Don't Waste the Pain

Learning to Grow Through Suffering

by David Lyons and Linda Lyons Richardson

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Are there benefits to pain and suffering?

Description: Everyone experiences pain in their lives. But how we handle it and what we do with it makes all the difference.

In Don’t Waste the Pain, you'll see how two people dealing with life-threatening illnesses and the loss of a child found joy and peace in the midst of their suffering.

Through intimate journal writings and personal reflections, you will learn that faith and spiritual growth can come out of brokenness, pain, and grief.

Don't Waste the Pain

“The amazing thing about childlike faith is not only that you believe without doubt, but you accept no without questions.” Suffering and pain often affect the faith of Christians. It is sometimes difficult to understand why God would allow good people to experience horrible things. Siblings David Lyons and Linda Lyons Richardson address this topic in their book, Don’t Waste the Pain: Learning to Grow Through Suffering. As Linda learns her ovarian cancer has returned, David’s 12-year-old son is diagnosed with a serious form of cancer that kills 98 percent of its victims. David and Linda explain how these depressing circumstances and seemingly unanswered prayers are all part of God’s larger plan. Much of the book consists of entries from David and Linda’s personal journals that document the pain they are each suffering. It demonstrates how they were able to maintain their faith. The lessons from this book are very inspirational and touching. David and Linda teach readers how to grow spiritually through painful and dark times. This is a great read for anyone experiencing difficult times. I highly recommend Don’t Waste the Pain to others. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
Posted by Destiny on 1/31/2011 11:40:03 PM

Do not miss this book...and do not waste your pain.

Last night I finished reading what I believe may be the most important book I read all year...maybe from this point forward. Written by brother and sister team David Lyons and Linda Lyons Richardson, this book puts pain in its proper place, and will change how you view suffering. "Don't Waste The Pain" shares two separate journeys: David's journey through his 12-year-old son's cancer, and Linda's own 10 year battle against cancer. Each shares from personal journals and online writings, as well as letters and notes from family and friends. Their stories are painful to read, and you'll wonder how in the world David and his sister Linda could ever survive, much less thrive, through these dark valleys of pain and suffering. The answer is simply this: Jesus. Through multiple testimonies and massive amounts of Scripture, David and Linda point the way to the Savior, and even thank God for the cancer that brought these powerful lessons into their lives. At the writing of this book, David had been walking through grief a mere few months, and Linda was diagnosed yet again with another form of cancer. But their faith and assurance in a blessed hope that lives here and now rings out loudly in the pages of their stories. I was in awe of the power of God shining through David's life as he wrote page after page of his experiences with cancer and struggle, yet continued to glorify and praise God. This is no Pollyanna tale...this is real, hard, gritty living that proves the truth of Scripture in a way that cannot be ignored. As I read this, a dear family in our church fought against this dreaded disease, and as I finished the book, their son WON his battle with cancer, leaving it behind as he journeyed to his home in Heaven. I sought answers in the pages of David's and Linda's book...and receive more than I could have asked for. No matter what kind of pain or suffering you are dealing with: health, financial, spiritual, emotional, whatever causes you pain... ...don't waste it. Let God meet you there and teach you glorious things that will inspire you to share with others and to bring Him honor through it all. I will never see a trial the same way again. And nothing I've endured can compare to the journeys David and Linda have taken. But I feel encouraged, refreshed and renewed after reading their book. My heart aches for them, no doubt about it. No one wants to wrestle with pain, especially the pain of cancer...but we can win. We have won. And God gets glory when we refuse to waste our pain. My thanks to my friends at NavPress for my copy of this amazing book, and to David and Linda for having the courage to seek God in all things and then to share it with us. I'm giving "Don't Waste the Pain" the Golden Bookmark for Writing Excellence and Authenticity, as well as voting it "Best Non-Fiction of 2011". Do not miss this book...and do not waste your pain. Happy Reading!
Posted by Deena Peterson on 1/24/2011 7:45:46 PM

Personal and Profound

I got this book so I could pass it on to my mom – a woman who has suffered much throughout her life. Two days after I had finished reading it, she was in a violent car accident that left her in critical condition and in a coma… and it suddenly became a book that was meant for me. Before this, I had read the book from an emotional distance. Now, reading words like: “Naive trust says, ‘God will always work out things the way I want them to be,’…But seasoned trust says, ‘God might hurt me, but I trust Him anyway,’” stung my untrusting heart and challenged me in ways I was unprepared for. I was forced to consider the unthinkable and examine my faith critically. Wasn’t this book supposed to be for my mom…? How do you keep putting one foot in front of the other while battling cancer year after year? How do you continue to breathe after losing a child to cancer? The authors answer these questions honestly. Their stories were put into book form while their wounds were still open and their pain still raw. You will not find pat answers and the “Christian-ese” expressions we Christians are so good at reciting, but honest answers to the tough questions and a healing balm of hope for the broken heart. This book is for anyone who has had pain in the past, who is suffering now and even for those for whom life seems great. Some lessons are only learned through suffering, but by reading the authors’ journeys from agony and despair to hope and healing, your heart can be better prepared should that suffering come to you. It has been five and a half weeks since my mom’s accident and, while she will be in hospital for many more weeks and may never fully recover from her injuries, I have learned that “Our hearts ache, but we always have joy” (2 Corinthians 6:10, NLT). I give this book five stars out of five.
Posted by Wanda Costinak on 1/19/2011 1:04:30 PM

Seriously, a MUST read...

I had the privilege to read and review this book…I think self-help and books that talk about someone’s suffering and pain can only be one of three things… #1. painful to read… #2. clichéd and cheesy… or #3. well written, relevant, and inspiring… * This book absolutely lands under #3…both authors and very acquainted to pain…David, just recently lost his son to a very aggressive hard to treat cancer and his sister Linda, has been living with cancer for 9 years…their perspective, encouragement, and through this book was invaluable to me… * I was reading this book shortly after I was done with chemotherapy treatments and was having some issues with my blood…I was discouraged that things just kept dragging on, and I carted this book with me to work and doctors appointments soaking in all I could… * Had I read this before getting cancer and going through the last year I am not sure ‘Don’t Waste the Pain’ would have had the same effect on me…I am not sure I would have totally believed all they were saying…but it is all true, and put into a biblical perspective...showing you how Jesus is with you every step, even when you are tired and scared…it is a cheerleader helping you to the finish line… * This would be an amazing book to give to someone who has just been diagnosed with cancer, or is struggling with some other kind of pain…I know I would have loved to receive it… * You can not read this book and leave uninspired…I WILL be reading it again, and sharing it with those that God places on my heart… * Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
Posted by April Best on 1/17/2011 11:27:14 PM

Seriously, a MUST read...

I had the privilege to read and review this book…I think self-help and books that talk about someone’s suffering and pain can only be one of three things… #1. painful to read… #2. clichéd and cheesy… or #3. well written, relevant, and inspiring… * This book absolutely lands under #3…both authors and very acquainted to pain…David, just recently lost his son to a very aggressive hard to treat cancer and his sister Linda, has been living with cancer for 9 years…their perspective, encouragement, and through this book was invaluable to me… * I was reading this book shortly after I was done with chemotherapy treatments and was having some issues with my blood…I was discouraged that things just kept dragging on, and I carted this book with me to work and doctors appointments soaking in all I could… * Had I read this before getting cancer and going through the last year I am not sure ‘Don’t Waste the Pain’ would have had the same effect on me…I am not sure I would have totally believed all they were saying…but it is all true, and put into a biblical perspective...showing you how Jesus is with you every step, even when you are tired and scared…it is a cheerleader helping you to the finish line… * This would be an amazing book to give to someone who has just been diagnosed with cancer, or is struggling with some other kind of pain…I know I would have loved to receive it… * You can not read this book and leave uninspired…I WILL be reading it again, and sharing it with those that God places on my heart…
Posted by April Best on 1/17/2011 11:26:22 PM

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