Tuesday, March 22, 2011

A Deeper Kind of Calm by Linda Dillow

A Deeper Kind of Calm: Steadfast Faith In the Midst of Adversity by Linda Dillow is a source of motivation and strength for anyone going through a difficult and traumatic time in life.  Even though Linda Dillow's own anecdotes seem trivial, and in at least two references in the book, she is vague and less than forthcoming when alluding to own personal issues and pain as reflected  by the following passage with the unidentified mysterious "someone": "I've grieved over a conflict with someone close to me" (page 18), Linda Dillow recognises, nevertheless, that many of the readers may be going through more intense and painful personal experiences such as terminal illness, divorce, death.  She understands that regardless of the issue, that the pain an idividual goes through can not be minimised or diminished.  

This book correlates the pain and hardship as expressed by the writers of the psalms, of the bible's old testament, with the pain that we go through in our lifetimes.  Reading through the psalms, you will not doubt that these ancient writers shared our own deepest pains, turmoils and fears. Ancient problems and hardhips were no less traumatic than the modern day painful experiences we have in our own lives.  Dillow chooses to focus on a few specific psalms, verse by verse, to illustrate how the ancient poets followed through to turn their pain into blessing, thereby empowering the reader with the ability to change his or her own pain to blessings as well.  Also included is a bible study by which the reader can actually write down his or her own thoughts.  Journaling is a theraputic means by which to address one's own pain and problems- and the guided journal expercise included in this book will prove to be helpful when facing even the most difficult of life issues. 

As a blogger for Navpress I recieved this book for the purpose of writing a review.  The opinions expressed are my own.

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