Dr Paul Allen

Amy Simpson has written an interesting new book. It’s called Blessed Are the Unsatisfied. I caught up with Amy recently to discuss her new book. What did you write Unsatisfied and who is it written for? Blessed Are the Unsatisfied is written for Christians who have frequently heard that they should feel satisfied because they’re in a relationship with Jesus, but who are aware that they don’t actually feel that way all the time. In particular, it’s written for people who live with serious challenges to their happiness—mental health struggles, the loss of a loved one, the lingering effects of trauma or adverse childhood experiences, and a pessimistic nature. In a sense, these are my people, and they tend to be the true realists when it comes to some of the trite messages we throw around in the church. The book is about the spiritual freedom that comes when we admit the truth: We are unsatisfied people. Now, that doesn’t mean we don’t all have some level of satisfaction in our lives and i...

“And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega , the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.” ( Revelation 21:6 ) Before Jesus came, His unique birth was foretold by an angel and prophesied in Isaiah 7:14 : “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel,” meaning “God with us” ( Matthew 1:23 ). He referred to Himself as “a well of water” ( John 4:14 ) available to all. The OT is the background for this term, which has important metaphorical significance. In Jer. 2:13, Yahweh decries the disobedient Jews for rejecting Him, the “fountain of living waters.” The OT prophets looked forward to a time when “living waters shall flow from Jerusalem” ( Zech. 14:8; Ezek. 47:9). The OT metaphor spoke of the knowledge of God and His grace which provides cleansing, spiritual life, and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit (cf. Is. 1:16–18; 12:3; 44:3; Ezek. 36:25–27).  ...