If you've ever been there,you've never forgotten. The feeling is as haunting and familiar as the smellof a junior high school locker room. It's the feeling of being undersized ... or oversized ... or klutzy ... or less than beautiful. Of being a nerd ... or a geek ... or just, somehow, different. It's knowing you are vulnerable-and someone is ready and willing to take full advantage of your weakness by making your life miserable. It's the fraternity you never wanted to join-the fellowship of the wounded spirit. And bestselling novelist Frank Peretti is a member, too. This book is the haunting true story of pain Frank Peretti never forgot but never, until recently, shared with the world. It's the story of growing up with a medical condition that left him disfigured. A series of surgeries and the slow miracle of answered prayer took care of the deformity, but not the underdeveloped frame or the excruciating reality of being different. And it was for these petty "crimes" that Peretti was prosecuted every day at school-especially in gym class, but also in the halls, on the school grounds, even in his own neighborhood. No wonder he found himself relating to movie monsters who were hated but also feared-and who eventually exacted a bloody revenge on their tormentors! In Peretti's case, deliverance eventually came-through time, through prayer, through a teacher's caring intervention, and his own willingness to seek help. But he has never forgotten what life was like at the bottom of the junior high foodchain. And from the reservoir of those agonizing memories he sends a compelling message to victims, to bullies, and to authorities who have the power to intervene-that it's never OK for the strong to abuse the weak. And that we allow such abuse at the expense of our souls ... and our very civilization. Especially in the wake of the massacre at Columbine High School-perpetuated by two troubled but also tormented outsiders--this message takes on haunting resonance. Frank Peretti believes we cannot afford to overlook the continuing reality of wounded spirits, not only in our schools, but in our homes, churches, and workplaces. His approach is both tender and tough as he issues a ringing call for a change in attitude. It's a call for all of us to stop thinking of abuse as "normal," even among kids. It's a call for the strong to stand up and protect the weak, not prey upon them. It's a call for those in authority to pay attention to the violence being done to the vulnerable in the midst of our everyday lives and to take action to help. Most of all, it's a call for bullies and victims alike (many of us are both) to seek the healing and forgiveness offered in Jesus Christ. For that healing is really the heart of this book-the only reality that can break the natural cycle of victimization and abuse. Only in Christ, Peretti reminds, is there hope for the wounded spirits-but that hope ispowerful enough to change everything.

Comfort for the Wounded Spirit is a message of hope and healing for those "who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed and broken by calamity" (Luke 4:18). The authors show how deliverance from unclean spirits and the healing of inner wounds are separate yet companion ministries. You will discover: How one's spirit is wounded Symptoms of the wounded spirit Five biblical examples of the wounded spirit Comfort as THE way of healing Where comfort is found How to receive healing and comfort Find rest and peace for your souls through the ministry of Jesus Christ "

Healing the Wounded Spriit is for everyone who suffers from hurts--past or present. Through this book, God can help you to discern a wounded spirit in yourself and others, and, best of all, He will show you how to receive His healing power in your life

The health of your soul is connected to your physical life. A career criminal most of her life, Souza was sent to federal prison to serve almost twelve years. While serving her sentence, she encountered God in a way that dramatically changed her life. Now an outspoken advocate for Jesus, she helps readers find a pathway to healing and receive the blessings God is pouring out.

A radically fresh interpretation of how we can best serve others from the bestselling author of The Return of the Prodigal Son, hailed as “one of the world’s greatest spiritual writers” by Christianity Today “In our own woundedness, we can become a source of life for others.” In this hope-filled and profoundly simple book, Henri Nouwen inspires devoted men and women who want to be of service in their church or community but who have found traditional outreach alienating and ineffective. Weaving keen cultural analysis with his psychological and religious insights, Nouwen presents a balanced and creative theology of service that begins with the realization of fundamental woundedness in human nature. According to Nouwen, ministers are called to identify the suffering in their own hearts and make that recognition the starting point of their service. Ministers must be willing to go beyond their professional, somewhat aloof roles and leave themselves open as fellow human beings with the same wounds and suffering as those they serve. In other words, we heal from our wounds. The Wounded Healer is a thoughtful and insightful guide that will be welcomed by anyone engaged in the service of others.

First published in 1989, Dan Allender's The Wounded Heart has helped hundreds of thousands of people come to terms with sexual abuse in their past. Now, more than twenty-five years later, Allender has written a brand-new book on the subject that takes into account recent discoveries about the lasting physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual ramifications of sexual abuse. With great compassion Allender offers hope for victims of rape, date rape, incest, molestation, sexting, sexual bullying, unwanted advances, pornography, and more, exposing the raw wounds that are left behind and clearing the path toward wholeness and healing. Never minimizing victims' pain or offering pat spiritual answers that don't truly address the problem, he instead calls evil evil and lights the way to renewed joy. Counselors, pastors, and friends of those who have suffered sexual harm will find in this book the deep spiritual guidance they need to effectively minister to the sexually broken around them. Victims themselves will find here a sympathetic friend to walk alongside them on the road to healing.

If you've ever been there, you've never forgotten how it feels. It's being undersized or oversized or less than beautiful. It's knowing you are vulnerable and that someone is ready to take advantage of your weakness. It's the fraternity you never wanted to join-the fellowship of the wounded spirit. And Frank Peretti is a member, too. In this powerful book, Frank Peretti shares his deeply personal story of growing up different, and the persecution he suffered because of it. And from this reservoir of memories he urges: those being abused to speak up and seek help those in authority to take notice- and action the "strong" kids to stand up and protect the weak- not prey upon them all of us to stop thinking of abuse as "normal" or as "kids being kids" This groundbreaking work shows how we all - bullies and victims alike - can find both healing and forgiveness from the anguish and torment associated with the growing epidemic of bullying.