About the Book

Book title: A God of All Seasons

Author: TH Meyer & Amy Breitmann

Release date: August 28, 2017

Genre: Non-fiction

“What if your spiritual life landed in the grip of a wintered soul? How does one’s faith survive?

Discover the beauty and challenge of spiritual seasons as Tammy & Amy remember parts of their stories in order to draw out your own. Learn to perceive God’s companionship even when you don’t sense His nearness. And unearth, not only a God who created the seasons but one who also walks you through them.”

Book Trailer Video: A God of All Seasons

MY THOUGHTS

How often have I foolishly relied more on my own life-vest or efforts? Or …

How often has God called me to plunge off the board of faith or has asked me to leap from my safe seat, only to discover I’ve been too fearful?

We must listen carefully, and remember that He always knows best.

What an amazing book. I felt privileged and honored to read this lovely book. Amy and Tammy do such a complete job of reminding us (me) that no matter the season of our lives, God always has our back. In fact, He’s got it before we even realize there’s a problem”.

“A God of All Seasons” is beautifully written with such honesty. We are able to see our own lives in many of the trials and tribulations that are discussed within. Superb analogies are presented throughout the book, most of them so wonderful that I found myself highlighting so much of the content.

Our lives resemble a jig-saw puzzle, each piece of life unique in its properties and characteristics. We cannot even imagine what the final picture will look like, but He knows …

I love the way this book is set out, broken into essays, personal testimonies, words of encouragement, and relevant Bible verses. I particularly loved the story about the ‘Brave’ bracelet. How beautiful and how true it is that sometimes, no make that often, God is speaking to us through His Holy Spirit. We won’t always understand His reasoning, but we must trust in Him. We often won’t even hear Him, but we must learn to listen more carefully.

“We savour the small moments like sunken treasure because these days will be the golden ones.

I like the end of chapter questions for reflection at the end of every chapter. There are also some clever analogies awaiting the reader here. And yes, I have highlighted all these questions, to remind myself to write these in my own journal, and hopefully, answer them one day.

Question: Can we make a deal or agreement with God? e.g. “If you answer me … I’ll keep praying.” What do you think? Can we bargain with God? And if we could, would we really want to, knowing He knows best anyway?

“A God of All Seasons” brings so much comfort to the reader. It’s tender words gently walk us through all the autumns, winters, springs, and summers of our earthly life.

I received a free ARC of this book from the authors. I am not obliged to give a positive review. All words and thoughts are entirely my own.

Click here to purchase your copy.

Giveaway

13c9ba50-c32a-4f8b-9d0c-9805e3beb56d To celebrate her tour, T.H. Meyer is giving away a Kindle Fire!! Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/bd4e

About the Authors

Tammy H Meyer After living in Asia and Europe, T.H. Meyer’s family planted roots on their Texas farm in 2008 where they live among fields of Rye and Bermuda. Tammy is a writer and creative strategist who also moonlights as a social media specialist. She’s the mother to three children and author of, A Life of Creative Purpose: Embrace Uniqueness, Explore Boldness, Encourage Faith and Social Media Strategies: Discovering Powerful Tools of the Trade without Losing Your Soul for Christian entrepreneurs maneuvering the daunting and soul-sucking world of online marketing.

Join Tammy on her website: The Art of Fear Not: An Adventurous Life of Faith http://www.tammy-h-meyer.com/.

Or stay in touch with her at:

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hendricksmeyer/pins/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tammy.h.meyer/ for personal photos and thoughts from home.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tammy.hendricksmeyer

Or Twitter: https://twitter.com/tammy_h_meyer/lists & find out what’s on her Twitter “Lists.”

Amy’s (Amy Breitmann) Bio: Amy weaves together ministry and writing alongside her husband and two children in Augusta, GA. She is a writer, speaker, and founder of “The Lydia Project,” a national ministry for women facing cancer and is a storyteller for ViBella Jewelry, an international company that employs artisans in Haiti and Mexico. Her published works include pieces in Chicken Soup for the Soul, Mosaic: Sojourners of Faith, and Guideposts Magazine.

Blog Stops

August 10: Book Reviews From an Avid Reader

August 11: A Baker’s Perspective

August 12: Just Jo’Anne

August 13: Avid Reader Book Reviews

August 13: Splashes of Joy

August 13: Rockin’ My Mom Jeans

August 14: A Reader’s Brain

August 15: autism mom

August 16: Captive Dreams Window

August 16: autismchristianmom

August 17: Karen Sue Hadley

August 18: Moments Dipped in Ink

August 19: Bigreadersite

August 20: Eat,Read,Teach,Blog

August 21: Margaret Kazmierczak

August 22: Breaking Ordinary

August 23: Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses

August 23: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations

About the Book

Book title: Wounded in the Church

Authors: Ray Beeson & Chris Hayward

Release date: March 14, 2017

Genre: Non-fiction

Wounded in the Church A church should be safe, right? Then why do so many get hurt there?

Ray Beeson and Chris Hayward combine their years of ministry experience to address head-on the elephant in the room: church members and church leaders hurt Christians. All the time. And the long-lasting effects—rejection, shame, despair, loneliness, fear—can be devastating. The authors have witnessed the rise of the “dones,” those who are just done with God thanks to scars from a church.

With first-person stories of hurt and loss, this book is a wake-up call for any who deny woundedness in the church but is also a redemptive message for any who hurt from church wounds. Leaders and laypeople alike will learn how to grieve over abuse, to leave unhealthy attitudes and patterns that cause pain, and to trust in God’s real, delivering work through churches that build up, not tear down.

Thanks to the grace of God, there is always hope beyond the pain.

♫♪¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪

MY THOUGHTS

When I first saw this book, I wasn’t keen to read it.

Yes, I have been wounded by a church but how could anyone really understand?

“God’s divine nature is offered to everyone. God added to Christ the human nature that we might have the divine nature added to us.”

Ray Beeson and Chris Hayward have nailed it!

This book is the first I have seen that covers the many issues that exist within and out of the church (no matter what denomination one belongs to). Ray and Chris have dealt with this subject in the most respectful and humane way possible. Mere human beings as we are, don’t think the same way that God does, therefore it would be unreasonable to assume that we can ever achieve divine perfection while stationed on this earth. It would also be irrational to assume that what people say, especially many people’s interpretations of the Word of God (The Holy Bible), are correct.

There have been many different interpretations of the Holy Word, some due to ignorance, others due to that human need to be in control. More people have been hurt badly or even been damaged by human applications of the Bible by the church, than the entire number of hairs on my head, that I will have during my lifetime.

There are too many types of wounding discussed within this informative book for me to cover them here, so I have decided to cover Ray and Chris’ words on ‘Guilt and Shame’.

With guilt comes shame. It shouldn’t be that way, we do need to feel guilty when we have done something wrong, have the opportunity to show remorse, and endeavor not to make this mistake again. We most likely will make the same mistakes repeatedly, because we are imperfect human beings, and the power of the enemy is strong. But in His wisdom, God knows this and always gives us the chance to return to Him.

Shame is an entirely different player in this life struggle. With shame comes fear and blame.

“The first blame-game in human history occurred when Adam implied that it was God’s fault that he was in a mess, for having given the woman to him.”

We have continued to blame others for our shortcomings ever since.

Ray and Chris discuss the various forms of shame: hereditary, personal, generational, inflicted, induced, discriminatory, and unwarranted or false shame. “Unhealthy leaders may use shame for the purpose of manipulation. People will do almost anything to avoid being shamed.”

“Shame only becomes a horrible thing when it is activated by sin.”

Then there is the issue of ‘secret shame’. The secrets we keep to ourselves, but God knows of our remorse because we have confessed directly to Him, and by the power of Christ’s Blood we are forgiven and saved. Both Ray and Chris agree that to be a good Christian or follower of Jesus, we do not always need to tell all.

“Righteousness has nothing to do with performance, but with who we become.”

Ray and Chris eloquently point out the dangers of our tendencies to judge and shame each other, and the damage it has done down through the ages. Their book is interspersed with personal testimonies from good people who have been treated badly by the church, whether by church leaders or fellow followers of Christ. This book doesn’t fix any problems; however, it is comforting to know that if we have been hurt, we are not alone.

“Sin and grace are the crux of the practical Christian life” we sin and it is only by God’s grace that we can be forgiven and saved. It is never up to us as members of the church community to place judgment, punishment, and shame on others.

“Perfectionism is the result of focusing on sin.”

“Wounded in the Church” is a wonderful tool to bring us closer to realizing that there is always hope beyond the pain.

From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.

Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!”

But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

~ Matthew 16:21-23

I wouldn’t say that I enjoyed reading “Wounded in the Church” the same way I would reading a romance novel, however, I must say this book held me until the end because I was able to relate to many of the discussions and testimonies. It was a painful read, but a comforting journey.

I was provided with an ARC by the authors via CelebrateLit in return for an honest review.

About the Authors

ray-beeson-300x235 Ray Beeson is the director of Overcomers Ministries, a teaching ministry with a special emphasis on spiritual warfare and prayer. Ray teaches seminars on spiritual warfare, prayer, and Christlike living and is the author of numerous books including Signed in His Blood (Charisma House, 2014) and The Hidden Price of Greatness (Overcomers, 2000). Ray and his wife, Linda, live in Ventura, CA.

chris-hayward-201x300 Chris Hayward has had over thirty-six years of pastoral ministry and is currently serving as president of Cleansing Stream Ministries, a discipleship ministry that works with the local church around the world. He is also the author of God’s Cleansing Stream (Chosen Books, 2004) and The End of Rejection (Chosen Books, 2007). Chris and his wife, Karen, live in Castaic, CA.

Giveaway

Giveaway To celebrate this tour, Whitaker House is giving away

Grand Prize: Kindle Fire and Wounded in the Church by Ray Beeson and Chris Hayward

First Place Prize: Walking by Faith mug with matching pen OR Bouquet of Blessings mug and Wounded in the Church

Second Place Prize: Walking By Faith pen and Wounded in the Church

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! Giveaway

Guest Post from Ray Beeson & Chris Hayward

images When we tell people we’ve written a book entitled “Wounded in the Church,” many nod knowingly. Sadly, the pain and heartache that happens in churches is all too common. Collectively, the two of us have spent more than 70 years in ministry. During that time we have seen neglect, tactlessness, and blatant insensitivity fostered by some leaders and congregations resulting in the wounding of others. We realize it is not prolific in every church, but the wounding is significant and it needs to be exposed. That is why we wrote this book – we share real stories of real people who were wounded in church, a place that should be a shelter of God’s love and peace. Sometimes people are abused by leaders or church members. There are also times when leaders are abused by people within the congregation. As you read, perhaps you’ll identify with some of the situations described. If so, be assured you are not alone. images (1) If you have been wounded, it is our hope and prayer God uses this book to facilitate healing. Because of Jesus Christ, there is hope beyond the pain.