Christian Living, Counseling & Recovery, Religion & Spirituality 

Writing with a healer's touch, Paula Ripple explores the sources and effects of suffering in our lives. Pain is a part of our lives, she acknowledges, but is not without purpose. We can encounter it as "an intolerable companion," or we can embrace it "as a guide leading us beyond ourselves." This solid, reflective book leads its readers to the understanding that hurting people can experience growth through their suffering. It is part of the price to be paid for the full human life to which we are all called. Using stories, images and insights from history, literature and the lives of others, the author deals reflectively with the "hows," the "whys" and the "benefits" of this ever-present human experience. She warns against popular culture's disposition toward the quick fix of immediate pain removal or avoidance. "We only set ourselves up for frustration," with such an approach. In writing this book, the author explains that "I wanted to bring to others some of the insights I've discovered in the process of seeking meaning in the pain-filled moments of life. I believe strength and hope are to be found in the realization that other people have walked this way, felt this way, shared this same kind of disappointment or failure." - from Amzon