Description
Combining contemporary stories, biblical narrative and psychological insights, Held in Your Bottle looks at the many reasons why we cry, and why these tears are important to our wellbeing and to God.
Why do we cry?
Whether we are crying tears of regret, loss, gratitude or anger the Bible says that God holds them all in his bottle. We can draw comfort from the fact that no tear goes unseen by him.
Each of these emotions is explored by a modern day story mirroring a retelling of a relevant Bible character's experience. Insightful reflections then help us understand the issues raised.
Held in Your Bottle will enable you to look at the Bible in a fresh way and help you accept and understand your emotional life.
‘Another excellent book from Jeannie Kendall, written with such honesty and insight. As you read the book there are few chapters you won’t be able to identify with, either through the personal or biblical stories told or in the way Jeannie brings them together in a reflection which allows you to know it is OK to cry. The book confirms there are no easy answers but encourages us to understand that God sees, hears and feels our pain, which is a great comfort to know, and allows us to embrace and celebrate our tears rather than hide them away. This book is a great resource for personal use, as well as a great tool for counsellors, ministers and those involved in caring for people in distress.’ - Linda Abel Boanerges, director of Practical Training and Admissions, Spurgeon’s College
‘This is an important book. Tears speak with an eloquence that words rarely convey, and Jeannie Kendall explores this theme with great sensitivity and power. The contemporary stories that she draws on are exceptionally poignant, and the way in which she explores appropriate Bible passages is imaginative and insightful. Jeannie draws on a wealth of personal experience not only within her own family, but as a counsellor and minister. In my teens I concluded that I could never be a minister because I cried too easily. Happily, I discovered how wrong that was, and I thank God for the blessing of tears throughout my ministry. Jeannie helps us to understand just what a blessing they are.’ - Jonathan Edwards, former General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain and now adviser to Through the Roof and other Christian disability charities
‘Infused with the emotion of personal experiences and set in the context of biblical narrative, this book can assist us in processing our own tearful responses to situations and issues, acknowledging that God is ever present, holding, accepting and shaping us.’ - Rosanne Tyas, professional lead for Music Therapy at the Royal Hospital for Neurodisability, Putney, London