Embracing Brokenness: How God Refines Us Through Life's Disappointments

by Alan E. Nelson

Embracing Brokenness describes a journey to healing and wholeness by discovering how God can use your disappointments to grow you if you want to lean into them. Alan E Nelson, EdD, studied this process through scriptures, historical and contemporary leaders, and his faith journey. While few openly talk about times of brokenness, nearly everyone experiences them intensely. Instead of resisting the pain and avoiding what cause them, the counterintuitive solution focuses on how God uses these times to grow our souls. Embracing our brokenness improves healing and catalyzes maturity, resulting in new growth that only happens when we hug the hurt. People who resist become the walking wounded. They are all around us, getting bitter versus better and telegraphing their pain to others. This book offers a healing read for those experiencing broken dreams, health, relations, finances, and despondency in general. Hope sprouts new as you read these contemporary words of wisdom that have aided people throughout history.

This book was originally published by Thomas Nelson Pub. under the title, "Broken in the Right Place." Then, NavPress shortened and released it as "Embracing Brokenness." The current edition, with a revised cover, is released by the author (Summit Pub.). For more info or to contact the author, go to www.AlanENelson.com.

Genres: Christianity, Christian, Christian Living

188 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Alan E. Nelson, Ed.D., is a social entrepreneur, professor, and young leader expert, who lives near Los Angeles, California. He has a graduate degree in psychology-communication and doctorate in leadership (University of San Diego). As an adjunct professor at USC Marshall School of Business, the Naval Postgraduate School, and Pepperdine University, he teaches leadership, org behavior and change, and related topics.

At midlife, Alan came to the conclusion that the best leadership development is used on adults, after they're set in their ways. He began his pioneering work on identifying and developing 10-18 year olds, gifted in leadership. "The goal is to get to leaders while they're moldable, not moldy," Nelson quips. He is the founder of LeadYoung Training Systems (www.LeadYoungTraining.com) and KidLead Inc. (a non-profit).

Dr. Nelson is the author of 20 books, over 200 articles, and 150 hours of young leader training curricula. He's a corporate trainer and keynoter, focusing on an array of topics, usually related to his writings. He lives with his wife of 36 years, Nancy, in Thousand Oaks, CA.

Reviews

[Beth Peninger]

Originally I gave this title 5 stars. I am revising my stars to zero.

The reason I am doing so is that since reading this title, several things about my faith journey and expression have changed and I no longer subscribe to evangelical ideologies.

[Danny Vanderbyl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I've already spent two months with this little book, and I'm a fast reader when I'm passionate like this! But alas, this is NOT the kind of book you can swallow whole; it demands to be nibbled and digested slowly as it becomes a part of you. I am surprised and amazed by what I have already learned from this hidden gem of a book.

The key phrase is "God doesn't want to break us like glass, he wants to break us like a horse (that we might become champions)." God is like that "horse whisperer" of movie fame. I really am doing injustice to the book by summing it up in a sentence like that, so all I can say is please do read it; you won't regret it. :)

I'll update my review once I finish the book :)
Cheers.

[Hank Pharis · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is some good material here on a much neglected theme.