As Silver Refined

What Can You Do When Life Doesn’t Turn Out Like You Planned? How do you respond when your husband or wife tramples your emotions? When your boss fires you unexpectedly? When you lose your life’s savings? When the child you’ve loved and prayed for turns his back on you and your values? When disappointments like these smash their way into your life, you may want to scream, “How could God let this happen?” But what if God didn’t just “let it happen”? What if the things you call disappointments are really His appointments—events He is using to make you more like Christ? What if your circumstances are actually the flames of His grace, intended to melt and burn away the undesirable elements in your life, leaving you pure and radiant—like refined silver? You can be defeated by life’s unavoidable disappointments, or you can become stronger because of them. Life’s disappointments can send you on a dangerous downward spiral into discouragement, depression, or even despair. But in this eye-opening book, Kay Arthur guides you to biblical truths that will help you break that cycle and instead embrace disappointment as the cleansing fire God uses to make you—as silver refined—a reflection of His goodness. Now includes a 16 week Bible study!

We can be defeated by life's disappointments, or become stronger because of them. Kay Arthur examines the dangerous downward spiral of disappointment that can lead to discouragement, dejection, despair, and demoralization. She shows readers how to break that cycle and embrace disappointment with a faith that recognizes trials as tools God uses to make us, as silver refined, more beautiful and valuable.

Everyone faces trials. Whether it's losing a job or losing a loved one, when trials hit they often make us wonder Whywhy this? Why now? Why me? Packed with easy-to-understand explanations, Bible verses, and biblical encouragement, this book shows how God uses trials of life to refine us, strengthen us, and transforms us into His glorious image. Find out how to stand on God's promises and be encouraged during tough times.

Life hurts when it is experienced through the flames of tragedy, but there is hope. There are answers. There is a purpose for it all. Todd had the perfect life: a thriving ministry, a happy and healthy family, and a bright future. All of it was interrupted when his oldest daughter, Makenzie, was killed in a traffic accident. Needing to heal, Todd took a leave of absence from ministry and went to work for a friend's company that refines gold and silver. As a refiner, Todd realized that the process of refining metal paralleled the grief and healing that he and his family were experiencing. In his book, Refined, Todd examines principles that help answer the questions that surface when pain and tragedy poke their noses into our lives. Whether you have experienced the tragic loss of a loved one or struggle with the daily frustrations of life, Refined will help you understand what God may be up to. Each chapter includes discussion topics.

Where Can You Turn for Hope When the Hurt Runs Deep? At some point in life, every one of us will face the dark pain of heartache and despair, a hurt that pierces so deep we’re left gasping with questions: Why me? Why now? What have I done to deserve this? Will the pain ever go away? How can God just stand by and let this happen? What do I have left to hope for? Writing from insights gained not only through her own valleys of deep hurt but also from years of study and counseling others through life’s heartaches, Kay Arthur shows how pain can be the doorway that leads you to deeper understanding, renewed purpose, and greater intimacy with God. Without glossing over the realities of sorrow, she will guide you through twelve pivotal truths about healing and hurt. These key principles will become anchors for your soul, reminding you that your pain does have purpose, that difficult times can make you more like Jesus, and that there is always hope for the future. Because no matter how deep the hurt, God’s love runs deeper still. Includes a Study Guide and Prayer Journal to help you draw closer to God.

What beliefs are core to the Christian faith? This book is here to help you understand the reason for your hope as a Christian so that you can see it with fresh sight and invite others into the conversation. A lot of Christians take their story—the narratives that give rise to their beliefs—for granted. They pray, go to church, perhaps even read their Bible. But they might be stuck if a stranger asked them to explain what they believe and why they believe it. Author, pastor, and theologian Mike Horton unpacks the essential and basic beliefs that all Christians share in a way that is easy to understand and applicable to our lives today. And in a way that will make you excited to be a Christian! Core Christianity covers topics like: Jesus as both fully God and fully man. The doctrine of the Trinity. The goodness of God despite a broken world. The ways God speaks. The meaning of salvation. What is the Christian calling? Includes discussion questions for individual or group use. This introduction to the basic doctrines of Christianity is perfect for those who are new to the faith, as well as those who have an interest in deepening their understanding of what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ.

"More Precious Than Silver" continues in the tradition of "Diamonds in the Dust", Joni Eareckson Tada's bestselling book with 150,000 copies in print. Today she has new wisdom to share--insights gained through added years of living each day in God's Word. Illustrations.