“Shepherding Women in Pain: Real Women, Real Issues, And What You Need to Know to Truly Help” by Bev Hislop is a valuable book for those wanting to understand and offer love and support to women and the many issues they are dealing with, often silently. This book provides an abundance of knowledge for deep questions, such as: how can I stop the pain? The chapters about the issue itself offer true stories, input from professionals, practical suggestions, things to say and do, things to avoid, resources, related scriptures, etc. I included the contents of the book as this speaks volumes for itself (it is organized into 3 sections).

Section 1: Understanding Women in Pain – What the Woman in Pain Wants to Know
1) How Can I Stop the Pain?
2) When Will Life Be Normal Again?
3) What Does Healing Look Like?
4) Where is God in This Pain?

Section 2: Shepherding Women in Pain – What the Shepherd Needs to Know
5) Shepherding Insights
6) Depression
7) Infertility
8) Terminal Illness
9) Physical Disabilities, Chronic Pain, and the Aging Process
10) Addictions
11) Abortion Recovery
12) Eating Disorders
13) Incarceration
14) Homelessness
15) Suicide
16) Domestic Abuse
17) Sexual Abuse
18) Divorce
19) Pornography
20) Spiritual Abuse
21) Sexuality

Section 3: Healing Women in Pain – What the Healing Community Needs to Know
22) Environments of Grace Offer Acceptance
23) Wounded Healers Reflect God’s Power
24) Authentic Soul Care Givers Generate Health
25) Communities of Support Bring Hope

As a caregiver, leader, or friend, when we offer experience and/or understanding to a woman who is hurting, it opens up a bit of trust. And from that small bit of trust can then be the possibility of the woman sharing her story, and then from that, maybe just a little healing too. Trust, sharing, and healing are all precious to the woman who is in pain, and each one is something priceless to offer. Even if we ourselves haven’t experienced a certain issue, to be able to understand the pain a woman is going through is so valuable. This book offers deep insight into many major issues causing women so much pain, and I highly recommend it for it’s deep insights that allow us to be well prepared to offer help as we can.

I received this book courtesy of Moody Publishers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.