Books for Dealing with Hard Times

In April 1956, Lewis, a confirmed bachelor, married Joy Davidman, an American poet with two small children. After four brief, intensely happy years, Lewis found himself alone and inconsolable. This is the unflinching account of how a stalwart believer lost his sense of bearings in the "mad midnight moment" of grief in the loss of a spouse. Paperback with French flaps and deckled page edges.

Lament is how you live between the poles of a hard life and trusting God's goodness.

Lament is how we bring our sorrow to God-but it is a neglected dimension of the Christian life for many Christians today. We need to recover the practice of honest spiritual struggle that gives us permission to vocalize our pain and wrestle with our sorrow. Lament avoids trite answers and quick solutions, progressively moving us toward deeper worship and trust.

Exploring how the Bible-through the psalms of lament and the book of Lamentations-gives voice to our pain, this book invites us to grieve, struggle, and tap into the rich reservoir of grace and mercy God offers in the darkest moments of our lives.

A spirit-boosting 365-day devotional from the master storyteller whose voice you trust! Weaving reassuring messages of comfort, grace, and encouragement together with scriptural truths, Pastor Lucado helps those going through difficult seasons such as loneliness, grief, or change understand that they are always loved and never alone. 400 pages, hardcover from Nelson.

This latest edition of the 365-day devotional features larger print, a fresh design, and a beautiful ribbon marker for a title that has been loved and appreciated for over 15 years by millions of Anne Graham Lotz fans. Each dated devotional includes a Scripture verse and insightful reflections on topics such as eternity, grief, and faith.

Why was my child born with a disability? Why did the cancer come back? It can feel impossible to reconcile our intensely painful experiences with the image of a loving and all-powerful God. Groeschel explores this contradiction with honesty, biblical truth, and the stories of people – including himself – who've wrestled with these deep questions and rediscovered faith.

What happens when life looks very different from the reality we long for? In It's Not Supposed to Be This Way, Lysa TerKeurst offers a Biblical perspective and hard-won advice to encourage readers facing their own challenges. Find unexpected strength while wrestling between faith and feelings and learn how to stand through uncertainty and trust in God's goodness.

Over the past few decades, studies have shown that Americans are the most anxious people in the world. We take the most medication for it, see doctors to treat it, and spend fortunes trying to relieve it. How have we let our fears get the better of us? In Anxious for Nothing, Max Lucado leads readers to reflect on the promises of Philippians 4:4-8. This passage from Paul's epistle contains an antidote to anxiety that will help you develop a mindset of resilience. Rediscover the power of prayer and take control of your thoughts. You can rest in "the peace of God,which surpasses all understanding." Hardcover.

Hard times come for all in life, with no real explanation. When we walk through suffering, it has the potential to devastate and destroy, or to be the gateway to gratitude and joy. Elisabeth Elliot, no stranger to suffering, learns that suffering and love are inexplicably linked, as Christ walked the ultimate path of suffering and won victory on our behalf. This truth led Elisabeth to say, "Whatever is in the cup that God is offering to me, whether it be pain and sorrow and suffering and grief along with the many more joys, I'm willing to take it because I trust Him." Because suffering is never for nothing.

When trials come, how will you react? Facing troubles like job loss, divorce, or the death of a loved one is painful, but there is help. In How to Let God Solve Your Problems Charles Stanley shares how trials can be used by God to grow your faith, and that He can help you through the difficulty you're facing with hope.

You were not made to live in disappointment, disillusionment, and defeat; God has given you the tools to live a life defined not by your trials but by your victories. In his new book, Overcomer, David Jeremiah offers his insights on one of the most quoted but least understood passages of the Bible: the apostle Paul's admonition to the Ephesians to take up the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18).