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    How to Hold on When You Feel Like Letting Go: A Spiritual Guide for Dealing with Life Storms
    How to Hold on When You Feel Like Letting Go: A Spiritual Guide for Dealing with Life Storms
    How to Hold on When You Feel Like Letting Go: A Spiritual Guide for Dealing with Life Storms
    Ebook105 pages1 hour

    How to Hold on When You Feel Like Letting Go: A Spiritual Guide for Dealing with Life Storms

    By Anita L. Dottes

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    About this ebook

    A terminal diagnosis;
    A fatal plane crash that results in the deaths of an entire family;
    A job loss and prolonged unemployment, causing financial ruin;
    Random, senseless murder

    All of the aforementioned are examples of events that can have a devastating impact on our emotional and spiritual well-being. How do you hold on to your emotional stability and spiritual strength when events profoundly alter the landscape of your life and cause you to question the validity and relevance of your faith?

    How to Hold On When You Feel Like Letting Go

    Describes the emotional and spiritual trauma often experienced when we are confronted with a major life storm event;
    Delineates the insidious process of emotional and spiritual growth on the road to hope and healing;
    Discusses the positive impact of emotional and spiritual authenticity on the healing process; and
    Re-affirms that no matter the problem, God is the solution.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherWestBow Press
    Release dateFeb 6, 2014
    ISBN9781490816784
    How to Hold on When You Feel Like Letting Go: A Spiritual Guide for Dealing with Life Storms
    Author

    Anita L. Dottes

    Anita Dottes is a licensed clinical social worker, motivational and inspirational speaker. She is the author of several professional journal articles dealing with clinic and psychosocial aspects of chronic illness; and she has penned articles for her church newsletter. Growing up as an only child, reading was the author’s favorite pastime. As she grew older, her passion for the written word increased and she began to write essays on subjects that interested her just for fun. Over the years, her penchant for creative expression through writing and public speaking became more focused as she felt God’s leading to use her talents to educate, empower, and facilitate healing for the hurting. She lives in Ridgeland, Mississippi, and has one son.

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      Book preview

      How to Hold on When You Feel Like Letting Go - Anita L. Dottes

      Copyright © 2013 Anita L. Dottes.

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

      WestBow Press books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:

      WestBow Press

      A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

      1663 Liberty Drive

      Bloomington, IN 47403

      www.westbowpress.com

      1 (866) 928-1240

      Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

      Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

      Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

      ISBN: 978-1-4908-1677-7 (sc)

      ISBN: 978-1-4908-1676-0 (hc)

      ISBN: 978-1-4908-1678-4 (e)

      Library of Congress Control Number: 2013921423

      WestBow Press rev. date: 02/04/2014

      CONTENTS

      Content Description

      Preface

      Acknowledgements

      Scripture Quotations

      Introduction

      Section I:

      Life Storms

      Chapter 1 What You Should Know About Life Storms

      Chapter 2 When The Storm Hits: The Emotional Battle

      Chapter 3 The Spiritual Battle

      Section II:

      During The Storm

      Chapter 4 The Spiritual Battle Continues

      Chapter 5 Spiritual Growth And Healing Begin

      Chapter 6 Dealing With Practical Matters During Your Storm

      Section III:

      Aftermath of the Storm

      Chapter 7 Return Of The Hope-Disappointment Roller Coaster

      Section IV:

      When the Storm is Over!

      Chapter 8 Victory In Jesus!

      Chapter 9 Pulling It All Together: Summary & Conclusions

      Epilogue

      Topical Scripture Resource Guide for holding on!

      Notes

      About The Author

      CONTENT DESCRIPTION

      The landscape of one’s life can be profoundly altered by unexpected, uncontrollable life events. A terminal diagnosis; a fatal plane crash that results in the deaths of an entire family; a job loss and prolonged unemployment causing financial ruin; random, senseless murder. All are examples of significant life events that can have a devastating impact on the emotional and spiritual well-being of those affected. During such times, the relevance and validity of one’s faith is often challenged. We wonder where God is. Does he care? And if He does, why did He allow it (the event that is affecting our lives) to happen the first place?

      ‘How to Hold on When You Feel Like Letting Go’ describes the emotional and spiritual trauma often experienced when we are confronted with a major life storm event; and it examines the insidious process of emotional and spiritual growth on the road to hope and healing. It also emphasizes the importance of emotional and spiritual authenticity in the healing process. Most importantly however, it re-affirms that no matter the problem, God is the solution!

      PREFACE

      Eighteen years ago, I had a life changing emotional and spiritual experience. During my struggle to gain emotional and spiritual equilibrium, I studied God’s word and prayed fervently. Subsequently, I came to a deeper understanding and appreciation of who God is, and how He works in our lives. However, my spiritual epiphany did not occur until after I hit spiritual rock bottom.

      During my healing process, God provided many opportunities that allowed me to share what I was learning with others. In my profession as a clinical social worker, I often counseled patients and families who were dealing with life threatening illnesses. Concerns about mortality, physical impairments and unrelenting everyday life challenges related to finances and relationships, were often overwhelming. As I provided supportive therapy and counseling to help them deal with their situations, my words and recommendations, often spoke to my own inner struggles. God in His still small voice would invade my thoughts –If what you’re saying is true for them, is it not also true for you? Consequently, the therapy I provided to others became therapeutic for me. My healing was facilitated through my efforts to help others heal. I became the epitome of Henri Nouwen’s wounded healer –someone who by virtue of their own woundedness becomes more effective in helping others who are hurting. (1)

      After leaving a patient’s room, I often reflected on my own emotional and spiritual struggles. And though we were all dealing with different issues, the question (though unspoken) for all of us seemed to be… how do you hold on when you feel like letting go? That thought became my mantra and the focus of my healing efforts. I began to conceptualize what I was experiencing –my emotions, my God seeking strategies, my progress, successes and set-backs. Subsequently, I began to write a step by step description of the phases and process of my experience.

      Several months into my healing journey, I received an invitation to speak at my church’s women’s retreat. I was allowed to select my topic. You guessed it… ‘How do you hold on when you feel like letting go?’ The title poignantly reflected the process of my efforts to not only hold on, but my resolve to reach a point of true recovery. Speaking at the retreat was therapeutic for me. Additionally, I was blessed by comments from many of the women in attendance. They indicated that the topic spoke to their hearts, and was relevant to many of their situations.

      Fast forward eighteen years later. I’d always intended to write a book based on my experience. However, procrastination and life challenges took their toll. But, for God! As I shared my ambition to write with my Sunday school class, they encouraged and challenged me to get on with it! Nikki suggested I set a deadline for completing the manuscript. I did, and she followed up as she promised to see if I was on track. Admittedly, I had starts and stops. However, I was always drawn back to my task because poignant in my memory was that time so many years ago when I sought God with all my heart and became closer to Him than I’d ever been. It is the process of that journey that is described in ‘How to Hold on When you Feel Like Letting Go.’

      ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

      There are several people who were invaluable to me during my healing process eighteen years ago, all of whom demonstrated Christ through their actions. To John and Susan: much appreciation for your Godly counsel; and for praying for and with me. To my friends Hazel and Barbara: thank

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