Book Name
The Anxious Achiever: Turn Your Biggest Fears into Your Leadership Superpower‍

Author: Aarons-Mele, Morra
Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press

Introduction:

Being a leader is exciting but also full of challenges. Leadership is always accompanied by fear and anxiety. The American Psychological Association explains fear is “an appropriate, present-oriented, and short-lived response to a clearly identifiable and specific threat,” anxiety, on the contrary, is “a future-oriented, long-acting response broadly focused on a diffuse threat.” In the book The Anxious Achiever: Turn Your Biggest Fears into Your Leadership Superpower, the author (she claims that she is a leader with chronic, clinical anxiety) interviews leaders of various businesses and organizations. Through studying their struggles with anxiety and how they have learned to deal with it, the author tries to encourage the readers that it is normal for leaders to have anxiety or other mental health challenges. The book The Anxious Achiever is divided into two parts. In Part One, the author introduces and explains some characteristics of anxiety, the pros and cons of anxiety from work, self-examination initiatives, as well as how it affects us at work. Part Two of the book is a tool kit for leaders that provides suggestions for properly managing anxiety at work such as the prevention of negative self-talk and the avoidance of using unhelpful reactions and bad habits to deal with anxiety.

Book Name
Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest: From Sabbath to Sabbatical and Back Again‍

Author: Barton, R. Ruth
Publisher: InterVarsity Press

Introduction:

There are twenty-four hours a day and people, especially in the contemporary world, need a few more hours a day in order to handle their work, school, family, personal life, as well as church activities. It seems that the supply and demand of time can never reach their balance. Living under pressure is part of many people’s lives; however, it is not God’s intention to have His servants work under extreme pressure until burnout. God cares about His people; therefore, He gives the fourth commandment to His people reminding them they need rest. The meaning of the Sabbath, according to the author, is more than we can imagine. People of God who don’t practice the sabbath religiously and psychologically may lead to inability to forgive and unable to simply enjoy life. In the book Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest: From Sabbath to Sabbatical and Back Again, the author emphasizes how important the Sabbath is to the people of God. The book is divided into two parts. Part One of the book describes the origin, principles, meanings of the Sabbath, and why it matters. Part Two of the book called “Sabbaical.” The author in this part provides suggestions or plans to promote extra spiritual rest and growth apart from the regular Sabbath.

Book Name
Leading from the Second Chair: Serving Your Church, Fulfilling Your Role, and Realizing Your Dreams‍

Author: Bonem, Mike, and Roger Patterson
Publisher: Jossey-Bass

Introduction:

Being a leader is not easy. Being the first chair leader is even harder as the job involves a tremendous amount of administrative and managing decisions. Even though the ultimate Leader of the Church is the Almighty God Himself, His earthly representative in the church, the pastors, always find running a church is full of challenges and often not pleasing. The bigger the church is, the more the leaders in the management hierarchy are needed. The roles and responsibilities of the second chair leader are different from the first chair (Sometimes a second chair leader does not have to fit a particular mold or hold a particular title in an organization). Herein, the second chair leader plays a crucial role in successfully operating, especially in a medium or large church. There are many books that introduce directions and skills to lead the church as the primary leader; however, not many books talk about the role of a second chair leader. The authors of the book Leading from the Second Chair: Serving Your Church, Fulfilling Your Role, and Realizing Your Dreams are both experienced in serving as second chair roles in their businesses and congregations. The book introduces many second-chair leaders who shared their stories (both positive and negative) and confirms the challenges of second-chair leadership. Being in the second chair is the ultimate leadership paradox. The authors claim “It is the paradox of being a leader and a subordinate, having a deep role and a wide one, and being content with the present while continuing to dream about the future.” If you are the second chair leader of your congregation then this book is for you.

Book Name
Resilient Ministry: What Pastors Told Us About Surviving and Thriving‍

Author: Burns, Bob, Tasha Chapman, and Donald Guthrie
Publisher: IVP Books

Introduction:

Pastor is the representative of God on earth who nourishes the church of God. Pastoral ministry is always full of challenges. More than running a business, pastoral staff are responsible for the number of church attendants, balancing and handling the annual budget, all the church issues (both big and small), and even the spiritual and emotional health of the church members. In other words, the role and responsibilities of a pastor in a church are similar to the prime minister of a country. Therefore, it is important for pastoral staff to have proper ongoing learning and development on various aspects for themselves and for the healthy development of the church. The book Resilient Ministry: What Pastors Told Us About Surviving and Thriving presents the summary and analysis of a seven-year-long research regarding heartfelt discussions about the challenges of vocational ministry. The topics discussed in the book include but are not limited to Life in Pastoral Ministry, Spiritual Formation, Burnout, Emotional Intelligence, Marriage and Family, and Leadership. The book aims to help foster resilience for all those in vocational ministry.

Book Name
The Microstress Effect: How Little Things Pile up and Create Big Problems - and What to Do about It‍

Author: Cross, Robert L., and Karen (Editor) Dillon
Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press

Introduction:

The accumulation of numerous tiny ripples becomes a big wave. Similarly, prolonged stress brings anxiety and even burnout. The sources of stress come from our personal and professional lives through the hyperconnected 24-7 world. Research reveals that people across the world are under unprecedented levels of stress and the cumulative effect of stress can derail even high performers both personally and professionally. The authors explain “The relentless accumulation of unnoticed small stresses in passing moments is what was drastically affecting the well-being of these people who otherwise appeared to have it all. We call these small pressures microstress.” People should not ignore the adverse effects of prolonged and accumulated microstress. The book The Microstress Effect: How Little Things Pile up and Create Big Problems - and What to Do about It is a comprehensive report after interviewing about three hundred high performers. It aims to provide suggestions to help structure the reader's life in ways that not only help minimize microstress but also improve one's overall well-being. Several topics will be discussed throughout the eight chapters, such as the definition of microstress, how microstresses drain our capacity,  how microstresses affect our emotional reserves, how microstresses challenge our identity and affect our personality and motivation, and of course how to properly handle microstresses.

Book Name
Pastors at Greater Risk‍

Author: London, H. B., Neil B. Wiseman, and H. B. London
Publisher: Baker Books

Introduction:

Being a pastor is never easy. Jesus says that many are called but few are chosen (Matthew 22:14). Many Christians hesitate to step forward to pastoring the church as they know that pastors are always at great risk. The author describes how a pastor in the twenty-first century feels like embarking on the most amazing roller-coaster ride of life since the risks in ministry are greater than ever in the contemporary world. It is not difficult to know that pastors are working harder as fatigue always shows in their eyes. If you are a pastor, you also realize that worry slows your stride and vagueness dulls your preaching. The book Pastors at Greater Risk attempts to listen to the anguish of pastors, to scrutinize their frustrations, and to propose some answers. The authors wish readers through the book to become whole individuals who balance being and doing, family and church, person and profession, worship and work. The book is divided into three parts. In the first part of the book, the authors will discuss the risks in the ministry. The risks in the family life will be discussed in the second part and the ways to overcome the risks in pastors’ personal life will be discussed in part three of the book.

Book Name
The Resilient Practitioner: Burnout and Compassion Fatigue Prevention and Self-Care Strategies for the Helping Professions‍

Author: Skovholt, Thomas M., and Michelle Trotter-Mathison
Publisher: Routledge

Introduction:

Practitioners of a broad group of career fields (counselors, therapists, teachers, professors, social workers, clergy, nurses, doctors, physical therapists, other health professionals, and more) work together seamlessly to enhance the lives of others. Taking care of others needs a tremendous amount of effort. It would be ironic if practitioners could help others but ended up burnout themselves. Practitioners should know how to use their own self as a method of change, prevent burnout, and maintain professional vitality. They should establish a balance between self-care and other-care. The book The Resilient Practitioner: Burnout and Compassion Fatigue Prevention and Self-Care Strategies for the Helping Professions aims to provide students and practitioners with the hands-on tools they need to create their own care plans for themselves and others. If you are a practitioner and struggling with your work-life balance, this book is the one you should not miss.

Book Name
The Emotionally Strong Leader: An Inside-out Journey to Transformational Leadership‍

Author: Stern, Carolyn
Publisher: Figure.1 Publishing

Introduction:

Many people see the words “emotional” and “strong” as contradictory terms to each other especially when describing the kind of leaders who can transform their own lives, the lives of their colleagues, as well as the future of their business for the better. Emotions can carry a lot of power over us, despite our best efforts to steer clear of them. We are culturally averse to being emotional and we dislike appearing emotional. It is so often we suppress our emotions as they have been given a bad reputation; however, neglected feelings can make us do and say things we regret later. Emotion is one of the gifts given to humanity during God’s creation so that they can protect themselves under certain situations. We can gain emotional skills and mental strategies to be stronger and more intelligent than our feelings, and to help others learn to explore their emotions. The Emotionally Strong Leader: An Inside-out Journey to Transformational Leadership is an actionable book for a leader who is both emotionally connected and powerful in their ability to understand and regulate their emotional reactions. This book directs its readers to accept their shortcomings and confront the sometimes brutal truth, which will astoundingly influence their performance, their results, and their happiness. This book is for those who want to start on a life-changing journey to improve their personal, interpersonal, and professional effectiveness.

Book Name
Forgiving What You Can’t Forget: Discover How to Move On, Make Peace with Painful Memories, and Create a Life That’s Beautiful Again‍

Author: TerKeurst, Lysa and Nelson Books (Firm)
Publisher: Nelson Books

Introduction:

Jesus teaches us to forgive people seventy-seven times (Matthew 18:21-22). This means we should forgive someone's sin as many times as possible. Unable to forgive someone means self-suffering. Suffering brings adverse emotions and it leads to the production of harmful hormones in our bodies. Stop getting stuck in a cycle of unresolved pain and playing offenses over and over in your mind. If you don’t know what to do to forgive someone in your journey of life, this book is for you. The book Forgiving What You Can’t Forget: Discover How to Move On, Make Peace with Painful Memories, and Create a Life That’s Beautiful Again helps you to let go of bound-up resentment and overcome the resistance to forgiving people who aren’t willing to make things right. From the book, you will learn how to move on when the other person refuses to change and never says they're sorry. This book will walk you through a step-by-step process to free yourself from the hurt of your past and feel less offended today. You will also learn what the Bible says about forgiveness and the peace that comes from living it out right now.

Book Name
Dangerous Calling: Confronting the Unique Challenges of Pastoral Ministry‍

Author: Paul David
Publisher: Crossway

Introduction:

How often people will think that they know themselves well? The Apostle says that now we see in a mirror dimly (1 Corinthians 13:12). Pastors are not perfect. No one is perfect except the Son of God, Jesus. This book does not talk about how hard is the ministry but is about the issue of the often unhealthy shape of pastoral culture. The author tries to put on the table the temptations that are either unique to or intensified by pastoral ministry. This book aims to call the readers to humble self-reflection and change. The readers of the book Dangerous Calling: Confronting the Unique Challenges of Pastoral Ministry should know that all their sins, weaknesses, and failures have been fully covered by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. The author says that this book is a diagnostic book that aims to help the readers take an honest look at themselves in the heart- and life-exposing mirror of the Word of God in order to see things that are wrong and need correcting and to help them place themselves once again under the healing and transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Book Name
Holy Friendships: Nurturing Relationships That Sustain Pastors and Leaders‍

Author: White, Victoria Atkinson
Publisher: Fortress Press

Introduction:

Pastoring churches always facing various types of challenges. It is not rare to hear that pastoral leaders sacrifice critical relationships with their loved ones, lack time or complete priorities, and end up with frustration, isolation, loneliness, and even burnout. People serving together in the church is more than mere relationships as colleagues. They are eternal holy brothers and sisters in Christ. It is so beautiful for pastors and Christian leaders who serve together creatively, effectively, and joyfully for the church of God. “Friends” is more than in search of clicks, likes, or emoji-ed responses. Holy friendships are mutual and sacred relationships deeply rooted in the love of God. Christian leaders need a circle of holy friends to walk alongside them in facing the challenges in ministry. The book Holy Friendships: Nurturing Relationships That Sustain Pastors and Leaders, through several meaningful stories, gives readers light to invest in their own resilience, sustainability, and flourishing by cultivating and nurturing their own holy friendships. Pastors and spiritual leaders should know that they are never alone.

Book Name
Burnout, Timeout, and Fallout: A Qualitative Study of Why Pastors Leave Ministry‍

Author: Peach, Trisha R.
Publisher: Bethel University

Introduction:

A pastoral job is stressful and exhausting. Many factors contribute to pastoral attrition in pastoral ministry. Some of the key risk factors for pastoral attrition were identified as loneliness and isolation, a poor marriage, moral failure, unresolved conflicts, low maturity and emotional health, unrealistic expectations, and the use of negative coping mechanisms. Improper handling of stress will bring anxiety and even burnout. In order to properly address factors that contribute to pastoral attrition, the author studied relevant literature on pastoral attrition and then conducted quantitative and qualitative research. The author also brings together the findings from the literature, data, and interviews to make recommendations to address pastoral attrition.

Book Name
The State of Pastors: How Today’s Faith Leaders Are Navigating Life and Leadership in an Age of Complexity‍

Author: Barna Research Group and Pepperdine University
Publisher: Barna Research Group

Introduction:

Pastoring a church is challenging, especially in this twenty-first century. Willing to answer the calling is one thing and the ability to run a church is another important aspect to consider. The book The State of Pastors: How Today’s Faith Leaders Are Navigating Life and Leadership in an Age of Complexity contains findings of a comprehensive, whole-life assessment of pastors in the United States. The book reveals where church leaders in the States are most in need of healing and encouragement, and offers hopeful counsel for pastors who are seeking greater health as they continue to serve God. The fields examined in the research include but are not limited to their own mental, physical, financial, emotional, and spiritual well-being, the health of their relationships with family and church members, the overall health and effectiveness of their ministry, how they are received by their local community, and much more.

Book Name
The Weary Leader’s Guide to Burnout: A Journey from Exhaustion to Wholeness‍

Author: Nemecek, Sean
Publisher: Zondervan Reflective

Introduction:

There are high rate of pastoral burnout in the contemporary world. Many pastors claimed that they are 24-7 on call. They are facing an epidemic of burnout but not many people can totally understand their situation and difficulties. Pastors should know that they are called to serve and not called to burnout. It is ironic for pastors to bring weary souls to get rest in the love of God but themselves are burned out. The book The Weary Leader’s Guide to Burnout: A Journey from Exhaustion to Wholeness integrates biblical interpretation, theology, psychology, and spirituality into a holistic approach to recovery. The book walks alongside Christian leaders on a journey from burnout through recovery and on to spiritual formation. Through the book, the author will help the readers to understand the causes and symptoms of their burnout and help them to take practical and actionable steps toward wholeness.

Book Name
Don’t Burn Out, Burn Bright: How to Thrive in Ministry for the Long Haul‍

Author: Young, Jason, and Jonathan Malm
Publisher: Baker Books

Introduction:

No one will disagree that pastors and pastoral leaders are some of the hardest-working people in the world. Many of them even claimed that their roles need them to be ready 24-7 for all kinds of situations. One of the major responsibilities of a pastor is to take care of their flock’s spiritual health; however, it is so often to hear that pastors who take care of others end up burning out themselves. Pastoral personnel need breaks. They need to take a sabbatical or tend to their own physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. Maintaining health in ministry for the long haul need to remembering challenging times and letting those moments turn into hope. The book Don’t Burn Out, Burn Bright: How to Thrive in Ministry for the Long Haul helps fine-tune your leadership and organize your life in such a way that you can become a high-capacity leader without the exhaustion and discouragement so many feel. The authors will teach you how to set healthy boundaries, release control, operate from your values, and much more in order to burn bright and make a lasting impact without sacrificing your health, happiness, and relationships.

Book Name
Depression, Anxiety, and Other Things We Don’t Want to Talk About‍

Author: Waller, Ryan Casey
Publisher: Nelson Books

Introduction:

Mental health is one of the major components of the holistic health of humanity. The name of the book is Depression, Anxiety, and Other Things We Don’t Want to Talk About. It is true that many people refuse to talk about their need for mental health support as they feel embarrassed. Life is full of challenges, especially in this contemporary world. Stresses come from every stage of life. Kids have stress when moving to a new school. Students feel stressed handling exams. Stress exerts its influences during job interviews, at work, in marriage, you name it. When you wake up in the morning your mind may fill with dread at the prospect of facing the day, and you’re curious if it’s just because you don’t like your job or because something more serious is happening with you psychologically. We need to be honest that we are fragile and need help. This book aims to discuss certain mental health issues so that readers can have a better understanding of those topics to heal or to be healed.

Book Name
Zeal without Burnout: Seven Keys to a Lifelong Ministry of Sustainable Sacrifice‍

Author: Ash, Christopher
Publisher: The Good Book Company

Introduction:

Burnout is painful and it is a terrible price to pay especially for Christian zeal. No one wants to work until burnout; however, it happens so often to pastors. Research reveals that some 1,500 people leave the pastoral ministry each month due to burnout, conflict, or moral failure. A third of pastors say that they feel burnout within just five years of starting ministry. In 2014, almost half of pastors and their wives even claimed that they had experienced depression or burnout to the extent that they needed to take a leave of absence from ministry. Unfortunately, there is an alarming lack of awareness of the nature of pastoral stress which leads to anxiety and even burnout. All ministries should be aware and precautions should be taken to avoid burnout from happening. The author of the book Zeal without Burnout: Seven Keys to a Lifelong Ministry of Sustainable Sacrifice discusses the subject of burnout and how to prevent it in this short book.

This book is for you if you don’t want to serve your ministry until burnout.

Book Name
The Pastor’s Kid: What it’s Like and How to Help‍

Author: Piper, Barnabas
Publisher: The Good Book Company

Introduction:

Every child faces challenges in his or her upbringing. Family of origin, first and foremost, contributes a lot to the growth and shaping of characteristics of a child. It is not difficult to see many pastors have children with undesirable performance and attitudes. It is a serious problem for all pastors and churches. In order to address the issue, the author discusses three aspects in the book The Pastor’s Kid: What it’s Like and How to Help. Firstly, he wants to speak for the pastor’s kid as the first person with honesty, humility, and clarity to describe their struggle. Secondly, he wants to speak to pastors in order to help them to understand the enormously challenging position their children are facing. Last but not least, he writes to the church so that they are informed they have more responsibility than they realized to care for and ease the burden of the pastors and their families. This book is not only for pastors who have kids or for kids whose parents are pastors but also for every church member.

Book Name
The Pastor’s Family: Shepherding Your Family through the Challenges of Pastoral Ministry‍

Author: Croft, Brian, and Cara Croft
Publisher: Zondervan

Introduction:

Christians emulate those who throughout the centuries served in hostile churches for the sake of caring for souls, traveled around the world through dangerous terrain to preach the gospel to those who had never heard it, labored tirelessly to bring lost souls to Christ, and even gave their lives for the sake of the Kingdom of God. Here, the question is, what if God evaluates the faithfulness and greatness of a pastor, not simply by the successes of his local church ministry or missionaries, but also by how well he cares for and pastored his own family? For many church leaders, the care of the family seems to fall under that category of plain, servantlike grunt work. How many pastors will put their family before ministry? Does God want pastors to put their ministry before their family? If so, then why did God prepare them family? Why do so many pastors struggle to balance the call to shepherd faithfully the church with the call to care responsibly and lovingly for their wives and children? The authors of the book will dig deeper into these questions and provide suggestions.

Book Name
Trama in America‍

Author: Barna Group
Publisher: Barna Group

Introduction:

Mental trauma may seriously affect a person’s life. The personality of a person may completely change due to mental trauma. Research reveals that one in five U.S. adults has experienced the effects of trauma in the past 10 years. This rate is similar inside and outside of the church. In fact, many people suffering from trauma are open to the church’s help, even if they aren’t regular churchgoers. Therefore, church leaders have a special opportunity and responsibility to help those who are hurt. Two-thirds of practicing Christians say experiences of trauma ultimately brought them closer to God. But navigating the deep waters of trauma is difficult, and should be done with as much information and guidance as possible. Trama in America is a research project Barna teamed up with the American Bible Society to help church leaders understand how people face hardships and how the church can help. In the report, you will find the most common forms of trauma people are facing, how people cope with trauma and what symptoms they experience, what churches can do to love and serve the victims of trauma, and more.

Book Name
Trauma-Informed Pastoral Care: How to Respond When Things Fall Apart‍

Author: McClintock, Karen A.
Publisher: Fortress Press

Introduction:

Trauma can be the result of circumstances outside of our control. Natural disasters, accidents, tragedies, or any undesirable event may cause mental trauma. These life-disrupting, painful experiences shake us to the core and cause us to rethink goals, relationships, core beliefs, and faith.  Traumatic experiences that cause pain may affect the rest of one’s life if unable to be treated properly in time. The church has been and will always be a place of healing and spiritual renewal. Through the book Trauma-Informed Pastoral Care: How to Respond When Things Fall Apart, the author invites the readers to look through the trauma lens and introduce trauma care in diverse settings. Weaving together the latest insights about trauma-informed care from the rapidly developing disciplines of neuropsychology, counseling, and theology, the author also explains the body's instinctual stress patterns during and after trauma. The book will guide readers through self-reflection and self-regulation in order to care for others, and lower the risk of obtaining secondary trauma and suggest culturally sensitive models for healing from overwhelming experiences. This book is especially a good read for those serving care ministry.

Book Name
Pastor, Jesus Is Enough: Hope for the Weary, the Burned Out, and the Broken‍

Author: Writebol, Jeremy
Publisher: Lexham Press

Introduction:

Humanity is weak and fragile; however, we can do all things through Him who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). It is never a shame to confess and accept our weakness. In the book Pastor, Jesus Is Enough: Hope for the Weary, the Burned Out, and the Broken, the author invites pastors to hear the words of the risen Jesus in the seven letters within Revelation 2–3 and give up human strength in return for the one whose power is perfected in weakness. Jesus will draw near to pastors―whether hurting or straying―and remind them of His sufficiency. In these warnings and promises, Jesus has hard words for pastors. But they are also words of life. Most of all, Jesus urges pastors to keep their faith and focus on Him. Being enough is exhausting. But pastor, the good news is that you cannot be enough. Because only Jesus is enough. If you are one of the weary, the burned out, and the broken, this book is for you.

Book Name
Forgive: Why Should I and How Can I?‍

Author: Keller, Timothy
Publisher: Viking

Introduction:

What is forgiveness? False understandings of repentance and forgiveness are spiritually and socially fatal. The human need for forgiveness appears to be indelible. It is so often to see that forgiveness is perceived as difficult and problematic in our society. It won’t go away by denouncing it or trying to deconstruct it. Some people believe that no true reconciliation can be made without true forgiveness in the first place. Herein, a complete reconciliation of relationships needs both to grant forgiveness and to receive forgiveness. Forgiving someone in a meaningful way is one of the hardest things a person has to do; however, if we are unable to forgive, resentment and vengeance will begin to consume us. The bottom line, especially to Christians is, forgiveness gets down to the bottom of things – to the alienation we feel from God and from ourselves because of our wrongdoing. Therefore, Forgiveness is an essential skill, a moral imperative, and a religious belief that cuts right to the core of what it means to us. In the book Forgive: Why Should I and How Can I? the author shows readers why it is so important and how to do it, explaining in detail the steps the readers need to take in order to move on without sacrificing justice or your humanity.

Book Name
Restoring Relationships‍

Author:
Publisher: Barna Group

Introduction:

More than half of all U.S. adults and practicing Christians say they have at least one of the mental issues that impact their most important relationships. One of the roles of the church is to help people develop healthy connections and relationships with God and others. Anyone can experience challenges to their mental, emotional, or relational health, such as marital issues, addiction, anxiety and To minister effectively to people in the midst of these challenges, church leaders have to be informed. The book Restoring Relationships: How Churches Can Help People Heal and Develop Healthy Connections will discuss the questions What is the state of relational health today? What specific emotional burdens are impacting people’s lives and relationships? Where do people turn for support with these challenges? and How can churches help people receive grace where their relationships need it most? The book also includes expert insights for church leaders in helping people in the midst of emotional and relational challenges. If you’d like to be better equipped to come alongside people who are struggling, this report can help you help others.

Book Name
Help for the Helper: Preventing Compassion Fatigue and Vicarious Trauma in an Ever-Changing World‍

Author: Rothschild, Babette
Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company

Introduction:

Therapists and counselors are no different from their clients. They are all human beings. They are also struggling to personally cope with the same kind of traumas and massive stresses as the clients and others they serve. It is so common to therapists that they are busy helping their clients and too busy to take care of themselves. The reality is that it is always a challenge to make time for themselves. The situation is even worse that they have been hit hard with additional stress after the incident of COVID-19, traumas, challenges, and burdens. Therapist and counselor burnout is a pressing issue, and self-care is possible only when therapists actively can help themselves. In the book Help for the Helper: Preventing Compassion Fatigue and Vicarious Trauma in an Ever-Changing World, the authors examine the literature from neurobiology, social psychology, and folk psychology in order to explain how therapists suffer from an excess of empathy for their clients, and then they present strategies for dealing with burnout and stress.

Book Name
Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle‍

Author: Nagoski, Emily, and Amelia Nagoski
Publisher: Ballantine Books

Introduction:

Stressors are what activate the stress response in the body and they can be anything you see, hear, smell, touch, taste, experience, or imagine could do you harm. Stress is the neurological and physiological shift that happens in the body when we encounter one of the stressors. Stress is not always bad as it is one of the inborn mechanisms to protect us from getting hurt if we treat them properly. However, improper treatment of stress will have adverse outcomes for us, especially when those stresses are from work or an unhealthy lifestyle. In the book Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, the authors, instead of just asking you to ignore the very real obstacles and societal pressures that stand between women and well-being, they explain with compassion and optimism what you are up against—and show you how to fight back. The book is here to help end the cycle of feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.

Book Name
Sabbath As Resistance, New Edition With Study Guide: Saying No to the Culture of Now‍

Author: Brueggemann, Walter
Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press

Introduction:

God Himself and all members of the household share in common rest on the seventh day; that social reality provides a commonality and coherence not only to the community of covenant but to the commandments of Sinai as well. The book Sabbath As Resistance emphasizes that the Sabbath is not simply about keeping rules but rather about becoming a whole person and restoring a whole society. The Sabbath rest of God is the acknowledgment that God and God’s people in the world are not commodities to be dispatched for endless production. The author calls out our 24/7 society of consumption, a society in which we live to achieve, accomplish, perform, and possess. He shows readers how keeping the Sabbath allows us to break this restless cycle and focus on what is truly important: God, other people, all life. The book is perfect for groups or self-reflection, Sabbath as Resistance offers a transformative vision of the wholeness God intends, giving world-weary Christians a glimpse of a more fulfilling and simpler life through Sabbath observance. God is always first.

Book Name
The Cost of Control: Why We Crave It, the Anxiety It Gives Us, and the Real Power God Promises‍

Author: Miller, Sharon Hodde
Publisher: Baker Books

Introduction:

The American Psychiatric Association defines anxiety simply as “anticipation of a future concern,” but it can take many forms with varying levels of intensity and impact. We can see people having anxiety almost everywhere. Research for college students between 2011 and 2018 reveals that the rates of moderate to severe anxiety rose from 17.9 percent in 2013 to 34.4 percent in 2018. Organizations, businessmen, and politicians keep promising something that they can never make real. This unpredictable world keeps giving us anxiety. In place of certainty, it creates more complexity. And in place of unity, it divides. It's not just that we cannot control things; it's that we break them even more when we try. However, we always find hope in God.

We don't have to scramble after control, nor do we have to throw up our hands. Instead, God has given us a better tool. In the book The Cost of Control: Why We Crave It, the Anxiety It Gives Us, and the Real Power God Promises, the author helps us discover the real power God has given us in Christ, to exercise influence over ourselves and our lives.

Book Name
Depression, Anxiety, and the Christian Life: Practical Wisdom from Richard Baxter‍

Author: Baxter, Richard, and Michael S. Lundy.
Publisher: Crossway

Introduction:

Christians could not escape from stresses and anxieties from around the world. Their earthly lives are no different from other non-believers in the world. The more advanced the technology is, and more stressful the people will be as the development of the technology speeds up the living style so much. Stress brings anxiety and prolonged untreated, anxiety may end up in depression. Depression impacts most people at some point in their lives. The authors of Depression, Anxiety, and the Christian Life: Practical Wisdom from Richard Baxter, herein, through the book to comfort, instruct, and strengthen all who struggle with depression.

Book Name
Breath as Prayer: Calm Your Anxiety, Focus Your Mind, and Renew Your Soul‍

Author: Tucker, Jennifer
Publisher: Nelson, Thomas

Introduction:

Our minds are easily affected by the environment around us and it is so often unable to be quiet. Having a deep breath is helpful to calm the physical symptoms of our anxiety, and the prayer helped us to re-center our thoughts on Christ and His love for us. In the book Breath as Prayer: Calm Your Anxiety, Focus Your Mind, and Renew Your Soul, the author promotes breath prayers with two powerful tools to calm anxiety: the science of deep breathing and prayers of meditation on God’s Word. There is hope amid anxiety through the spiritual practice of breath prayer in this beautifully illustrated and practical guide to connecting body, mind, and spirit during times of stress. God created our bodies, minds, and spirits to be intimately connected. Purpose-filled breathing is one of the most effective, calming ways to integrate all aspects of who we are, especially during times of intense stress. The book will lead you through the practice and the proven health benefits of Christian breath prayer: intentional prayers centered around Scripture that focus our minds on Christ as we calm our bodies through breathing.

Book Name
Forward Facing Professional Resilience: Prevention and Resolution of Burnout, Toxic Stress and Compassion Fatigue‍

Author: J. Eric Gentry and Jeffrey Jim Dietz
Publisher: Outskirts Press

Introduction:

There is little in the past training and current interactions that people can turn to in order to change certain stressful environments or manage them differently which made that distress that many of us believed to be inevitable. What happens when all the accumulated suffering and trauma that you have witnessed and the pain that you have experienced start to cause problems in your own personal and professional life? Often steeped in shame, compassion fatigue burnout and traumatic stress are very real issues that members of the caregiving community are not only at risk for but will inevitably confront at some point in their careers. There are very real consequences for those of us who spend our working lives caring for people contending with serious illness, trauma, pain, and loss. A multitude of research reveals that the effects of compassion fatigue are widespread and detrimental for all helping professions, and particularly those in healthcare. In the book Forward Facing Professional Resilience: Prevention and Resolution of Burnout, Toxic Stress and Compassion Fatigue, the authors combine over seventy years' worth of experience treating patients and caregivers to examine the cause of compassion fatigue, followed by a proven, simple five-step solution for healing and a renewed sense of mission. They will also address these issues with their readers in ways that are candid, heartfelt, insightful, and most of all--filled with hope.

Book Name
被誤解的上帝：如何閲讀約伯記‍

Author: 華爾頓(John H. Walton)和朗文(Tremper Longman Ⅲ)
Publisher: 校園書房出版社

Introduction:

華爾頓與朗文，兩位備受敬重的舊約學者，聯手合作，寫出最佳的約伯記閱讀與默想導讀本，以簡單易明的文字，帶領大家進入約伯記的世界，從中探討苦難、智慧、報應論、神的公義、宇宙觀等議題。他們以文學體裁與近東文化為切入點，探討約伯記的神學與信仰涵義。藉著言簡意賅、深入淺出的文字，作者引導讀者看到約伯記全新的樣貌以及真正的主角：超越度量衡的上帝。

Book Name
神要開道路‍

Author: 亨利 克勞德 (Henry Cloud) 和 約翰 湯森德 (John Townsend)
Publisher: 校園書房出版社

Introduction:

偶爾，我們會感到迷茫、受傷，忍不住要問：「神在哪裡？」即使沒有面對危機，偶爾也會感到失落──現實與理想之間的距離，使人不安。當你處於這種境況，你正佇立於機會的門口，將要在嶄新的旅程中經歷神的同在。在本書中，克勞德博士和湯森德博士以生動、深具說服力的筆法陳述八項祕笈，說明神如何進入人們的生命，在傷心的遭遇或是充滿期待的人生中，與人相伴同行。本書也幫助你在十二個重要的生活範疇中運用這些祕笈，使你：改善人際關係．掌握自己人生．滿足靈性渴求.本書講述神如何在我們的人生中彰顯祂自己，並且讓我們從嶄新的角度了解自己的問題。

Book Name
化解婚姻衝突‍

Author: 何爾南夫婦 (Bob and Jan Horner)
Publisher: 中國學園傳道部出版社

Introduction:

有些婚姻中的衝突是無法避免、知道如何化解這些衝突將使婚姻更穩固！這本手冊包含六個部分、目的是爲使夫妻更親密、與神更親近、與別的夫婦更熟稔而設計的。

Book Name
建立配偶的自信‍

Author: 丹尼斯 和 芭芭拉 雷尼 (Dennis and Barbara Rainey)
Publisher: 中國學園傳道部出版

Introduction:

「自信」在婚姻關係中是破壞者或完成者。在本書中，作者夫婦從數百對夫妻協談的經驗中發現，今天的婚姻中最重要且最欠缺的是彼此建立對方的自信。他們坦誠討論各種問題，並提供強化配偶自信的十個步驟；具創意的點子可以帶來意想不到的效果！你可以從本書中得到實際的幫助以完全的接納，並且協助配偶經驗到無條件的愛所帶來的釋放力量。