When we allow written words to challenge our thinking we become more effective, more compassionate, and more useful counselors of ourselves and of one another. More specifically, when we enter into the stories of other believers, especially hurting believers, we begin to realize how common and leveling suffering really is (though it wears many different faces) and appreciate the importance of biblical empathy.

Robert Kellemen and Karole Edwards have provided a unique and insightful book. Through historical accounts and slave testimonies, the authors bring the reader into the world of slavery and reveal a side that is rarely seen-the side of true believers in Christ who refused to think of themselves as victims, but by faith reckoned themselves to be victors in Christ-even as they shared in His sufferings. In the authors' own words, this book is for everyone fascinated by stories that portray victory snatched from the jaws of defeat. It's for everyone who longs to know how Christ transforms victims into victors. It's for everyone who wants to help suffering and struggling people discover healing for their hurts and grace for their disgrace (14).

At first, I tripped over the four dimensional template used by the authors to map out what they refer to as soul care and spiritual direction (terms that are sometimes used in liberal circles and by Roman Catholics, but certainly not used in those ways in this book, rather they are given proper biblical and historical meaning), that of sustaining, healing, reconciling, and guiding. It felt like the stories were being forced into a preconceived grid rather than the map emerging from the faith-stories themselves. However, this became less of a mental obstacle as reading continued and the artificiality of the template seemed to decrease.

One of the authors' favorite words is "sufferology," which refers to a theology of suffering that flows out of the response of our African American brothers and sisters to their degradation, which consists of, but is not limited to, the following principles that directly impact our counseling of others.
• All suffering passes through our heavenly Father's affectionately sovereign hands (35). The absolute sovereignty and goodness of God is the only proper starting point for a biblical "sufferology."
• Biblical empathy is effectively communicated through silent presence rather than pious speeches. Far too often we rush in with words, and far too often those words are words of rescue. Our hurting friends need our silence, not our speeches. The shed tear and the silent voice provide great enrichment for our spiritual friends (46). A gentle word of caution is needed here. It is true that personal presence never fails to comfort in times of severe trial and grief, however, biblical ministry does not stop there. Certainly it is important for us to be near our hurting friends and to be ready to listen (after all, we do not want to be like Job's sorry comforters), but soon after empathizing with them we must carefully apply helpful words-the Word-if any true comfort is ever going to be dispensed from God through us. This prevents our comfort from being subjective or fuzzy.
• Groaning to God in prayer is encouraged, not condemned, as a means of enduring suffering. We minister healing soul care to our spiritual friends suffering under unspiritual treatment by encouraging them to groan to God (50).
• Suffering is more easily endured when it is shared in community. When we learn to suffer with one another we also learn to grasp hope together, thus strengthening one another's faith in the process. From our slave brothers and sisters we learn not only about the force of individual perseverance but also about the strength of communal sustaining. The moaners never moaned alone (54).
• A relentless focus on heaven fortifies us to endure the suffering of today-with joy. Our slave brethren coped with the heartbreak of relational separation through the hope of heavenly reunion, and they tackled the depersonalization of identity thievery with the awareness that they bore the image of God (61).
• Nurturing family relationships, by means of affection, prayer, and family worship, provides sustaining power through trial. They defeated earthly despair not only by longing for their future heavenly home but also by empowering their current earthly homes (83-84).
• Suffering is most effective when it drives us to the Cross of Christ as our only source of hope and our only remedy for our sin. While we are called to sustain and heal people in their suffering, if we neglect to address their sinning, if we fail to offer reconciling, then we may enable people to become more self-sufficient sinners. Such one-sided ministry attempts to empower people to live this life more successfully while giving them little incentive to turn to Christ's resurrection power for eternal life later and abundant life now (107). Competent ambassadors of reconciliation know that grace is God's prescription for our disgrace (112). Offering people earthly solutions without offering them Christ as the final answer is no answer at all (160).
• Running to Christ for our true identity, however, is not an individual pursuit, but a discipline that must constantly occur corporately by means of worship, fellowship, prayer, and mutual ministry in the local church. Christ's commission for the church has always emphasized the creation of an atmosphere in which mutual lay spiritual friendship and spiritual mentoring would be common features of our shared life together (135-136).
• One of the most empowering expressions of faith in the midst of suffering is God-centered music that flows from the deep well of an afflicted heart. The slave spirituals were not polished, practiced anthems designed to entertain. They were personal, powerful psalms designed to sustain (164).
As a pastor, I found the chapter Sons of Thunder especially strengthening. The testimonies of faithful African American pastors during this shameful time in our nation's history reveal a pattern of strong, uncompromising, and at the same time gracious and loving leadership that is needed in our churches today. Women of God who long to be more effective in their mutual ministry to one another will also profit much from the stories of "mentoring mothers" contained in the chapter Sisters of the Spirit.