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A Painful Kind Of Holy: Experiencing God’s Tender Mercies And Faithful Presence Before, During And After Miscarriage by Holly Joy Clemente

May21

Praise You In The Storm

A Painful Kind Of Holy: Experiencing God’s Tender Mercies And Faithful Presence Before, During And After Miscarriage by Holly Joy Clemente is a powerful and heart breaking read surrounding her sixth pregnancy that ended in miscarriage. It is also about her faith in a God who never left her but walked through the valley with her. Holly Joy Clemente describes the pain of loss as, “It is always too soon. And it hurts in the way nothing else can ever hurt.”

Not once did Holly Joy Clemente lose sight of God. She gave Him her tears, her confusion and her anger. In return, she received His love. “God is good… I didn’t understand it, but I knew God was there, and I knew I could trust Him even as I felt I was drowning.” She describes the experience as holy because “Holy is anywhere that God is “ and God was right beside her. Like David in the Psalms, Holly Joy Clemente urges us to be real with God. “God can take our pain.” Nothing we ever experience comes as a surprise to God.

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The Holy Heroes Devotional by Scott Bayles

Apr28

Not Just For Super Hero Fans

The Holy Heroes Devotional by Scott Bayles is a forty day devotional for super hero fans – right? Wrong! TheHoly Heroes Devotional is a forty day devotional for everyone. You do not have to be a super hero fan, you just need to love Jesus and want to immerse yourself in His truths.

Every chapter gives a summary of a super hero story or film. This is then likened to Biblical truths, backed up with scripture, and then each chapter ends with questions to ponder and a prayer.

This book is jam packed with Biblical wisdom and lessons we can all learn. I am not a super hero fan. As a child I watched Batman with Adam West and that is as far as my knowledge goes but it does not matter. This devotional still impacted me. There are familiar Bible stories. There are truths that God loves us so much that Jesus died for us. “This [the cross] is the very reason I came.” John 12:27 NLT. We defeat evil by standing on the Word of God.

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The Stepper: God’s Relentless Pursuit by Jerrad Hardin

Apr14

Champions Of Love

The Stepper: God’s Relentless Pursuit by Jerrad Hardin – wow what a beautiful, beautiful book about love and life and a God who relentlessly pursues us. The Stepper is a work that will really soothe your soul as you read about the beautiful relationship that the author had with his grandfather.

Jerrad Hardin’s grandfather was full of life and love and humour. He taught the author many life lessons. A diagnosis of lung cancer did not get him down. It merely gave him time to spread his love wider and deeper. The author however battled to see God. “If God is there, why is this wretched disease here?”

Many meaningful conversations happened. I loved the description of death. “ ‘Maybe it’s [death] like turning off a light.’ ‘No, Grandpa, death is when the light turns on.’ “

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Cross Of A Different Kind: Cancer And Christian Spirituality by Anthony Maranise

Apr13

Earth Has No Sorrow That Heaven Can’t Heal

Cross of A Different Kind: Cancer And Christian Spirituality by Anthony Maranise is a comprehensive book  focusing on cancer and the Christian walk. At the time of writing the author is cancer free for twenty years having had childhood cancer aged just five years old.

The book is divided into three sections: those who have lost loved ones; those battling cancer; and the survivors of cancer. Each stage faces unique challenges. The overriding messages are that we are primarily a soul with a body and we have a God who loves us.

There are some difficult questions asked – why does God permit us to suffer cancer? The author gives us his answer and then talks about the two types of evil – natural and moral. It is a gut reaction to blame God but in order to blame Him, we must therefore believe in Him. Feelings of anger are perfectly normal. “If we are mad at Him, that means we acknowledge His Presence, His Power and His Supremacy.”

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