Deliver Us: Finding Hope in the Psalms for Moments of Desperation 

Paperback – ebook, audio

July 1, 2020

by Michele Howe  (Author)

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Hendrickson Publishing 
• ISBN-13: 978-1683073079

From broken relationships to unanswered prayer, find peace and hope for life's crises and difficulties across 30 different topics with encouraging scripture, true stories, and more...

Based on the book of Psalms, Deliver Us addresses difficult and life-harrowing situations, and offers encouragement on how to get through them. In true Michele Howe style, this book includes thirty chapters packed with:

· Real-life stories to relate to

· "Take-Away Action Thoughts"

· Prayers

· Insights for when times are dark

How does one survive a financial crisis? What hope is there for people living with chronic pain? How can couples cope with marital impasses? Each of these true stories is then paired with a specific psalm that communicates the resolve to trust in God's faithfulness and rescue.

The pairing of these dire-straits situations with a powerfully redemptive psalm offers substantive hope and encouragement in spite of these heartrending experiences.

Key points and features:

1. Provides profound guidance and hope through true stories and psalms.

2. Includes an essay focusing on the specific chapter topic.

3. Includes a "Take-Away Action Thought" for further application.

4. Provides prayers and suggestions for how to use psalms.

30 Relatable Topics Covered in This Devotional

Health and Healing

· Enduring the Valley of Depression

· Living with Chronic Pain

· Finding Comfort and Solace in the Midst of Loneliness (and more!)

Relationships

· Loving a Prodigal Child

· Loving a Spouse Who Is Unloving

· Holding Jesus Dearer Than Anything Else on Earth (and more!)

Faith and Trusting God

· Embracing God's Plan of Suffering with Grace

· Making Peace with Unanswered Prayer

· Finding Rest in God Alone (and more!)

Character

· Telling the Truth When a Lie Would Be Easier

· Choosing Forgiveness When Wronged

· Learning Godly Contentment No Matter What (and more!)

Steve's thoughts:   

 

“Where there is no vision, the people perish:

but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”

                                              Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)

 

The Bible is filled with poems. The prophets, along with the books of Job and Ecclesiastes, are mainly poetic. The Song of Songs, Proverbs, Lamentations, and the Psalms are wholly poetic.  Many of David’s Psalms which we find in the collection are also found in the historical books of Kings and Chronicles.  And one of the first “songs” recorded in our English Bible is found in Exodus 15, where Moses and the children of Israel recount God’s deliverance from the army of Pharaoh:

 

“Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD,

and spake, saying,

“I will sing unto the LORD,

for he hath triumphed gloriously:

the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.”

                                                                                               Exodus 15:1 (KJV)

 

The impact that the Psalms have in our everyday lives has not escaped the notice of author Michelle Howe.  Having immersed herself in the emotional center of Scripture, author Michelle Howe poured herself into this creative effort to enable people to work through some of life’s most daunting challenges.  The breadth of ground she covers, from loneliness and depression to physical and financial challenges . . . to the one challenge that everyone is currently facing in the COVID-19 Pandemic . . . time and again Michelle Howe draws the reader back to the source of hope: the hymnbook of God’s chosen people, the Psalms of Scripture.

 

Each chapter begins with a reading from the Book of Psalms; then using real life stories, Howe captivates the reader’s attention, illuminating life’s heartaches with the sweet salve of Scripture.  A personal prayer, relevant application in the Take Away Action Thought, and two or three activities for reader response round out each chapter.

 

One unique aspect of the book is the reading pattern mentioned in the Introduction, which enables the reader to read through the entire book of Psalms twelve times each year. 

 

Personally, I would have appreciated more time spent exploring the actual Scripture text itself, opening up the passage in terms of background and context.  Having said that, the fact remains that author Michelle Howe has provided the reader with the key to fanning the flame of hope, to enable the believer to “keep on keepin’ on.”

 

I received this book free of charge in exchange for my open and honest review.