Books

My Top 5 Books on Loss

Nancy Guthrie, the author of Hearing Jesus Speak into Your Sorrow, offers a list of new and classic titles.

Suffering and the Sovereignty of God John Piper and Justin Taylor, editors

This collection of conference messages has convinced me that we cannot limit God’s involvement in our suffering and loss to the fact that he “allowed” it; we must grapple with the truth that in his sovereignty, he ordained it.

* * *

When God Weeps: Why Our Sufferings Matter to the Almighty by Joni Eareckson Tada and Steven Estes

As if Joni’s radiant life were not a strong enough refutation of the health-and-wealth gospel, her soundly scriptural exploration of suffering convinces us that while God does not promise to remove our suffering, he does promise to redeem it.

* * *

A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss by Jerry Sittser

Sittser, with a unique depth of wisdom and the compassionate companionship of someone who has “been there,” invites the possibility that God can use our seemingly senseless loss for good.

* * *

A Grief Observed by C. S. Lewis

Lewis’s raw emotions in the throes of losing his beloved helped me to feel not so alone. I weep again when underlined phrases remind me how it first felt to read, “Her absence is like the sky, spread over everything.”

* * *

Disappointment with God: Three Questions No One Asks Aloud by Philip Yancey

Perhaps the most lingering insight is Yancey’s suggestion that we surrender our quest to understand “why?” and instead begin to ask, “to what end?” thus infusing the struggle with purpose and meaning.

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Related Elsewhere:

Christianity Today interviewed Nancy Guthrie about her latest book, Hearing Jesus Speak into Your Sorrow (Tyndale House, July 2009).

Previous Top 5 lists have featured Calvin, spiritual memoirs, neglected doctrines, spiritual memoirs, marriage, Lent, fiction books for the soul, managing your money, devotionals, how character shapes belief, food, Atheism, China, Presidents, World Christianity, Ancient-Future Faith, the Civil Rights Era, Social Justice, Church History, Popular Culture, the Civil War, Apologetics, Atheism, and Sex.

Also in this issue

The CT archives are a rich treasure of biblical wisdom and insight from our past. Some things we would say differently today, and some stances we've changed. But overall, we're amazed at how relevant so much of this content is. We trust that you'll find it a helpful resource.

Cover Story

The Case for Early Marriage

Cover Story

With Parents' Help

Cover Story

The Waiting Game

Cover Story

An Ocean of Sorrow

The Purpose-Driven Job Hunter

News

Career Counseling in Church

Review

CDs on The List

Why Churchless Christianity Doesn't Work

Three Gifts for Hard Times

Readers Write

Books Uncommon and Offbeat

Here We Are to Worship

Review

New Music: Two for the Soul

Review

Putting Worldview in Its Place

Feeding Hope Under a Rogue Regime

The Only 'Christian Nation'

Our Life with God

Editorial

Mega-mirror

Review

Is Self-Deception Always Bad?

Reasoning Together

Restless, Reformed, and Single

News

Q & A: Robert Duncan

Power Pentecostalisms

News

What's in a Name?

Matter Matters

News

Friend or Foe?

News

Go Figure

We Need Health-Care Reform

News

School's Out Forever

News

Quotation Marks

News

One in the Spirit

News

News Briefs: August 01, 2009

News

Let It Snow

News

Passages

News

The Workers Are Few

News

Desert Deaths

View issue

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Scrupulosity latches onto the thing we hold most dear—our relationship with God.

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