God, I've Got a Problem: How to Deal With Depression, Guilt, Loneliness, Fear, Disappointment, Doubt and Temptation

by Ben Ferguson

religion

Genres: Self Help

166 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

Reviews

[Martha Lueck · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book helped me reconnect with God during times of worry and despair. The more I read it, the more I felt my faith strengthen. The fact that the author broke the book up by different emotions kept me engaged and eager to reread passages when new struggles struck.

[Lillie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Upfront confession: I edited this book. However, I don't think it's a great book because I edited it; I edited it because I think it's a great book. Throughout the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Ben Ferguson has served as the "chaplain to the chaplains" with Adopt-A-Chaplain, a nonprofit supporting our troops through the chaplains who serve them. Ben had published an earlier edition of this book with a well-respected publisher; it stayed in print for many years and 400,000 copies were sold. When Ben decided to revise and update the book, he sent a chapter to a friend of mine who was deployed as a chaplain in Iraq. My friend referred Ben to me for editing.

From the beginning, I was impressed with Ben's straightforward, simple voice that explains Biblical truths in a way that is easy to read and understand. If you think deep spiritual truths have to be conveyed in high-flown "spiritual" or "church" language, you will be surprised at how well Ben conveys deep truths in simple, plain words. His real-world examples are easy to identify with, and, if we are honest with ourselves, we can identify with many (or all) of the problems Ben describes.

So often we try to solve our own problems using our own power, only to fail and perhaps end up feeling even more guilty, depressed, and disappointed in ourselves. Ben gently reminds us that there is only one answer to all our problems, and that answer is God.

If you've ever struggled with forgiveness or doubt; if you're ever lonely, depressed, or bored; if guilt, worry, or disappointment are robbing you of joy; if pride ever interferes with your relationships; if you feel like you can't resist temptation; if you're afraid of death or can't recover from the death of a loved one--if you deal with these problems (and if you're human, you deal with many or all of them), this book is for you.

[Ben Ferguson · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Here is an example of the impact of Ben’s book, God, I’ve Got A Problem… I was on a flight down to San Jose (of all places) and as I was reading the book, one of the flight attendants saw this and asked if it was a good read. I told him that the book had great insight and advice and he said that he really could use something like this. He has problems! Thank you, Ben, for sharing your experiences and insights. For, we all can come to God saying, ‘God, I've Got A Problem!’”
Steve Mansdoerfer, MBA VP Administration Western Seminary

[James Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Enjoyable and Very Helpful Book
In the preface to this book, Ben Ferguson writes, "Christians are not immune from the problems associated with being human." The next ten chapters then address the problems that are common to man. From guilt to loneliness; from depression to worry; from pride to death; Ben uses Biblical wisdom to give answers to the troubles we face. The book is written in a conversational style and is filled with wonderful illustrations - some of which are narratives from the author's own life. You will find within these pages a man of God tackling issues with the Word of God. I highly recommend it.