The Grand Project of Salvation
The Swedish writer Fredrick Backman’s 2012 debut novel A Man Called Ove is the tale of a man who sees no reason to live. After the death of his wife (the one person who brought him laughter, intimacy, and joy) and after losing his job, Ove plots his suicide. But then he’s drawn into the larger story around him: There’s a pregnant woman who needs his support, a neighbor in conflict with authorities who are trying to force him into a nursing home, and a young man estranged from his father. Ove discovers reasons to live as he moves beyond himself and toward others.
Here’s Hope
Amy Bleuel tried to end her life after years of mistreatment and heartbreak. She was 6 when her parents divorced and her stepmother began abusing her. At 13, she was sexually assaulted and blamed for the crime. At 18, her father committed suicide. Addiction and more personal trauma followed. Yet Amy’s faith in Jesus enabled her to survive. In time, she founded a support group for people with similar struggles—The Semicolon Project. Its message is simple, but powerful: “A semicolon is used when an author could have chosen to end their sentence, but chose not to. The author is you, and the semicolon is your life.”
All Alone
The familiar darkness of clinical depression rolled over Leigh as she sat on the edge of the bed holding a revolver—tormenting voices urging her to pull the trigger. As a Christian wife and mom, she knew this picture was all wrong, but the consuming illness had clouded her mind. Apart from her husband and doctor, no one knew of the daily struggle she faced. Leigh slowly put the gun down, walked out the room, and chose to begin reaching out and sharing her story with others.
greater than our shame
God is greater than our shame. Because Saul failed to realize this, his life ended tragically. The Israelites were engaged in a fierce battle and suffered defeat at the hands of the Philistines on Mt. Gilboa. That day, the Philistines killed Saul’s three sons and wounded him. Humiliation, torture, and death were likely to follow his capture. Unable to endure the shame, Saul committed suicide. Beneath this desperate act, however, lurked the larger and the darker issues of disloyalty and disobedience to God.
work
The first thing you notice are the nets. They stretch tautly between buildings, hung to catch workers who might attempt to leap to their deaths. This is Foxconn, the behemoth factory in Shenzhen, China, where throngs of young Chinese manufacture iPads, iPhones, and computers for the world. As the nets attest, the job isn’t always fulfilling.
blessings on the mourners
A man with whom I attended college committed suicide recently. He killed himself on the 3-year anniversary of the day his wife died. He left behind a video in which he told how heartbroken he had been and of the many ways he had attempted to assuage his sorrow. I’m sad for my friend. I’m sorry for his pain and…
sustained
Several years ago, I had the privilege of interviewing Tony Dungy’s wife, Lauren, for Sports Spectrum Magazine. At the time, Tony was the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and—based on his faith, integrity, and contributions on and off the field—was highly esteemed by his players, community, and the National Football League (NFL).
Yet, though deeply blessed, Lauren said she…
you choose Q: "will a believer in Jesus enter heaven if he commits suicide?"
Q: What does the Bible say about suicide? Will that person enter heaven if he/she was a believer but took their own life? —Denise
A: While some churches have taught that those who take their own lives do not go to heaven because of the unforgivable act of self-murder, there is not biblical evidence to suggest that the final desperate…
escape
The bold print in a local news story caught my eye: “Increase in suicide rates in Singapore, male suicides double that of female.” The report goes on to say, “According to some psychiatrists, the higher number of suicides among men is not an unusual trend. . . . When it comes to dealing with their problems, men don’t tend to…
a friend in dark places
The Gap, a towering, jagged cliff near Australia’s Sydney Harbor, has the notorious distinction of being the spot where many people have gone to commit suicide. A simple invitation from a kindly stranger (“Why don’t you come and have a cup of tea?”), however, has thwarted numerous attempts. For 50 years, Don Ritchie has lived across the street from The…
a different Christmas
With gifts wrapped and under the tree, Christmas Eve came to a close. God’s goodness had been evident, but this year was different. Unfolding blankets and sheets, my husband and I created beds of the two couches in our family room. My husband’s parents, who live in town, were using our bedroom upstairs. Three months earlier, their oldest son—and only…
