True North: Choosing God in the Frustrations of Life

Every day we face some kind of frustration: flat tires, flooded basements, wounding words, a broken body, a troubled marriage―trouble comes in all shapes and sizes and can happen when we least expect it. While everyone struggles, few people have learned to struggle well. But it’s not impossible!

Frustrations arise when we look to people and things of this world to fill our desires, rather than to the only One who can really satisfy us. True North offers a unique, biblical paradigm that gives understanding and help to turn to God in the frustrations of life. Frustration often causes us to “go south” and react in the flesh. We grumble and grasp. God calls us to “go north” and respond to hardship with wisdom and redemptive love. Combining biblical insight with personal stories, practical help, and compelling examples, authors Gary and Lisa Heim encourage readers to turn from self-centered grumbling and grasping to Christ-centered gratitude and giving. As they read stories of hardships and trials, successes and profits, readers will see how frustrations can actually help them grow in their personal lives, in their marriages, in their parenting, and in their ministries.

Believing that learning to live for God through all of life’s frustration is an intentional activity for every day, the Heims also provide discussion questions at the end of each chapter to help readers apply biblical truths to situations where frustrations loom. Perfect for use in ministry settings or as a handbook for personal growth, Truth North shows readers how to embark on the life-giving adventure of walking with God.

Gary Heim is pastor of Small Groups and Discipleship at Blythefield Hills Baptist Church in Rockford, Michigan; an adjunct professor at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary; and a retreat and seminar speaker. He is a limited licensed psychologist in Michigan where he had a private counseling practice for over ten years and was a staff counselor for RBC Ministries. Married to Lisa for over twenty-five years with two collegeage children, Gary enjoys hunting, fly fishing, and backpacking.

Lisa Heim (MA, Grace Theological Seminary) is a licensed professional counselor in the state of Michigan where she has had a private practice for the last twenty years. Lisa has been married to Gary for over twenty-five years and together they are the proud parents of two college-age children. In her spare time Lisa enjoys reading, walking, kayaking, home decorating, and gardening.