COVER STORY “Easy Answers Aren’t Enough” by Judith A. Schwanz If Jesus is the Hope of the world, how can a Christian suffer in the dark, dank world of depression or anxiety? Because people are complex systems with physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions, simplistic answers are not enough. Read this story now

FEATURES

• “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep: A Christian’s Story of Suicide,” by Jim and Jo Edlin
  A Christian couple openly share their darkest pain and greatest healing.

• “Thanking God for the Darkness?” by Victor M. Parachin
  In crises, it seems impossible to thank God for the worst in our lives. Yet out of our darkest hours can come God’s best lessons.

• “Good News About Depression,” by Norm Henry
  God provides healing for depression through many channels. Whatever the cause of depression, there is hope for healing.

• “Friendgrief,” by Harold Ivan Smith
  While family members are consoled and supported through the death of a loved one, friendgrievers are generally overlooked. Christians must reenfranchise this grief that has been dismissed.

• “People Who Don’t Need Healing,” by Eddy Hall
  The healthy church is not made up of people who have it all together. Rather, it is full of people who need healing and know it.

• “Wholly Human: Praying the Psalms,” by Dwight D. Swanson
  In their human voice of desire and petition, the psalms reveal a startling truth: As His people, we may come to the Holy One as we are. Through the openness of their expression of all emotions before God, they show us that He cannot be shocked by our prayers.

COLUMNS

• Essay: “Chosen People,” by Jeff Crosno
  Jesus had far too much to say regarding the care and feeding of neighbors to let us off the hook with nothing more than a syrupy smile and the prayer of Jabez.

• Editor' Forum: This month’s forum answers questions about people who won’t attend church and the role of athletics in Christian higher education.

• Passport: “Seeing Beyond the Horizon,” by Carmen J. Ringhiser
  While other newlyweds were setting up housekeeping, Joel and Sara Mullen were looking to expand their horizons in honor of the call they sensed God had placed on their lives.

• Portraits: “Mark Hiepler: Advocate for Hope and Justice,” by Dean Nelson.
  “God has given me the opportunity, through my own family’s tragedy, to help people.”

• The Deeper Way: “My Finger-Shaking God,” by Roderick T. Leupp
  To pit the God of requirements against the God of relationships is a false alternative. To choose either requirements or relationships over the other is finally to end up with neither.

• Change Agent: “Balancing Both,” by Jon Johnston
  As followers of Jesus, we must manifest both stability and change in proper measure and balance.

• Family Tree: “Safe Place, Grace Place,” by Rick and Bonnie Ryding
  A safe place, a grace place, takes the edge off life. Here’s how a family might go about creating just such a home.

• Commission: “Blessed Are the Balanced,” by James H. Diehl
  In dozens of areas of the Christian life, a little is good, but more is destructive.

• Holiness: “Shining with Fulfillment,” by Wesley D. Tracy
  Self—surrender is the key to holy living—always has been, always will be.

NEXT MONTH – Continuing to Climb

• “Hang on to Your Cleats,” by Jon Johnston
  In our Christian journey, it is very possible to cease growing. After being sanctified, we can coast along. But static Christianity does not compute biblically. We must be deeply committed to becoming ever more intimate with our Lord.