Dancing in the Pain
Dancing in the Pain: Finding Joy and Grace in the Midst of Struggle by Dara Halydier is authentic and encouraging. Dara was born with spina bifida occulta. She was told she should never have been able to stand, walk, or have children. She played softball, marched in the band, and has five grown sons. Through it all, she suffered from daily, often intense pain. Seven spinal surgeries and lots of physical therapy later, she still deals with chronic pain and the mental anguish that goes with it. Having been raised by two parents with mental illness, she has overcome clinical depression through Jesus Christ. Dancing in the Pain is a 30-day devotional with excerpts of Dara’s walk with Jesus through the pain. She shares her doubts, her frustrations, her joys, and her quiet inner journey with Jesus as she combats the daily war in her body. Satan is alive and well. Dara clearly explains his part of her pain and depression and how to fight with the spiritual weapons that Christians are given.
The challenge of dealing with ongoing illness can leave our faith shipwrecked. This book brings encouragement, courage, and restoration to the spirit in spite of our season of brokenness. These short daily Scripture verses and devotions will bring comfort and healing to your relationship with Jesus, our Lord and Father God. Each daily devotion offers an encouraging saying from historical figures, a Bible verse, a short devotional, a prayer, and a place for you to write your reflections and journal your experiences. Dara has learned to rest and find hope and peace by being refreshed daily with God’s presence. God’s wisdom is truth in spite of our feelings. Dara gently leads the reader into godly counsel and reflections so that they can see the bigger picture of life. It’s easy to become myopic in the face of pain. Learning to let your spirit soar and enjoy dancing in spite of your circumstances will restore your soul, give you purpose, inspire you to rest in God’s arms, and to know God’s care, love, and presence. He is a holy God who offers comfort in our lonely times of sorrow. Dara gives you practical advice as you journal through your walk with pain and learn from hers.
Dara teaches men and women with empathy and tips to coping when you are feeling desperate. It’s in the waiting that one finds God. It’s there, in His presence, when we draw near to Him, that He draws near to us. It’s okay to go to God with our hard situations, with not feeling okay about what is going on. When we learn to trust God, not just His benefits, we experience true happiness without fear, and we learn to accept change, pain, hurts, and emotional difficulties. Scripture transforms us from grumpy to grateful as we learn to endure and overcome through Jesus. All people, Christians and non-Christians, will go through hard times. Dara’s 30-day devotional is an encouragement and a guide to the doorway to God’s presence through the blood of Jesus and relationship with God. We all struggle. Find joy upon your bed and learn to be victorious in this life as we wait upon Jesus for heaven where there will be no more pain. Let’s dance!