The Dark Night Of Faith My Journey From Abuse To Freedom

Every day in America, four women are murdered by their spouses or intimate partners. This statistic does not change in the church. In fact, one reason many women remain in violent marriages is due to a narrow understanding of Scripture and of God's heart. For these women, Jennifer Faith has a word: it is not God's will for you to be abused. For over twenty years, Jennifer lived a secret life―a life of fear and shame―a daily existence marked by powerlessness and oppression. Yet God was always there, long before she was able to distinguish between his loving voice of truth and the lies that kept her captive. If she had not finally allowed Him to intervene, Jennifer would not likely be here today to tell her story and to give Jesus, her compassionate, pursuing Savior, all the glory. With honesty and humility, Jennifer recounts how she came to find herself in a violent marriage―the red flags she missed, the toxic thinking that made her a victim rather than a victor. With courage, she shares her journey from horror to wholeness. She provides resources to help women answer the questions that keep battered women stuck: Am I in an abusive relationship? What if it's my fault? Is it biblical to leave? And she offers hope that, just as God made a way for her to journey out of darkness into a life of light and freedom, he wants to do the same for others.

The reality of abuse came as a big surprise to author Emily Just. She thought it was something that happened to others, but she painfully learned otherwise. In Letters from Emily, she shares her own story of abuseand escapeand how she relied on God to help her with feelings of doubt and guilt as she forged a new way forward free from the ravages of abuse. This guide shares letters Emily writes to Angela who is struggling with an abusive marriage. Written from a Christian womans viewpoint, the correspondence shares her experience escaping abuse and gives insights from that spiritual journey. Emily tells how her faith, family, and friends were her companions, how hope energized her, and how grace made it all possible. She addresses how she asked herself a host of questions: Why do you hurt me so much? Are we still married? What is a covenant promise? What are my options? Will the abuse never end? Designed to uplift and empower, Letters from Emily offers a refreshing look at one womans escape from the darkness of abuse to the hope and sunrise of newly found peace, joy, and blessing.

The reality of abuse came as a big surprise to author Emily Just. She thought it was something that happened to others, but she painfully learned otherwise. In Letters from Emily, she shares her own story of abuse--and escape--and how she relied on God to help her with feelings of doubt and guilt as she forged a new way forward free from the ravages of abuse. This guide shares letters Emily writes to Angela who is struggling with an abusive marriage. Written from a Christian woman's viewpoint, the correspondence shares her experience escaping abuse and gives insights from that spiritual journey. Emily tells how her faith, family, and friends were her companions, how hope energized her, and how grace made it all possible. She addresses how she asked herself a host of questions: Why do you hurt me so much? Are we still married? What is a covenant promise? What are my options? Will the abuse never end? Designed to uplift and empower, Letters from Emily offers a refreshing look at one woman's escape from the darkness of abuse to the hope and sunrise of newly found peace, joy, and blessing.

Grammy award-winning music artist Mandisa tells an inspiring story of peaks and valleys, trials and joys, wins and losses. Through her gripping narrative, she shows that our choice to trust God can not only overcome our need to understand why bad things happen, but can help us to embrace a life of joy and freedom. Out of the Dark is Mandisa’s exploration of the journey she’s taken from when she first became a Christian, to her rise as an American Idol finalist and receiving multiple Grammy and Dove Award nominations, as well as the dark and challenging times she experienced along the way. She writes personally and openly about the hardships she has faced and the way she felt betrayed by God, but also about how God has brought her out of the valley into His glorious light. Along the way, she also shares her struggles in learning how to love her body and care for her health. Just as Mandisa’s Grammy-award winning song “Overcomer” was topping the Contemporary Christian Music charts, her friend for whom “Overcomer” had been written passed away. After losing this close friend to cancer, despite years of prayers on her behalf, Mandisa descended into depression, isolating herself and turning to her familiar friend, food, for comfort. Throughout Out of the Dark, Mandisa uses her experiences to address the following themes: The pain of grief and loss Surviving abuse Embracing true beauty and a healthy body image Coping with severe depression Healthy—and disordered—eating The role of faith in hope and healing Letting go of shame Following your unique calling and passion How friends and family are crucial for healing The challenges of 2020, including protecting mental and emotional health while navigating a public health crisis; quarantining; and coping with racial injustice Trusting God daily for hope and healing ​In the darkness, Mandisa knew God was there — but she wondered if she could trust Him. Even at her lowest point where she saw no human way forward, God was at work, powerfully redeeming her story and calling her out of the dark. Mandisa tells her story with warmth and vulnerability, challenging us all to focus on God’s purpose for our lives, surround ourselves with friends who will fight for us, and face life’s challenges with courage and faith. If you’ve ever found yourself in a dark place as the result of grief, depression, or loss, Mandisa’s story will reassure you that even when you’re walking through dark valleys, God can and will lead you on a path to joy and hope.

Now in paperback: a distinguished psychiatrist, spiritual counsellor and bestselling author shows how the dark sides of the spiritual life are a vital ingredient in deep, authentic, healthy spirituality. Gerald G. May, MD, one of the great spiritual teachers and writers of our time, argues that the dark 'shadow' side of the true spiritual life has been trivialised and neglected to our serious detriment. Superficial and naively upbeat spirituality does not heal and enrich the soul. Nor does the other tendency to relegate deep spiritual growth to only mystics and saints. Only the honest, sometimes difficult encounters with what Christian spirituality has called and described in helpful detail as 'the dark night of the soul' can lead to true spiritual wholeness. May emphasises that the dark night is not necessarily a time of suffering and near despair, but a time of deep transition, a search for new orientation when things are clouded and full of mystery. The dark gives depth, dimension and fullness to the spiritual life.

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.

Current statistics reveal that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys are sexually abused before the age of 18. Jennifer Kostyal became one of those statistics. Jennifer’s story reads like a Hollywood movie. The blonde, blue-eyed beauty pageant winner was raised in a religious cult, molested for ten years by a family member and later became involved in abusive relationships as an adult. Finally, on the verge of mental collapse, she made the decision to end her own life and would have except for a miraculous intervention. It was the turning point to Jennifer’s eventual healing in every aspect of her life. Finally Free is more than just a miraculous testimony of God’s grace as Kostyal shares teaching and insight that helped set her free from rejection, fear, anger, low self esteem, and the host of issues common to those who have experienced sexual, mental and physical abuse. Finally Free: How to Live in the Present by Letting Go of the Past is more than a story of survival. It is your step-by step manual to walk out of the darkness of your pain and enter into the light of hope and healing that leads to your destiny. God wants you to realize that when you are Finally Free, you are no longer defined by your painful past, but rather, the peace and joy of your future.