Posted: 11/02/07
Book Reviews
Seeing in the Dark: Getting the Facts on Depression and Finding Hope Again by Gary Kinnaman and Richard Jacobs (Bethany House Publishers)
Addressing what many in the medical profession have labeled the No. 1 medical problem, Gary Kinnaman and Richard Jacobs have joined forces in putting the focus upon depression.
The book is written subjectively, due to the battles with depression experienced by Kinnaman, a pastor, and Jacobs’ wife, Sue. Concise and easy to read, Seeing in the Dark provides insight from medical (physical), psychological and spiritual points of view.
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Admitting they do not have all the answers to depression, Kinnaman and Jacobs fill their book with well-documented, up-to-date information. Some of the topics include confronting the myths about depression, how to recognize true depression, brain chemistry and depression, biblical insights into depression, how patterns of thinking impact depression, living above your pain and other issues faced by people who battle the illness.
The fifth chapter, “Fearfully and Wonderfully Made,” deals with brain anatomy, the importance of sleep, brain exercise, helpful foods, Saint John’s wort, anti-depressant medications and electroconvulsive therapy—practical information needed by those who either suffer from depression or seek to assist those who battle it every day.
Following chapters reveal some of the pathways to wholeness that are available in the spiritual realm, through the help of others, and how to live when depression will not go away.
This book is written to provide encouragement as well as information, and one can find affirmation, strength, encouragement and purpose within its pages. Seeing In the Dark is a book worth having and, especially, sharing with others.
Randall Scott, pastor
Immanuel Baptist Church, Paris
The 2-degree Difference: How Little Things Can Change Everything by John Trent (B&H Publishing Group)
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Brian was one of those people who thought big problems call for big solutions. Suffering from problems at home, work and his health, he felt hopeless, and any change might be too little too late. He was not leading the life he had planned.
That is when he met Eric, the new lively leader of his accountability group.
Eric introduces Brian to “The 2-Degree Difference,” the idea that small things, both good and bad, grow on compounded interest. Making small changes in one area of your life can help reap huge benefits, and change can spill over to other areas.
After much skepticism, Brian decided to test this idea, making one small step at a time. His life began to improve, slowly but surely, to a life better than he had imagined.
The book is divided into three parts—Brian’s story, a journal and a plan. The reader can work through this book alone or with a small accountability group. The 2- Degree Difference takes readers, one small step at a time, on a journey to a better life.
Rebekah Hardage
Communications Intern, Waco
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