Three ways to get involved with a very special book launch

"We wrote this book for you—for the person who's hurting. Maybe it's the diagnosis, or the accident. We wrote this for you in the midst of the pain, because God's Word has been a balm to our souls in the pain. We want you to know that same comfort—drawing life and hope from the only giver of hope."

That’s from the authors of Hope When It Hurts. Kristen Wetherell and Sarah Walton have walked through, and are walking in, difficult times. Both have lived for years with illnesses that give them constant pain, and leave them weak and breathless. Add to that a special needs situation with one of Sarah’s children, and significant financial difficulties too. Kristen and Sarah unfold their stories of wrestling with God in the pages of Hope When it Hurts. The book delivers empathy, wisdom, and most powerfully, a focus on the power of the gospel to transform and bring joy in the midst of suffering—whether physical, emotional or psychological, and whether for a season or for longer. Each day’s reading, penned by either Sarah or Kristen, draws from portions of 2 Corinthians 4 and 5 and is followed by a set of reflection questions, a suggested prayer and space for journaling.

A recent survey found that 43% of British adults—around 28 million people—suffer from chronic pain (pain that lasts for more than three months). So it’s not surprising that there’s a real buzz building around this book—and we wanted you, our loyal blog readers, to be in on the excitement.

It’s launching on the 4th April—but here are three ways you can get involved before then:

1. Read a sample chapter

At TGBC we love giving you a freebie—so here’s a free preview chapter for you to download, read and enjoy. Just head to this webpage, put your email address in the box, and you can download it right away.

2. Watch the film and join the thunderclap

Stories are powerful—they connect deeply with us. That’s why we’ve created a beautiful short film which shares Kristen and Sarah’s stories of hope in hard times. And now our hope is that this video will encourage other people who are suffering to run to Jesus and dig deep into his Word. It's not up on social media yet, but you can exclusively preview it here.

And now we need your help to share this message of hope with the world. Will you join our thunderclap and sign up to share this film on Tuesday 14th March?

"What is a thunderclap?" we hear you ask. A thunderclap allows us to make a bigger impact with the video by having hundreds of people share it at one time. When you sign up, you give permission for them to automatically post the message you see from your social media account at 1pm EST on the 14th March. (Don't worry, it’s totally secure and they won’t post anything else.) But please don't share the video until then.

3. Share your story

But it’s not just Kristen and Sarah’s stories that we want to highlight. We want you to tell your stories too. We’ve been running a series of short testimonies over on the Hope When It Hurts Facebook page. Could you share your story of how God has given you hope in a difficult time? Email your story to hopewhenithurts@thegoodbook.com.

Here’s Caitlin’s story to inspire you:

"I have been abandoned twice. The first was when my father left us after sixteen years of abuse and neglect. The second came suddenly when the man I was going to marry simply changed his mind.

I’ve grieved these losses because they have all the finality, confusion, and sadness of death, with the added pain of knowing that both of these men left by choice. It’s the pain of being discarded, rejected, unwanted, and it carries a lot of shame.

As time passes, it gets harder. I see friends getting married and starting families with men who love them deeply – who choose to stay – and underneath my joy for them, it hurts. But because of Christ, I have hope.

Jesus Christ, who is fully God but also fully a man, gave his life to make me his so that I would be loved and blameless (Ephesians 1 v 4). He promises to never leave me (Hebrews 13 v 5), and he is incapable of changing his mind. If that was not enough, he’s given me a loving family, beautiful friendships, and a job serving his people where I get glimpses of his forever, enduring love every day.

So when it hurts, Christ is my hope.

That swing in the photo hangs in my mom’s backyard. When my ex and I were dating, he would talk about wanting to sit outside with me and nap on it. I actually took that picture to send to him.

When our relationship ended, I could hardly look at the swing. I was so heartbroken and angry. I wanted to know why God seemed determined to leave my mom, and now me, alone. But now that some time has passed, the swing is okay. The Lord may yet have marriage for me. But if he doesn’t, I know he is still good."