Deus Misereatur

When death comes crashing into a family, little ones are seriously impacted. They aren’t able to express all their feelings, nor know how to deal with the mixture of emotions they’re experiencing. It could be the death of a beloved pet, or the loss of a favorite auntie, or – heaven forbid – the passing of mom or dad. Oh, the uncertainty, grief, and confusion that may come! Darby Strickland, a Christian counselor and author, has given parents, grandparents, and guardians a resource to help them work with their little one through the emotions. “Something Sad Happened: Helping Children with Grief” is a 32-page children’s book that is part of New Growth Press’s “Comfort for Children in Hard Times” series. It is brightly and beautifully illustrated by Thaís Mesquita. The woodsy scene is populated by birds, a chipmunk, an owl, and a few other outdoor animals. The story gathers around Sunny, a young blue bird who has just lost a dear friend, Wren. Mama bird notices that Sunny is now not so ...

  Young ones and little ones can be traumatized too! I know someone very close to me who, when she was a little child, saw a step-father do things to her mother that still trouble this close relative of mine, half a century later. So I was delighted when New Growth Press asked to me to read and review this children's book, "Something Scary Happened (Comfort for Children in Hard Times)". Darby Strickland is a Christian counselor who has dealt with many abused and traumatized clients. She brings her experience and background to tell a story of a little lamb who experiences something rotten. This 32-page glossy kids hardback is perfect for moms, dads, grandparents or Sunday School teachers, to sit down with the little lamb wriggling at their feet, and read out loud to them. And the bright and lively illustrations by the Italian artist/illustrator, Carlotta Notaro, will keep everyone's attention. The little lamb, Miles, is full of energy and fun and exploration. Most kids...

  Is It Abuse? A Biblical Guide to Identifying Domestic Abuse and Helping Victims Darby Strickland P&R Publishing Prpbooks.com ISBN: 9781629956947; 16 September 2020; $19.99   Domestic abuse has been an important subject to me as a man, as a Christian, and as a Presbyterian minister, for several years. Therefore, I was delighted when Darby Strickland, a counselor and teacher at Christian Counseling and Education Foundation (CCEF), and Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing asked me to be part of a “launch team” for Strickland’s new 360-page paperback coming out in a few days: “Is It Abuse? A Biblical Guide to Identifying Domestic Abuse and Helping Victims”. As soon as I received the electronic galley copy, I jumped in with both feet and was not disappointed. It is written in a comfortable style easily digestible by anyone who will take it up and read. But it is written primarily for those who desire to stand beside and help victims of domestic abuse. Therefore, t...

Domestic Abuse: Help for the Sufferer by Darby A. Strickland My rating: 5 of 5 stars You find out that your loved one is being berated by their spouse, verbally and emotionally beat into submission. Your Christian neighbor comes over to talk, and begins to pour out their heart describing how their spouse demands their submission, even quoting the Scriptures that talk about male headship, spiritually pounding them into shame. What help can you give, if any? Maybe you find yourself in a cycle of physical, verbal, or emotional violence that comes around after a season of apologies, flowers and sweets. You start noticing that the next stage is the increase of blame from your significant other - "If you hadn't have burned the toast, I wouldn't have exploded like that," or some-such. All of these situations and more are covered in Darby Strickland's "Domestic Abuse: Help for the Sufferer." This small booklet is crammed full of helpful information, heartfel...

Domestic Abuse: Recognize, Respond, Rescue by Darby A. Strickland My rating: 5 of 5 stars Wow! Just plain wow! Darby Strickland, a Christian Counselor who teaches Counseling Abusive Marriages,through CCEF's School of Biblical Counseling, has penned a potent and profitable manuscript, and packaged it in this 52 page mini-book. The subject is serious, the content constructive, and the tone is tutorial. Strickland begins with an opening scene where "Clint" and "Ashley" are sitting in her office beginning counseling...actually, she's the sixth counselor they've seen. The author is caught completely off guard by the tactics "Clint" uses to cover up his own oppressive conduct and actions. It took several sessions before she realized what was happening and the danger "Ashley" was in. I almost fell out of my chair as I was reading this scene, because it followed a pattern I too had experienced a few short years ago. Then I sat up and st...