Help, I'm Drowning , livre ebook

Baker Publishing Group - Sally Clarkson

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95 pages

English

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Life is filled with unexpected storms that take you by surprise.In these storms of life, it's easy to feel helpless, exhausted, afraid . . . and alone. We can feel like victims to circumstances out of our control. Beloved author Sally Clarkson understands deeply. Through almost seven decades of life, she has found herself tossed about in overwhelming life storms through many different seasons.In Help, I'm Drowning, Sally identifies the challenges that took her by surprise and then leads you to the wisdom she gathered from her experiences. Finding grace to walk through the darkness and hope to make it through will give you the comfort and encouragement you need in knowing you are not alone. Though there are no easy, formulaic answers that apply to every situation, Sally leads us to the One who is with us and will see us through.Sally found the anchors that held her steady in the midst of every storm, and she wants to help you find your anchors too. She invites you into her own personal story of anchoring well, and then--with honesty, grit, and her trademark wisdom--she will help you heal and move forward with courage and strength.

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Publié par	Baker Publishing Group
Date de parution	14 septembre 2021
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781493434633
Langue	English
Poids de l'ouvrage	3 Mo

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0552€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

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Half Title Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
© 2021 by Sally Clarkson
Published by Bethany House Publishers
11400 Hampshire Avenue South
Bloomington, Minnesota 55438
www .be thanyhouse .co m
Bethany House Publishers is a division of
Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
Ebook edition created 2021
Ebook corrections 06.23.2022
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
ISBN 978-1-4934-3463-3
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org
Scripture quotations labeled ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2016
Scripture quotations labeled NET are from the NET Bible®, copyright © 1996–2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations labeled NIV are from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations labeled NKJV are from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations labeled NLT are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Cover design by Patti Brinks, with Eric Walljasper
Author is represented by The Bindery.
Contents
Cover
Half Title Page 1
Title Page 3
Copyright Page 4
Foreword by Ruth Schwenk 7
Letter to the Storm-Tossed 9
Introduction 11
1. Does God Not Care? We all feel dark sometimes 23
2. We’re in Good Company: Lament is legitimate; it’s okay to be sad 41
3. Loneliness and Isolation: Finding hope when you feel all alone 58
4. Broken Expectations: High anticipation versus reality is a recipe for disaster 75
5. Busyness + Distraction = Exhaustion: Everything is a problem when you’re worn out 97
6. Craven Fear: Cowering in a corner is a hard place to be 115
7. Disappointment in Marriage: Overcoming and moving forward 133
8. Unexpected Challenges with Our Children: Love is key 152
9. IRPs Will Happen: Storms created by critical and difficult people 172
10. Be Gentle with Yourself: You are worthy of care 190
11. Weathering a Lifetime of Storms Brings Character and Wisdom 207
12. Leaving a Legacy Begins with a Foundation 226
Storm Care Kit 241
Notes 243
About the Author 245
Back Ads 251
Back Cover 254
Foreword
Y ou’re not alone.
If there is one truth, one piece of encouragement I could give you as you crack open these pages, it would be that whatever you are in the middle of, you are not alone. It’s the truth I believed most of my life but found myself clinging to almost four years ago when my husband was diagnosed with incurable cancer. His diagnosis felt like a punch in the stomach. Every breath was a labor, a gasping for just enough air to fill my lungs. It all felt impossible.
How could I possibly survive? I would have to learn to walk through the unimaginable, and I have. Step by step we are moving forward. By the grace of God, my husband is alive today, and although he likely faces a lifetime of some type of treatment, we’ve experienced the goodness of God in our darkest moments. God has been with us all along.
I don’t know what your storm is right now. Maybe it’s a wayward child. Financial insecurity. An unfaithful spouse. Sickness. Or a miscarriage. But whatever it is, I am guessing you, too, have felt weary and wondered how you will get through what feels impossible.
Not long ago, I lay in bed thinking about someone just like you—the thousands of women who make up my online community. My heart felt tender toward all they may be facing. So right then and there I typed out a little prayer for the woman who was facing hard stuff in her life and hit publish on my Facebook page. In moments, hundreds of comments and shares were flooding in. Women pouring out their hearts desperately in need of prayer for the trials they faced. It’s true. You’re not alone. Women all over the world are searching for hope just like you. And the glorious truth is that not only is God forever by your side, but women all over the world are facing hard stuff as well.
There is just something about knowing that not only are you not alone because God is with you, but you are not alone because others have been there. We all need the friend whom we call out to in the middle of the storm. The friend who will walk with us through impossible circumstances and rescue us when we’re drowning. In the pages of this book, Sally Clarkson is that friend. Over the years, she has been that dear friend to me, and her words have touched me countless times. With wisdom and love she will minister to your heart, point you to the true place for hope and peace, and yes, remind you that you are not alone.
Take courage, my friend. You will get through this. We will get through this. Together.
Ruth Schwenk, founder of TheBetterMom.com and coauthor of In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake: Trusting the God Who Meets Us in Our Storm
Letter to the Storm-Tossed
Precious One,
As you embark on your life journey with me, remember that I will be with you each step of the way. Nothing you encounter will be able to separate you from my love. Many life-storms will come across your path, but I am the One who calms the storms and provides you a way through the overwhelming darkness. I will light your way forward.
Storms will come in many forms. Snakes will crawl through your garden, tempting you to doubt my goodness. Fiery furnaces will manifest boldly to test your faith to the core. Lions will growl and threaten to overcome you with voices of despair. Giants will appear to fill you with fear and a sense of inadequacy to face the dangers looming ahead. Job’s friends will boldly voice criticism and judgment to cause you to doubt your convictions and personal adequacy. You may even be shipwrecked by disasters and sudden squalls of worldwide dimensions. All of these storms are temporary. Don’t give up, don’t give in, even when your feelings suggest otherwise.
Understand that I will strengthen you; I will encourage you and remind you of my words to lead you on your path. Through your faith and faithfulness, I will build your character with each step, so that your soul will become beautiful and your spirit strong. If you walk holding my hand, listening to my voice, you will become a source of light and goodness to others along their pathway of life. And you will become a worthy guide to those who need your wisdom, friendship, and encouragement, those who long to know my love, too.
Not a day will be wasted. I will never leave you nor forsake you.
All my love, Jesus
Introduction
He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.
2 Corinthians 1:4 NLT
I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.
Louisa May Alcott
T he summer azure-blue and white flower baskets I had hung, as I always did, were gently blowing in the mountain breezes of a new morning. My energetic, “love me, pet me, pay attention to me” beloved golden retriever, Darcy, was roaming over my yard as usual. Rocking in my familiar, squeaky chair on our front porch, tea in hand, generally gave me delight. But as I pondered the state of my soul, it seemed to be clouding over with darkness.
Spring had promised to be a total pleasure. I had even remarked to my husband, “What a great season. All of our kids seem to be faring well at this point in life, our ministry is as solid as ever, we are able to pay our bills, and we have so many opportunities to write and help people. This is a good and rare season! No drama at the moment.”
Within a few days, everything I was looking forward to was canceled, suspended until further notice. My adult children’s lives and finances were greatly affected by the sudden Covid-19 pandemic, and so much more instability was ahead. A long-anticipated visit to my son and his wife in New York City had to be canceled indefinitely. A visit from my oldest daughter, her husband, and my only two grandchildren was postponed because the country of England, where they live, had pretty much shut down. Five conferences where I hoped to speak were also scrapped. Stores, cafés, and favorite restaurants closed their doors, and all activities, including church, were suspended indefinitely. As I anticipated releasing a legacy book into the world, Awaking Wonder , every event we had planned, many podcasts, and all our hotel conferences were removed from my calendar. We ended up having to hire a lawyer to work on our behalf to avoid being liable for a great debt we would incur by canceling our conferences (which no one would be able to attend if we’d had them anyway).
Help, I’m Drowning!
During the first months of the lockdown of Covid-19, two friends’ young adult children committed suicide. Daily, I received messages and letters from women whose husbands had left them or were acting violently or angrily toward their now-always-in-the-house children. Three friends had stage-four cancer, but I was unable to help or visit them. Two of my closest and oldest friends were isolated and battling serious depression and called me to ask for help and prayer. An