On the Edge of Hope
No Matter How Dark the Night, the Redeemed Soul Still Sings
About
"One of the most important books you are ever going to read."--from the foreword by CHRISTINE CAINE
The Light of Hope Is Closer Than You Know
When our once-solid worlds suddenly shift and heave, we find ourselves desperately trying to hold it all together. We suffer silently, ashamed of our struggles with things like anxiety, depression, and sleeplessness--after all, everyone else seems to be fine.
Yet the truth is that everyone tastes from the cup of suffering.
With unassuming honesty and candor, Dr. Mark Chironna openly shares what he learned in his own three-year battle with darkness. Integrating the best of theology with Christ-centered psychology, he offers scriptural and holistic truths that will help lead you out of the murky depths. Though it feels as if this dark night will never end, you can walk through your uncertainty, fears, and tears to find the edge of hope again.
"The scariest place can also be your threshold. Step through it knowing God is there with you, and your healing can happen right in the middle of your chaos."--Mark Chironna
"Sweeping wisdom and weeping compassion . . . a manifesto of hope that conveys both modesty of spirit and majesty of thought." --LEONARD SWEET, founder, PreachTheStory.com; author, Songs of Light series
"I highly recommend this book to anyone who is going through a storm or knows someone who is!"--KRIS VALLOTTON, senior associate leader, Bethel Church, Redding, California
Endorsements
"With vulnerability and candidness, Mark Chironna shares much-needed insights that will help believers navigate life's painful experiences, all while looking to the One who 'heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds' (Psalm 147:3). This book will impart hope as you walk out your journey of healing in Jesus Christ!"
Dr. Ché Ahn, president, Harvest International Ministry; senior pastor, Harvest Rock Church, Pasadena, California; international chancellor, Wagner University
"Dr. Mark Chironna has a one-of-a-kind mind, with unmatched focus on God's Word, His people, and the advancement of His Kingdom. Yet he is human and faces some of the same struggles and devastations we all do. The bravery to document and recount for us his painful journey through some of his darkest days is inspiring. God knew He could trust him, like Job, to come out on the other side giving God all of the glory!"
Pastor Sheryl Brady, The Potter's House of North Dallas
"A raw and honest discussion of Mark Chironna's struggle to overcome anxiety and deep depression. Mark blends together his background in theology, psychology, and pastoral ministry in addressing these battles. He reminds us that ultimately, it is not a technique that will deliver us, but the person of Jesus Christ."
Dr. Michael L. Brown, radio host, Line of Fire; author, Has God Failed You?
"I saw Mark Chironna enter his 'valley of the shadow of death' and saw his self-awareness and God-awareness intersect in painful ways. Without making excuses or tangential reasoning, my good friend Mark shares with you his life, his losses, his regaining his sight and finding God in refreshing ways. You'll love this book and share it with all you know."
Sam Chand, leadership architect, consultant, author
"Mark Chironna's On the Edge of Hope is a powerful book that speaks to the reality of the dark side of emotional, spiritual, and psychological breakdown. Mark's honesty regarding his struggle was powerful. The challenges his dark night of the soul brought to his charismatic Pentecostal theology and how the experience reoriented some of his theology were insightful and helpful. I highly recommend it!"
Dr. Randy Clark, founder and president, Apostolic Network of Global Awakening
"The growing urgency for transparency in our culture is indicative of the things we've given power to by keeping them hidden. When leaders embrace this vulnerable obligation to humanity, they inspire hope in the hearts of those who might otherwise have succumbed to the dark. Dr. Mark Chironna brilliantly invites us to venture beyond the pretense of hypocrisy, where we are empowered to conquer lies and live on the edge of discovery. Get ready to believe again!"
Brenda Crouch, author, speaker, TV host
"I passed through the valley of the shadow of death that Psalm 23 speaks about at the same time a dear friend quietly suffered through an extended dark night of the soul. We identified with one another. We had few answers except to say, 'Keep your hand on the plow and look straight ahead.' My friend was none other than Mark Chironna. Thank you, Mark, for being transparent and brave and walking a path less beaten."
James W. Goll, God Encounters Ministries; GOLL Ideation LLC
"It's hard to tell the truth about what we've suffered. It's even harder to tell the truth in ways that awaken genuine hope (and not wishful thinking). But Mark Chironna has done that. Precisely because he hasn't glossed over any of his pains, God's goodness shines through every line."
Chris E. W. Green, professor of public theology, Southeastern University
"As spiritual leaders, we often carry the burden of our sheep upon our shoulders, even in the midst of going through our personal struggles and battles. I am so grateful to Mark Chironna for penning his darkest season of pain. His sharing about his innermost thoughts and struggles while going through the darkest season of his life will be an encouragement to many as we witness the goodness and reality of God in his life. All glory to God!"
Rev. Kong Hee, founder and senior pastor, City Harvest Church, Singapore
"Bishop Chironna has given the Body of Christ a precious and costly gift--the testimony of his three and a half years of suffering. He masterfully weaves together personal stories, psychological analysis, and deep theological reflection. Those suffering their own dark night of the soul will find this book to be a compassionate, nonjudgmental, and hopeful companion. Chironna also serves as a guide to those who minister to people suffering from depression, grief, and anxiety. It is well-researched but written on a lay level."
Cheryl Bridges Johns, senior professor of discipleship and Christian formation, Pentecostal Theological Seminary
"Suffering is real. Perhaps we have forgotten God's compassionate solidarity with those who suffer and are brokenhearted. Mark Chironna's On the Edge of Hope brings us to remembrance with a scriptural and Spirit-led theology of suffering illustrated by his own painful journey to hope and healing. Pass it on."
Rev. Kim Maas, MDiv, DMin, author, Prophetic Community and The Way of the Kingdom
"Familiar with the edge of despair and paralyzing pain, Mark Chironna is also at home in the landscape of honest hope and healing love. In the company of Jesus, Job, Jung, et al., Mark humbly offers truth and wisdom gained through the suffering and renewal of his own life."
Dr. Cherith Fee Nordling, theologian
"Balanced tenuously on the cusp of despair and hope, one can turn one way and see nothing but darkness. Dr. Chironna summons us to turn and look instead at the boundless sea of hope. I strongly recommend this powerful and authentic work on inner healing."
Mark Rutland, executive director, National Institute of Christian Leadership
"A monumental book of sweeping wisdom and weeping compassion. Mark Chironna has composed a manifesto of hope that conveys both his modesty of spirit and majesty of thought. A remarkable achievement."
Leonard Sweet, professor; publisher; founder, PreachTheStory.com; author, Songs of Light series
"On the Edge of Hope offers a lifeline to those drowning in a sea of depression or anxiety. Through Mark's personal healing journey, you will find a lighthouse in the midst of your storm that will guide you to the shores of peace and help you win the battle against hopelessness. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is going through a storm or knows someone who is!"
Kris Vallotton, senior associate leader, Bethel Church, Redding, California; cofounder, Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry; author, The Supernatural Ways of Royalty, Heavy Rain, Spiritual Intelligence, and more
The Author
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Mark Chironna
Mark Chironna is an influential leader with a global reach and has been a clarion prophetic voice for almost five decades. Dr. Chironna is the founder and senior pastor of Church on the Living Edge and the presiding bishop of Legacy Edge Alliance, a worldwide...
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