• Topic > When Life Hurts

    Faithful To The Finish

    After running 32 kilometers (20 miles) of the Salomon Kielder Marathon in Great Britain, a runner dropped out and rode a bus to a wooded area near the finish line. Then, he re-entered the race and claimed third prize. When officials questioned him, he stated that he stopped running because he was tired.

    When Violence Comes Home: Help For Victims Of Spouse Abuse

    Spousal abuse is one of the most rapidly growing problems in our culture today—even within the church. Gain insight into the causes and effects of marital abuse and find out how you can respond with godly intervention, as co-authors Tim Jackson and Jeff Olson offer help for both victims and offenders.

    Joseph: Overcoming Life’s Challenges

    Some experiences in life bring disappointment, pain, and even failure. In this booklet, author Bill Crowder helps you gain a new perspective on dealing with difficulties, as he examines the life of Joseph. Find out how you can respond to your challenges with faith, hope, and confidence in the God who is always in control.

    Strengthened Through Suffering

    Church services often end with a benediction. A common one is taken from Peter’s concluding remarks in his first epistle: “May the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you” (1 Peter 5:10).

    From Bleak To Beautiful

    Spring is the time of year when God reminds us that things are not always as they seem. Over the course of a few short weeks, what appears hopelessly dead comes to life. Bleak woodlands are transformed into colorful landscapes.

    Cape Tribulation

    On June 10, 1770, British navigator James Cook’s ship hit a reef off the northeast coast of Australia. He sailed the ship out into deeper water only to hit the reef again, and this time the collision almost sank the ship. This experience moved Cook to write in the ship’s log: “The north point [was named] Cape Tribulation because here began all our troubles.”

    Well Done, David Schumm

    At David Schumm’s memorial service, we celebrated the optimism, perseverance, and faith of a man with severe cerebral palsy. For all of David’s 74 years, the simple tasks of daily life required great effort. Through it all, he kept smiling and helping others by giving more than 23,000 hours as a hospital volunteer, along with encouraging at-risk teens.

    The role our emotions play as we strive to be people of grace

    Forgiveness isn’t easy. In fact, there’s often a lot of emotional baggage that comes when forgiving someone or asking them to forgive you. An honest appraisal of forgiveness.

    When The Going Gets Tough

    How can you survive the ride through the ups and downs of life? In this excerpt of his book The Upside Of Down, author Joe Stowell shares wisdom from James 1:2 to help you gain understanding and healing in the midst of trials. Find out how you can build your faith with a new perspective on the hope and joy God gives to bring you through when the going gets tough.

    A special message about the problem of suffering

    Why would a loving God allow bad things to happen to good people? Alice Mathews delivers a special message about the problem of suffering. Perhaps you’re going through a rough time right now.

    Make It Count

    In his battle with cancer, Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Inc., said: “Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything—all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure—these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important.” His suffering influenced the choices he made.

    Thoughts On Rain

    When torrential downpours beat on the heads of my newly planted petunias, I felt bad for them. I wanted to bring them inside to shelter them from the storm. By the time the rain stopped, their little faces were bowed to the ground from the weight of the water. They looked sad and weak. Within a few hours, however, they perked up and turned their heads skyward. By the next day, they were standing straight and strong.

    Riches Of The Soul

    With the hope of winning a record jackpot of $640 million, Americans spent an estimated $1.5 billion on tickets in a multistate lottery in early 2012. The odds of winning were a staggering 1 in 176 million, but people stood in lines at grocery stores, gas stations, and cafes to buy a chance to become rich. Something inside us makes us think more money will solve our problems and improve our lives.

    When Help Is Needed: A Biblical View Of Counseling

    When times of overwhelming pressure and stress lead you to seek help, where do you go and how can you know if the guidance you’re getting is trustworthy? Counselor Tim Jackson takes you through a personal assessment with a series of questions and insight from Scripture that will help you understand when, how, and where to turn for biblical counseling.

    Trouble

    I was glad to see the final days of the year draw to a close. It had held so much sorrow, sickness, and sadness. I was ready to welcome January with its very own brass band!