Now You Can Stop Running: Finding the Rest Your Soul Desperately Needs

Christians should stop running “from things that hurt us or... toward what we think will fulfill us” and seek refuge in God, according to this empathetic if uneven guide from pastor Crist (Loving Samaritans). Contending that most people are running from trauma or challenging emotions they lack the tools to fix, and that doing so can foster addictions and other evasive behavior, he advises readers on how to transform difficult feelings into positive ones through a mix of introspection and spiritual practice. For example, readers can deal with guilt by sharing their sins with God, whom Crist casts as a forgiving rather than a distant and punitive figure, or mitigate anger by extending God’s grace to those against whom they have grudges. While such solid counsel can get lost in a glut of examples featuring biblical figures (some of which are more effective than others), Crist skillfully draws links between self-acceptance and faith as a form of acceptance by God. Readers seeking spiritual sustenance will be satisfied. (July)