In Every Pew Sits a Broken Heart

Hope for the Hurting

By: Ruth Graham

Narrated by: Ruth Graham

Length: 4 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

Ruth Graham - daughter of beloved evangelist Billy Graham - offers a guide for those who are hurting or those who love them. She illustrates through personal stories and Scripture how nothing can keep you from experiencing the fullness of God's grace. Run with Ruth to the arms of the God you can trust, the Father God who embraces, sustains, and redeems your brokenness.

Ruth Graham has discovered through bitter personal experience that God does his great work in the ruins of our lives. As Ruth's life descended through divorce, depression, and shame; as she bore heartrending parental struggles; and as she faltered trying to make wise choices in the wake of bad ones, she discovered the unending embrace of a faithful, forgiving, and grace-filled God.

This book surpasses the testimony of her fascinating story as she brings sharp new insight from the Word of God for all who fear their actions may be beyond forgiveness or their broken circumstances may keep them from being used by God ever again. Through the words of Jeremiah - the weeping prophet - Ruth reveals the God who makes wasted places come to life. You'll explore the parable of the Prodigal Son as never before as Ruth discloses her own likeness to each character:

• The indignant older brother, struggling to understand God’s grace toward her husband's infidelity
• The prodigal, wading through the deep shame and painful circumstances of her own actions
• The father, running to embrace her children in the midst of bulimia, drug abuse, and unplanned pregnancy

Ruth includes practical steps in every chapter anyone can take to offer care, support, and hope to the broken people they encounter in their lives and in the pews beside them every Sunday.

©2004 Ruth Graham (P)2004 The Zondervan Corporation

Critic reviews

"A heartening read." (Publishers Weekly)

just what I needed

I so enjoyed it, I listened to it twice. I kept pen and paper handy to jot down scripture.

Could I have a copy of Marcos Bible?

Marcos wrote an earlier review chastising Ms. Graham for making a difficult moral decision concerning her daughter and grand-daughter. Marcos gives a low rating for the book, and suggests that we should "Read the Bible" instead.

I have spent a certain amount of time reading the Bible, alone and with others in community. We've agonized from time to time about difficult life situations, and turned to God's Word for answers. Sometimes we've found them -- sometimes we haven't.

Marcos must have a wonderfully indexed (or perhaps underlined) Bible that gives direct answers to good readers. Where does he find the Biblical answer to the question of adoption? Where does he find scriptural support for his belief (not God's) that the sins of the children should be visited upon the parents, and that Ruth Graham ought to have been "more sacrificial" which I understand to mean that Marcos thinks she should have taken on the burden of a family rather than encouraging adoption.

Arrogant. And not a helpful review. I'd like his opinion of the book, not on the role of women in 'sacrificing' their lives.

Understanding

I felt the author Ruth Graham was telling a part of my life's story. Great narration & passion in this story.

Everyone can associate with this

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

yes because never think you are untouchable

What did you like best about this story?

Her testimony and the fact that Ruth is reading the book herself

Have you listened to any of Ruth Graham’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no not yet

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

In every pew is a broken heart

Any additional comments?

This was a great great listen and a must for all human beings

Trials of my life

This book is based on how Ruth Graham sought out the meaning of her life & God had intended for her. Using the scripture she was able to determine Gods love & meaning of all the things that did not well in her life.

Open and Honest

I enjoyed this book. The author especially being from a famous Christian family was transparent about their lives. In the religious world we try to give a different version of what life really is. We’re not exempt from the same problems anyone who is not a Christian has. It’s how we choose to handle them that makes a difference.

The author's transparency is appreciated.

The author shared her struggles and how God was there for her through every stage. This wasn't a "trust God and everything will work out well for you" kind of book which is appreciated. So often the message we need is keep trusting though life is tough.

Refreshing!

How refreshing to hear the humility and honesty of Ruth! She is a gift to the body of Christ and her message is overdue!

abridged...ugh!

This book reminds me about the problems with abridged recordings. I found the book interesting, but uneven. Having not read the book, I don't know if that's because of the editing. I wish they'd offered it in an unabridged form.

Do whatever you want and use God as an excuse

Hard to be inspired by the story. After suffering with her husband's infidelity, the author seems to use God as an excuse to justify her own decisions and do whatever she wants, later painting everything with a coating of piety.
Disappointed.