Meeting God at a Dead End: Discovering Heaven's Best When Life Closes in

I was at a crossroads in my life and hurting deeply when I found this book at a yard sale. I had never heard of Ron Mehl before this time but since then, I have purchased almost all of his books and buy them for friends. Truly, this book will bring hope to the hurting. You won't regret this purchase or any other book by this author.

This book is filled with spiritual stories and insights that will lift the soul into a peaceful place. God's love is magnified through Mr. Mehl's writings, and again he persuades us to trust and fall on God's mercy even when facing a dead end. Excellent book!

I picked up this little volume at a rummage sale because the cover caught my eye. However, when I started reading the book, I found the content so compelling and so inspiring, I had to lay the book down for a moment [again and again] and simply think through what I'd just read. It is quite intense. Mehl shares an insight into the Bible that is truly remarkable. He speaks right to the core of the issue and explains things in simple, clear and concise language.His style reminds me of William Barclay, one of the most beloved Bible commentators of the century. As was said of Barclay (and is true of Mehl, as well) "He saved the Bible from the experts."

How truly amazing and faithful God is. I know these truths in my heart, but when things happen in my life to prove it, I can't help but be overcome with awe at Him. I discovered this book at a time when I was struggling with direction in my life. I had none. Pretty big struggle, don't you think? I was done with college--I finished student teaching in December of '98, I was done with my temporary job for the Spring in a school district, and it was now the summer and I didn't know what I wanted to do next. I did not have any leads, or any desire for that matter to pursue anything. I felt a true loss of direction for the first time in my life. I couldn't tell where God wanted me to go next, and was desperately looking for answers, but to no avail--a true "dead end". I was in a Christian bookstore one day, just browsing and looking to see if they had any Ron Mehl books (my favorite author) available. There on the shelf were only two of Ron's books, The Ten(der) Commandments (which I already had), and a book called "Meeting God at a Dead End". I was stunned. Literally. I just stood there in the middle of the aisle, with this book in my hand. This book, that, before I had even opened it, had me feeling like I was Charlie from Willie Wonka holding the Golden ticket. I couldn't believe that there was a book by my favorite author, with a title that summed up my life at that point, in my hands! OK, so I am a dramatic person, but it was a pretty great moment. What was even greater was when I actually went home and read my Golden ticket. I didn't realize how badly I needed this book in my life. I felt as if Ron knew exactly what was happening to me, and exactly what words and Scripture to use to give me hope, encouragement, trust and faith in God. This book gives hope for every kind of "dead end"--where you feel like you don't know where to turn or who to turn to. Ron shows in his usual excellent way that the Lord is who you want to turn to. The Lord is who's watching over you and is there at that dead end, ready to take on whatever is troubling you in your life--you just have to let Him.

I was greatly encouraged because the author reminds us that no matter who we are we will face dead ends of one kind or another but they will not be alone. He gives alot of examples from real life and the Bible to remind us of the many others that have come to dead ends struggled before us. He uses Peter as one example. Peter was one of the only ones that got out of the boat and even though he took his eyes off of the Lord, Jesus still honored his faith helping Peter when he began to sink. Mehl says "I don't care how strong you are, you WILL come to the dead end of doubt. Everybody will. As Peter could testify, it's not easy to keep your eyes on the Lord. It's not easy to shut out the distractions and pressures that seek to pull us this way and that. It's not easy to ignore waves, wind and darkness. And I don't care who you are, when you look down and realize that your feet are treading on three fathoms of turbulent seawater, it's not easy to keep jogging like you were in a sidewalk. Yet when we find ourselves going under, He's still there to grab our hand with a grip that cannot be broken"