Author: Rico Maranto
Publisher: Cedar Fort
ISBN: 9781462144730
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 0
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Book Description
In the Church today, many are experiencing a crisis of faith, the dark night of soul. One survey of Church leaders revealed that 97% had a friend or family member who experienced a crisis of faith. Elder Marlin K. Jensen was once asked about members of the Church "leaving in droves." He responded, "The fifteen men [of the First Presidency and Quorum of Twelve] really do know, and they really care. And they realize that maybe since Kirtland, we never have had a period of, I'll call it apostasy, like we're having right now." This book is for those who are experiencing a crisis of faith and those who support them. It explains the divinely designed purpose of a crisis of faith--that it is not the death of our testimony, but the birth of a more refined testimony. It explains that the dark night of the soul, the most severe crisis of faith, is a divinely designed spiritual chrysalis intended to transform us into all the Lord needs us to become and all that we will want to become--the best version of us. It reframes doubt and crisis of faith to alleviate the shame and guilt many feel when they believe or are told their doubts are the results of their own actions. The book equips the reader with the mindset, toolset, and skillset requisite to endure a crisis of faith and help others endure it. In this book, the reader explores these key points: - Doubt is not the absence of faith; it is evidence of it. - There are five stages of faith - We often experience a crisis of faith to help us transition to the next stage. - The dark night of the soul, the crisis of faith at stage three, is the most severe crisis of faith. - The dark night of the soul is divinely designed to transform and refine us.
Author: Rico Maranto
Publisher: Cedar Fort Publishing & Media
ISBN: 1462131417
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 249
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Book Description
A crisis of faith may feel like the death of our testimony. But what if it is not the death of our testimony, but a rebirth of it? After a lifetime of being a devoted Latter-day Saint, Rico Maranto unexpectedly suffered a severe and devastating crisis of faith that plunged him into what he now calls "the dark night of the soul." Overcome with doubt and uncertainty, he began to feel abandoned by God and all that He has taught. But through the years of his dark night, Rico transitioned from nearly losing his faith to rediscovering rebirth. Now Rico shares his story and explains how his crisis transformed him and entirely changed his perspective on faith. In this inspiring book, Rico reframes our perception of doubt and alleviates the shame and guilt that many feel when experiencing similar faith crises. With his loving understanding and knowledge gained as someone who has been through the storm and come out stronger than ever, you will discover the five stages of faith as a template for spiritual development. strategies and toolsets for enduring a crisis of faith. how to help others who are struggling with their own doubts. If you or a loved one are struggling with your faith, know that the dark night of the soul is not reason to despair; it is a divinely designed spiritual chrysalis intended to transform us into all the Lord needs us to become-the best version of ourselves.
Author: Thomas Moore
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 9781592401338
Category : Self-Help
Languages : en
Pages : 356
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Book Description
Every human life is made up of the light and the dark, the happy and the sad, the vital and the deadening. How you think about this rhythm of moods makes all the difference. Our lives are filled with emotional tunnels: the loss of a loved one or end of a relationship, aging and illness, career disappointments or just an ongoing sense of dissatisfaction with life. Society tends to view these “dark nights” in clinical terms as obstacles to be overcome as quickly as possible. But Moore shows how honoring these periods of fragility as periods of incubation and positive opportunities to delve the soul’s deepest needs can provide healing and a new understanding of life’s meaning. Dark Nights of the Soul presents these metaphoric dark nights not as the enemy, but as times of transition, occasions to restore yourself, and transforming rites of passage, revealing an uplifting and inspiring new outlook on such topics as: • The healing power of melancholy • The sexual dark night and the mysteries of matrimony • Finding solace during illness and in aging • Anxiety, anger, and temporary Insanities • Linking creativity, spirituality, and emotional struggles • Finding meaning and beauty in the darkness
Author: Sarah J. Robinson
Publisher: WaterBrook
ISBN: 0593193539
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 257
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Book Description
A compassionate, shame-free guide for your darkest days “A one-of-a-kind book . . . to read for yourself or give to a struggling friend or loved one without the fear that depression and suicidal thoughts will be minimized, medicalized or over-spiritualized.”—Kay Warren, cofounder of Saddleback Church What happens when loving Jesus doesn’t cure you of depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts? You might be crushed by shame over your mental illness, only to be told by well-meaning Christians to “choose joy” and “pray more.” So you beg God to take away the pain, but nothing eases the ache inside. As darkness lingers and color drains from your world, you’re left wondering if God has abandoned you. You just want a way out. But there’s hope. In I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die, Sarah J. Robinson offers a healthy, practical, and shame-free guide for Christians struggling with mental illness. With unflinching honesty, Sarah shares her story of battling depression and fighting to stay alive despite toxic theology that made her afraid to seek help outside the church. Pairing her own story with scriptural insights, mental health research, and simple practices, Sarah helps you reconnect with the God who is present in our deepest anguish and discover that you are worth everything it takes to get better. Beautifully written and full of hard-won wisdom, I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die offers a path toward a rich, hope-filled life in Christ, even when healing doesn’t look like what you expect.
Author: George Potter
Publisher: Cfi
ISBN: 9781462141029
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 264
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Book Description
Leading the Lord's people takes more than just the ability to delegate. It takes steadfast, enduring faith in God and the self-control to live up to the standards being taught. Although not perfect, good leaders strive for perfection and continually lift those around them as they climb. They aren't afraid to labor alongside those they are called to serve. The challenge facing the leadership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in our day is to teach the Lord's people how to survive the calamities prophesied to come forth in this last dispensation-our time. Leadership for the Violent Last Days offers inspired counsel to those who desire to be more than a mediocre leader. It was written for those who are motivated by their love for the Lord and His children and want to make a difference. The safety and refuge found in Zion are not made of brick and mortar. It is a community molded from the pure hearts of its people (D&C 97:12); a sanctuary based on the laws of the celestial kingdom. As the Lord's chosen people, we can build this perfect city together-the city of Zion-the pure in heart.
Author: Tomas Halik
Publisher: National Geographic Books
ISBN: 0385524498
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 0
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Book Description
For all the debate about belief and nonbelief in today’s world—and how everyone becomes pigeonholed by one or the other— Tomáš Halík teaches that God requires us to persevere with our doubts, carry them in our hearts, and allow them to lead us to maturity. For Halík, patience is the main difference between faith and atheism. Faith, hope, and love are three aspects of patience in the face of God’s silence, which is interpreted as “the death of God” by atheists and is not taken seriously enough by fundamentalists. Using the gospel story of Jesus’s encounter with Zacchaeus, Halík issues an invitation to all people who stand (like Zacchaeus did) on the sideline—curious but noncommittal. The fact that Jesus gravitated to the poor and the marginalized means that he also has a special place in his heart for diligent seekers on the margins of the community of believers.
Author: Rev. Eric Elnes
Publisher: Abingdon Press
ISBN: 1426794142
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 150
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Book Description
Have you left the faith you used to have but don’t know what to move toward? When you can’t see the road ahead, do you feel lost and alone? Do you wish you had a group of companions willing to wander with you? Welcome to the Dark Wood. As you journey through the unknown, you may feel tempted, lost, and uncertain. Though commonly feared and avoided, these feelings of uncertainty can be your greatest assets on this journey because it is in uncertainty that we probe, question, and discover. According to the ancients, you don’t need to be a saint or spiritual master to experience profound awakening and live with God’s presence and guidance. You need only to wander. In clear and lucid prose that combines the heart of a mystic, the soul of a poet, and the mind of a biblical scholar, Dr. Eric Elnes demystifies the seven gifts bestowed in the Dark Wood: the gifts of uncertainty, emptiness, being thunderstruck, getting lost, temptation, disappearing, and the gift of misfits. This is a book for anyone who feels awkward in their search for God, anyone who seeks to find holiness amid their holy mess, and anyone who prefers practicality to piety when it comes to finding their place in this world.
Author: Richard Tarnas
Publisher: Ballantine Books
ISBN: 0307804526
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 560
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Book Description
"[This] magnificent critical survey, with its inherent respect for both the 'Westt's mainstream high culture' and the 'radically changing world' of the 1990s, offers a new breakthrough for lay and scholarly readers alike....Allows readers to grasp the big picture of Western culture for the first time." SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE Here are the great minds of Western civilization and their pivotal ideas, from Plato to Hegel, from Augustine to Nietzsche, from Copernicus to Freud. Richard Tarnas performs the near-miracle of describing profound philosophical concepts simply but without simplifying them. Ten years in the making and already hailed as a classic, THE PASSION OF THE WESERN MIND is truly a complete liberal education in a single volume.
Author: Pope Francis
Publisher: Image
ISBN: 0553419544
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 164
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Book Description
The perfect gift! A specially priced, beautifully designed hardcover edition of The Joy of the Gospel with a foreword by Robert Barron and an afterword by James Martin, SJ. “The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus… In this Exhortation I wish to encourage the Christian faithful to embark upon a new chapter of evangelization marked by this joy, while pointing out new paths for the Church’s journey in years to come.” – Pope Francis This special edition of Pope Francis's popular message of hope explores themes that are important for believers in the 21st century. Examining the many obstacles to faith and what can be done to overcome those hurdles, he emphasizes the importance of service to God and all his creation. Advocating for “the homeless, the addicted, refugees, indigenous peoples, the elderly who are increasingly isolated and abandoned,” the Holy Father shows us how to respond to poverty and current economic challenges that affect us locally and globally. Ultimately, Pope Francis demonstrates how to develop a more personal relationship with Jesus Christ, “to recognize the traces of God’s Spirit in events great and small.” Profound in its insight, yet warm and accessible in its tone, The Joy of the Gospel is a call to action to live a life motivated by divine love and, in turn, to experience heaven on earth. Includes a foreword by Robert Barron, author of Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith and James Martin, SJ, author of Jesus: A Pilgrimage
Author: Julian Barnes
Publisher: Vintage
ISBN: 0307957330
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 158
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Book Description
BOOKER PRIZE WINNER • NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A novel that follows a middle-aged man as he contends with a past he never much thought about—until his closest childhood friends return with a vengeance: one of them from the grave, another maddeningly present. A novel so compelling that it begs to be read in a single setting, The Sense of an Ending has the psychological and emotional depth and sophistication of Henry James at his best, and is a stunning achievement in Julian Barnes's oeuvre. Tony Webster thought he left his past behind as he built a life for himself, and his career has provided him with a secure retirement and an amicable relationship with his ex-wife and daughter, who now has a family of her own. But when he is presented with a mysterious legacy, he is forced to revise his estimation of his own nature and place in the world.
