​This was a book that I needed. Like many of us, I struggle with finding peace when circumstances are not ideal or things don’t go according to plan. I was considering a few different books on peace or anxiety and landed on this one. This book ended being exactly what I needed and more. It connected the dots between many subjects and many obstacles to finding peace in a way that I had never considered. It revealed that the true key is to choose contentment in all the areas of our lives and surrender our uncertainties to Him. If you are a woman who struggles with anxiety, fear, or discontentment, then this is the book for you ~ Bethel

Contentment is something that Christian women want but often struggle to find. We know Paul’s declaration that he found contentment by doing all things in Christ’s strength, but wonder how that is even achievable. We tend to get caught up in the disappointments and fears that result when life doesn’t go the way we planned it. Uncertainty fills our hearts and gives way to other struggles, such as discontentment, grumpiness, bitterness, and even anxiety. We wonder if we will ever find our peace. It makes us ask the question: How do I find contentment in all circumstances?

​In her book Calm My Anxious Heart, author Linda Dillow walks women through the biblical and practical tools they need to find contentment and overcome struggles with anxiety. She acknowledges that every woman deals with worries and “what-ifs” that threaten to still our joy and contentment. However, when we learn how to see our difficulties through the lens of trusting God with what He’s given you, it allows you to find peace in situations you never thought possible. You will discover the areas of your life that may be holding you back from contentment, such as body-image, self-image, bitterness, and even the questions “what-if”, “if only” and “why”. It’s when we get these areas in order when we learn to lay our burdens at the foot of the cross and be content with who we are and what we have.

I only have one minor criticism of this book. She frequently uses the phrase “Blessed Controller” to talk how we should trust that God is in control of our circumstances. While I understand what she was trying to communicate, I am not fond of this description of God. I think it can be misinterpreted to imply that God somehow takes away our free will when we surrender to Him, which is not the way He works. I wish she had chosen a different phrase to help us grasp God’s sovereignty and how our choice to trust Him completely can help us find contentment.

Linda speaks with strength and wisdom to the heart of every woman’s struggles with finding peace and contentment. With many Scriptures to study, stories to inspire, and a study guide to help you dig deeper, this book is a great Bible study for any woman who struggles with discontentment or anxiety. Aside from these issues, this is a book that I highly recommend.

We live in a broken world, a world that has been broken by sin. Whether it be the sins we’ve committed, or the sins committed against us, we have all seen the consequences played out in our lives, as well as the lives of those around us. Some of our brokenness is visible to others, while other times the brokenness is internal, often making our struggles unknown on the surface. Of all the brokenness we as humans struggle with internally, sexuality is probably one of the most difficult to overcome. For many, the struggles with the things we’ve done or the things done against keep us in hiding in fear. It’s hard to know what to do when in you’re in the depths of that struggle, or what to do when someone you love is facing such a struggle. It makes us ask the question: can we find hope amidst our brokenness?

In the book Surprised by the Healer, you meet nine women that found hope in the midst of their personal and sexual brokenness. They all courageously chose to share their stories, stories of sins and struggles that most of us would be afraid to share. While following the journeys of these women in such an honest and vulnerable way, everyone will find ways in which they relate to the brokenness of these women. Even if you’ve never experienced sexual brokenness somehow, you will find ways in which your personal struggles with mirror these women’s stories. Although all their stories are different, they all had one thing in common: they were all surprised with healing in their brokenness by Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals. Their healings looked different, and many of them are still a work in progress, but they all found healing and freedom from the prison of their brokenness. After each story, authors Linda Dillow and Dr. Juli Slattery take us through the principles of healing proclaimed in each story. This book doesn’t end in a sermon demanding that you have everything all put together, but it ends with an invitation to be surprised by the healing you will find if you choose to pursue it. It’s a matter of choice to pursue it yourself, or to help others do the same.​

​This book is specifically for women (17 and older), but it is especially for women that have brokenness in your past (or present), or those that desire to counsel women who have such brokenness in their lives. This book can be a powerful tool, if you choose to use it. Get your hands on a copy today!