The Desert Experience: Personal Reflections on Finding God's Presence and Promise in Hard Times

At one time or another, every Christian goes through a period which is referred to as a "desert experience"?a time when they feel forsaken by God, in doubt about what God would have them do, a period of darkness of the soul. Many, during those times, feel they are alone in this experience, but this thought-provoking book shows readers that they are not alone?that in fact, many well-known Christians have been there also. Featuring personal testimonies from each contributor, The Desert Experience offers readers encouragement and valuable lessons from those who have made it through the "desert"?lessons of hope, humility, goodwill, and the sovereignty of God?all lessons necessary for the maturing of a Christian.

Tommy Barnett is senior pastor of the Phoenix First Church, one of America’s largest churches with 15,000 in weekly attendance. He’s the cofounder of the Los Angeles Dream Center which inspired the development of nearly 200 Dream Centers around the world, most recently the New York Dream Center. Tommy is a highly sought after speaker and is author of many books, including Hidden Power. He lives with his wife Marja in Phoenix, Arizona.

Jill Briscoe was born in Liverpool, England, in 1935. Educated at Cambridge, she taught school for a number of years before marrying Stuart and raising their three children. In addition to sharing with her husband in ministry with Torchbearers at Capernwray in England, and in pastoring a church in the United States for thirty years, Jill has written more than forty books, travelled on every continent teaching and encouraging, served on the boards of Christianity Today and World Relief, and now acts as executive editor of a magazine for women called Just Between Us. Jill can be heard regularly on the worldwide media ministry Telling the Truth. She is proud to be called “Nana” by thirteen grandchildren.

Jack W. Hayford is currently the President and Rector of the King's Seminary in Van Nuys, California. For 30 years he served as the founding pastor of the Church on the Way. He is also the president of the International Four Square Church. Among many of his more than 40 books, are: "Foundations for Living" and Bless Your Children", awarded with the Christian Publishers Book Award.

Gordon MacDonald has been a pastor and author for more than fifty years.  He serves as Chancellor at Denver Seminary, as editor-at-large for Leadership Journal, and as a speaker at leadership conferences around the world. His books includeBuilding Below the Waterline, Who Stole My Church, A Resilient Life, and Ordering Your Private World.  Gordon and his wife, Gail, live in New Hampshire.

John C. Maxwell is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, coach, and speaker who has sold more than 33 million books in fifty languages. He has been identified as the #1 leader in business and the most influential leadership expert in the world. His organizations - the John Maxwell Company, The John Maxwell Team, EQUIP, and the John Maxwell Leadership Foundation - have translated his teachings into seventy languages and used them to  train millions of leaders from every country of the world. A recipient of the Horatio Alger Award, as well as the Mother Teresa Prize for Global Peace and Leadership from the Luminary Leadership Network, Dr. Maxwell influences Fortune 500 CEOs, the presidents of nations, and entrepreneurs worldwide. For more information about him visit JohnMaxwell.com.