About the Book

Book Title: Renewed

Author: Leigh Powers

Genre: Devotional

Release date: November, 2017

Ministry is a privilege, but it can also be a painful experience. Unrealistic expectations, church conflict, forced resignations, and our own struggles with burnout, loneliness, and insecurity can make church feel more like a place of wounding than a place of healing. How can wounded leaders find the courage to reject bitterness and keep loving the church?

Renewed is a forty-day devotional for women in ministry, ministry wives, and lay leaders who have been wounded by their congregations. You are not alone. God sees your pain. He knows your hurts. And he is waiting to bind up your broken heart. This forty-day journey into the healing love of Jesus will help you find the courage to stop hiding and start loving the church again.

Click here to purchase your copy!

About the Author

Leigh Powers is passionate about helping women find hope and healing in God’s Word. A pastor’s wife and mother of three with fifteen years of full-time ministry experience, she is a freelance writer, Bible study and devotional author, and a graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. She blogs regularly at www.leighpowers.com. You can usually find her with either a book or knitting needles in her hand—and sometimes both.

Guest Post from Leigh

I love ministry life. Several years ago, a young woman from Southeast Asia came to my English as a Second Language class for a year. Her English wasn’t very good, and I had to tug to get a word out of her. She came every week, but I wondered how much she was getting from the Bible stories we did during each class. At the end of the semester, I asked our class to share what they wanted to tell their friends and family when they went home. She looked up at me with big brown eyes. “I want to tell people about Jesus.”

Those are the ministry moments that thrill us. It is a privilege to help people find freedom in Christ, teach God’s word, worship with the congregation, and walk alongside people in their moments of joy or sorrow. On those days I can’t imagine choosing another life. Then there are days that make me want to hang it all up and go work at Wal-Mart. Days when anonymous letters get slipped under the office door. Days when you’re the brunt of gossip, when loneliness is like an ache in your bones, or when you start sending out resumes for new positions because you aren’t sure how much longer you’ll have the one you’ve got.

Ministry can be tough. Over the years I’ve met many women who have experienced the painful side of ministry. Church conflicts, forced resignations, depression, loneliness, feelings of inadequacy, and our own struggles with faith can take a toll. That painful side of ministry can make us start looking for an escape hatch.

I wrote Renewed in the middle of a difficult ministry season. It was a hard season, but it was also a season where Jesus showed up for me in an almost tangible way. At the same time, I was also hearing stories from other ministry wives and women in ministry that sounded all too familiar. I started putting words on the page, hoping that somehow God would use them to bring healing to other women in the same way he had brought healing to me. That outpouring of hurt, healing, and hope eventually became Renewed.

Some of you reading this are nodding along right now because you’ve been there too. You love the church, but you’ve seen how ugly it can be when we get it wrong. You’ve got wounds of your own, and sometimes you wonder if you can ever risk your heart again. If that’s you, I want you to know that there is hope. God has not abandoned you. God sees your hurt, he knows your pain, and he is waiting to bind up your broken spirit. He’s waiting. Turn to him, and may you find your spirit renewed.

I wonder how many in ministry have been hurt by the church? I know that there are many that have been judged, felt shamed and unloved as they struggled in their ministry. This devotional would have been a great tool for me several years ago as my husband and I were deeply hurt while serving in a ministry at church. It was hard to feel rejected by a pastor and to know you were not welcomed back at the church. We had many friends in the church and suddenly they all turned their back on us.

I was so angry at God, that I couldn't imagine myself ever stepping in another church. The feelings of unworthiness overwhelmed me. My husband was able to pray and forgive those who hurt us. I on the other hand ,held on to my anger and saw my life spinning out of control.The funny thing is, we did nothing wrong. It was someone wanting to be in charge and their jealousy of us took over. I loved the part in the book where the author talks about wanting friends. It is like isolation when the church members start to ignore you. It is true that maybe we need to look for friends outside of our church. I found comfort at the library where I worked at. The people there were supportive but never once judged us for what we were going through.

Rejection is one of the hardest things to get through. When you are in ministry sometimes others don't feel comfortable asking you to join them in activities away from church. It is a hard place to be for church leaders, but the book reminds us that God is always there for us. The enemy would love to divide a church and if we aren't careful he will win. I love the prayers the author has at the end of every chapter. It really helps to speak encouraging words over ourselves and begin to heal from the pain. 

One of the best chapters I read in the book was about forgiveness. I loved how the author shared how difficult it was to forgive the person who " spread lies , betrayed us, threatened us, and accused us." I also understand how it feels when the people you think have your back start questioning you or say nothing at all. " Sometimes being willing to be willing is the place we must start." It was so hard for me to let go of the pain and I struggled for a long time. I have found this devotional to be a great tool for me as I realize I still have some work to do to get past what the people in the church did to me. It seems like this book came to me at the right time in my life. I'm more open to looking at the situation with forgiveness and letting go of the past. The book is a 40-day devotional that I will use over and over again. 

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Blog Stops

Bibliophile Reviews, October 6

amandainpa, October 7

A Baker’s Perspective, October 7

The Becca Files, October 8

Mary Hake, October 8

Living Life Free In Christ, October 9

Genesis 5020, October 10

A Reader’s Brain, October 11

More Of Him, October 12

proud to be an autism mom, October 12

Godly Book Reviews, October 13

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 14

Carpe Diem, October 14

Kelly Harrel, October 15

Texas Book-aholic, October 16

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 17

Bigreadersite, October 17

Janices book reviews, October 18

Real World Bible Study, October 19

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, October 19

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Leigh is giving away a grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d4ee/renewed-celebration-tour-giveaway