Life's Healing Choices: Freedom from Your Hurts, Hang-ups, and Habits [Hardcover]

John Baker (Author), Rick Warren (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 21, 2007

LIFE HAPPENS.

Happiness and Healing are yours for the choosing.

We've all been hurt by other people, we've hurt ourselves, and we've hurt others. And as a result, every single one of us ends up with some sort of hurt, hang-up, or habit. But the question we all face is, Where do we go from here?

Life's Healing Choices offers freedom from our hurts, hang-ups, and habits through eight healing choices that promise true happiness and life transformation. Using the Beatitudes of Jesus as a foundation, Senior Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church and John Baker, who is also a pastor at Saddleback, developed the eight choices shared in this book.

In addition to practical, encouraging biblical teaching, each chapter includes two real-life stories of men and women whose lives have been transformed by living out the eight choices in this book. Through making each of these choices, you too will find God's pathway to wholeness, growth, spiritual maturity, happiness, and healing. You'll find real answers, real hope, and a real future -- one healing choice at a time.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A former pastor of the same Saddleback Church that's famous for bestselling author Rick Warren (who provides the foreword), Baker designs an eight-step Christian recovery program geared toward enjoying spiritual freedom from hurts, hangups and bad habits. Baker's book is based on Warren's sermon series Road to Recovery, which has been tested in the lives of more than 400,000 people in 10,000 churches. Baker's eight steps to spiritual freedom (admitting need, getting help, letting go, coming clean, making changes, repairing relationships, maintaining momentum and recycling pain) promise to help Christians overcome many kinds of addictive behaviors. Baker likens them to AA's 12-step program, but clarifies that Christ is the source of lasting change. He writes that as believers refuse to admit their powerlessness to overcome tendencies to do wrong, their lives are fraught with fear, frustration, fatigue and failure. The cure? Admitting weakness with a humble heart; then praying, writing and sharing with others about the problem. Each chapter includes moving narratives of participants in Baker's program who express how its principles changed their lives. These practical, pithy how-tos will galvanize Christians into action with the simplicity of Baker's easy-to-actualize plan. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"You will be inspired, and your life will be changed in dramatic ways as you read through the pages of this book." -- Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life

"Sometimes, recovery, healing, and spiritual growth are talked about as if they are three different topics. What I like about John's work is that he brings them all together, and we find that no matter what our issues, we are all on the same path. Life's Healing Choices will be a help along that path to all who read it." -- Dr. Henry Cloud, author of Boundaries and Integrity

"This is a book whose time has come. John Baker's worldwide ministry and reputation, coupled with a strong biblical approach, make this book a must for anyone who hurts and wants God to heal them. My personal friendship with John and years of involvement in his work have shown me his heart, his calling, and his gifts to the world. I highly recommend this book." - Dr. John Townsend, psychologist, cohost of the New Life Live! radio show, author of Who's Pushing Your Buttons? and coauthor of Boundaries

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Howard Books; First Edition edition (August 21, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416543953
• ISBN-13: 978-1416543954
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #42,314 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John Baker is the founder of Celebrate Recovery®, a ministry born out of the heart of Saddleback Church. Over the last sixteen years, nearly 10,000 individuals have gone through this Christ-centered recovery program at Saddleback. The Celebrate Recovery program is now being used in 12,000 churches nationwide. Over 500,000 individuals have completed the program.

John began serving as a lay pastor at Saddleback in 1991; and in 2001, Rick Warren asked John to become the pastor of Celebrate Recovery. John is a nationally known speaker and trainer in helping churches start Celebrate Recovery ministries.

John and his wife, Cheryl, have been married almost four decades and have served together in Celebrate Recovery since 1991. They have two adult children, Laura and Johnny. Johnny and his wife, Jeni, are the proud parents of John and Cheryl's two granddaughters, Maggie and Chloe.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recovery Revolution, August 11, 2007

By 

Robert Wood (Las Vegas, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Life's Healing Choices: Freedom from Your Hurts, Hang-ups, and Habits (Hardcover)

The fact that we have all made mistakes, we have all been hurt and we have all hurt others makes this book a must read for everyone. John will take you on a journey that will, by the choices that you make along the way, change your life. I hope to see down the road to healing at CR.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book for all people since we all struggle with life's issues., September 11, 2007

By 

Jan Thomas (Las Cruces, New Mexico) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Life's Healing Choices: Freedom from Your Hurts, Hang-ups, and Habits (Hardcover)

John Baker has hit the nail on the head! The church as a whole has not done a great job of helping people who struggle with the issues of life--isn't that all of us? Many people go to church with a happy mask on while struggling with personal or relational issues that are unresolved and keep them from being who God designed them to be.

As Christians we need to be real to heal. When we deny our problems or hide them from others and pretend that all is fine, we block the greatest thing Christ commanded us to do: Love God with all our hearts, souls and minds; and our neighbors as ourselves.

This is a must read for all who need to continue being "transformed into the image of Christ."

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Meets people's needs right where they are!, September 12, 2007

By 

Long Creek Community Church "Pastor Richard" (Long Creek, Oregon) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Life's Healing Choices: Freedom from Your Hurts, Hang-ups, and Habits (Hardcover)

Let me say from the start that I love Celebrate Recovery and the ministry of John Baker. I have seen the most incredible life change in people's lives through the Biblical teaching of Celebrate Recovery.

Not everyone is going to take a look at CR in person, but they might be willing to read a book at home. I think that as start reading and they start seeing what is possible, they will want all that is being offered to them here.

I know that during times of anger, depression, stresses that the verses that used with this program have helped me, and helped me grow in my relationship with God.

I don't care what a problem is that people are struggling with, it is a great tool, to help everyone with their hurts, habits and hangups.

John, thanks for writing this book. Thanks for your ministry!