The Gift of Hard Things by Mark Yaconelli

The Gift of Hard Things by Mark Yaconelli

Foreword Reviews' 2016 INDIES Book of the Year Award, Silver Winner in Self-Help

In many ways society teaches us to try to have everything under our control. If we are honest, we tend to think that this can be true even of our spiritual lives.

But Mark Yaconelli eloquently expresses the reality of our situation: "We are small, sensitive creatures with short lifespans, in a world that is often chaotic, capricious, mysterious, terrible and wonderful all at the same time. Failure, disappointment, loss and other difficult experiences call us to accept our humanity, feel grateful for what has been given, receive the care of others and seek guidance from the Holy Spirit."

Using extraordinary stories from his own life and the lives of others, Yaconelli offers a narrative journey through ways in which disappointments have turned into gifts. In these pages are a wealth of spiritual practices that will carry us deeper into the grace we find in unexpected places.

Mark Yaconelli is a community activist, writer, speaker, spiritual director, and spiritual director. He is the founder and executive director of The Hearth Community, a nonprofit that uses human narrative to help cities and charitable organizations cultivate compassion. Contemplative Youth Ministry and Wonder, Fear, and Longing are two of his earlier books. Mark has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, ABC World News Tonight, and Youthworker Journal, among other publications. Mark, his wife Jill, and their three children live in southern Oregon.