Jim Harrell, Perspectives in Suffering, part 1

In the past year I've gotten to know Jim Harrell, a friend I've exchanged emails with and talked with once on the phone. I interviewed Jim on the subject of suffering for the book I'm currently writing. Jim has read some of my books, including Heaven, and wrote me telling his story. Turns out we have a mutual friend, Chris Mitchell.

One Saturday morning in 2003, Jim received a call delivering the kind of news no one wants to hear. His doctor told Jim he had Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, better known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's ...

Jim Harrell, Perspectives in Suffering, Part 2

See my previous blog to learn a little about my friend Jim Harrell, who has ALS, and watch the five minute video that precedes this one.

Or, just go straight to the ten minute one below. I guarantee you, this ten minutes will bring more to your day than almost anything else.

Jim Harrell, Perspectives in Suffering, Part 3

C. S. Lewis said, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

In the final eight minutes of this three part video, Jim Harrell, dying of ALS but living with an eternal perspective, says, “Suffering is the icy cold splash that wakes us up from the complacency of living this life. We truly don’t see God and his purpose and strength without suffering, because we just become too comfortable.”

If you didn't see the first two parts of the video, check ...

Jim Harrell Goes to Jesus

My heart is broken by what’s happened in Haiti. There are many good Christian relief ministries worthy of supporting. (Check out the Eternal Perspective Ministries website for some links.) We live in a world devastated by the fall and the curse, a world in which precious loved ones die. This blog is about the life and death of such a man.

I came to know my friend Jim Harrell after Jim read my book Heaven. (That's me on the left, then Jim, then his good friend Vince, when I visited the Harrell home in Wheaton, Illinois, less than ...

The Hands of God

When we lock our eyes on our cancer, arthritis, fibromyalgia, diabetes, or disability, self-pity and bitterness can creep in. When we spend our days rehearsing the tragic death of a loved one, we will interpret all life through the darkness of our suffering. How much better when we focus upon Jesus!

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus... who for the joy set before him endured the cross.” The following verse commands us, “Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:2–3).

However great our suffering ...

Giving Comfort to Hurting People

People need to feel loved. A hurting child needs to feel his father’s arms around him. When the father is away, he may leave written words of love, as God has in his Word. But he may also call on the child’s older brothers and sisters to express his love to his child.

To ignore someone’s pain is to add to that pain. Instead of fearing we’ll say the wrong thing, we should reach out to hurting people. Many times it’s better just to put our arms around someone and cry with them; people almost ...

Jesus' Eternal Scars

A recent commenter on my blog asked, After reading of Jesus' resurrection, and how He showed the disciples His scars on His hands as proof of who He was, my children asked if we'll have our scars in Heaven, too. What do you think?

August Giveaway: The Goodness of God

The Goodness of God, a new book from Randy, releases on Tuesday, August 10, and this month three randomly drawn winners will receive a copy of the book. (It is available as an audio book as well, read by Randy. Winners may choose the audio version if they prefer.) You might also like to check out the If God Is Good Study Guide, another product releasing on August 10.

If God Is Good Study Guide

From Stephanie Anderson, promotions director at EPM

Looking for a book study this fall? Then I’d encourage you to check out our newly released If God Is Good Study Guide. It would be a great study for your church or small group, or even if you as an individual would like to delve deeper into the subject of evil and suffering. This is a substantial study guide, not just questions and white space.

What is the darkest or most difficult experience you have had to date?

A couple of weeks ago, we asked my blog readers to submit questions for me to answer. Here’s my answer to another one of them.

The specific question asked was, “What is the darkest or most difficult experience you have had to date that you are willing to share?”