Most of us do all we can to avoid pain. But what if our struggles are gifts from God? Exploring seven crucial life issues---injustice, rejection, loneliness, loss, discipline, failure, and death---Meier and Henderson claim challenges are necessary to our spiritual health---and show how to grow through them to reach Christian maturity. 304 pages, hardcover from Nelson.

A revolutionary approach to dealing with life's challenges that guides readers in how to face them and to recognize them as gifts from God.

At one time or another everyone finds themselves questioning, "Does God still love me? Is there a purpose for all this pain?" Drs. Meier and Henderson teach readers how to face painful struggles head-on in a way that allows them to grow and mature emotionally and spiritually. In this timely book they explore the seven most common life challenges:

• Injustice
• Rejection
• Loneliness
• Loss
• Discipline
• Failure
• Death

In addition they offer the three reasons we often miss the gifts these challenges can be. This unique approach to an age-old problem will encourage and challenge readers to grow through their struggles instead of wasting energy trying to avoid them altogether.

Paul Meier, M.D. is a psychiatrist and founder of the national chain of Meier Clinics as well as best-selling author or co-author of more than eighty books. He holds five degrees in the fields of medicine, psychiatry, and theology. Happily married, he has six children and two grandchildren.

David Livingstone Henderson, M.D. is a board certified psychiatrist and an adjunct professor of biblical counseling at Dallas Theological Seminary. His research and clinical interests include anxiety, depression, and addictions. He and his wife, Angela, have two young children.

http://www.christianbook.com/finding-purpose-uncover-potential-common-struggles/paul-meier/9780785229223/pd/229220

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Author: David L. Henderson MD
Located in: Dallas, TX
Submitted: November 12, 2009

    Tell us a little about yourself.  I am a board certified psychiatrist working in private practice as well as an adjunct professor of Biblical Counseling at Dallas Theological Seminary.

    What was your motivation behind this project?  As a therapist and a medical doctor, I see patients every day who are looking to find relief from their suffering. I work hard to help them overcome their pain, be it physical, mental or emotional, but one of the questions I get asked almost daily (and one that I've asked myself during difficult times in my life) is "Why?" People not only want to find relief from their pain. They want to believe there's a reason for it. Can it serve a purpose? Can it be used to accomplish something greater in my life and in the lives of others? These are questions we hope to answer in Finding Purpose Beyond Our Pain.

    What do you hope folks will gain from this project?  There are seven universal struggles that each of us face in life no matter how hard we try to avoid them: Injustice, rejection, loneliness, loss, discipline, failure and death. My hope is that when people read the book 1.)they will come away with a better understanding of why God lets us experience these struggles, 2.) They will gain wisdom to avoid unnecessary future pain and 3.) they will take the unavoidable pain of life and use it to grow closer in their relationship with God and with others.

    How were you personally impacted by working on this project?  God will not let you get away with writing a book on pain without some firsthand experience. As I worked on each section, it seemed inevitable that I'd wrestle with that very issue in my personal life. My wife and I have joked that our next book must be about the seven best vacation sites in the world so that we can experience something different for a change :) The reality is, though, I believe more than ever in the power of God to turn that which was meant for evil into something meant for good. God can make sense of our pain! And there is coming a day when there will be no more pain, no more tears, no more sorrow! I am as excited about that day as anyone else!! In the meantime, my prayer is that God will give me the strength to use my pain for the purposes He has waiting for me. That is my prayer for you too!!

    Who are your influences, sources of inspiration or favorite authors / artists?  My two favorite authors who inspired me in this project are C.S. Lewis (The Problem of Pain) and Armand Nicholi (The Question of God). Lewis' book, The Problem of Pain, is a masterpiece. Some of the reviews I've read of Finding Purpose Beyond Our Pain said we did not delve enough into the source/origins of pain. That was not our goal because it has been so ingeniously described in Lewis' book. Our focus was to take those truths and make them practical. We wanted to be very specific about life's "inevitables" and give some guidance on how to apply what we know about pain to our past, present and future circumstances. We also wanted to make it a book that was easily accessible and enjoyable to read despite the weighty nature of the subject matter.

    Anything else you'd like readers / listeners to know:  I welcome any and all comments about the book. I'd love for you to send me a note and share your story. Check out my website listed under my bio at the back of the book. May God bless you...even in seasons of pain!

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