Embracing Brokenness

by Alan E. Nelson

Embracing Brokenness is a journey to healing and wholeness, by teaching how God can use our disappointments to grow us, if we're willing to embrace them. Alan E. Nelson, Ed.D., studied the process of brokenness through scriptures historical and contemporary leaders, along with this own faith journey. While few talk about times of brokenness openly, nearly everyone experiences them deeply. Instead of resisting the pain and avoiding the things that cause them, the counter intuitive solution is that God often uses brokenness to grow our souls. Embracing our brokenness improves healing and catalyzes maturity, resulting in new growth that will only happen through this embrace. People who resist brokenness become the walking wounded and they are all around us, becoming bitter versus better and extending their pain to others. This book is a truly healing read for those who are experiencing broken dreams, healthy, relations, finances, and feeling despondent in general. Hope sprouts new, as you read these contemporary words of wisdom that have aided people throughout time.

Genres: Christianity, Christian, Christian Living

176 pages, Paperback

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.