A Giveaway: Never Give Up: My Life and God’s Mercy

{Congratulations to Jennifer T. for winning the giveaway!!}

I’m thrilled to introduce you to my latest book giveaway:

An autographed copy of Never Give Up: My Life and God’s Mercy by John Janaro  

There is so much I could say…. Personally, I find this book resonates with me on so many levels that, as John mentions below in his message to us, I feel the need to hand it out to everyone I know. And maybe even people I don’t.

In his simple, humble and unassuming way, John Janaro takes us on a little trip through his life. He starts by introducing us to his world – that of suffering from Lyme Disease, depression and OCD. He gives us the meat of the matter, the things we maybe always wanted to know, but never knew who to ask. Or maybe thing we’ve felt ourselves, and thought we were the only ones. But then… he doesn’t stop. John doesn’t leave us there in a pity party. “Oh, poor me. Oh, poor John.” Oh no, he takes everything right on up and, as God always allows us if we let him, he shows us how even this difficult life can reveal God’s face. His mercy and His love. You’re just going to have to go read the book to find out how. You won’t regret it.

I personally think this is a book everyone should read, regardless of whether one has suffered from mental illness or not. We all know someone who has. Or we will. This book gives us a peak, both into the heart of a person, but also into the heart of our most merciful God.

Here are a few words from others about the book:

“A personal testimony of gratitude to God who has sustained me throughout my confused, distracted, and often difficult life.” –From the Introduction

“Some human suffering cannot be fixed. Maybe yours is like that, or maybe you have a family member or friend in that situation. John Janaro’s been there–in fact, still is there. His struggles with debilitating illness, chronic depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder could easily bring on a massive case of self-pity, but Janaro has found a better way to live. If you’re thinking of retreating into your private world of pain–or if you know someone who has–this book will help you see how God’s fidelity, the small wonders of daily life, a dose of humor, and the simple kindness of others can bring light into the darkness.”

I asked John to write us a message, introducing us to his book and what we might gain from reading it. Here’s what he said:

“First of all, the book deals with issues of physical and mental health that a lot of people can relate to, because they have these problems themselves, or because they live with someone who has problems like these–a spouse, a child, a friend, a parent, etc. This alone applies to a very large audience, and many people who deal with chronic illness in various ways have told me how much the book has helped them. So often I hear that a person reads the book, and then buys multiple copies to send to friends or relatives in the hope that it might be encouraging or enlightening to them also.

But on a more fundamental level, everybody can relate to the book, because everybody suffers personally. I really hope that people will read the book and discover their own relationship with Jesus. My story is just a framework for what I have learned (a little bit) about the mercy of God; the mercy that He pours out on all of us, that sustains us in our lives and brings us to our destiny.”

John Janaro is Associate Professor Emeritus of Theology at Christendom College. He is a Catholic theologian, and a writer, researcher, and lecturer on issues in religion and culture, and the role of faith in daily life. His most recent book is *Never Give Up: My Life and God’s Mercy* (Servant/Franciscan Media), in which he reflects on the power of the love of God in his own circumstances and struggles with chronic illness. He is married to Eileen Janaro and has five children.

Here’s how to enter the giveaway:

• Leave a comment below before 5 PM on Monday, March 4, 2013
  
• Be sure that you like my Facebook page, and subscribe to my blog feed via email.
• Winners will be announced later that evening.  One entry per person, please.
• You must have a valid email address, which I promise not to use for anything other than this giveaway.

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