Imagine confiding from the pew, “I can’t win the battle over my lustful desires,” or “I’ve committed the same stinking sin fifty plus times this week, and right now, I want to go do it again” or even “I’m on every medication known to man for depression… and I’m getting worse.”

Being already the fan of JS Park’s writing at The Way Everlasting, I was super-excited to hear of his new book, What the Church Won’t Talk About. It did not disappoint. As a matter of fact, I found myself glued to its pages as believer after believer poured forth questions ranging anywhere from issues of lust to relational concerns, from discouragement to religious dependence.

The fascinating gift this author wields is the ability to not only answer these questions, but to answer them with amazing grace that only finds its source in Christ.

When discussing the unlovable, JS carries the reader from understanding that “True love only loves the truly unlovable,” revealing “However bad this person is, you are probably just as bad, if not worse,” to the conclusion “No one is really unlovable,” and “Love is defined as the self-sacrificial effort of pouring out your life for another.“

“Love says: I’ve seen the ugly parts of you, and I’m staying.” –Matt Chandler

 When dealing with sexual sins, the author offers, “There are no magic words to turn off lust. There’s nothing I could say that would make you want purity without turning you into a self-whipping flagellator. The only way to beat this is to circumvent your desires towards a greater desire, so that you are funneling your energy into the perfect will of Christ. It’s a messy process, for sure, but it’s one you can start today.”

This is a great read! Even if you don’t struggle with some of the sins discussed in this book, how valuable is it to know you are walking side by side with many others who do? In one place I have called JS Park the Esther of our day, one raised up for just a time as this, one who is honest enough to hear the painful questions being asked, and respond with grace, in the place where our brethren are. I also encouraged, “Buy this book!” “You will thank me, but more so the author, later.”