ARC Arrival: A Hope and a Future by Don Wilton

A Hope and a Future: Overcoming Discouragement
by Don Wilton

Publisher: B&H Books

I received this book for review from Pure Publicity.

About the book: Pastor Don Wilton, who is also known as Billy Graham's pastor, recognizes that many people are discouraged as they struggle with uncertainty concerning their finances, health issues, a tough economy, broken family relations and other issues in the world. Wilton believes that discouragement is prevalent today and can have a negative impact on a person's family, work, ministry and relationships, and may also lead to health ailments and depression.

To encourage those who are feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about their future, Wilton has released A Hope and a Future to help people break the day-to-day discouragement cycle. "I want to proved principles and illustrations from God's Word for people to live beyond their circumstances, and despite their situation, God can bring them through it," Wilton says.

Using personal illustrations in his book, Wilton shares his personal journey through loneliness and discouragement in A Hope and a Future. born in South Africa, Wilton recalls a time in a Zululand boarding school when, as a young boy, he experienced significant feelings of rejection and loneliness. After graduation, Wilton was drafted in the military, and served as a tank commander in the Southwest African desert. After his military discharge, Wilton felt God calling him into ministry to share God's Word around the world.

In A Hope and a Future, Pastor Wilton parallels the lives of biblical figures Nehemiah, Samuel and Moses, men who overcame discouragement by making a choice to take action. He also stresses the importance of understanding spiritual gifts, sharing your faith, giving to others and knowing the spiritual enemy. A Hope and a Future will help readers in the following areas:

• Identify and overcome spiritual emptiness and spiritual burnout
• Recognize the relationship between health and fulfilling their spiritual calling
• Understand why God allows spiritual attacks on Christians
• Combat spiritual attacks with armor of God
• Ten Tactics Satan uses to discourage and seven defensive actions

Through his extensive travels, Pastor Wilton has spoken to thousands of people who have faced the same feelings of pain, anger, and loneliness that he once had. Wilton believes many of these feelings come from a person's longing to be loved. It wasn't until he turned his life over to Christ that Wilton's loneliness disappeared. "God's love finds its root in His very existence. His love is who He is by nature. His essence and character is love," says Wilton.

A Hope and a Future provides biblical applications and real-life examples for overcoming discouragement; reminding readers that God has a spiritual purpose for their future. "Sometimes the Lord allows us to go through circumstances to get our attention and allow us to place our full faith and trust in Him," says Wilton. "We need to remember that God has a plan for our lives that is greater than our circumstances." (publicity info from Pure Publicity)

A Hope and a Future
Publisher/Publication Date: B&H Books, Oct 2009
ISBN: 978-0-8054-4555-8
256 pages