Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy

Named the ECPA 2020 Christian Book of the Year Lament is how you live between the poles of a hard life and trusting God's goodness. Lament is how we bring our sorrow to God--but it is a neglected dimension of the Christian life for many Christians today. We need to recover the practice of honest spiritual struggle that gives us permission to vocalize our pain and wrestle with our sorrow. Lament avoids trite answers and quick solutions, progressively moving us toward deeper worship and trust.Exploring how the Bible--through the psalms of lament and the book of Lamentations--gives voice to our pain, this book invites us to grieve, struggle, and tap into the rich reservoir of grace and mercy God offers in the darkest moments of our lives. Walks through steps of lament through examples in the Bible: Turn, Complain, Ask, and Trust Appendix features additional resources related to lament, including worksheets for personal lament and suggestions for integrating lament into a worship service Helps readers minister more effectively to people in pain Each chapter includes reflection questions for personal or small-group study Includes a foreword by Joni Eareckson Tada