Balm in Gilead: Healing for the Repentent Heart

Many books offer spiritual healing. Some oversimplify, throwing out shallow solutions, while others weigh heavy with theological concepts that have little apparent connection to normal life.In "Balm in Gilead," Delffs strikes a balance between sound biblical instruction and applicable daily lessons. He never claims to have easy answers. His words, both poetic and true, reach to the core of what it means to follow Jesus through the maze of life. As the title suggests, healing can come only through a heart softened by repentance.Structurally, the book is easy to follow and even easier to apply to a small or large group settings. Each chapter offers suggestions for movies, music, and literature that could be used in conjuction with the teaching. The final chapter provides a guideline for a retreat, so that the reader can find time to soak in the lessons of heart-level healing.Whether used individually or corporately, this is a book full of richness and warmth. As a personal friend of the author, I can vouch for his sincerity in sharing these words of wisdom from his own spiritual walk. Indeed, these words are a "Balm in Gilead."