Desperate for Hope by Bruce W. Martin is beautiful.  It’s the honest story of how he learned to trust God during terrible pain and hardship.  Bruce is my brother-in-law and though I remember his and my sister’s perfect storm, the book reveals some of the deep emotions that can’t be spoken or explained in the midst of suffering.  We benefit from his trials because Bruce puts into words the pain and questions, and shares his struggle as he learned to grieve and hope.  He reminds us that God is not the “Great Protector from Bad Things.”  In fact, “God is more intent on perfecting us through trouble than on protecting us from trouble.”  P. 21

Bruce tells the ancient story of Job in a fresh, relevant way to challenge us to rethink what we believe about suffering.  The heavy topic is easy to read because of Bruce’s conversational style and just right humor.  The book made me laugh, cry, and reflect on my own trials.  It made me ask this question:  “Do I love God or do I love that He makes everything okay in my life?”  Hard question, but one I think all of us have to ask.

This book has an important message that we all need to hear.  No matter what happens, God loves us, God delights in us, and He is for us.

I believe this book is going to give a lot of people permission to finally be honest with God and those around them. They will finally be free to say LIFE SUCKS sometimes!  But deep change happens during deep suffering.  God wants our souls to prosper so He makes us desperate.

“But there is a nobler desire that transcends our desire for circumstantial happiness. And this desire is only birthed through suffering. It’s the desire for God. Not the desire for God to take care of me. Not the desire for God to fix it. Not the desire for what God does at all. The desire for HIM.” page 131

I finished the book with a renewed sense of hope and trust in the One that loves me the most!  I can’t wait to see what Bruce writes next.