Rejoicing in Lament

Author: J. Todd Billings
Publisher: Brazos Press
ISBN: 1441222901
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 245

Book Description
At the age of thirty-nine, Christian theologian Todd Billings was diagnosed with a rare form of incurable cancer. In the wake of that diagnosis, he began grappling with the hard theological questions we face in the midst of crisis: Why me? Why now? Where is God in all of this? This eloquently written book shares Billings's journey, struggle, and reflections on providence, lament, and life in Christ in light of his illness, moving beyond pat answers toward hope in God's promises. Theologically robust yet eminently practical, it engages the open questions, areas of mystery, and times of disorientation in the Christian life. Billings offers concrete examples through autobiography, cultural commentary, and stories from others, showing how our human stories of joy and grief can be incorporated into the larger biblical story of God's saving work in Christ.

The End of the Christian Life

Author: J. Todd Billings
Publisher: Brazos Press
ISBN: 1493427547
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 281

Book Description
We're all going to die. Yet in our medically advanced, technological age, many of us see death as a distant reality--something that happens only at the end of a long life or to other people. In The End of the Christian Life, Todd Billings urges Christians to resist that view. Instead, he calls us to embrace our mortality in our daily life and faith. This is the journey of genuine discipleship, Billings says: following the crucified and resurrected Lord in a world of distraction and false hopes. Drawing on his experience as a professor and father living with incurable cancer, Billings offers a personal yet deeply theological account of the gospel's expansive hope for small, mortal creatures. Artfully weaving rich theology with powerful narrative, Billings writes for church leaders and laypeople alike. Whether we are young or old, reeling from loss or clinging to our own prosperity, this book challenges us to walk a strange but wondrous path: in the midst of joy and lament, to receive mortal limits as a gift, an opportunity to give ourselves over to the Lord of life.

Union with Christ

Author: J. Todd Billings
Publisher: Baker Academic
ISBN: 0801039347
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 192

Book Description
An accomplished theologian recovers the biblical theme of union with Christ, showing how it affects current theological and ministry issues.

Losing Susan

Author: Victor Lee Austin
Publisher: Brazos Press
ISBN: 1493404695
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 154

Book Description
The Story of Brain Disease and the Priest's Wife This is the story of Susan--a wife, mother, Christian believer, lover of children, writer of stories, and woman of extraordinary intellect. Susan was diagnosed with a brain tumor in her late thirties. Although it was successfully treated, the process led to her slow, unending decline. In this personal story of love and loss, Victor Lee Austin shares how caring for his wife during her painful struggle with brain cancer and its aftereffects brought him face-to-face with his God and with his faith in unsettling ways. God gave Victor what his heart most desired--marriage to Susan--then God took away what he had given. Yet God never withdrew his presence. Weaving together autobiographical details and profound theological insights, this powerful narrative shows that we are called to turn to God in the face of suffering.

The Word of God for the People of God

Author: J. Todd Billings
Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
ISBN: 0802862357
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 254

Book Description
This book fills a real need for pastors and students. Though there is currently a large body of material on the theological interpretation of Scripture, most of it is highly specific and extremely technical. J. Todd Billings here provides a straightforward entryway for students and pastors to understand why theological interpretation matters and how it can be done. / A solid, constructive theological work, The Word of God for the People of God presents a distinctive Trinitarian, participatory approach toward reading Scripture as the church. Billings's accessible yet substantial argument for a theological hermeneutic is rooted in a historic vision of the practice of scriptural interpretation even as it engages a wide range of contemporary issues and includes several exegetical examples that apply to concrete Christian ministry situations.

The Handbook for Spiritual Warfare

Author: Ed Murphy
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
ISBN: 0310142199
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 641

Book Description
Your guide to understanding all dimensions of spiritual warfare! The Handbook for Spiritual Warfare is the most thorough treatment available of biblical and theological foundations and practical concerns for spiritual warfare. Further revised and updated for the 21st century. THE BOOK: Equips leaders and mature believers Comprehensive coverage of all 3 dimensions of spiritual conflict: the World, the Flesh, and the Devil Endorsed by Frank Peretti, Dr. C. Peter Wagner, and others

50 Days of Hope

Author: Lynn Eib
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
ISBN: 1414364490
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 251

Book Description
Eib shares amazing, true stories of those who have been through cancer and discovers that when God and cancer meet, hope is never far away. This book is packed with a daily dose of encouragement.

Prayers and Promises When Facing a Life-Threatening Illness

Author: Ed Dobson
Publisher: Zondervan
ISBN: 0310274273
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 165

Book Description
Thirty short, yet powerful, morning and evening reflections offer encouragement, hope, and inspiration to people dealing with a life-threatening illness, and to their family members and caretakers. Here are honest insights and personal stories from a pastor who continues his own journey with ALS (Lou Gehrigs disease).

The Antidote to Suffering: How Compassionate Connected Care Can Improve Safety, Quality, and Experience

Author: Christina Dempsey
Publisher: McGraw Hill Professional
ISBN: 1260116565
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 308

Book Description
An indispensable guide to reducing the suffering―of patients and caregivers alike―and to improving healthcare delivery for all In our efforts to treat patients, cure illness, and manage institutions, healthcare professionals too often overlook the fundamental purpose everyone in the industry shares: to alleviate suffering. Press Ganey’s Chief Nursing Officer, Christina Dempsey, has worked everywhere in healthcare, from the ward floor to the hospital boardroom. She has also experienced the system as a patient and as a family member of a critically ill patient. In The Antidote to Suffering, this 30-year healthcare veteran and patient-experience thought leader argues that the key to improving healthcare is to reduce the suffering—physical, psychological, and emotional—of patients and caregivers alike through Compassionate Connected CareTM. Drawing on her 360-degree perspective, Dempsey offers a comprehensive, detailed, evidence-based plan that addresses the clinical, operational, cultural, and behavioral dimensions of care that every patient and caregiver experiences, in every setting. When suffering decreases, Dempsey argues, outcomes improve for patients and those who care for them. A virtuous cycle takes hold, leading to increases in morale, loyalty, and productivity and results in a culture that drives quality, safety, and value. It paves the path for creating a new national healthcare culture—one that values compassion, fosters efficiency, and drives innovation The Antidote to Suffering is the first book to explore the pervasiveness of suffering in our healthcare system, and to provide the strategies and tools to: * Identify and measure suffering throughout your organization * Create a system in which every clinical response is informed by compassion * Operationalize staff behavior to promote meaning and purpose * Increase productivity by building a culture of collaboration Reducing human suffering isn’t just a moral imperative for healthcare providers. It’s a practical way to improve organizations and fix our broken system—without sacrificing the respect, dignity, and compassion we all deserve.

Darkness Is My Only Companion

Author: Kathryn Greene-McCreight
Publisher: Brazos Press
ISBN: 1587431750
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 176

Book Description
A brave and compassionate look at mental illness that offers theological understanding and personal insights from author's experiences.