Issues you may face in 2019

We all like victory. We all like being at the top of the mountain, celebrating.

Because nothing beats that feeling of reaching the crest and looking back at the road you had to travel to get there. Sometimes we may want to stay there forever, but it’s just not possible. The next one is just ahead.

As we climb into 2019, some of us ended at a peak, while others of us were stuck in a valley. And as we face the new mountain ahead, we might already feel a little weary, regardless of where we’re starting from. “Didn’t I just face this? Those storm clouds look a little nasty. Maybe God won’t notice if I drag my feet a little bit.” But take heart! We can have confidence even as you meet this year’s challenges on the mountain.

Climbing up the mountain in 2019, you might face:

disappointment – things not turning out the way you want, unmet expectations
life challenges – health, relationships, spiritual, financial
death – either natural and/or spiritual, of friendships, of relationships
change – jobs, relationships, ministry
fears – what the future holds, money, changes in circumstances

You see, climbing a mountain is not easy and you need the right tools for the journey.

But how blessed are those of us in the faith! God has already provided the tools we need in His word and equipped others to teach us how to use them. To help you climb the mountain, we’ve curated a list of books that will help you deal with the climb that 2019 will bring.

In the meantime, here is some encouragement directly from the Lord:

“…’The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?'” Hebrews 13:6

^“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

“Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD!” Psalm 31:24

“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1

May your 2019 climb be the best one yet!

Click on a book to learn more about it…

: As stress, temptation, and hardship tug and tear at reality, it is often difficult to see that God has a plan for our lives. No Matter What reminds us that God is in control and that we can abide safely in His faithfulness – despite our past and present circumstances. Using the Genesis narrative of Joseph as a backdrop, Marty Berglund challenges readers to live victoriously through God’s steadfastness and love.

: Following the tragic death of his son, Ron Dunn made this shattering discovery: you can trust God and still get hurt. Forced to walk through a painful reality of unanswered questions, he experienced firsthand the processes of grief, guilt and depression.

: A Quiet Center is a refreshing guide to resting in God at all times—even when life refuses to give you a break. Susan Sutton shares tried-and-true lessons (gleaned from her experiences as a leader, wife, mother, and missionary in Chad, South Africa) on trusting the Lord and living from a still dwelling place with Him, a quiet center.

: You may not be facing a literal raging torrent, but you may anxiously be noticing things coming between you and God’s plan for your life. Do you seem to always be in a bad mood? Has someone sinned against you? Is your loved one struggling with addiction? Just like the Jordan River prevented the Israelites from entering the promised land of milk and honey, obstacles in your life—including your own attitude—may be keeping you from living in Christ’s full victory. Crossing the Jordan depicts the life of freedom awaiting those who choose leave the wilderness and cross over into the land of promise.

: Billheimer encourages you not to waste your sorrows, but embrace them with an attitude that will ensure they produce God’s best in you. It will bring a brand-new joy and purpose to every circumstance that comes your way.

: In Surrender, John Stanley encourages readers in the call upon every Christian’s life to daily die to self and surrender—in salvation and in every single circumstance. Expertly weaving together Scripture, personal anecdotes, and a white-water rafting story, John explores what a truly surrendered life can look like, and how that provides a new outlook on what it means to live a satisfied, joyful life.

: With individual/group study questions at the end of each chapter, Out of the Storm and into God’s Arms will help you engage and overcome your pain through the power of the Holy Spirit. Jill reveals that no matter how violently your storm rages or how dark your situation might seem, God is your rock, your shelter, your safe hiding place.

: Walking by Faith in Unemployment Canned. Outsourced. Downsized. Given the boot. No matter what you call it, losing your job hurts. It can hit you at the core of your being, making you question your career, your worth, your identity, even your relationship with God.

: When Mary lovingly poured out upon the feet of Jesus a flask of fragrant oil, the disciples criticized her sharply. “Why this waste?” they asked. But Jesus commended her. Nee asks: Have our eyes been opened to see the preciousness of the One whom we are serving?

: Through the ancient biblical account of Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac, God prophetically enacts the story of the Cross: for it’s in the Cross that the question of God’s love is forever settled.