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Second Book Giveaway of 2017

This giveaway is now closed.

We have given away books for years as part of the spiritualabuse.org ministry and this will be our second large one via this blog for 2017. This is your chance to receive one or more free books on various issues. After making your request, be sure to respond to my email requesting your mailing address if I do not already have it. The last giveaway we had someone request books but never responded. This keeps material from others.

The first people with a USA mailing address who respond will receive their choice of books at no charge to them. (Unfortunately, it is cost prohibitive to mail these books outside of the USA. Canadians with a USA mailing address are welcome to request books.) To respond, just leave a comment for this post. If you are unsure what any book is about, the links will take you to Amazon where you may read their description and reviews.

Up for grabs are several used books and DVDs.

  1. Four paperback copies of Codependent No More by Melody Beattie. (One has some highlighting.) TWO TAKEN
  2. One paperback copy of Love Is A Choice: Recovery for Codependent Relationships by Hemfelt, Minirth & Meier. (Has some underlining.) TAKEN
  3. Two hardback copies of Boundaries by Henry Cloud & John Townsend. (One has some markings.) ONE TAKEN
  4. One paperback copy of Cults In Our Midst by Margaret Singer. (Has highlighting.) TAKEN
  5. One CD MP3 NIV Audio New Testament Dramatized by Faith Comes By Hearing.
  6. One hardback copy of The Church Awakening by Charles Swindoll.
  7. One hardback copy of The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey. TAKEN
  8. One paperback copy of The Unauthorized Guide To Choosing a Church by Carmen Renee Berry.
  9. One paperback copy of Testament The Bible Odyssey.
  10. One hardback copy of Overcomers Outreach A Bridge To Recovery by Bob & Pauline Bartosch. TAKEN
  11. One hardback copy of Naves Topical Bible. TAKEN
  12. Two hardback copies of Authority Abusers by G.G. Bloomer. TAKEN
  13. One hardback copy of Holy Bible New Revised Standard Version.
  14. One paperback copy of The Kingdom Of The Cults Limited Edition by Walter Martin. TAKEN
  15. One paperback copy of Since Nobody’s Perfect…How Good Is Good Enough by Any Stanley. TAKEN
  16. Two paperback copies of Neo-Phariseeism by David Wasmundt (former UPC minister) TAKEN
  17. One paperback copy of the 2009 United Pentecostal Church Manual. (only sold to ministers) TAKEN
  18. Two paperback copies of The Case For Easter by Lee Strobel. TAKEN
  19. One paperback copy of Don’t Let The Jerks Get The Best Of You by Paul Meier. TAKEN
  20. One paperback copy of The Year Of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs.
  21. One paperback copy of Toxic Parents: Overcoming Their Hurtful Legacy by Susan Forward. TAKEN
  22. One paperback copy of If You Had Controlling Parents by Dan Neuharth. TAKEN
  23. One paperback copy of What’s So Amazing About Grace by Philip Yancey. TAKEN
  24. Three paperback copies of The Verbally Abusive Relationship by Patricia Evans. TAKEN
  25. One paperback copy of The Art Of Forgiving by Lewis B. Smedes. TAKEN
  26. One paperback copy of Good ‘N Angry: How To Handle Your Anger Positively by Les Carter. (some markings) TAKEN
  27. One paperback copy of Healing Of Memories by David A. Seamands. TAKEN
  28. One paperback copy of The Wounded Heart by Dan B. Allender (Child Sexual Abuse) TAKEN
  29. One paperback copy of Healing Your Emotional Self by Beverly Engel. TAKEN
  30. One paperback copy of More Jesus, Less Religion by Stephen Arterburn & Jack Felton. TAKEN
  31. One paperback copy of Baker’s Harmony Of The Gospels. TAKEN
  32. One paperback copy of Changes That Heal Workbook by Henry Cloud.
  33. One hardcover copy of Under The Banner Of Heaven by Jon Krakauer (Mormon).
  34. One hardcover copy of Get Out Of That Pit Devotional Journal by Beth Moore. TAKEN
  35. One hardcover copy of Counterfeit Revival by Hank Hanegraaff. TAKEN
  36. One hardcover copy of The Narcissist Next Door by Jeffrey Kluger. (some underlining) TAKEN
  37. One hardcover copy of What’s So Amazing About Grace by Philip Yancey. TAKEN
  38. One hardcover copy of Prayer: Does It Make A Difference by Philip Yancey. (some markings)
  39. One hardcover copy of The Truth Book by Joy Castro. (Jehovah’s Witness Abuse)
  40. One hardcover copy of Living With Your Dreams by David A. Seamands. TAKEN
  41. One hardcover copy of The Emotionally Healthy Church by Peter Scazzero. TAKEN
  42. One hardcover copy of More Jesus, Less Religion by Stephen Arterburn & Jack Felton. TAKEN
  43. One hardcover copy of Vine’s Expository Dictionary. TAKEN
  44. One KJV Thompson Chain Reference Study Bible. (Has some markings and water damage near the back.)
  45. One DVD of The Story Of Two Kings/Where Did The Bible Come From.
  46. One DVD of Cult Explosion: Cults Exposed By Those Who Escaped (Walter Martin). TAKEN
  47. One paperback copy of The Relief Of Imperfection by Joan C. Webb. TAKEN
  48. One hardcover copy of The Gentle Art Of Verbal Self Defense by Suzette Haden Elgin.
  49. Kidz Bible Audio Bible For Kids NIRV MP3 Format – new.
  50. One hardcover copy of Love Is A Choice: Recovery for Codependent Relationships by Hemfelt, Minirth & Meier. TAKEN
  51. One hardcover copy of Zondervan Handbook To The Bible.
  52. One hardcover copy of All The Apostles Of The Bible by Herbert Lockyer. TAKEN
  53. One hardcover copy of The Works of Philo Complete And Unabridged. TAKEN
  54. One hardcover copy of Handbook of Denominations in the United States Ninth Edition by Frank S. Mead. TAKEN
  55. One paperback copy of Surviving The Shadows by Bob Delany (post-traumatic stress). TAKEN

The first people with a USA mailing address who respond will receive their choice of book(s) at no charge to them. To respond, just leave a comment on this post. Please understand that comments require approval unless you have previously commented. So while it may look like you are first, there may be someone ahead of you whose comment is pending. Be sure to use your actual email address when setting up to comment as I will be contacting you through it if I do not already have your address. Check your spam folder as email sometimes goes there. (For your privacy, do not put your email or address in the comment.)

Be sure to mention which book(s) you would like and you may refer to them by number instead of the title. There is no limit on how many you may request, though you may only have one copy of any title.

We always provide these at no charge to our readers. If anyone would like to help with the expenses involved, you may do so via GFM in the link below. Donations may also be sent via snail mail to Lois Gibson, P.O. Box 300682, Waterford, MI 48330. Our total cost for just the postage on this giveaway was $68.74.

Kicked Out on Mother’s Day

This coming Sunday is Mother’s Day. It will mark a year from the day my former pastor indirectly invited me to leave his church from the pulpit. He said something to the effect: “If anybody doesn’t like that I’m rough around the edges sometimes, there’s the door!”

I had gently and winsomely been emailing the church about concerns over several months before that. Some of you maybe read my blog post series: ‘Why I Left.’

I think that assistant pastor who was being “nice” after being standoffish and ignoring my emails was doing a tactic to “pull the rug out from under me” to flatter me in order to make it plausible that I was the “problem” and he had a weakness. Ugh!

If so, watch out for that tactic, ladies, if you are one to contend for the faith. Keep praying for God’s guidance on what to do.

I should have given up after the second email was ignored and talked to the senior pastor in person. I wanted to but I was intimidated.

Titus 3:10-11 says: “Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.”

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First Book Giveaway of 2017

This giveaway has now ended, March 7, 2017.

We have given away books for years as part of the spiritualabuse.org ministry and this will be our first one via this blog for 2017. This is your chance to receive one or more free books on various issues. After making your request, be sure to respond to my email requesting your mailing address if I do not already have it. The last giveaway we had someone request several books but never responded. This keeps material from others.

The first people with a USA mailing address who respond will receive their choice of books at no charge to them. (Unfortunately, it is cost prohibitive to mail these books outside of the USA. Canadians with a USA mailing address are welcome to request books.) To respond, just leave a comment for this post. If you are unsure what any book is about, the links will take you to Amazon where you may read their description and reviews.

Up for grabs are several used books and DVDs.

  1. Three paperback copies of Codependent No More by Melody Beattie. (One has some highlighting.) ONE TAKEN
  2. One paperback copy of Love Is A Choice: Recovery for Codependent Relationships by Hemfelt, Minirth & Meier. (Has some underlining.) TAKEN
  3. One hardback copy of How People Grow by Henry Cloud & John Townsend. (It has a little highlighting.) TAKEN
  4. One paperback copy of Safe People by Henry Cloud & John Townsend. TAKEN
  5. One hardback copy of Boundaries by Henry Cloud & John Townsend. (Has a little highlighting.) TAKEN
  6. One paperback copy of Boundaries In Marriage by Henry Cloud & John Townsend. TAKEN
  7. One paperback copy of Cults In Our Midst by Margaret Singer. (Has highlighting and in a little rough condition.)
  8. One paperback copy of The Co-Dependent Parent by Barbara Becnel.
  9. One hardback copy of I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai. TAKEN
  10. One paperback copy of The Search For Freedom by Robert S. McGee. TAKEN
  11. One paperback copy of Stolen Innocence by Elissa Wall. (polygamy)
  12. One hardback copy of Who’s Pushing Your Buttons: Handling the Difficult People in Your Life by John Townsend. TAKEN
  13. One DVD of Holy Bible KJV Complete by Alexander Scourby. TAKEN
  14. One CD MP3 NIV Audio New Testament Dramatized by Faith Comes By Hearing.
  15. One paperback copy of New Testament Amplified Bible Pocket Thin. TAKEN
  16. One hardback copy of The Church Awakening by Charles Swindoll. TAKEN
  17. Two hardback copies of The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey. ONE TAKEN
  18. One bonded leather copy of The NIV Study Bible by Zondervan. (The cover is in poor condition and there is some writing/underlining, but the inside is mostly good.) TAKEN
  19. One paperback copy of Facing Codependence by Pia Mellody.
  20. One hardback copy of Does This Church Make Me Look Fat by Rhoda Janzen. (Mennonite related) TAKEN
  21. One hardback copy of My Utmost for His Highest Daily Devotional Journal by Oswald Chambers.
  22. One paperback copy of Jesus Land: A Memoir by Julia Sheeres. TAKEN
  23. One hardback copy of The Year of Living Like Jesus by Ed Dobson. TAKEN
  24. One bonded leather copy of Nelson’s NJKV Bible with Concordance. (pocket size- cover is in poor condition)
  25. Three paperback copies of The Shack by Wm. Paul Young.
  26. One paperback copy of The Unauthorized Guide To Choosing a Church by Carmen Renee Berry.
  27. One paperback copy of New Testament Amplified Bible Pocket Thin.
  28. One paperback copy of Testament The Bible Odyssey.
  29. One hardback copy of The Grace Awakening by Charles Swindoll. TAKEN
  30. One hardback copy of Secrets of Your Family Tree Forgiving Our Parents Forgiving Ourselves by David Stoop & James Masteller. TAKEN
  31. One hardback copy of We Are Driven (Compulsive Behaviors) by Hemfelt, Minirth & Meier. TAKEN
  32. One hardback copy of Overcomers Outreach A Bridge To Recovery by Bob & Pauline Bartosch.
  33. One hardback copy of Unstoppable by Nick Vujicic. TAKEN
  34. One hardback copy of Naves Topical Bible.
  35. One hardback copy of The New Strong’s Concordance of the Bible Concise Edition. (Only the concordance.) TAKEN
  36. Three hardback copies of Authority Abusers by G.G. Bloomer. TWO TAKEN
  37. One hardback copy of Holy Bible New Revised Standard Version.
  38. One paperback copy of Holy Bible KJV Reference Edition edited by C.I. Scofield. (Has some water damage at the bottom through part of the Old Testament. Still very usable.)
  39. One paperback copy of The Art of Forgiving by Lewes Smedes. TAKEN
  40. One paperback copy of From Forgiven To Forgiving by Jay Adams. TAKEN
  41. One paperback copy of More Jesus, Less Religion by Stephen Arterburn & Jack Felton. TAKEN
  42. One paperback copy of The Kingdom Of The Cults Limited Edition by Walter Martin.
  43. One paperback copy of Since Nobody’s Perfect…How Good Is Good Enough by Any Stanley. TAKEN
  44. Two paperback copies of Neo-Phariseeism by David Wasmundt (former UPC minister)
  45. Two paperback copies of The Rapture of Canaan by Sheri Reynolds. ONE TAKEN
  46. One paperback copy of Out Of The Salt Shaker & Into The World by Rebecca Pippert. TAKEN
  47. One paperback copy of The Pursuit of God With Study Guide by A.W. Tozer. (Has writing/highlighting & underlining.) TAKEN
  48. One paperback copy of Finding The Real Jesus by Lee Strobel.
  49. One paperback copy of 2009 United Pentecostal Church Manual.
  50. One DVD of Divergent. (Has parallels with spiritual abuse.) TAKEN
  51. One DVD of Paradise Recovered (new- on spiritual abuse/unhealthy churches). TAKEN

The first people with a USA mailing address who respond will receive their choice of book(s) at no charge to them. To respond, just leave a comment on this post. Please understand that comments require approval unless you have previously commented. So while it may look like you are first or second, etc. there may be someone ahead of you whose comment is pending. Be sure to use your actual email address when setting up to comment as I will be contacting you through it. Check your spam folder as email sometimes goes there. (For your privacy, do not put the email or address in your actual comment.)

Be sure to mention in your comment which book(s) you would like and you may refer to them by number instead of the title. There is no limit on how many you may request, though you may only have one copy of any title.

Christmas 2011

This is re-posted from 2011.

Today has been a day full of shocks and a pleasant surprises… from the deacon who gave me a nice Christmas gift for helping him greet on Sunday mornings, to the woman who asked if I’d like to take her place as church clerk (still praying about that one, but it was a compliment to be asked), to getting to ride in the front with the driver of a horse and wagon ride on my SECOND (and free) trip of the night. And above all that, a new take on something in Jeremiah. Hopefully I can write about that another time. Notes are in the car and it’s too cold to run out and get them.

Jeremiah 29:11 is a promise given after God warned them to straighten up for 23 years (Jer 25)… and they didn’t do it. That promise came after they were sent into exile. So was exile a punishment, or what they determinedly went for even after being warned? If a child is told not to put his hand on the stove and does anyway and is burned, was the damage/hurt/pain the result of the parent’s punishment or the child’s willfulness?

I was taught that God was holy. And He is. I was told that He was just. He’s that as well. But to base a knowledge of God on those two attributes is to overlook several things. Yes, God is holy and just. But He is also merciful, gracious, and loving. He isn’t just holy, just, merciful, gracious and loving, though. He IS love. Not everything that happens is a result of God being angry at us or punishing us. Many times, He warns us to protect us. Not from His wrath if we disobey, but from ourselves, and from the pain we will face as we learn why He said no to begin with (like a child touching a hot stove).

When we disobey, though His holiness and justice demand punishment, but very often His love outweighs justice, and He promises- and plans- to bless in spite of our willfulness. That’s grace. That’s mercy. That’s my God.

Top October Posts

I thought that some might be interested in seeing the top ten read posts from October 2016. I may or may not do this on a regular basis. 🙂

The blog section of the spiritual abuse website had 5,673 visits, with 2109 being unique. I anticipate these numbers will climb as we continue to get the word out about the blog. At present, most of the referrals have come from Facebook, Twitter and search engines. If some who have similar blogs or websites would be so kind as to link to us, it would help increase our exposure.

Below are the top ten read posts for the month, after removing the last giveaway post from the list. Thanks so much to all our readers and authors!

Leaving An Unhealthy Church #9: Some Must Return To Remember Why They Left – author Lois.

Substituting Church For Jesus: Where Is Your Identity Found – author Lois.

Church Secrets, Part 1 – author Elizabeth.

Breaking Pentecostal – author Susan.

Why I Left Part 1 – author Rosemi.

Modern Day Witch Hunts – author Mary.

Examining Teachings #1: Drunk in the Spirit? – author Lois.

Self-Injury: A Worldview – author Eleanor.

Why I Left Part Two – author Rosemi.

Examining Teachings #2: Jezebel And Shamefaced – author Lois.

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