Edmund Blair Leighton
Probably all of us have secrets deep inside our hearts--and probably many people, like the man above, want to bear their heart to someone. Secrets can weigh heavy on your heart. Satan uses secrets to point his finger at our soul saying, "If only everyone else knew--they would be disappointed in you, they would reject you......You call yourself a Christian?!"
Voices inside of us can eat up energy, heart, time, feelings, emotions.
Yet, Jesus knows us and still loves us--he knows the selfishness, the failures, the insecurities--and still, he is so very willing to heal, to bring light and beauty our of our ashes.
My friend, Aaron Stern, has written an insightful book about this very subject. Aaron and his wife, Jossie, (also a dear friend!), took a group of 30 college students and built the group into one of the largest singles groups in the United States over a period of 10 years. The group is over 1000 people. And guess what, they heard a lot of secrets from countless people who carried these burdens deep inside and allowed their secrets to define themselves.
This wonderful book illuminates how to deal with all the secrets in our past, in our souls, that keep us from experiencing the freedom and grace God has to bring to each dark corner of our lives. Aaron is one of my family's favorite teachers and pastors. He generously offered to give away 2 of his books to my friends on this blog.
Here is Aaron's book, (also to be found on Amazon.com), and here is how he described his book:
Is there something about you that you hope no one else ever finds out?
You're not alone. Everyone has secrets-hurts, abuses, bad habits, fears. Big or small, secrets can destroy you from the inside out. The good news is that confession is more powerful than secrets-or the fear that keeps you from telling them. Confession, accountability, trusting your inner life with another, is the only Biblical way to find restoration, healing, freedom and renewed life.
This truth is unpacked and developed in my new book, What's Your Secret?. The topic of secrets isn't talked about enough and yet we see the effects of them almost every day played out on news, and in the personal lives of people all around us. Confession is easy to avoid but it is an important practice for believers to model, and for parents to practice in their families and with their children. Children need to understand this vital habit, so that they do not hide from God, and before their own secrets take root.
What's Your Secret?: freedom through confession is now available. It is a must read for parents and young people alike.
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If you would like to win one of these books, please leave a comment on my blog, post it on facebook, or leave a comment on Aaron's blog, http://aaronstern.typepad.com/
Then let me know what you did--an entry for each comment or fb or twitter connect. Entries will be closed at midnight, November 29! You will love this book!