[Book Recommendations] Three Books for When Life Still Hurts

Hey, my friend. As you may know, I work as an editor. Which means I often get a sneak peek at books before they get published. Which means I’ve been waiting to tell you about some books for months. Months!

When I first read these books, I just knew I wanted to share them with you because they address things that we talk about here: difficult seasons, healing, journaling, and finding ways to move forward. I know that I don’t have all the answers when it comes to things like grief, trauma, hearing from God, and things like that. But I love reading and learning and pointing you toward other resources when I can.

So here are three books I want to share with you today.

Depression and Anxiety and Growing After Trauma

The first two were written by Brad Hambrick and are part of his church-based counseling series. One book is called Depression and Anxiety and the other is called Growing After Trauma (affiliate links).

Why do I like them so much?

First, they invite us to walk through suffering one small step at a time—not rush through it, fix it, or pretend it didn’t happen.

I appreciate the way these books take suffering seriously while still making room for the complexity of questions like, Is this something I’m suffering from, or is there something I need to repent of?

They also don’t immediately send you digging into the hardest parts of your story. They help you build a foundation first, give you information and structure, and encourage you to take your time.

Because we don’t all heal on the same timeline. Healing isn’t something we can check off a list.

And you don’t have to do the work alone. You can go through these books by yourself, yes, but you are encouraged to go through it with a friend, counselor, spiritual director, small group leader, or support group.

I also appreciate that the books look both backward and forward. Yes, you’ll spend time understanding your story and what has shaped you. But you’ll also consider what healing might look like and what God might be doing in you as you move forward.

Our stories matter, but our stories aren’t finished.

And here’s my challenge if you pick up one of these books: actually do the work. Don’t just read it and skip the exercises. I’m raising my hand here—we can love learning about something without actually doing anything with what we’re learning.

So take your time. Work through one chapter at a time. Pray. Do the exercises. Bring what you’re learning to the Lord. You don’t have to rush, but you do have to engage with the work.

Respite Retreat

The third book I want to share with you is Respite Retreat by Christine Labrum (affiliate link).

Respite Retreat is an allegorical tale—think Pilgrim’s Progress. The main character, Elizabeth, finds herself on a journey and eventually meets with God at a cabin in the woods. God—the Father, Son, and Spirit—is portrayed through various characters she encounters along the way.

What I love about this book is that you’re not really meant to rush through the story. You’re invited to slow down, notice what Elizabeth is experiencing, and have conversations with God about your own journey.

I can’t tell you how many times I paused while reading because something resonated so deeply with my own experience.

And if you’ve been through the Journal Gently program, I think you’ll recognize so much of what we talked about together. This could be a beautiful way to keep exploring what it looks like to heal together with God.

There are journal questions throughout the book to help you process what you’re reading. And Christine is a spiritual director and an artist, so she’s also included these beautiful illustrations throughout the story. They are absolutely stunning.

You can access all of these books through the show notes below. They are affiliate links, which is a simple way you can help support the podcast.

And don’t worry—there are so many more good books coming out that I can’t wait to share with you. And we’re already starting to work on the 2027 volume of Gritty Faith magazine (affiliate link). It’s going to be so good.

If there’s a book or resource that gets you just as excited, I’d love to hear. You can email me at kari@lovedoesthat.org, and remember, my name is spelled K-a-r-i.

Alright, my friend. I’ll see you next time.

RESOURCES (affiliate links):

• Depression and Anxiety
• Growing After Trauma
• Respite Retreat
• Gritty Faith Magazine (2026)
• Journal Gently program

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