Joy in Dark Places

Joy in Dark Places
Author: Thomas Parr
Publisher: Reformation Heritage Books
Total Pages: 185
Release: 2022-06-07
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1601789270

The world is full of dark places that present obstacles to our joy. While people may instinctually turn to films, games, or social connections to brighten their day, Christians know they have a greater source of comfort and joy. In Joy in Dark Places, Thomas Parr reminds us that the Bible speaks of glorious realities that the darkest days cannot destroy. Readers will see how moral evil, calamity, and even bad theology steal our happiness. More importantly, they will see how the light of the gospel dispels disquiet and brings profound joy instead. Table of Contents: Joy and Obstacles to It Joy despite God’s Judgments in the Earth Law and Conviction Necessary for Joy Joy despite Fears of Spiritual Deterioration Joy from Empowerment and Even Chastening Joy from the Bible’s “Works-Oriented” Statements Joy in Renouncing All Forms of Legalism Joy by Quieting Your Conscience in the Cross To Have Joy You Must Have Faith To Have Joy You Must Obey Joy in God Incomprehensible Joy and Problem People in the Church Joy in Old Testament Promises to Israel Joy at the Prospect of Growing Old and Dying Biblical Joy versus Cheap Joy Joy Even When Society Disintegrates Joy at the Last Judgment: Looking Forward to a Judgment of Our Works Conclusion: Our Joy and God’s Glory

The Radiant Midnight

The Radiant Midnight
Author: Melissa Maimone
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
Total Pages: 242
Release: 2019-04-02
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0736976477

“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.

Hope in Dark Places

Hope in Dark Places
Author: David Grieve
Publisher: Sacristy Press
Total Pages: 50
Release: 2017-12-01
Genre: Poetry
ISBN: 1910519677

Hope in Dark Places explores the depths of depression through the poetry of David Grieve. You will be moved to tears and laugh unexpectedly. You will feel the raw reality of suffering and feel Christ’s presence in its midst.

Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner

Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner
Author: Wendy Blight
Publisher: Moody Publishers
Total Pages: 208
Release: 2009-02-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1575673185

One week after Wendy Blight’s college graduation, she walked into her apartment to find a masked man holding a knife and waiting for her at the top of the stairs. The man spent an hour physically and sexually assaulting Wendy, leaving her changed forever. After this terrifying experience, she lived for years cocooned in a prison of fear, despair, and hopelessness. Finally, after years of searching and believing she had nowhere else to turn, she fell on her knees before God and poured out her tears, anger, and questions to Him. Wendy’s story is one of transformation from trauma to rebirth through the power of the Word of God. Through Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner, the reader will experience hope and the encouragement necessary to press forward to healing and restoration.

Blessed in the Darkness

Blessed in the Darkness
Author: Joel Osteen
Publisher: FaithWords
Total Pages: 219
Release: 2017-10-24
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1455534315

Find comfort in dark times and grow your trust and faith in God with this inspiring and insightful guide from Lakewood Church pastor and #1 New York Times bestselling author Joel Osteen. All of us will go through dark times that we don't understand: a difficulty with a friend, an unfair situation at work, a financial setback, an unexpected illness, a divorce, or the loss of a loved one. Those types of experiences are part of the human journey. But when we find ourselves in such a place, it's important that we keep a positive perspective. Joel Osteen writes that if we stay in faith and keep a good attitude when we go through challenges, we will not only grow, but we will see how all things work together for our good. Through practical applications and scriptural insight, Blessed in the Darkness focuses on how to draw closer to God and trust Him when life doesn't make sense. If we will go through the dark place in the valley trusting, believing, and knowing that God is still in control, we will come to the table that is already prepared for us, where our cup runs over.

Promises in the Dark

Promises in the Dark
Author: Eric McLaughlin
Publisher: New Growth Press
Total Pages: 133
Release: 2019-10-14
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1645070549

When we walk closely with those who suffer and carry others' burdens, it's easy to feel shrouded over by the darkness. Through personal reflections and meditations on Scripture, Dr. Eric McLaughlin peels back the darkness to show a God of hope, who is sovereign over his broken creation.

Can't Steal My Joy

Can't Steal My Joy
Author: Bekah Bowman
Publisher:
Total Pages: 190
Release: 2019-09-17
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9781733151900

We are all broken. It's a unified human experience. And we all need a hope that doesn't disappoint, a love that anchors us, joy that survives in unthinkable conditions, and a perspective shift that goes beyond our circumstances. Some days we feel the perfection of sunshine and a light breeze. Other days hold wet, gray skies with drowning grief. In the wake, comes promise of new growth. Still other days a cold winter frost catches us by surprise, halting our journey toward fruitful blooms. We step back, reeling at the damage from this frost. We question the system and environment we grow in. We can exist in this garden dictated by the changing weather patterns. Or, we can see a different kind of brave living-that which exists beyond our fragile stems and dainty leaves, living instead deep in our roots. This book is for those sitting in the deep-down dark, traveling with grief as a constant companion, and anyone whose life path has taken an unexpected turn. Bekah shares the heart break of a fatal diagnosis for not just one, but both her children. As she journeyed through dark valleys of death, it was there she experienced Jesus in a whole new way-in deeply broken places. Her journey holding pain in one hand and joy in the other is vulnerably scribbled out on these pages as she tore open the wounds in her soul to share how Christ created beauty and goodness in it all. It was in this journey, she learned to see wholeness in cracks, courage in the broken-hearted, and bravery in the act of letting go. May you discover the Life-Giver of joy, see your beautiful bloom, and know that hope is always worth holding on to, because redemption is coming--and in fact--is already happening here and now. "Can't Steal My Joy is an honest, real-life account of a life storm that drops down right on top of you with no warning - and the unspeakable beauty that blooms from the wreckage. Bekah's heart beats in every page, every word. To read her story from start to not-yet-finished, it's only natural to wonder how anyone could survive something like this. But the truth is that Bekah and Danny have done much more than survive. They have thrived. And as for the how? Jesus - only Jesus. God's grace weaves seamlessly throughout each moment of confusion, devastation, hope, surrender, and triumph. You cannot read this book without seeing the Creator and longing for all things new." Anne Riley, author of Voyage to the Star Kingdom "I had the absolute pleasure of being able to read Bekah Bowman's book, Can't Steal My Joy, before it hit the bookshelves. I honestly have not read anything so moving and soul stirring since, The Shack. Whether you are in a season of mourning or grief, or in my case, struggling in the heaviness of life to find peace and joy within, this book helps lift the veil of sadness to reveal God's promise that He never leaves you. God makes his presence known everyday in little ways if you only stop to look for the joy outside the pain. Bekah is a gifted writer and I'm so excited to share this book with my friends and family." Melinda, founder of WhenLife Co

Radical Joy for Hard Times

Radical Joy for Hard Times
Author: Trebbe Johnson
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
Total Pages: 249
Release: 2018-09-25
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 1623172632

In a time of uncertainty and devastation--from pandemics to environmental catastrophe--a call to action for finding beauty, creating art, and healing in community. When a beloved place is decimated by physical damage, many may hit the donate button or call their congressperson. But award-winning author Trebbe Johnson argues that we need new methods for coping with these losses and invites readers to reconsider what constitutes “worthwhile action.” She discusses real wounded places ranging from weapons-testing grounds at Eglin Air Force Base, to Appalachian mountain tops destroyed by mining. These stories, along with tools for community engagement—ceremony, vigil, apology, and the creation of art with on-site materials—show us how we can find beauty in these places and discover new sources of meaning and community.

The Book of Joy

The Book of Joy
Author: Dalai Lama
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 350
Release: 2016-09-20
Genre: Self-Help
ISBN: 0399185062

An instant New York Times bestseller. Over 1 million copies sold! Two spiritual giants. Five days. One timeless question. Nobel Peace Prize Laureates His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu have survived more than fifty years of exile and the soul-crushing violence of oppression. Despite their hardships—or, as they would say, because of them—they are two of the most joyful people on the planet. In April 2015, Archbishop Tutu traveled to the Dalai Lama's home in Dharamsala, India, to celebrate His Holiness's eightieth birthday and to create what they hoped would be a gift for others. They looked back on their long lives to answer a single burning question: How do we find joy in the face of life's inevitable suffering? They traded intimate stories, teased each other continually, and shared their spiritual practices. By the end of a week filled with laughter and punctuated with tears, these two global heroes had stared into the abyss and despair of our time and revealed how to live a life brimming with joy. This book offers us a rare opportunity to experience their astonishing and unprecedented week together, from the first embrace to the final good-bye. We get to listen as they explore the Nature of True Joy and confront each of the Obstacles of Joy—from fear, stress, and anger to grief, illness, and death. They then offer us the Eight Pillars of Joy, which provide the foundation for lasting happiness. Throughout, they include stories, wisdom, and science. Finally, they share their daily Joy Practices that anchor their own emotional and spiritual lives. The Archbishop has never claimed sainthood, and the Dalai Lama considers himself a simple monk. In this unique collaboration, they offer us the reflection of real lives filled with pain and turmoil in the midst of which they have been able to discover a level of peace, of courage, and of joy to which we can all aspire in our own lives.

Dark Places

Dark Places
Author: Gillian Flynn
Publisher: Weidenfeld and Nicholson
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2010-06-10
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 9780753827031

Libby Day was just seven years old when her brother massacred her family while she hid in a cupboard. Ever since then she has been drifting, but now the money is running out. When she is offered $500 to do a guest appearance, she feels she has to accept, unaware that the infamous Kill Club's members believe her brother was innocent.