Relentless - by Michele Cushatt (Paperback)

About the Book

When we're in seasons of suffering and struggle, we equate the presence of pain with the absence of God. But what if we gather evidence of God's unfailing presence? In Relentless, Michele Cushatt invites all who wrestle and wander to dive deep into the Gospel story and their story to discover the unshakeable presence of a God who never leaves.

Book Synopsis

Where is God when life is filled with so much suffering? How can I be sure of God's presence and affection, even in my pain? Can you believe in God and still wrestle with questions and doubt? These are the questions honestly explored in Relentless.

Whether in struggle, illness, death, or failure, the presence of pain causes us to question the presence of God. We pray and watch the sky, crossing our spiritual fingers for hardcore proof of God's nearness. And in the silence, we sense something more sinister: perceived abandonment.

But what if we could collect evidence that God hasn't left us? What if we could be absolutely certain of God's presence and affection, strengthening our faith against any assault?

Woven throughout Scripture sits a single, extraordinary theme: God is with us. Ours is a God who speaks through burning bushes and leads through pillars of fire, who responds to a broken world by giving himself.

Like the Old Testament story of Joshua's altar of twelve stones, Relentless delivers twelve key biblical stories that demonstrate God's unfailing presence. Each chapter offers an invitation to identify a "stone" in your own life as tangible evidence of God's nearness. With the turn of the last page, you will have discovered twelve markers of your own, an altar of memory to carry you through questions and losses, even ones yet to come.

For the truth-seekers, those drowning in impossible questions, and those who find themselves swallowed up by the dark, Relentless is an invitation to search for divine presence in our everyday stories. With Michele Cushatt's engaging narrative style, this transformational journey reassures us that God, indeed, is with us.

Review Quotes

Cushatt takes our hand and walks with us through the big question many of us don't dare ask while suffering, but think all the same: 'Why have You forsaken me?' Along the way, she deftly interweaves her testimony with an examination of Scripture, guiding us to recognize, remember, and rest in God's relentless presence. -Alia Joy, author, Glorious Weakness

I wept as I read this book. I thought I'd skim it, but it wouldn't let me go. It is brutally honest and achingly human. If you have ever struggled to find God in your pain, Michele has given us a roadmap. Relentless will shake your faith to the core, and what you will be left with will be real and pure and hope and Jesus. -Sheila Walsh, author, Praying Women

In Relentless, you'll be reminded of the only one who never falls short but meets you in your darkness and gives you hope. Through Michele's remarkable story of survival, you'll encounter the real Jesus, who is near to the brokenhearted and is faithful and true in our weakness and need. -Kelly M. Rosati, CEO, KMR Consulting; child advocate

In Relentless, Michele Cushatt invites us to lay bare our fears and disappointments, our emotional heartaches and physical struggles, so the sweet balm of truth can do its healing work. No pat answers or easy solutions here. Only hard-earned wisdom from a woman who longs for us to experience the presence of a God who never lets go. -Liz Curtis Higgs, author, Bad Girls of the Bible

Michele explores God's utter faithfulness amid unrelenting pain and inexplicable circumstances. Pretty much everyone I know is walking through a storm or loves someone who is. Which means everyone needs this book. Read it slowly. Take it in. Your soul will be richer for it. -Susie Larson, talk show host; speaker; author, Fully Alive

Michele Cushatt is a rare gem, courageously honest about the raw anguish of her reality while declaring the steadfast beauty of her savior. Michele's vulnerability strips away every Christian cliche and dives into the gutwrenching search for a God who never leaves us. This book will challenge you and change you! -Dr. Juli Slattery, psychologist; author, Rethinking Sexuality

Transparently, cautiously, Michele Cushatt invites us along on her search for God's presence, mining the Bible as well as reliable spiritual mentors for help along the way. To anyone who experiences pain, depression, confusion, or simply a nagging sense of life's unfairness, I recommend Michele Cushatt as a trustworthy guide. -Philip Yancey, bestselling author

With a deep understanding of the questions that arise in the mind and heart of the person who wants to believe God but is struggling to do so, Michele provides a firm path of faith, plowed by her own wrestling and smoothed by the answers she fought to find. If the pain you've experienced has caused you to question God's power or His love, Michele knows. And she's written this book for you. -Chrystal Evans Hurst, author and speaker