Author: Robert Kellemen

Subtitle:

How to Find Hope When You're Hurting

You’re tired of quick quips (“Just trust God”) and false hopes (“Time heals all wounds”). You’re ready for real and raw, honest and hopeful conversation about suffering, loss, and grief—from a Christian perspective. You’re longing for real answers, for real people, with real struggles. You’ve come to the right place. When life’s losses invade your world, learn how to face suffering face-to-face with God. 

Foreword by Steve Viars.

About the author: 

Robert W. Kellemen, PhD, served as the founding executive director of the Biblical Counseling Coalition and has pastored four churches. He is the author of over twenty books, including Grief: Walking with Jesus; Gospel-Centered Counseling; Gospel Conversations; Gospel-Centered Marriage Counseling; and Gospel-Centered Family Counseling.

Endorsements:

“How do you deal with suffering and despair; the times when life seems so overwhelming that you just want to give up? Bob Kellemen has the answers. If you are looking for tired clichés (‘Just put on a happy face’), impersonal academic discourse, and worldly wisdom, then this is not the book for you. But if you want a thoroughly biblical and intensely honest examination of suffering from someone who has walked the path from ‘hurt to hope in Christ,’ then God’s Healing for Life’s Losses is just the book for you. Dr. Kellemen provides a biblical theology of suffering that is also a practical guide to moving from grieving to growth, a journey on the road to hope and worshipping God. This an essential book, not only for pastors and counselors, but also for anyone who is suffering and overwhelmed by grief and despair.”~Dr. Ian Jones, Chairman, Counseling Department, Southwestern Theological Seminary

“God’s Healing for Life’s Losses takes on traditional thoughts about grief and loss and turns them upside down. Dr. Kellemen takes us down to take us up as he develops a biblical theology of suffering and hope. There is a refreshing honesty about the pain of loss and the permission to be real with God and others as we embrace the mourning process together. For those of you who are hurting, I would recommend a unhurried reading with time to work through the grief and growth workbook at the end of each chapter. This book is biblical, personal and healing; I highly recommend it.”~Garrett Higbee, Psy. D., Director of Pastoral Care for the Great Commission Collective

“Without quick fixes or easy steps, Dr. Kellemen goes beyond the simple self-help so common to popular-level works offering counsel for pain. With a consideration of the message of the whole counsel of God, and appeals to the likes of the Puritan’s ‘losses and crosses,’ Luther’s ‘two levels of suffering,’ C. S. Lewis’ ‘megaphone’ of pain, and Hugo’s Les Miserables, he provides a Calvary-shaped lens through which pain, loss, and despair can be converted to satisfaction with the face of God in Christ.”~Eric C. Redmond, Senior Pastor of Reformation Alive Baptist Church, Temple Hills, MD, and Assistant Professor of Bible and Theology, Washington Bible College

“Here’s what is remarkable about this book: Bob’s passion for helping people see their suffering from God’s perspective does not blind him to the fact that suffering still hurts. As a result, he weaves together a compassionate, Christ-centered resource that radically renews one’s thinking about suffering while respecting the reality of it. I thank God for the clarity and comfort Bob brings to those who are overwhelmed by suffering.”~Sam Hodges IV, Executive Producer, Church Initiative

“I just love Dr. Bob Kellemen’s heart. He is committed and compassionate about helping people. In God’s Healing for Life’s Losses, he writes with a scriptural sensitivity that communicates clearly to all people of all races. Anyone facing suffering and dealing with grief will learn how to face their sorrows face-to-face with God. This book is real and raw offering Christ’s healing hope for life’s hurts. I highly recommend it for individual or grief group work—it will help heal.”~Pam Perry, Ministry Marketing Solutions Inc., Chocolate Pages Network, Founder, Co-Author of Synergy Energy

“Understanding the relationship between God and our life losses is a valuable tool in our spiritual growth. In this volume, Dr. Kellemen goes beyond merely helping people ‘recover’ from their painful situations to a point where a deeper resource can be found. Weaving together biblical texts with suffering’s varied and personal contexts, he directs the reader into the potential for growth that life’s losses present. Whether one reads the book for oneself or to better help others, Kellemen’s book is a practical resource for pastors, counselors, and anyone who has ever tried to help a friend who is hurting.”~John A. Jelinek, Th.D., Vice President and Dean, Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School

“Like so many books on this topic, I picked up Dr. Kellemen’s book expecting it to be another quick read on the subject of suffering. That wasn’t the case. Instead, I found it to be a work deserving a special place in my library to reference again and again. It was eye-opening in that it revealed the deepest longing in my heart to understand God’s purpose and plans for my own pain and grief. In a fallen and broken world this book is a welcome companion along life’s journey.”~Tracy Haney, Moody Radio Producer

“Reading God’s Healing for Life’s Losses is like walking a beach with a godly friend who knows where your path has been and where you hope your path will take you. Dr. Kellemen’s book is a relevant, extremely helpful faith guide for those longing for healing from a past sorrow or preparing for life’s inevitable pain.”~Pastor Steve Dewitt, Sr. Pastor, Bethel Church, Crown Point, IN

“Bob Kellemen skillfully uses a conversational writing style to engage his readers as he provides them with a thorough biblical and practical way to grieve, thrive, and grow. Dr. Kellemen’s book shows his tremendous spiritual insight and wisdom based on God’s Word. He confidently affirms that as Christians we are victors in Christ because we know the end of the story.”~Elias Moitinho, Ph.D., LPC, Assistant Professor of Psychology and Counseling, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

“While grief and loss are common to all of us, the manner in which we actually process our experience is often unique and personal. C. S. Lewis once wrote that, ‘God whispers in our pleasures, speaks in our conscious, but shouts in our pain.’ For some, the journey towards healing and restoration seems clear and straightforward. For others, the way is more uncertain and challenging. In God’s Healing for Life’s Losses, Dr. Kellemen skillfully describes the necessary tasks for each stage of the grief and recovery process. With relevant illustrations and God’s Word illuminating the path, readers will receive encouragement and hope as they move from mourning to morning.”~Eric T. Scalise, Ph.D., LPC, Vice President for Professional Development, The American Association of Christian Counselors