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Reaching for Wonder: Encountering Christ When Life Hurts
Sometimes life hurts. Sometimes you’ve struggled, and stumbled, until it even hurts to hope. Perhaps you’ve faced a spiritual crisis of disappointment, doubt, or a feeling of distance from God due to unanswered prayers and painful circumstances. But what does it mean to encounter Christ in those times? What does he say to us when we have nothing left to say? How do we see him when pain has silenced our prayers and blinded our souls? In Reaching for Wonder , Marlo Schalesky explores fifteen of the New Testament’s one-time encounters with Christ to illuminate the surprising character of a God who transforms our pain into wonder. Because sometimes life isn’t at all as we want it to be... Because we lose the wonder in the hardships of life ... Because encountering Christ changes everything... Like those who have gone before, following God’s call isn’t about easy faith, a life of effortlessness, or every prayer answered when and how we want. Instead, it’s about encountering God so deeply, so significantly, that everything about your circumstances, about your life, about you, changes because of God. In these New Testament stories you’ll find guidance to a deeper understanding of God’s plan for you, a more vibrant faith, and a fuller trust in God. Plus you’ll find hope in knowing that your life may not be as you had envisioned it, but is one in which God is doing a mighty work.
- GenresSpirituality
240 pages, Paperback
Published March 20, 2018
4 people are currently reading
31 people want to read
About the author
Marlo Schalesky
19 books73 followersMarlo Schalesky is the founder and president of Wonder Wood Ranch, a California charitable organization that brings hope through horses to at-risk, gang-impacted, homeless, and other disadvantaged kids in Monterey County. She is also the award winning author of twelve books, including her latest nonfiction, WOMEN OF THE BIBLE SPEAK OUT, Stories of Betrayal, Abuse, Healing & Hope (2020), as well as Reaching for Wonder, Encountering Christ When Life Hurts, Waiting for Wonder, Learning to Live on God’s Timeline, Wrestling with Wonder, a Transformational Journey through the Life of Mary, and Empty Womb, Aching Heart, Hope and Help for those Struggling with Infertility. Her fiction includes RITA finalist Shades of Morning, the Christy Award winning Beyond the Night, and ACFW Book of the Year winner Veil of Fire.
She’s had over 1,000 articles published in various Christian magazines, including Focus on the Family, Today’s Christian Woman, Decision, Moody Magazine, and Discipleship Journal. She has contributed to Dr. Dobson’s Night Light Devotional for Couples, Tyndale’s Book of Devotions for Kids #3, and Discipleship Journal’s 101 Small Group Ideas.
She is a speaker, with appearances on Focus on the Family, Moody Midday, 100 Huntley Street, The Harvest Show, and hundreds of others. She is also a regular columnist for Power for Living.
Marlo is also a California native, a graduate of Stanford University (with a B.S. in Chemistry!). In addition, she has earned her Masters in Theology, with an emphasis in Biblical Studies, from Fuller Theological Seminary.
After twenty years on the infertility journey, and numerous miscarriages, Marlo now lives with her husband, six children, and fifty-some critters in a log home in Central California.
When she’s not cleaning up after critters of all kinds, doing laundry, or writing books, Marlo loves white mochas, reading the New Testament in Greek, and speaking to groups about finding the wonder of God in everyday life.
She’s had over 1,000 articles published in various Christian magazines, including Focus on the Family, Today’s Christian Woman, Decision, Moody Magazine, and Discipleship Journal. She has contributed to Dr. Dobson’s Night Light Devotional for Couples, Tyndale’s Book of Devotions for Kids #3, and Discipleship Journal’s 101 Small Group Ideas.
She is a speaker, with appearances on Focus on the Family, Moody Midday, 100 Huntley Street, The Harvest Show, and hundreds of others. She is also a regular columnist for Power for Living.
Marlo is also a California native, a graduate of Stanford University (with a B.S. in Chemistry!). In addition, she has earned her Masters in Theology, with an emphasis in Biblical Studies, from Fuller Theological Seminary.
After twenty years on the infertility journey, and numerous miscarriages, Marlo now lives with her husband, six children, and fifty-some critters in a log home in Central California.
When she’s not cleaning up after critters of all kinds, doing laundry, or writing books, Marlo loves white mochas, reading the New Testament in Greek, and speaking to groups about finding the wonder of God in everyday life.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 9, 2018
I love the honesty in Marlo Schalesky's book "Reaching for Wonder," where she tackles issues of doubt, shame, isolation, and guilt. I love how she writes from her heart, and how she intertwines real life struggles with poignant narratives of Bible stories that touched my heart. I read this book with a pen in hand, underlining sentences and paragraphs that encouraged me. This book is a keeper -- and also one that I'll share with others.
October 31, 2018
5 stars
Marlo Schalesky has quickly become one of my favorite Christian Living authors. Waiting for Wonder was amazing, and Reaching for Wonder can claim the same. I love how deep Mrs. Schalesky dives into the topics she broaches. They aren’t easy, but they challenge me to go deeper with Jesus than I ever have before. I read her books with my Bible and a highlighter handy, because I now I’ll want to mark and look up stuff along the way. I especially like how she gave bonus Scriptures to look up at the beginning of each chapter, though some of them only mentioned the chapter rather than the specific verses. That turned it into a bit of a treasure hunt! This book had me laughing, sighing, weeping, and grinning from ear to ear. It took me on a wild, deep journey, and I found freedom and refreshing of hope. It can do the same for you as you Reach for God’s Wonder.
Marlo Schalesky has quickly become one of my favorite Christian Living authors. Waiting for Wonder was amazing, and Reaching for Wonder can claim the same. I love how deep Mrs. Schalesky dives into the topics she broaches. They aren’t easy, but they challenge me to go deeper with Jesus than I ever have before. I read her books with my Bible and a highlighter handy, because I now I’ll want to mark and look up stuff along the way. I especially like how she gave bonus Scriptures to look up at the beginning of each chapter, though some of them only mentioned the chapter rather than the specific verses. That turned it into a bit of a treasure hunt! This book had me laughing, sighing, weeping, and grinning from ear to ear. It took me on a wild, deep journey, and I found freedom and refreshing of hope. It can do the same for you as you Reach for God’s Wonder.
April 1, 2018
I started reading Reaching for Wonder: Encountering Christ When Life Hurts at a perfect time in my life. It wasn't planned that way (by me); it just happened to be among the next books that I needed to review at the time. Yet it was exactly what I needed to read at that moment.
Marlo Schalesky does a fine job of relating the experience several individuals had with Christ at the darkest times of their lives. Schalesky writes from their point of view, and then reviews the meaning of each of the encounters to us in present day.
The writing style is very natural, flows well, and is warm and comforting. I didn't know I needed this book until I read it. It's one I will keep and reread throughout the remainder of my life.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Abingdon Press for allowing me to read and review this book in exchange for an unbiased opinion.
Marlo Schalesky does a fine job of relating the experience several individuals had with Christ at the darkest times of their lives. Schalesky writes from their point of view, and then reviews the meaning of each of the encounters to us in present day.
The writing style is very natural, flows well, and is warm and comforting. I didn't know I needed this book until I read it. It's one I will keep and reread throughout the remainder of my life.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Abingdon Press for allowing me to read and review this book in exchange for an unbiased opinion.
July 30, 2018
As with her previous book, Waiting for Wonder, I was inspired by this book by Marlo Schalesky. Marlo writes well as she imagines the fleshed-out stories of several Bible characters who had encounters with Jesus of Nazareth. She points out the reactions of these people and how their lives were possibly affected. The best part for me was how these stories applied to my own life, which is the really important reason for studying Scripture. Marlo continually reminds us that it is Jesus Christ who is the Author and Finisher of our faith. He is always with us, no matter how we fail or how weak we may be. I recommend it for personal or group study.
I received a free copy of this book from Amazon Vine in exchange for my honest review.
I received a free copy of this book from Amazon Vine in exchange for my honest review.
May 2, 2018
"The Bible gives us a single encounter, a brief moment in time in which a person in pain encountered a Messiah, a Savior. A single instance of what it looks like to see His face in the hardest times of life" - Marlo Schalesky
What a beautifully written book! I absolutely love the Gospels in the Bible and love reading books that take a good look into everything Jesus said and did. This book was a pleasure to read and flowed beautifully. My favourite chapter was 4 which looked at Luke 7:11-17 and the book of Job.
*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
What a beautifully written book! I absolutely love the Gospels in the Bible and love reading books that take a good look into everything Jesus said and did. This book was a pleasure to read and flowed beautifully. My favourite chapter was 4 which looked at Luke 7:11-17 and the book of Job.
*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
May 26, 2018
Reaching for Wonder walks readers through multiple encounters with Jesus as recorded in the gospels. Marlo Schalesky digs deep to bring out hidden nuances that shed light on what these stories mean for us. She personalizes each story—for the people Jesus touched, for herself, and for readers. Even if you choose to read Reaching for Wonder straight through as I did, it is a resource to return to when life’s hurts and disappointments threaten to overwhelm our faith.
March 29, 2018
This book is an excellent and easy read on encountering Jesus in our everyday lives. The chapters are easy to digest, and each chapter includes reflections and prayers for a deeper connection with Jesus. I found myself highlighting and rereading several passages in the text, and I really enjoyed this book. It was just the reminder I needed to seek Jesus in this Easter season.
May 20, 2020
Life is HARD. It’s a journey that has peaks and beautiful vistas, but it also has dark valleys where we can barely remember what the sun looks like. Sometimes it seems as if those valleys will never end. This book looks carefully and deeply at the Jesus we see in the New Testament and how he interacts with those who are facing things that were more than they could bear. Here we find the real Jesus is not a “just have faith and it will be okay” type of God. He is a breath-taking, vivid God who meets us in the times of trouble and encounters us in ways we often don't expect, in ways that not only comfort but change us and draw us deeper into relationship with him.
Great for individual study or groups. Discussion questions available for free download at www.marloschalesky.com/nonfiction
Great for individual study or groups. Discussion questions available for free download at www.marloschalesky.com/nonfiction
April 15, 2018
Reaching for Wonder - Marlo Schalesky
Marlo Schalesky is an author of several Christian books and is a Christian minister living with her husband in California. This is the first book I have encountered by this author, but I will be on the lookout for others written by her.
I enjoyed this book very much. In its 14 chapters, the author follows a similar format in each chapter. Each is based around a New Testament, all of these concern healing. After retelling the story in her own words, the author draws attention to small points in the Bible selection, to help us achieving our own encounters with God and in believing for our own healings.
This book has just been published, on April 7th, so I would challenge anyone to search it out. It is particularly appropriate for people who are believing for a healing.
Marlo Schalesky is an author of several Christian books and is a Christian minister living with her husband in California. This is the first book I have encountered by this author, but I will be on the lookout for others written by her.
I enjoyed this book very much. In its 14 chapters, the author follows a similar format in each chapter. Each is based around a New Testament, all of these concern healing. After retelling the story in her own words, the author draws attention to small points in the Bible selection, to help us achieving our own encounters with God and in believing for our own healings.
This book has just been published, on April 7th, so I would challenge anyone to search it out. It is particularly appropriate for people who are believing for a healing.
January 1, 2019
Reaching for Wonder by Marlo Schalesky is a book that will challenge you to the core. The author speaks for very real pain and shows how we can reach for God through the pain. In every circumstance, we can reach for God and find Him. She examines stories in the Bible and shows how the hurting reached for Jesus and found what they needed. I highly recommend this book. It will stay with you. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews