In light of last week’s series I’ve been thinking about books and videos that helped me in processing my relationship with dad and discovering Gods father heart of love. Because I still find them incredibly valuable, I decided to share them with you.
There are seven specific resources I think of in relation to dealing with father wounds, finding the heart of God, and becoming the man He intended me to be.
1. Wild at heart (book and DVD series)
This book and DVD series was the first place I realized that it’s common for men to be wounded by their fathers. John Eldredge and his “band of brothers” powerfully walked me through the process of acknowledging the wound, finding healing and then discovering who I am in Christ and what God designed me for.
2. Hearts Alive! Ministries
I am tremendously grateful for Don Showalter’s counseling ministry and the time and energy he gave to me and many more like me. Sometimes we need help processing these issues. Don led me to Jesus where I discovered God’s Father heart of love for me.
3. The Fathers Love Letter
This is a simple video of scripture organized in the form of a letter from God to His children. It’s full of truth about the Father’s heart of love for you.
4. The Book of John
This is likely my favorite book of the Bible because it’s primarily focused on proving Gods heart to man through Jesus. The book of John came alive to me after my time with Don, and every year since then I keep discovering radical truths. This is a good book to go to when we need help putting to together how obedience to God and love for God coincide while also understanding that God’s love for us isn’t dependent on our love first for Him. (Also study the book of 1 John).
5. Finding God
Finding God, by Dr. Larry Crabb, is one of the the most influential books in my life next to the Bible. He explains how our biggest problem in life is doubting God. We doubt God is good. And pain has more to do with our doubting God’s goodness than with how much it hurts. When we live out of doubt, life doesn’t make sense. We are self-focused and can’t connect deeply with others because we do everything we can to protect ourselves.
This is my biggest struggle. I find it’s so easy to live out of self-protection. But Dr. Crabb helped me better understand what it means to trust God and live with an others-focused heart.
6. The Silence of Adam
Another Crabb book, The Silence of Adam helped me understand how to be a man of courage in a world of chaos. This book showed me how I can move into the lives of people around me, specifically my family, and demonstrate to them God’s heart of love, restoration, and relationship.
7. Fathered by God
This book is a reprinting of The Way of the Wild Heart. It takes you beyond discovering the wild heart, to how you can live out the wild heart. It helps you process things your Dad couldn’t give you and how God wants to initiate you into manhood.
Get Them for Yourself
Finding healing is a journey and all journeys are different. Mine included these seven tools. Maybe they can be helpful for you as well. If you would like to check the books out, they are available on Amazon. Just click the links below (Affiliate):
- Wild at Heart Revised and Updated: Discovering the Secret of a Man’s Soul (Book)
- Wild at Heart Video Discussions (DVD series)
- Finding God: Moving Through Your Problems Toward
- Men of Courage: God’s Call to Move Beyond the Silence of Adam (Updated version of the Silence of Adam)
- Fathered by God: Learning What Your Dad Could Never Teach You
You can also watch the Father’s Love Letter by clicking here.
