Counselor Timothy St. John offers compassion and hope to individuals who have experienced hurt in emotionally and spiritually damaging church cultures.

The local church is meant to function as a healing and helping community that cares for God’s people. But what if, instead of grace and care, someone experienced harm and hurt? When the church becomes a place of abuse and silence, the pain leaves people spiritually disoriented and alone. These individuals may wonder if they will ever feel safe around God’s people again. Instead of running to God and his people, they run as far away as possible.

St. John defines church hurt as any unrepentant sin that is minimized, normalized, or promoted by a church culture and its leadership. In After Church Hurt, he invites sufferers into the gentle care of their Good Shepherd, offering hope, clarity, and guidance for healing in his grace. Through real-life stories, biblical insights, and practical tools, this book provides a path to understanding church hurt, embracing grace, and courageously moving toward a healthy community.

• Helps sufferers process their emotions and reflect on their painful experiences through the lens of Scripture.
• Provides practical advice for finding a new church, assessing its culture, and rebuilding trust in relationships.
• Equips counselors and helpers for walking alongside those who have been wounded by their churches.

Julie’s Review:

I was intrigued to see this book addresses church hurt from a counselor’s perspective. Church hurt is real, and more wounded believers are seeking answers and help outside the church walls.

Timothy St. John’s Church Hurt is a great resource for understanding and hope for healing after church hurt. It not only offers help for the victims, but for counselors who will come across this topic. The end also has valuable appendices, including processing feelings, and an assessment to consider if looking for a new church. All of it is Biblical and relatable.

If anything, I wished there had been more for those going through hurt and seeking healing instead of also addressing fellow counselors. There isn’t much on this topic, and those going through church hurt are hungry for as much information as possible. Perhaps the author will see the need and write a subsequent book.

For now, enjoy Church Hurt: Healing in the Care of the Good Shepherd. It’s got great information and encouragement to get you started on a path toward Godly healing and moving forward.

I received a copy from the publisher, but all opinions are my own.

The Art of Starting Over by Tara Baisden — Nicole Sullivan came to Serenity Crossing, Tennessee, to find herself again. After walking away from a two-year engagement—and a fiancé who loved the version of her that fit his plans—she’s determined to build a life on her own terms. Her new third-grade classroom is the fresh start she’s been praying for. But when her brightest student turns out to be a motherless little girl with sad eyes and matchmaking schemes, Nicole finds herself drawn to the one man who could make her repeat every old mistake: a grieving widower who might only see her as a solution to his daughter’s longing. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Hometown Second Chances by Megan Besing, Tabitha Bouldin, Andrea Christenson, and Rebecca Reed — Sky-diving, sled dogs, Russian photographs, and buried journals add up to 4 novels filled with sweet romance, excitement, and mystery enough to red-line your romantic adventure meter for days. (Contemporary Romance from Two Dogs Publishing)

The Top of the World by Elizabeth Camden — They were perfect together—until powerful forces pulled them apart. Now fate has given them a second chance at the top of the world. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Not What We Pictured by Becca Kinzer — McKenna Boston is feeling stuck. She’s spent years growing her photography skills only for her career to hit a wall. She’s ready to move on, and she will, just as soon as she helps her sister’s boyfriend stage the perfect proposal. But when her best laid plans go awry and a handsome stranger accidentally ends up with the heirloom ring, McKenna hops on a flight to retrieve it. Piece of cake, right? Nate Lambert was hoping to enjoy a relaxing summer before starting his new job as a literature professor, but he arrives in Tennessee to discover his mom’s bed and breakfast is struggling and there’s a long list of repairs to be tackled. The last thing he needs is a gorgeous, determined photographer searching for a ring he doesn’t have since the airline lost his luggage somewhere on his route from Nebraska. (Contemporary Romance from Tyndale House)

A Second Chance for a Dancer by Carolyn Miller — Poppy James is on the brink of attaining national fame, just like her friend and fellow dancer Bailey Donovan, when a blast from the past leads to a devastating injury. Jake Guillemette is used to being overshadowed by his NHL-playing younger brother. When a job opportunity leads him to start afresh somewhere new, he never thought he’d run into the person who made him second-guess everything, but who ultimately led him to become a better man. Horrified, Poppy is desperate to keep their past a secret, and it takes some time to learn to trust this different version of the man she’s long loved to loathe. Can Jake win her trust and prove he’s changed? And will Poppy learn to trust God with all her future? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Plus check out these recent additions to Fiction Finder published within the past month:

Hearts Restored by Tara Baisden — She was the one thing he could never blueprint. He was the one man she couldn’t wall out. (Contemporary Romance)

Last to Fall by Lynn H Blackburn — She’s caught in a deadly game. He’s the only one who can help her win. They’ll have to risk everything–including their hearts–to expose the truth before it’s too late. (Romantic Suspense)

Anna of Bethsaida by Susanne Blumer — Anna believed choosing Andrew meant gaining a home. Instead, she finds herself on the dusty roads of Galilee, under the watchful eyes of hostile Pharisees, walking ever closer to miracles that both heal and unsettle. Some journeys test what you believe. Some reshape who you become. Anna’s does both. (Biblical Fiction)

Find Me in the Story by Lisa Jordan — He built walls. She brought sunshine. Something had to give. But trust doesn’t come easy for two people who’ve been hurt. And one misunderstanding could destroy everything—including their chance at love. (Contemporary Romance)

Lifekeeper by Colleen K Snyder — A girl and her dragon face life and death decisions not only for themselves but also for their enemies. (Speculative Fiction/Fantasy)

Jackal by Michael Jack Webb — In a land where the dead speak and ancient gods walk in human skin, Kate Justice confronts a darkness older than civilization. (Supernatural Suspense)

The very thing you are looking for might be what you didn’t know you wanted.

Maegan Hanson loves her small-town life. She’s following her dream, owning and operating Ye Olde Yarn Shoppe. All her friends are in serious relationships or already married, but she is content being single- it beats having her heart broken again. So far, she’s avoided matchmaking attempts but that abruptly comes to an end.

Judah Langford left North Carolina and all that happened there behind him for a new life in Dogwood Creek. What he thinks is dinner with a close friend turns out to be a matchmaking attempt. He needs a plan to avoid further efforts to manipulate his love life, and he thinks he’s found just the plan.

Neither Maegan nor Judah desires a relationship, and they especially don’t want further matchmaking attempts from well-meaning women. But they could both use a friend, so they decide to fake a relationship.

When feelings turn real, will past pains and betrayals keep them apart or will they find a way forward to knitting their hearts together?

Julie’s Review

First, let me say that while I’m one of the authors in the Dogwood Creek Matchmakers series, I’m also a reader who loves a well-written friends‑to‑more romance. And Leah Atwood absolutely delivers.

Maegan is a small‑town business owner content with her quiet life—at least until the Dogwood Creek Matchmakers step in. Known for their prayers and gentle meddling, one matchmaker arranges for Maegan and Judah to cross paths. The two quickly realize what’s happening and decide to shut down the matchmaking before it gains momentum.

Their solution? Pretend to be a couple.

As their “fake” relationship unfolds, their friendship deepens in the sweetest, most natural way. The progression feels genuine, and Maegan and Judah shine both as friends and as a couple trying very hard not to fall for each other.

Leah weaves in familiar Dogwood Creek places and characters, which longtime readers will enjoy. But if you’re new to the series, you can jump right in—Knitted Hearts stands beautifully on its own.

This novella is a quick, cozy read filled with small‑town charm and a hero and heroine you can’t help but root for, even when they’d prefer to avoid the spotlight. I hope you give Knitted Hearts your full attention. I definitely recommend it.