What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend

This book is essentially an edited, abbreviated version of their earlier book, “God Will Make a Way,” outlining eight principles to help one begin again: begin your journey with God, choose your traveling companions wisely, place high value on wisdom, leave your baggage behind, own your faults and weaknesses, embrace problems as gifts, take life as it comes, and love God with all you are. Their earlier book applied these principles to 12 common dilemmas, and the recent version addresses three.

The eight principles encapsulate some of the best work of Cloud and Townsend. For example, the chapter on companions lists nine important characteristics in others: support, love, courage, feedback, wisdom, experience, modeling, values, and accountability, which to me is a deep and thoughtful look at how to evaluate potential friends.

This book is well written and easy to read. As usual, Cloud and Townsend present biblical truth effectively, citing Scripture appropriately and frequently.

If your life requires change, this little book is a great starting place. If your life requires deep, comprehensive change, I recommend “God Will Make a Way” simply because that earlier book provides more information and help.

Where is God? Finding His Presence, Purpose, and Power in Difficult Times By Dr. John Townsend

This book addresses the heart’s cry—“Where is God?”-- when God’s power or presence seem absent or when the question is really a protest, exploring the question’s faulty bases in our circumstances or in our perspective.

Chapters address where God really is—suffering with me, working behind the scenes, transforming me, connecting me with others and present when there are no answers.

This book is thorough, encouraging, practical, and helpful. Townsend lives in the real world, rubbing shoulders with people who face the difficult question, “Where is God?” in trying times. He carefully addresses the question from every angle, giving encouragement and solid suggestions based on Scripture. Biblical passages are woven beautifully into the principles and suggestions.

Anyone in any circumstances would profit from reading this well-written book.

Finding Purpose Beyond Our Pain by Paul Meier, MD, and David L. Henderson, MD

This book is about dealing effectively with “seven universal struggles”: injustice, rejection, loneliness, loss, discipline, failure, and death.

Each section of the book explores the problems caused by each struggle and then provides steps and practical encouragement toward overcoming each struggle. For example, in addressing loneliness, the experience is described as both physical and emotional, with obstacles of modern comforts, limited scope, objectification, pride, segregation, and time. The reader is pointed to Jesus’ example, encouraged to relate to God, know oneself, and improve one’s relationships by avoiding complacency, removing the plank from one’s own eye, changing the face of one’s prayers, turning conflict into opportunity, look to future reward, be encouraged by what is learned, and be teachable. Each chapter is this thorough and deep, with much food for thought.

This book was very interesting and challenging, causing me to examine myself. It is written in a very readable fashion and is cohesive and appealing. Biblical truth is effectively conveyed and is an integral part of the writing.

I recommend this book

Fresh Start by Doug Fields

Fresh Start emphasizes timeless biblical principles, such as perseverance in the face of temptation, quickly seeking God's forgiveness when we sin, replacing pride with God-directed dreams in our life, viewing those who hurt us through God's eyes, practicing forgiveness, and gaining God's perspective in hurtful situations. This book encourages believers to depend on God's faithfulness and draw upon our Heavenly Father's grace, kindness and direction. Fields utilizes contemporary illustrations and examples from his own life to encourage the reader not to give up on God down the sometimes rocky road of discipleship and intimacy with Jesus Christ.

Notable chapters include chapter 4, “Beyond Your Past,” in which we are encouraged not to let poor choices and wrong decisions weigh down our lives, and chapter 5, “Freedom From Hurt,” which may be the book's most important chapter because it helps us prevent the poison of hate from invading our lives.

This is a relevant, biblically accurate read that will encourage the new Christian or older saint, and I highly recommend it as an aid in staying focused on the centrality of Jesus Christ in our life.