|
Seattle: If God is good then why does He allow terrible things to happen? It’s a universal question asked by believers and skeptics alike. Some decide no answer exists, but not Sherri Burgess, the author of Bronner: A Journey to Understand (New Hope Publishers/January 19, 2016/ISBN: 978-1-62591-500-9/$16.99). When Burgess and her husband, Rick (host of the nationally syndicated “The Rick and Bubba Show”), lost their two-year-old son in a tragic drowning at home, she turned to God with the same question, and in her grief, learned there are answers. What she discovered about the Lord and herself she now brings to the world in this special book, which Grammy Award-winning recording artist Chris Tomlin said left him “speechless.”
Bronner is an honest and personal narrative that took Burgess five years to write. It brings readers along on her journey of seeking to understand the purpose behind her family’s pain. While admitting we can never truly grasp all aspects of God’s nature, Burgess says she found there were many things she could ascertain about Him, His purposes, and His intentions for herself and her family. “God wants us to ask hard questions,” she reveals. “He wants us to seek Him, and if we do, He promises we will find Him. God’s way is perfect. He wastes nothing but uses everything to teach us, grow us, and mold us into something fit for heaven. We praise Him as Job did when he said, ‘The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken way; blessed be the name of the Lord.'”
Scripture says Christians do not mourn like those who have no hope, and that is certainly the case for Burgess and her family. While they are separated from little Bronner for now, Burgess knows that won’t always be the case. She points out with incredible hope that no matter what horror or loss we face, if Christ is our Savior, we are assured He will redeem everything in time, whether in this life or the next.
Much more than a retelling of one family’s story, Bronner includes a readers’ guide that will be an empowering and in-depth resource for grief support groups, book-club discussions, or small-group Bible studies. Readers will learn how the author believes the Lord has used suffering for good in her life: teaching her, refining her, and even helping her overcome sins such as worldliness, self-reliance, and pride. “There are but two ways to go in a situation like this,” Burgess writes. “We can either run away from God and be destroyed by the pain, or run to Him and be transformed by it into the person He really desires for us to be. God has taught-and is still teaching-me so much through my pain.”
Regardless of what hardship readers have experienced, Bronner will be a call to action, beckoning them to know God like never before. Burgess’s personal hope is that Bronner will help others understand God doesn’t do anything to hurt them, but He allows suffering to occur in life to form them into the people He meant for them to be: people who love and trust Him with a devotion that can withstand any trial.
Learn more about more about Bronner and Sherri Burgess at www.NewHopePublishers.com.
Advance Praise
“No one escapes life unscathed. Everyone faces tragedy. Rick and Sherri did. They did so with faith. We are wise to learn from their example. Their story inspires us to face our challenges by facing God first.”
~ Max Lucado, New York Times best-selling author
“The words of this book have truly left me speechless. I believe this book Sherri has written will bring great healing to so many who have experienced great loss. It’s an honor to call Rick and Sherri Burgess my friends.”
~ Chris Tomlin, Grammy Award-winning Christian recording artist
“As a quadriplegic, I have often said, ‘God permits what He hates to accomplish that which He loves.’ My friends Rick and Sherri understand that hard truth so painfully well. In this remarkable book, they show us that true wisdom is trusting God even when all seems dark. It’s why Bronner is such a wise and good guide in your journey to grasp God’s goodness in your pain. Read it and you will be blessed!”
~ Joni Eareckson Tada, Joni and Friends International Disability Center
About the author
Sherri Burgess is the wife of nationally syndicated radio host Rick Burgess of “The Rick and Bubba Show.” They are both sought-after ministry speakers and marriage conference hosts.
A former news anchor turned author, Burgess is also mother to two teenage sons at home and two adult children. She currently serves on the school board where her sons attend, leads a girls’ Bible study, and volunteers with various organizations. Her heart is deeply committed to living out God’s will for her life and helping others do the same. While her family may enjoy football, she enjoys her family. She also enjoys gardening and going on short-term missions trips. Her prayer is that the loss of her youngest son, Bronner, will continue to produce fruit for God for many years to come. The Burgess family calls Birmingham, AL, home.
Learn more about Burgess at burgessministries.com, and follow her on Facebook (SherriBurgessAuthor) and Twitter (SherriBBurgess). |
