Steadfast Love: The Response of God to the Cries of Our Heart

by Lauren Chandler

"Sometimes He wrings the worship from our hearts." There are times when worship overflows easily and effortlessly from a heart full of gratitude and praise. Yet, there are other times when God seems far and we feel we have nothing left to offer. We are tired, or thirsty, or imprisoned in our own chains through our own devices, or caught in the waves of a tumultuous sea. This is when God shows us His steadfast love. He wraps His eternally powerful, ultimately creative, nail-scarred hands around our hearts and squeezes with appropriate might—yielding an honest plea for Him to save us and deliver us from our circumstances, fears, and self control. And He does. He initiates with His steadfast love, and responds with the same.  Walk with Lauren as she shares what she has learned of the steadfast love of the Lord.

Genres: Christian, Faith, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Christianity, Christian Living, Christian Non Fiction

208 pages, Hardcover

First published January 5, 2016

About the author

Lauren Chandler is a wife and mother of three. Her husband, Matt Chandler, serves as the lead teaching pastor at The Village Church in Dallas, Texas. Lauren is passionate about writing, music and leading worship, not only at The Village Church, but also for groups across the country. The Lord has taken Matt and Lauren on a challenging journey, beginning with the November 2009 discovery of a malignant brain tumor in Matt. The Lord has been infinitely merciful to provide peace and comfort in uncertainty, and joy in times of victory and healing. Lauren and her family have been given a deeper trust in clinging to the Lord and his cross during this appointed season of valleys and storms.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sudden thud to the ground during Thanksgiving season in 2009 changed the Chandler’s lives forever. Matt Chandler, a prominent Evangelical Pastor had stage 3 brain cancer. This may read like a simple headline on a twitter newsfeed, but the agony it brought to his wife Lauren was deep.

The book Steadfast Love is not necessarily a memoir on their trying journey, but rather an overview of one particular psalm that had brought strength to Lauren during this trial and many others throughout her life (Psalm 107). The mention of Matt’s brain cancer is scanter than what I thought it would be (gauged by the book trailer). That was personally for the best for me. Both of us still are not able to talk truly in depth about our own experience with major neurological issues and the sensitive matters that are attached to such a harsh physical infirmity. Reading about someone else’s experience with similar issues gnaws at me deeply. It hits the jugular, even to the point of causing restless sleep. The same may still be the case for Matt and Lauren Chandler.

I know it took some by surprise that we were not sojourners on a travel with Lauren during this hard season. But I can understand. It’s difficult to write the nitty gritty details of vulnerability. Maybe one day, they can have another book chronicling their journey more in depth. For now, we have the heart of a songwriter in the book Steadfast Love. See More here: http://inkblotsofanidealist.com/stead...

*I received this book for free from B&H and the opinions I have expressed are my own.

[Jennifer Schadt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Greatly encouraged by this book!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great bible study on the desert, chains, folly & storms of life.

[Annie Downs · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite part was probably how Lauren laid the book out around a Psalm- really enjoyed that structure. Her writing is strong and beautiful. A good quick read- would be great to read part of a chapter as a devotion each day.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Narrator Thoughts: I'm a huge fan of author read books. This one was so nice. Lauren has a lovely voice. It blended perfectly with the message of this book to provide a soothing read.

Book Thoughts: Once again God knew what I needed to hear. This book highlights Psalm 107 and the Amazing Love of God. He has saved us and redeemed our lives.

Still we put our trust in false anchors that won't hold. So many times, He loving places thorns in our path. This is to show us the folly of our ways. This is to draw us back to Him. To expose the real motives of our hearts. To free us from the false anchors we've put our trust in.

Lauren expresses this so beautifully in Steadfast Love. I was encouraged and challenged by this book. It touched on some places that God and I need to work on.

Here's one of my favorite quotes. The hard labor will force us to look at the chains that are on our hearts, if we would be willing to see.

More than anything, in reading this book I was reminded of the amazing love of God. He cares for us no matter where we are. Ultimately He is our love and our redeemer.

I highly recommend this book.

You can find it on Amazon and Christian Audio.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The format of this was not my favorite, it seemed to run all over the place. But, the content and commentary on Psalm 107 was fantastic. "Sometimes He wrings the worship from our hearts." We all face many storms, deserts, and prisons throughout our life and Lauren's experience through the storm is valuable to learn from. I loved the first chapter detailing the meaning of steadfast love and it's Hebrew word, hesed. All in all a good and helpful read.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last few chapters make this book.

[Shana Flores · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book, watched the videos, and completed the workbook as a personal study this summer. It is meant to be done in a group so you can share your breakthroughs and insights. For me, I needed to do this alone and process everything I was feeling and uncovering by myself. I was pleasantly surprised with this book. Lauren took me deep into scripture and gently allowed me to pull to the surface what needed to come forward as I got honest with God about the seasons of life I have been through and the anger I have held onto in regard to them. I definitely recommend completing the workbook with this book in order to get the most out of it.

[Hanna Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book a few years ago and then kind of forgot about it. I started reading it again a few weeks ago with renewed determination and am glad I did. Lauren chandler breaks down Psalm 107 throughout various chapters all directing us back to anchor our soul on the steadfast love of Christ no matter the nature of the season of life we find ourselves in. I found some chapters to be easy to read and enlightening while others for some reason didn’t flow well but I might chalk that up to early morning reading/tiredness not Lauren’s writing. Overall this was a good read and I think would be especially encouraging to someone who has spent much time in the psalms.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved how Scripture saturated it was, but it was a bit hard to find the common thread. Maybe it was the writing style, or maybe it was because I listened to this on audio. Engaged with the last part though when she shared some more personal stories and how the Word spoke into that.

[Charity Tinnin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chandler used the four difficult "seasons" in Psalm 107 as a jumping off point for exploring them and God's faithfulness and love in each. I found it both challenging and encouraging - my copy is bleeding with underlines and notes. Definitely the best non-fiction read of 2017 for me.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

First thoughts: This book is deep. On beautiful gorgeous cream pages are the tellings of Lauren's heart as she shares with such honesty and courage. I am blown away that this is her first standalone book and truly this book is anchored in the scriptures, which is where she has us take our eyes to, the author and perfecter of our faith. She wants our love for him to be steadfast, constant and steady. She shares her own personal stories, testimonies and how the Lord has been faithful through her life, but also how God walks through our deep pains too! Overall, she kept the readers attention to keep their eyes fixed on the Lord, which I think cannot be said about all books today in the Christian Fiction world. This wasn't some self-help book, but rather for the reader to dive further into the scripture to intimately know Jesus, which I loved. This book will bless you. I recommend it. It is a book that is relative to any season in your life. I was provided a copy by B& H Publishers for my honest review. I give it 5/5 stars.

[gwy｡⁠*⁠♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this during a difficult time in my walk with the Lord. I stopped reading Scripture and praying—but I tried reading this book so that my faith wouldn't completely crash and that I wouldn't be fully detached from God.

It was really encouraging and comforting to know that I'm not the only one experiencing trials with my faith. Lauren's transparency in her book affirmed me a lot. It reminded me of God's steadfast love—and the purpose of suffering and pain. It also rebuked me to rid of false anchors/idols from my life.

If you are going through a tough time, read this book. It's easy to read and digest, yet still profound and overwhelming.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread

This is a book that speaks deep to your own heart, gently and without reproach Lauren asks the question, where is your faith? Where is your hope?
Leading us through Psalm 107, personal stories and moments remind us we all go through storms and really bad dry wildernesses, but God is faithful, 100%. He does not leave us abandoned but keeps going after us, even if we cannot see it.
Such a well timely book. If you are struggling to see God's grace and love in your life at this moment, can I recommend this book? You will come out focused on God's sovereignty and love like never before

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another audio book for me. This book was a neat one to listen to bc Lauren Chandler read it...so it did feel at times like I was sitting across the table from her. She shares her story and much truth and encouragement from the Psalms (specifically psalm 107) pointing readers to Christ and His steadfast love for us. ❤️

[Jessica Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read. Might be my favorite Christian book

This was great! Took me a while to read through, I was devouring it but I annotated some things that were great. Definitely worth the read!

[Star Forbis · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Sometimes He wrings the worship from our hearts."
"There are times when worship overflows easily and effortlessly from a hear full of gratitude and praise. Yes, there are other times when we feel we have nothing left to offer up. We are tired, or thirsty, or imprisoned in our own chains through our own devices, or caught in the waves of a tumultuous sea. This is when God wraps His eternally powerful, ultimately creative, nail-scarred hands around our hearts and squeezes with appropriate might. Our hears painfully twist and change shape as He wrings the worship out of it. It is a deep worship. It is an honest worship. It is the worship we sometimes forget. the humble worship of crying out to God in the midst of our pain. No flowery words. No shiny faces. Not in that moment. That will come later. Bot for now, this is the worship He seeks-an honest plea for Him to save us."

[Bridget · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes, we just need a little extra hope. So I'm thankful to Lauren Chandler for providing this reminder that the Lord is good, and His steadfast love endures forever. (Psalm 107:1)

And for her these aren't just words. They're reality. When you go through extremely difficult times in your life and find God to be faithful still on the other side, the promises of God take on a whole new meaning. Life is still hard, and sometimes it hurts, but God's love is constant through everything. This is Lauren's story.

She uses Psalm 107 as a guide and shares her own life experiences to show how we can trust God's love for us no matter what- through our seasons in the desert, through the things that hold us captive, through our own folly and rebellion, and through the sometimes unexpected storms in our life. Psalm 107 has been a favorite psalm of mine for quite a while, and this was a beautiful study of it.

[Marla Stanton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is Biblically sound. I just felt like I was missing some things about her life and how they tied to the lessons she was teaching. I would go back and read to see if I somehow skipped a section. She mentions a 12 step program a couple times, but I had no idea what it was for or how it tied to her life. I’m not needing salacious gossip, but she mentions it without going into detail. I kept thinking it would come back up, but it didn’t. It even distracted me and made me want to skip ahead. I googled it to find that she was going through the program to get over being a “good girl”, but that isn’t really made plain in the book. This is a good book, but I wish some parts are been fleshed out a bit more.

[Ashley Roeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been on my shelf for YEARS and I still wasn't planning on reading it this year, but with the extra time at home I decided to pull it off the shelf and, dang, I am so grateful I did! I have so much respect for Lauren and her husband Matt in the solidness of their beliefs and what their marriage has gone through with Matt's brain cancer diagnosis. Lauren walks through Psalm 107 and explains how the Lord meets us in the desert, in chains, in our folly and in storms and urges you to consider what you are putting your hope and trust in.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars.
The book was really probably pretty good, but the first 80% just wasn’t the style I enjoy most. It lacked a narrative that I typically find compelling in Christian books. She preaches and teaches a lot on Psalm 107, and I believe she did a good job, but what really drew me in were the final 2 or 3 chapters where she opened up more about her personal experience and how she related it to Scripture.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the the best books I have ever read. the Lord used it to break through many of the cycles in my life that have been harming my relationship with Him and others.
Lauren Chandler is a gifted writer. She combined truth, humor and relatability. Best of all, this book is steeped in scripture.
would highly recommend this book. Read with an open mind and heart, and be prepared to be challenged, convicted, encouraged and entertained

[Danielle Dammeyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lauren Chandler has been through it. And her painful experiences have only drawn her closer to God. This book is evidence of her devotion to trusting the Lord in all circumstances. Because of her writing, I have been challenged and encouraged to do the same. Her writing can be a bit disconnected at times, but she has a strong grasp on biblical theology. She brought out meanings in texts I hadn’t thought of before. Great read, highly recommend.

[Jayne · Rating 2 out of 5]

* I’ll make it clear right at the outset - I didn’t finish the book

I’ve had this book on my reading list for quite some time. I finally purchased a copy and sat down to read with my morning coffee. But, it fell a little flat. It’s not bad - it just rings of a compilation of motivational blog posts. I didn’t feel like the first few chapters had the depth I was anticipating, so I set it down and have moved on to my next read.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lauren Chandler is a worship leader. I expected her book to be more of a memoir, but she took her personal narrative and wove it into a call to worship. Simple, beautiful, and powerful, Lauren writes truths from Psalm 107 and revels in the steadfastness of God. (Recommended for anyone asking "Where is God in this hard season I'm in?")

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last section made the entire book and I really appreciated Lauren’s wisdom and candor sharing her story; however, overall, I felt the book lacked focus and a clear path forward - it seemed a bit all over the board. I struggled to find the thread that pulled it all together. All that being said, I’m glad I read it and was challenged by multiple statements she made throughout.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a beautifully written message. I love how Lauren dove deep into each verse of Psalm 107, and the intimate connections made with Scripture. This story reads like sermon, taking God’s words and drawing understanding, meaning and connection from them. A beautiful reminder that the love of Christ overcomes any trial we may face in life!

[Randa couch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a healing moment, a deep dive for me personally. Lauren Chandler is so gifted in her writing. Things I didn’t fully grasp, she gave me perspective on. Thank the Lord for her struggles in life, as He brought her healing He also brought us much healing through her experience. It’s a wonderful book!

[Chanover55 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the book that goes along with her Bible Study by the same name. This helped see where she was going with her study, but, for me, I had a hard time seeing her scholarship (the end notes are mostly from well known Christian ministers). I would not read this again.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

My ratings:
1 star - Could barely finish it. Would not recommend.

2 stars - Finished it, that’s it. Would not recommend.

3 stars - Not bad, but not great. Neutral about recommending.

4 stars - Decent read. Would likely recommend.

5 stars - Absolutely loved it. Would definitely recommend.