Believing in what you cannot see
Jeff interweaves the story of his early years, becoming a Christian and being called to ministry with the biblical account of Jesus meeting with the disciples on the beach at Galilee after His resurrection. In his unique insightful way, Jeff reflects on elements of that encounter that readers might not have considered before, such as why didn’t Jesus help out the fishermen earlier, what was the significance of catching 153 fish and how having breakfast together was beneficial for the body and soul.
Along the way, Jeff also relates his own experiences of depression and how he identifies with Peter who frequently failed as a follower of Jesus. Although an experienced pastor, speaker and writer, Jeff openly shares about times when he found it difficult to understand what God wanted for his life when God Himself seemed to be silent, and times when he felt a failure for having doubts.
This books is surprisingly uplifting and gives the reader permission to doubt, to make mistakes and to question – after all that is what Peter did. Most Christians live out their faith in times of fog but Jesus is the light that we can focus on.
Themes:
• How to keep on believing when we cannot see clearly.
• Why some Christians still struggle with shame when the Bible tells us of the good news of forgiveness.
• The importance of comforting others without resorting to unhelpful clichés.
• Recognising that the Christian life might not always be an exciting adventure.
Previously published in the USA by Zondervan – Updated and re-edited for the UK