slater is an introduction to the power of community during times of sorrow. Slater uses both personal anecdotes and stories from friends and acquaintances to discuss the various ways community can provide a lifeline during various kinds of suffering.
Slater discusses how faith, community, and specifically a faithful and consistent community of faith can be life giving during moments of suffering in big areas of life such as health, family, and work. She gives practical ideas of what was helpful to her during a particular season of suffering. If Slater or her family had not experienced a certain trial, she had a friend who has speak to that issue.
There is nothing new or earth shattering in Braving Sorrow Together. Everyone knows that having friends and family or some other kind of support makes the tough times easier to bear. However, there are some good practical suggestions for those looking for a place to start. Those who lead some kind of group or oversee groups for a church may find this book especially helpful.
I received this book free from Moody Publishers as part of their Moody Publishers Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, See Part 255
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
Me Too: Experience the God Who Understands by Jon Weece is about God's ability to relate to human suffering. Far from being a distant presence who can't relate to the pain humans go through, God became man through Jesus Christ and as Hebrews 4:15 says, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." (ESV)
God's people are to model themselves after Him. In regards to suffering, God doesn't call His people to grit thier teeth and bear it. Nor does He ask them to paste on a smile and pretend everything is OK. The church should be a place where broken people walk with one another through the messiness of life. This is Weece's point. Everyone suffers, and because of that, we can give one another the gift of saying "Me too." I've been there. I hurt and suffer just like you.
Me Too is broken into three parts. They are, "What Jesus Did," "What Jesus is Doing," and "The City - What Jesus Will Do." Weece uses stories and scripture to illustrate how God and His people suffer, and how we can help one another through the hard parts of life.
Anyone who has suffered will find something to relate to in Me Too. God intended us to live in community so that we could carry one another through the times of suffering. This book is part of that community.
I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookLook book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255
I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookLook book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255
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