Matt Bays - Finding God in the Ruins: How God Redeems Pain

What people are saying about

Finding God in the Ruins

In Finding God in the Ruins we are given a unique gift, a rare invitation to listen to a hauntingly beautiful story where the darkest experiences of a persons life are redeemed. While he wields the sensibilities of an artist and the words of a poet, Matt bluntly exposes the beauty buried in the brokenness of the world. Be prepared. This isnt a book about clichs, easy answers, or simple faith. Finding God in the Ruins is a tenacious, relentless, and courageous pursuit of redemption that doesnt go around the pain, hoping to get by with less heartache by tenderly skirting the edges of a wound. Rather, Matt takes us on a deep dive right into the heart of pain where, surprisingly, we find ourselves in the heart of God.

Nate Pyle, pastor, blogger, and author of Man Enough: How Jesus Redefines Manhood

Gritty, raw, vulnerable, and even at times uncomfortable, Finding God in the Ruins tackles the pain and brokenness of this world with the kind of compassion that lifts the veil of shame, allowing God to expose himself to the heart of humanity. Matt Bays is a brave soul who isnt afraid to search, to question God, and to sit with you in your pain as you slowly, gently, find yourself wrapped in the arms of a God who loves you beyond what you ever thought possible.

Logan Wolfram, author of Curious Faith , speaker, CEO of Allume

A father with a sick son in need of healing said to Jesus, I do believe, help me with my unbelief. Often the journey to believe begins with an honest confession of unbelief. Honest, not fake. If you struggle with God, have a ton of questions, have no time for clich answers, but still long for hope, you are going to thoroughly enjoy the journey Matt Bays is taking you on through his own story. If you like things neat, tidy, and orderly, dont you dare turn to the next page.

Randy Frazee, author of Think, Act, Be Like Jesus and The Heart of the Story

Chock-full of wisdom and insight, Matt Bays delivers a deeply moving account of pain, doubt, and ultimately hope. Bays delivers his powerful message with wisdom, humility, and heart. I am certain his stories will stay with me long after Ive turned the last page. Powerful. Deeply human. Unforgettable.

Lori Nelson Spielman, bestselling author of The Life List and Sweet Forgiveness ; www.lorinelsonspielman.com

Matt Bays has written an insightful narrative that explores the biblical metaphor of redemption. While rejecting a simplistic salvation that promises peace and prosperity to all who believe, the author explores human suffering from the biblical idea that the God who took on flesh enters into human suffering and redeems it. Through personal stories, Matt Bays invites the reader to explore a theodicy that is critical but compassionate. His is a real and refreshing invitation to allow our stories to speak words of hope to fellow strugglers. I recommend this book for both personal and group study.

David Sebastian, dean emeritus at Anderson University School of Theology

Matt Bays knows about pain and suffering, and writes about it with the raw transparency of someone who has experienced deep loss. But this book exhales genuine hope on every page, pointing to the expansive God who sits with us when we are lost, weeping with us and helping us to finally find our feet again. If you are sitting in the midst of failure and loss, pick up this book and find the God who is already there with you.

Steve Wiens, author of Beginnings

Finding God in the Ruins will make some readers shift in their chairs. I expect some will be tempted to scoot back from the table and leave just as the conversation gets going. I think thats a good sign. This book is for people who have been afraid to tell the truth, afraid to look a painful past in the eye, afraid to speak uncertainties about God, and afraid they might be right about their unworthiness. By laying his own painful story plainly in the light, Matt is going first and making space for us to lay our own stories right there beside his. His writing is both powerfully poetic and accessible, and will make you laugh and cry in succession. Finding God in the Ruins is the start of a desperately needed conversation, giving believers and unbelievers alike permission to be real and to be on the lookout for hope and redemption in unlikely places.

Christa Wells, GMA Dove Awardwinning songwriter of the year

Finding God in the Ruins is raw, honest, and hopeful. A heartbreakingly beautiful story that shows us a new and interesting perspective on elements of faith and our relationship with Jesus.

Jon McLaughlin, songwriter/recording artist

With rare vulnerability, wounded healer Matt Bays offers compelling evidence of the importance of reclaiming our stories. Heartrending vignettes offer insight into the certainty that although we may never find answers to the whys of our wretchedness, we will find God there in the ruins.

Amy K. Sorrells, survivor advocate and award-winning author of the novels How Sweet the Sound , Then Sings My Soul , and Lead Me Home

FINDING GOD IN THE RUINS

Published by David C Cook

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David C Cook U.K., Kingsway Communications

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV. Copyright 1973, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION and NIV are registered trademarks of Biblica, Inc. Use of either trademark for the offering of goods or services requires the prior written consent of Biblica, Inc. Scripture quotations marked ASV are taken from the American Standard Version. (Public Domain.); ESV are taken from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved; KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible. (Public Domain.); TLB are taken from The Living Bible, copyright 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved; THE MESSAGE are taken from THE MESSAGE. Copyright by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 2002. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc; NIV 1984 are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TM Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com; NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The author has added italics to Scripture quotations for emphasis.

LCCN 2015953187

ISBN 978-0-7814-1383-1

eISBN 978-0-7814-1425-8

2016 Matt Bays

The Team: Tim Peterson, Nick Lee, Cara Iverson, Helen Macdonald, Susan Murdock