Hurting Yet Whole Reconciling Body and Spirit in Chronic Pain and Illness by Liuan Huska - InterVarsity Press

Hurting Yet Whole Reconciling Body and Spirit in Chronic Pain and Illness by Liuan Huska - InterVarsity Press



You can get it here: https://amzn.to/2Ma9OZX
pub date 8 dec 2020

I have read many books on suffering, many. One thing I find amazing is that even when they have a lot of things and topics in common, not one story is the same as the other. I appreciate a lot how the author expresses her own struggles, disappointment, and how they express their faith even in the middle of the darkness. I´m always inspired and encouraged by this kind of book. Thankful for the vulnerability shared here. 


#HurtingYetWhole

Description

Aunque pese, aunque duela...

Aunque pese, aunque duela...


Traduzco/parafraseo el letrero de la imagen en la foto, dice: "Que una persona sepa o pueda cargar mucho peso y lo haga bien, no quiere decir que no le pese o no le duela".

Ahora te cuento...
El mensaje me tocó. No pude dejar de pensar en las personas que se dedican a invertir, mantener, cuidar, cargar, ayudar, educar, aconsejar, consolar, guiar, instruir, alimentar, limpiar, corregir, rescatar, sanar, discipular, animar, enseñar, exhortar, proteger y unir a otras personas.
Dedicarse a lidiar con problemas (no solo personales, sino también ajenos) requiere constante oración por gracia divina y continua misericordia, pedir ojos de fe que vean con esperanza el futuro en una situación, donde otros solo pueden ver caos. Requiere escuchar, empatizar, no rendirse. Intentar, intentar, intentar. Amar, amar, amar. Servir, servir, servir...
Es necesario involucrarse en el desastre de otros, dejar la comodidad, estar dispuesto a entrar al fuego y rescatar vidas y relaciones de entre las cenizas e invitarles a construir desde cero, con la ayuda de Dios.
Dar respiración al que se ahoga, CPR al moribundo, restaurar lo desgastado, enderezar lo torcido, pegar lo quebrado, reconciliar lo roto. Comprender que muchos incluso al borde del peligro o de la muerte, rechazarán la ayuda.
Dios bendiga a cada familiar, amigo, padre, madre, doctor, maestro, consejero, líder, pastor, trabajador social, profesor, enfermero y cada voluntario de diferentes causas para la ayuda, crecimiento, protección y desarrollo en otro ser humano. A todo aquel que ama y sirve. GRACIAS. Imposible no ver pinceladas de Su imagen en su vocación.
La vida vale. La vida pesa. Lo que vale la pena... cuesta.
Siempre vale la pena dar la milla extra, aunque parezca fácil y no lo sea, aunque pese mucho, aunque duela.
Agradece hoy a alguien que ha estado ahí por ti. Y gracias a ti también, si haz estado ahí para alguien, aunque pese, aunque duela.
@reynaorozcomeraz

Bon Appetit


Veo “la nube” como una gran mesa servida, donde hay muchas cosas preparadas, cada internauta está sentado alrededor de ella. Cada uno puede acercarse y tomar lo que apetezca, todo el contenido está ahí, disponible, visible, ya preparado, listo para consumir. También, cada quien puede llevar y ofrecer, cual gran fiesta “de''traje” o''cooperación, de lo que tiene o quiere compartir a los demás. Observa, fíjate muy bien antes de que decidas qué llevar a tu boca, a tu mente, a tu corazón, a tu sistema.


Cada vez veo más y más cosas valiosas en este gran buffet, unas muy llamativas (pero nada valiosas), otras discretas pero profundas, otras parecieran pequeñas pero son grandes en su propósito, contenido y nutrientes. Sí, lo sé, hay comida aceptable y demasiada comida chatarra. Hay tantos postres que te quitan el aliento y mucha basura que parece comida... pero que no debes probar pues es veneno, y muchas otras cosas causan adicción.

Está todo ahí, frente a nosotros, a distancia de un click. Hay momento adecuado para todo lo valioso, y cantidades adecuadas también. Hay cosas que no son para quedarte para ti mismo, sino para también compartir con quien las necesita. Hay un tiempo para comer hasta saciarse y un tiempo de abstenerse, un tiempo de ayuno, de desintoxicación. A veces tomas un poco, lo saboreas, digieres y muchas otras ¡mejor ni verlo, tocarlo o compartirlo!, mejor dejarlo pasar si no es para ti o no aporta ningún valor a los demás.

Estoy tan agradecida por tanta riqueza y bocadillos lo que he tomado de esta gran mesa, por lo tanto que ha aportado a mi vida. También estoy consiente de los atracones de tiempo perdido que se ha ido a un hoyo negro mientras he pasado incontables horas sin propósito aquí, sentada sin nutrirme. En internet todo este alimento o basura está a un click de distancia. Es una gran mesa, llena de opciones, de oportunidades. Ojalá que podamos tomar decisiones sabias sobre que ver, qué tomar, qué servirnos, que ignorar, de quienes aprender y a quienes dejar de seguir.

Espero también que podamos compartir mucho más lo que vale la pena y dejar de hacerle ruido y publicidad a lo que está podrido, a lo egoísta, vano y superficial, a lo dañino que debería dejarse de producir, viralizar y consumir. Deseo que el plato de cada uno esté lleno de puras cosas buenas, así como lo que cada uno comparta con los demás. Que podamos apuntar al verdadero alimento, al nutritivo, al eterno y a Su creador, menos de nosotros mismos y más de Él.

“Señor, ¿a quién iremos? Tú tienes palabras de vida eterna”.


Buen provecho para todos.

The Teen's Guide to Face-to-Face Connections in a Screen-to-Screen World 40 Tips to Meaningful Communication by Jonathan McKee; Alyssa McKee - Barbour Publishing, Inc.

The Teen's Guide to Face-to-Face Connections in a Screen-to-Screen World 40 Tips to Meaningful Communication by Jonathan McKee; Alyssa McKee - Barbour Publishing.



you can get it here: https://amzn.to/3e24S3b
pub date 1 nov 2020

         #TheTeensGuidetoFacetoFaceConnectionsinaScreentoScreenWorld

This is a short and simple book with a very important message. I recommend this kind of book to parents whose children are not very into reading, the ideas are surrounded by a lot of examples and personal stories and everything is simplified so anyone will understand it. Do not expect very scientific facts or very deep thoughts explained, but it will be an excellent tool if you are seeking help to start sharing ideas about the effects of screens in your teen life this can be helpful for you. If you have read a lot about this topic, you won't find a lot of new information, but I can say I enjoyed a lot the idea of a dad and daughter writing together for a good purpose. I´m always telling my children that once it is on the cloud you can´t delete it... this topic is included. I really like the topic of dealing with conflict in person, not texts, videos, or chats, to give the importance the relationship deserves. You can give it as a present, useful tips.


Description

Charitable Writing Cultivating Virtue Through Our Words by Richard Hughes Gibson; James Edward Beitler III InterVarsity Press IVP Academic

Charitable Writing Cultivating Virtue Through Our Words by Richard Hughes Gibson; James Edward Beitler III - InterVarsity Press


This title captured my attention because I use to think about tangible things when I hear the word Charity. But charity means love, so I started thinking: I can definitely love through my words, so I took it, I´m glad I did. Everything we "eat" with our brains has an effect on us. I hope and pray many could make a pact with their writing and decide to cultivate just pure, lovely and true. I liked how the author makes a connection between spiritual instruction and writing instruction. I know God loves words, he leaves us the Bible, so we must take care of what we leave through our own words. My favorite part of the book it is when the author defines Humility and how it reshapes or writing practice. I don´t want to spoil you. Get the book. Just one quote:

"
God has endowed us with profound capacities to learn, to ponder, to hypothesize, to reason, to understand. These powers apply to a range of fields and areas of inquiry—not least the knowledge of God himself! To recognize this is to realize that delighting in our thinking, delighting in our nimble intellects, may be a godly pursuit. To cultivate humility in regard to our ideas does not, in G. K. Chesterton’s words, require that we become “too mentally modest to believe in the multiplication table.”15 Rather, such humility liberates us. As Dow observes, “Because intellectually humble people value truth over their egos need to be right, they are freed up to admit the limits of their own knowledge. This freedom naturally produces a teachable spirit and the habit of humble inquiry that are at the heart of sustained personal"



you can pre-order it here: you can pre-order it here: https://amzn.to/33HJ8Wo 
pub date 15-dec-2020


Description




25 Days of the Christmas Story An Advent Family Experience by Josh Straub, Christi Straub - B&H Publishing Group, B&H Books, Holman Bibles, B&H Español, and B&H Kids

 25 Days of the Christmas Story An Advent Family Experience by Josh Straub, Christi Straub - B&H Publishing Group, B&H Books, Holman Bibles, B&H Español, and B&H Kids



pub date 13 oct 2020
you can get it here: https://amzn.to/3nYuDpc

I really enjoy to read this kind of books with my daughter, the illustration is absolutely lovely, I liked the topics the life lessons and activities proposed by the authors. It is easy to read and follow. I think this could be a lovely gift for grandchildren or parents who have never had advent experiences, you can feel relaxed and confident following their guidance. I hope you don´t rush that much and enjoy the meaning of Christmas while enjoying these pages. My daughter is 10 and she still thinks this book is cute.

#25DaysoftheChristmasStory

Description


Walking Through Fire A Memoir of Loss and Redemption by Vaneetha Rendall Risner - Nelson Books

Walking Through Fire A Memoir of Loss and Redemption by Vaneetha Rendall Risner - Nelson Books



pub date 19 jan 2021
I encourage you to pre-order it here: https://amzn.to/33I2qLL

Spanish


Qué vida. Si estás sufriendo, de cualquier tipo de enfermedad, dolor, o pérdida, lo mejor que puedo recomendarte es conocer a otras personas que sufren, pero que sufren bien, con fe, cimentadas en la Roca, Cristo y en Su Palabra. De otra manera puedes desmayar, pensar que eres la única persona en el mundo que tiene tantos "problemas" o dolor. Vaneetha ha sido un ejemplo para mi a la distancia y sin saberlo, desde su libro "The scars that have shaped me" la he sentido como una amiga a la distancia. Este libro es un tanto diferente pues es como una autobiografía, encontrarás más detalles de cómo llegó a donde está parada hoy. En lo personal disfruté mucho más el de "The scars that have shaped me" pero este me ayudó a comprender cómo fue ese proceso. Estoy agradecida con Dios por la vida de Vaneetha y me anima pensar que su existencia tiene un propósito eterno, glorioso, incluso en la vida de personas como yo, a las cuales ella nunca conocerá. Su dolor ha tenido sentido, al menos para mi, y su fidelidad en medio de las lágrimas, valles y soledad también. Me encantaría un día conocerla y darle un abrazo muy fuerte, y simplemente decirle: gracias, por acompañarme en mi cuarto, en la cama, en medio de mis propias lágrimas, enfermedad, quebrando y dolor. Gracias por escribir, por estar ahí. Este libro es un regalo para personas que aman a Cristo y quieren permanecer fieles aunque todo parece derrumbarse alrededor. Espero pronto lo traduzcan al español, uno de mis sueños es ayudar a traducir alguno de los libros que reviso en inglés primero y que me gustan, inspiran o exhortan.

English

What a life. If you are suffering from any kind of illness, pain, or loss, the best I can do for you is to encourage you to meet other Christian people who suffer, but the ones who suffer well, with faith, founded on the Rock, Christ, and His Word. Otherwise, you may pass out and you will want to quit, thinking that you are "the only person in the world" who has so many "problems" or pain. Vaneetha has been a lovely example for me from through the distance and even when she doesn´t know me I feel that I love her. Since her book "The scars that have shaped me" I have felt her as a friend living in another country so far away, and I´m the one who prays for her through the distance. This book is a bit different because it is like an autobiography, you will find more details of how it got to where it stands today. Personally, I enjoyed "The scars that have shaped me" a lot and this one helped me to understand how that process and what lead her to where she is today. I am grateful to God for Vaneetha's life and everything she shares encourages me to think that her existence has an eternal and glorious purpose, even in the lives of people like me, whom she will never meet, and she has encouraged and shared hope in the middle of chaos. Her pain has a purpose, at least for me, and her fidelity in the midst of tears, valleys, and loneliness too. I would love to meet her one day and give her a very strong hug, and simply say: thank you, for being with me in my room, in bed, in the midst of my own tears, illness, heartbreak, and pain. Thanks for writing, for being there. Allowing God to break you will bear fruit. This book is a gift for people who love Christ and want to remain faithful even though everything seems to collapse around them. Consider getting this book even if you are not walking through fire right now, because someday the most certain thing is that you will. I hope they will translate it into Spanish soon, one of my dreams is to help translate some of the books that I review in English first and that I like, inspire or encourage.

Here I share with you some quotes and small paragraphs so you can feel the tone and passion of the book:


“But is there anything happy?” they ask. “Did you ever laugh with all the tears?” And then, quietly, “Has your life been good?” My eyes sparkle as I grin, my joy evident. “Come and see.”

"This is the place you reach when after years and years of trials and difficulties, you see that all has been working out for your good, and that God’s will is perfect. You see that He has made no mistakes. He knew all of the “what if’s” in your life. When you finally recognize this, even during the trials, it’s possible to have joy, deep down joy".

“Jesus, I don’t understand [...],” I said out loud. “But I need you right now. I can’t live like this anymore. I can’t. I want to feel your presence again and know that you love me.”

"Jesus is feeding me. God’s promises are true. God will never leave me and will walk with me through everything. Then my eyes widened. God has never left me."

"I wrote furiously in my journal, asking God questions and telling him how angry and hurt I was. But every sentence , every tear, drew me toward God and not away. My silence since Paul’s death had raised walls, and now it felt as if every word was helping to tear them down.
[...],
“God, I don’t know if you exist. But if you are real, please show me.”
[...],
I asked out loud, “So why did all this happen to me anyway, God ? If you are so loving, why did I get polio ? Why have I had to struggle all my life? How could you possibly be good?”
[...],
Could God use my life and disability for something good? Was God telling me that my polio had a purpose ? That it wasn’t senseless or random? As I rolled these thoughts around in my head, something changed inside me.
[...],
I felt a newfound freedom to be authentic with God. Every day I discovered pain on the pages of my Bible, and every day I offered it back to God. I yelled it, whispered it, cried it through tears.
[...],
"I realized that he wasn’t waiting for the pain to disappear. No, he was already inside it. Pain and lament were not opposed to praise—after voicing my lament, praise naturally followed. It happened to the psalmists. And it happened to me."

"It would be a very sharp and trying experience to me to think that I have an affliction which God never sent me—that the bitter cup was never filled by His hand , that my trials were never measured out by Him, nor sent to me by His arrangement of their weight and quantity."

I´ll share some more here later if you com back I´ll edit here.

Description

 #WalkingThroughFire

P.D. Esta agenda/planner es mi favorita hasta el momento y créeme... he probado muchas... https://amzn.to/2SU2uSA este librito para mamis me encantó también: https://amzn.to/34P3EFD

Recomendaciones: 
Reloj Xiaomi Mi Band 5: https://amzn.to/36mRDH0

A Sky Full of Stars Learning to Surrender to God's Perfect Plans by Meg Apperson Narrated by Emily Ellet - RB Media

A Sky Full of Stars Learning to Surrender to God's Perfect Plans by Meg Apperson Narrated by Emily Ellet - RB Media



pub date 6 oct 2020
you can get it here: https://amzn.to/2SI7l9i

 #ASkyFullofStars

I loved the title of this book, and I really enjoyed A LOT the voice of Emily Ellet, she did a great job encapsulating the feelings and emotions in this book, great narrator. This is a real story and it is full of unexpected news for a mom. Is the story of her delivery and choices with doctors. 
Exasperation, disbelief, expectations crushed, you will get all her feels. I think this book could be a great gift for moms who deal with unexpected issues with the life of their children. It may be a little bit annoying if you don´t like to read about medical conditions, the author shares in-depth what they were going through. Expect 5 hours 37 minutes of pain, hardship, and a mom who tries to endure news after news of trials. Expect to be amazed by her sincerity, endurance and faith. All the time you will remember this: you can not do anything to sustain someone´s life or health, you are not in control... and to know that is to rest and know who really holds life together, yours and your family´s too


Description



Bonhoeffer Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas - Nelson Books

Bonhoeffer Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas - Nelson Books


you can get it here: https://amzn.to/36C34MU

I love heroes. I just love to get into their brains. I love their thinking and their courage. Most of all I love people who act like heroes without knowing they will be famous because of their actions. It would be easy to act with courage, wisdom, and justice if you would know your life is being recorded and you have a contract because they will write a biography about you. That would not impress me. What I love about people in the past is that they act as they must, with selfishness and with sacrificially loving, even if nobody knows it or no one claps around. This is the case, I think that is why I like books like this so much. There where no cellphones and selfies around, no paparazzi involved. It is impossible to read about Dietrich Bonhoeffer without having a deep sense of what is truly important, about integrity, truth, courage, and the present and unavoidable fact that you will need to die and sacrifice in order to serve others. This biography is a treasure I want to involve my children in. You will walk to each chapter thankful for Bonhoeffer, but also for Eric Metaxas, who took the time and effort to leave this legacy into pages so we could cherish, a hero for me too. If you love justice, pastors, history, martyrs, prophets, deep thoughts, and challenges this book is for you. My prayer for this generation is to have more people of character with kindness and strong convictions, and the conviction to be faithful to God and love others to the end. Seriously get this book, and start reading now. It has been 10 years since the 1st one came out and it is still here, going strong (you will find some new things added to this edition). It is long, but it is worth it. 


Description

Hoping for Happiness Turning Life's Most Elusive Feeling into Lasting Reality by Barnabas Piper - The Good Book Company

Hoping for Happiness Turning Life's Most Elusive Feeling into Lasting Reality by Barnabas Piper - The Good Book Company

                                                       

                                      you can get it here: https://amzn.to/34Gvliv

I just had the opportunity to read/listen the new book by Barnabas Piper about happiness, (as you all may know, this is not a very common topic for me to read about). I enjoyed the clarity and simplicity Barnabas had to share his ideas, and that he point you to the fountain of life: Jesus. I enjoy audiobooks most when the audio is recorded by the author, everything changes when they add their own tone and style (you can find it in ONE Audiobooks). It is very uplifting to listen an author, their process and vulnerability while writing.

I would like to say to Barnabas is this, and leave it here on my blog so I can remember:
Thank you, Barnabas. Something happened while I was reading. I´m going through several processes in my life and for some reason, I wanted to read your book. I had several "aha" moments deep thoughts around your ideas, and I´m thankful for it because you ignited those, it was very helpful. I really like it when someone shares his voice even when they come from a family with other authors and that may be intimidating. I can relate in many things. I´m amazed how you were able to overcome all the trash people throws after a divorce, or comparison, (even when they don´t know you or know how hard it is to start again). You have keep going and I admire that, it is a great example to me in several other areas. I had never ever read about "Evangeliguilt", but it was kind of fun to read about it and also helpful to know how to "call" it (I´m not sure if you created or not the word). As I read/heard your content I was encouraged to keep my eyes on Jesus, leave behind all the burdens, to carry on with the best attitude and thankfulness no matter what, keep going even if I fall, not to think everything is said and done, and to remember the Word and Love of God is forever. Holiness and happiness coexist. We must show it.








Description:

Everyone wants to be happy, and we all pursue happiness in different ways. Some people are thrill-seekers; others are homebodies. Some people are loners; others love big families or communities. Some people express things creatively; others consume what is created. Some sing; others listen to music. Whatever we find happiness in, we are united by our desire for work that matters and relationships that fulfil.

As Christians, we often fall into the trap of basing our hopes on earthly things, even when we know they only make us happy for a short time. But how are we to experience happiness in this life? How do we avoid expecting too much of earthly things and being disappointed, or expecting too little and becoming cynics?

In this book, recovering cynic Barnabas Piper helps us to throw off both the unrealistic expectations that end in disappointment and the guilty sense that Christians are not meant to have fun. He shows how having a clear view of the reality of the fall and the promise of redemption frees us to live a life that's grounded, hopeful, and genuinely happy.

Foreword by Randy Alcorn, best-selling author of many books, including Happiness and The Treasure Principle, and the director of Eternal Perspective Ministries.

 

Contents

  • 1. The American Dream
  • 2. Expecting Too Little, Too Much, and Just Right
  • 3. Hanging Happiness on the Right Hooks
  • 4. We Live Cursed
  • 5. Deal in Reality
  • 6. Every Good and Perfect (and Fun) Gift
  • 7. In This Life There Will Be Trouble
  • 8. Don't Fear the Reaper
  • 9. Pleasures Now and Forevermore
  • 10. Happiness vs Holiness
  • 11. The Pleasure of the Promise
  • 12. Grounded Happiness
  • 13. Finding Happiness



The 40-Day Social Media FastExchange Your Online Distractions for Real-Life Devotionby Wendy Speake - Baker Books


Pub Date 03 Nov 2020
you can pre order it here https://amzn.to/3hhbquY

She did it again. Wendy Speake encourages me to focus on Jesus just as she did with the sugar fast, now she encourages us to quit sugar (remember? The 40-Day Sugar Fast: Where Physical Detox Meets Spiritual Transformation) for the brain and go for the real thing with God and his Word. 

I have been not around social media since June 2020 to _____ (don´t know yet when I´m coming back, I feel so comfortable and free like this) so I was an ideal reader for this book. I think as I was on this journey this book would be extra support for my life to focus on the important, and sure it was. I love to be in touch and have meaningful connections with people, but I´m a lot like Jesus, needing to go alone with the father, silence and quiet places are a gift for me. For you too if you try. This book is a great company if you decide to have that kind of time.

If you have never ever done something like this I encourage you to do it, it is like a detox for your brain. I have several friends who are always saying goodbye publicly and in some hours they come back, they can´t, it is a huge addiction, I have talked to them but it is very rooted and they don´t really want to change. I hope you don´t have your identity in others or your enjoyment may come from several real places, not just online people. Do not expect something just about quitting your digital habits, but expect to get closer to Jesus, your family, neighbor and get closer to real friends. If you or your family are really into social media, you all may do these devotionals together and get healthier in that area of your life. 

Description

God Does His Best Work with Empty by Nancy Guthrie - Tyndale House Publishers



Pub date 15-Sep-2020
you can pre-order it here: https://amzn.to/33c4Q3L

Sometimes it is not what is in a book that captures your attention, but what makes you think... sometimes is related to the actual words printed in the book and sometimes it just led you to a way of thoughts and you just can´t stop. This was the case. As weird as you may find my words, this book made me think a lot in motherhood and the meaning of life (and the author was not even talking about this, well... she shares some of her own struggles with motherhood, which I found odd because she lost children, I don´t get it, and probably never will). I´m thankful to Nancy for the reflections she lightens up inside of me and because I was encouraged to remember that even when you feel left out, drained, burned out, and basically empty, it is a good thing because God needs you to be in order to fill you. In this book, if you are a Christian, you will find things that you already know, but I´m sure you need to remember, why? because we tend to forget, and we need to remember. You will find some paragraphs where she quotes from other books she wrote and I have also enjoyed (like Holding on to hope with Tyndale, 2002 and Hearing Jesus speak into your sorrow, also with Tyndale, 2009, and the latest from Even Better than Eden, 9 ways the Bible´s story changes everything about your story) but you won´t find that annoying because those are some short passages that are short and truly related).

I can relate... Here some quotes...
"...we simply can’t expect any human to fill us up completely. No human relationship, no matter how good, can bear the weight of our expectations of complete satisfaction, perfect harmony, and intimacy that only this ultimate and eternal marriage will provide. Instead, our less-than-perfect marriages or our longings to be married can serve to keep us thirsty for this perfect marriage to come. We can expect God to be at work in our emptiness to woo us to himself. Whether we’re married or single, divorced or widowed, our lives are meant to be spent nurturing our longing for this better marriage. And someday that longing will be fulfilled. Don’t stuff down those desires to be loved in this way; direct your desires toward the only one who can love you this way".

"I know the empty place is still there. There’s an empty place in your family photo, an empty place at the table, an empty place in the plans you had for your future. I’m praying that God will continue to do his best work, not in spite of your emptiness, but in it and through it. I’m praying that God will fill your lives with his life and light, beauty and purpose, hope and joy".

"I have often found myself fighting off a sense of emptiness, or perhaps more accurately wallowing in a wave of emptiness. Sometimes I feel as if there is a bottomless pit inside of me that no amount of entertainment, affirmation, or accumulation can fill. I’m ashamed of how envious I can be of what someone else has or does when I have so much and get to do so much. I’ve often wondered how I can feel empty immediately after accomplishing something I’ve worked hard for or while I’m still on the vacation I’ve dreamed of. I’ve wondered how I can feel lonely in a room full of interesting people or in a marriage to a wonderful man. I’ve wondered how it is that I can so quickly descend from thrilling satisfaction into nagging dissatisfaction after an expensive purchase, a successful event, or a sought-after experience. But I do."

"Sometimes your sense of emptiness haunts you as an undefined yet relentless ache. At other times it overwhelms you as an undeniable agony."

"When all you can see are the empty places, put your confident hope in what you can’t see. Put your hope in a God who is for you. God has not raised his fist against you; instead, God’s hand is at work in your life. See that even the hardest providences of life come to us through our Redeemer’s nail-scarred hands. He’s allowing this emptiness in your life, seeking to draw you back to the place where he intends to bless you beyond what you can imagine . You just can’t see it at this point in your story. Trust him to the end. He is guiding the story of your life toward restoration, toward redemption, toward resurrection."

"Whatever it is that has carved out a huge cistern in your soul, God wants to fill your emptiness with his grace and kindness. Your Redeemer longs to take you under his wing and cover you with his robe, to protect you and provide for you. He has done what is necessary under the law to redeem you from your desperate situation and has paid the price required with his own blood. He will take you into his home. He will satisfy your hunger with himself because he is the Bread of Life. He will heal your heart, which has been broken by the sorrows and losses inflicted on it by life in this world. He will be kind to you. He will love you. He will share with you his own inheritance in the heavenly land. He will fill your future with all of the royal privileges of being in the family of Jesus Christ, the son of David."


Description

Caring for the souls of children, a biblical counselor´s manual by editor Amy Baker - New Growth Press

 Caring for the souls of children by editor Amy Baker - New Growth Press



you can get it here: https://amzn.to/3i7yywd

This is a book I´d love to have when I was studying counseling. And is a book I will recommend to all my classmates from now on. Edward T. Welch, and Joni Eareckson Tadda are authors that I have enjoyed through the years, so when I saw they were contributors and I had Rob Green as professor years ago, so I wanted to read the whole book. I have taken some courses that focus on children counseling before, the common drawings and figures you show to children, as usual interpretation is very subjective with some methods, in some courses I have taken I didn´t find the ideas/methods very legit or scientific to get to a children´s heart, they just consider behavior or were truly boring (treating children, pre-teens and teens as very immature creatures). Don´t get me wrong, children are indeed immature, but we don´t have to underestimate them, we can communicate and deal with hard issues with good communication, just as we do with grownups it is what Amy also explains. The wisdom and practical ideas this book have to approach a children´s heart, their attention, and what I loved the most: how to help their own parents to help them and involve in the healing/improvement process, I totally agree with that approach (obviously when the parents have mental health and are not toxic. I found that a very valuable approach in this book. 

"For children, the struggles, desires, and hopes are no different than for those of us who are adults. Therefore, the counsel we provide for them should lead them to the same place—the good news of Jesus Christ".

I absolutely recommend this material and can´t way to see how these practices are going to improve future counseling sessions. I´m grateful for all the serious and devoted authors of these chapters. It is a good idea to keep this manual handy.


This is the table of contents

Encouragement and Wisdom
for Counseling Children

New manual equips counselors, parents, and pastors to boldly trust in the sufficiency of Scripture for counseling.


Some counselors are intimidated at the thought of counseling children. If the counselor primarily works with adults, he or she may feel out of their league because they don’t know where to start with relating and providing counsel on a level the child can understand. In Caring for the Souls of Children: A Biblical Counselor’s Manual (New Growth Press/August 31, 2020), editor Amy Baker along with many experienced counselors, authors and pastors help readers prepare to work with children and offer guidance on using the Word of God to help the child face specific struggles.
 
“The core thesis of this book is that the struggles, the desires, and the source of hope for children is no different than the struggles, desires, and source of hope for adults,” writes Baker. “While we often think that children need a different approach to counseling—and we certainly want to tailor our teaching and interaction to the understanding of the child—it’s our observation that children struggle with the same desires adults struggle with, they are lured by the same lies that adults fall prey to, and they find hope in the same source adults find hope—in our Lord and Savior.  The contributors and I want to encourage counselors and parents to boldly trust in the sufficiency of God and his word to help struggling children.”
 
This manual helps counselors share Christ—the way, the truth, and the life—while tailoring interactions and teachings to the understanding of children. The chapters are written by a wide range of contributors who have worked with children for many years including Baker, Julie Lowe, Marty Machowski, Jessica Thompson, Jonathan Holmes, Michael R. Emlet, Garrett Higbee, Edward T. Welch, Kevin Carson, Harvest USA, Charles Hodges, Joni and Friends, Bob Kellemen, and Pam Bauer.
 
Caring for the Souls of Children equips counselors, parents, pastors, and others who work children to boldly trust in the sufficiency of Scripture for counseling. This in-depth resource begins with an overview of foundational principles for counseling children and addresses a different counseling topic in each subsequent chapter. Topics addressed include a wide variety of general and specific issues that children face including anxiety, anger, abuse, suicidal thoughts and actions, self-harm, shame, grief, disability, disease, sexual identity, and many others.
 
Joni Eareckson Tada, founder and CEO of Joni and Friends International Disability Center shares, “In Caring for the Souls of Children, you will find a rich resource of wise insights, seasoned advice, and solid biblical guidance to help children view their limitations from God’s point of view.”
 
“Some books overpromise, but not this one. On all the most pressing issues in counseling (and parenting!) children, Caring for the Souls of Children delivers with grace and wisdom,” CCEF Executive Director Alasdair Groves adds.

Caring for the Souls of Children: A Biblical Counselor’s Manual
Edited by Amy Baker
August 31, 2020 / Retail Price: $29.99
Print ISBN 978-1-645070-63-4
Religion/Christian Ministry/Children


Coming alongside struggling children can feel like an uphill battle. Yet children struggle with the same desires adults struggle with, are lured by the same lies adults fall prey to, and can find hope in the same source adults can find hope--in Jesus. This manual helps counselors share Christ--the way, the truth, and the life--while tailoring interactions and teachings to the understanding of children.

Caring for the Souls of Children equips counselors, parents, pastors, and other helpers who want to love children to boldly trust in the sufficiency of Scripture. Edited by counselor and author Amy Baker, this in-depth resource begins with an overview of foundational principles for counseling children and addresses a different counseling topic in each subsequent chapter. Topics addressed include a wide variety of general and specific issues that children face including anxiety, anger, abuse, suicidal thoughts and actions, self-harm, shame, grief, disability, disease, sexual identity, and many others. Articles are written by a wide range of biblical counselors, authors, and pastors who have worked with children for many years including Amy Baker, Julie Lowe, Marty Machowski, Jessica Thompson, Jonathan Holmes, Michael R. Emlet, Garrett Higbee, Edward T. Welch, Kevin Carson, Harvest USA, Charles Hodges, Joni and Friends, Bob Kellemen, and Pam Bauer.