When Your Days Are Dark God Is Still Good

Author : Gary Zimak
Publisher : Ave Maria Press
Page : 160 pages
File Size : 52,5 Mb
Release : 2023-05-05
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781646801893

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When Your Days Are Dark, God Is Still Good by Gary Zimak Pdf

“We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) It’s easy to see the work of God’s hands when things are going right—a promotion, a new baby, or a financial windfall. But what about when things go wrong? How could God possibly make good out of illness, death, or betrayal? In his letter to the Romans, St. Paul boldly asserts that God uses all the circumstances of our lives—good and bad—to express his love for us. In When Your Days Are Dark, God Is Still Good, Gary Zimak—author of the bestselling and award-winning Give Up Worry for Lent!—shares personal stories and scripture narratives to show you that God is not only present in your pain but also uses your pain to transform you into a holier, more compassionate person. St. Paul’s confidence was born of conviction as one who had endured great suffering for the Gospel—and had found God faithful. Zimak looks at the story of Paul and other biblical figures in both the Old and New Testaments to show how God used their painful circumstances to bring about good, including: Adam and Eve eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil—God didn’t abandon them, but sent his Son to undo their disobedience; The death of Lazarus—Jesus’s miracle of raising Lazarus brought many to believe in him; The disciples on the road to Emmaus were lamenting the death of Jesus—they met the risen Lord, whom they did not know until he broke bread and gave it to them; Hagar, the maid of Abraham’s wife Sarah, is used to give Abraham a son—though she was cast out by Sarah, God made her son the founder of a great nation; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who suffered religious persecution at the hand of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon—God kept them unharmed when they were thrown into a fire for not bowing to a golden image. Their safety caused the conversion of the king; and The apostles in the upper room in fear after Jesus’s death and Resurrection—Jesus visited them in the locked room and brought the gift of peace through the Holy Spirit. Each chapter includes questions for reflection and a prayer.

Author : Sarah J. Robinson
Publisher : WaterBrook
Page : 257 pages
File Size : 50,5 Mb
Release : 2021-05-11
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780593193532

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I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die by Sarah J. Robinson Pdf

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.

Author : Esther Fleece Allen
Publisher : Zondervan
Page : 220 pages
File Size : 47,7 Mb
Release : 2017-01-10
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780310344773

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No More Faking Fine by Esther Fleece Allen Pdf

Scripture reveals a God who meets us where we are, not where we pretend to be. No More Faking Fine is your invitation to get honest with God through the life-giving language of lament. If you've ever been given empty clichés during challenging times, you know how painful it is to be misunderstood by well-meaning people. When life hurts, we often feel pressure--from others and ourselves--to keep it together, suck it up, or pray it away. But Scripture reveals a God who lovingly invites us to give honest voice to our emotions when life hits hard. For most of her life, Esther Fleece Allen believed she could bypass the painful emotions of her broken past by shutting them down altogether. She was known as an achiever and an overcomer on the fast track to success. But in silencing her pain, she robbed herself of the opportunity to be healed. Maybe you've done the same. Esther's journey into healing began when she discovered that God has given us a real-world way to deal with raw emotions and an alternative to the coping mechanisms that end up causing more pain. It's called lament--the gut-level, honest prayer that God never ignores, never silences, and never wastes. No More Faking Fine is your permission to lament, taking you on a journey down the unexpected pathway to true intimacy with God. Drawing from careful biblical study and hard-won insight, Esther reveals how to use God's own language to come closer to him as he leads us through our pain to the light on the other side, teaching you that: We are robbing ourselves of a divine mystery and a divine intimacy when we pretend to have it all together God does not expect us to be perfect; instead, he meets us where we are There is hope beyond your heartache, disappointment, and grief Like Esther, you'll soon find that when one person stops faking fine, it gives everyone else permission to do the same.

Author : John Piper
Publisher : Crossway
Page : 128 pages
File Size : 47,7 Mb
Release : 2024-06-30
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781433544293

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When I Don't Desire God by John Piper Pdf

Author : Jerry Bridges
Publisher : NavPress
Page : 353 pages
File Size : 45,6 Mb
Release : 2018-04-03
Category : Conduct of life
ISBN : 9781631468728

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The Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges Pdf

God's Role and Our Role in the Pursuit of Holiness You are never beyond the reach of God's grace. Neither are you ever beyond the need of God's grace. Without grace we'd never come to Christ. But being a Christian is more than just coming to Christ, it's about growing and becoming more like Jesus. This pursuit of holiness is hard work, and as we enter into this discipline, we sometimes lose sight of grace. Jerry Bridges helps us steer clear of this disastrous distraction, offering a clear and thorough explanation of the gospel and what it means to the believer. Explore how the same grace that brings us to Christ also grows us in Christ. Includes full study guide (which was previously sold as a stand-alone discussion guide, ISBN 9781576839904).

Author : Gary Zimak
Publisher : Ave Maria Press
Page : 160 pages
File Size : 46,6 Mb
Release : 2024-08-02
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781646802920

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Find Peace in Advent! by Gary Zimak Pdf

Is it really possible to find peace during one of the busiest and stress-filled times of the year? Catholic author and self-described “recovering worrier” Gary Zimak offers a practical, scripture-based approach to Advent so we can make room for Jesus in our chaotic, busy, and fast-paced lives. While most Catholics have an awareness of Lenten practices, we often don’t know what to do during Advent—even if we know both seasons are times of preparation. On top of this, the holiday season arrives with its own busy rhythms with family and friends. Many of us know that Advent is supposed to be a special season, but we are so pre-occupied with getting ready for the holidays that we fail to benefit from it. Find Peace in Advent! will enable you to deepen your relationship with Jesus and find peace during one of the most stressful times of the year. This book, which uses a similar approach to the bestselling Give Up Worry for Lent!, requires only a few minutes of reading each day and helps you grow closer to Jesus and experience the peace that only he can give. The daily readings and reflections are easy to digest and connect to the daily Mass readings and the rhythm of the Advent season. With each entry, Zimak guides you to ponder foundational truths of faith and apply them to your own life with four simple steps: Read Reflect Respond Pray As you continue to meditate on scripture and practice the simple action steps at the end of each reflection, you will find it easier to let go of your stress and worries and instead take small steps to deepen your relationship with God and make him the center of your life. There is no better time to seek interior peace than Advent, which is a time to prepare to celebrate the many ways Jesus reaches into our lives. This four-week process is more than a survival guide to a busy season—it is a journey by which we learn to walk with Jesus, the one who guides our feet onto the path of peace.

Author : Sarah Van Diest
Publisher : NavPress
Page : 161 pages
File Size : 52,7 Mb
Release : 2018
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781631466069

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God in the Dark by Sarah Van Diest Pdf

Life's painful trials can bring shame about our inadequate and broken faith. There is relief in hearing the expressions of desperation in the psalmist's voice. He didn't experience this life perfected, and we don't either. But the psalmist was loved. So are we. God was so kind to give us the Psalms. To walk through darkened days is part of the human experience. To walk through them with faith, comfort, strength, joy, and hope is part of the divine experience. Our eyes, though, are often clouded to those blessings by the thing oppressing us. When we remember and recognize our Father's faithfulness, when we see reality with the eyes of understanding, the darkness ebbs and the light of hope grows. The impossible, unbearable, and unthinkable becomes the hidden passageway to truth, hope, and joy in Christ. These letters were originally written as encouragement to a friend when the darkness began to overtake his path. Each day for 22 days, a letter arrived with one of the eight-verse sections from Psalm 119 along with a small thought to bring light and hope and to be a reminder that we do not fight our battles alone. The letters, along with nine more devotions on the subject of experiencing God in the dark, make up this powerful, honest, hope-filled 31-day devotional.

Author : Matt Brown
Publisher : Zondervan
Page : 209 pages
File Size : 46,8 Mb
Release : 2019-04-23
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780310355250

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Truth Plus Love by Matt Brown Pdf

Imagine what our world might look like if Christians became known for remarkable love, as well as life-giving truth. The stakes are high and the need is great for Christians to represent Jesus to a watching world. And today, we have more influence than ever before--for better and for worse. We are among the first generations to have access to a global megaphone through social media. But it's not enough to speak truth louder to a noisy culture. To counter the reputation Christians have earned, our love must be just as loud. Ask evangelist Matt Brown, and he will tell you Christians today are facing a crisis of influence. In our rush to speak truth to today's tensions, cultural issues, and trending controversies, it becomes all too easy to focus on proving our points rather than extending God's grace. Conversely, when we seek only to love yet never proclaim a better way, we short-circuit God's plan. Truth Plus Love invites you to rediscover the biblical framework for engaging culture as ambassadors of Christ. Through biblical insight, cultural analysis, and practical principles, Matt Brown outlines how to champion truth without compromise, how to love unconditionally, and ultimately, how to step into this great adventure of representing God to the world. It's hard, it's messy, and it's the unfinished project of a lifetime, yet here we find our great adventure: representing God to a watching world.

Author : Craig Groeschel
Publisher : Zondervan
Page : 177 pages
File Size : 52,8 Mb
Release : 2018-08-21
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780310342960

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Hope in the Dark by Craig Groeschel Pdf

Can God be good when life is not? Rediscover faith in the character, power, and presence of God. Even in the questions. Even in the hurt. "I want to believe, I want to have hope, but . . ." Pastor and bestselling author Craig Groeschel hears these words often and has asked them himself. We want to know God, feel his presence, and trust that he hears our prayers, but in the midst of great pain, we may wonder if he really cares about us. Even when we have both hope and hurt, sometimes it's the hurt that shouts the loudest. In Hope in the Dark, Groeschel explores the story of the father who brought his demon-possessed son to Jesus, saying, "I believe! Help my unbelief!" In the man's sincere plea, Jesus heard the tension in the man's battle-scarred heart. He healed not only the boy but the father too, driving out the hopelessness that had overtaken him. He can do the same for us today. As Groeschel shares his pain surrounding the health challenges of his daughter, he acknowledges the questions we may ask in our own deepest pain: "Where was God when I was being abused?" "Why was my child born with a disability?" "Why did the cancer come back?" "Why are all my friends married and I'm alone?" He invites us to wrestle with such questions as we ask God to honor our faith and heal our unbelief. Because in the middle of your profound pain, you long for authentic words of understanding and hope. You long to know that even in overwhelming reality, you can still believe that God is good. Hope in the Dark is also available in Spanish, Esperanza en la Oscuridad.

Author : Melissa Maimone
Publisher : Harvest House Publishers
Page : 242 pages
File Size : 51,6 Mb
Release : 2019-04-02
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780736976473

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The Radiant Midnight by Melissa Maimone Pdf

“In The Radiant Midnight you will find not merely abstract ideas about the essence of darkness or how to go about facing it. You will also find humor, Wisdom. Honesty. You will find Melissa’s very bone and blood…it is here, then, in reading—rather, perhaps, listening to—her words, that your heart, trapped as it may feel in its own midnight, begins to see the first signs of dawn.” –Curt Thompson, MD, author of Anatomy of the Soul Grace and Hope for Long Dark Nights Have you ever suffered with depression, sadness, or the feeling that you just can't seem to get it together? Do you wonder if you could ever view your deepest wounds in a different light? Through candid storytelling, biblical truth, honest lament, and unexpected humor, The Radiant Midnight is a bold refusal to simplify the experience of suffering by moving too quickly to try to relieve it. With questions to guide you and practical suggestions to lead you through dark moments, this book takes you on a journey of surrender, suffering, rest, and restoration as it encourages and comforts you in whatever struggle you face. The message of The Radiant Midnight is fueled by the passionate belief that not only will God lead you out of darkness, He will be fully and beautifully present within it. You can find deep contentment in painful circumstances and discover a profound intimacy with a compassionate, tender God who is with you in every moment—in each hope-filled dawn and every radiant midnight.

Author : Gary Zimak
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 40,9 Mb
Release : 2012
Category : Religion
ISBN : 0764821636

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A Worrier's Guide to the Bible by Gary Zimak Pdf

Gary Zimak writes that anxiety can be a blessing. If you are wondering what he means by this, then this is the book for you. In times of confusion, despair, doubt, fear, persecution, sickness, and troubles consider what the Word of God says. Zimak bring

Author : Sally Lloyd-Jones
Publisher : Zonderkidz
Page : 20 pages
File Size : 47,6 Mb
Release : 2018-09-04
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN : 9780310757689

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Loved by Sally Lloyd-Jones Pdf

From the creators of the bestselling?The Jesus Storybook Bible—with over three million copies sold—comes?Loved, a board book retelling of the Lord's Prayer in very child-friendly language that helps little ones learn to pray. And the colorful, engaging contemporary illustrations that bring the words to life will hold your child's interest as you read together. Hello Daddy! We want to know you. And be close to you. Please show us how. Even the youngest kids can experience God's Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love in this board book that presents the Lord's Prayer in words any child can understand. Loved: · Is ideal for children ages 0-4 · Is a padded board book with rounded corners that holds up to repeated use, and is the perfect size for toddlers · Teaches little ones how to pray · Pairs Sally Lloyd-Jones' retelling of the Lord's Prayer with colorful artwork from Jago that shows how the words apply to children's everyday lives · Is the perfect gift for baby showers, birthdays, and baptisms · Is part of The Jesus Storybook Bible series, which also includes?Found, The?Jesus Storybook Deluxe Edition,?The Jesus Storybook Bible?audio, and The Jesus Storybook Bible Coloring Book With vibrant new illustrations and a sturdy format perfect for little hands, you and your child can explore Jesus' timeless teaching together in a new and fresh way.

Author : Barbara Reaoch,Stacy Reaoch
Publisher : B&H Publishing Group
Page : 102 pages
File Size : 43,9 Mb
Release : 2022-02-08
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781087746395

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Making Room for Her by Barbara Reaoch,Stacy Reaoch Pdf

Maybe you’re a bride-to-be who is about to gain a mother-in-law. Or perhaps you’re a mother-of-the-groom who is about to gain a daughter-in-law. Or maybe you’ve been in an in-law relationship for decades, one that’s been struggling in painful tension for years. No matter your age or stage, every daughter-in-law and mother-in-law needs help navigating their relationship sometimes. Whether the struggle is one of feeling unseen, unheard, or unvalued, authors and in-laws Barbara and Stacy Reaoch have been there, and as they’ve put the Bible’s wisdom to practice over the years, they’ve found that the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law really can thrive in the midst of difficulty. In this biblical, practical, and heartfelt book, Barbara and Stacy Reaoch share from their own 20 years of forming a mother-in-law/daughter-in-law bond. As you walk alongside them in their own journey and lessons learned, prepare to be encouraged and equipped in these areas: Expectations Conflict Suffering Communication Parenting And more With the Bible as your foundation and this book as a helpful companion in the journey, take heart: a healthier relationship with your mother-in-law or daughter-in-law is closer than you think!

Author : Gary Zimak
Publisher : Ave Maria Press
Page : 160 pages
File Size : 46,9 Mb
Release : 2019-01-25
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781594718823

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Give Up Worry for Lent! by Gary Zimak Pdf

Catholic author and self-described “recovering worrier” Gary Zimak combines practical spirituality, daily scripture readings, and simple action steps to help you kick the worry habit as part of your Lenten renewal. He shows you how to let go of the anxiety-producing areas of life in order to find the lasting peace that comes from trusting God. During the season of Lent, Catholics and other Christians frequently give up something they enjoy as a measure of penance or self-discipline—and often fall back into old habits at the first “Alleluia!” In Give Up Worry for Lent!, Zimak offers fellow worriers practical, scripture-centered advice on how to relinquish the need to control the uncontrollable—not just for Lent but for good—and how to find peace in Christ. From Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday, Zimak guides you to ponder a scripture passage and to apply it to your own life by following four simple steps: read reflect respond pray As you continue to meditate on scripture and practice the simple action steps at the end of each reflection, you will find it easier to replace old worries with new messages of hope and to change your life forever.

Author : Sarah Walton,Kristen Wetherell
Publisher : The Good Book Company
Page : 256 pages
File Size : 49,7 Mb
Release : 2017-04-01
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781784980740

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Hope When It Hurts by Sarah Walton,Kristen Wetherell Pdf

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.