There's no question that life throws hard curve balls, even at Christians, setting us up to question where we stand and why. People grow up and move out of their parents' influence, crisis strikes, the disconnect between teaching and acting gapes too wide--and doubt creeps in. That strikes terror in our hearts: if we doubt, how can we be good Christians? The only options seem to be either to stifle all questions or to reject all that we've been taught. Permission to Doubt offers a third option: the possibility that doubt may be a foundation for a stronger, deeper faith.
Ann Sullivan knows the pain and distress of doubt. Following a thirteen-year struggle with an undiagnosed panic disorder, she is intimately familiar with the experience of being blindsided by questions you never thought you'd have. In this arena, she is the veteran, able to honestly tell the reader, "I know how you feel--and it's okay."
Sullivan doesn't shy away from the big questions; in fact, she welcomes them into the light, because it is in darkness and denial that disbelief flourishes. With personal examples and practical solutions, Sullivan identifies the three types of doubt--spiritual, emotional, and intellectual--and develops strategies to deal with each. She details step-by-step solutions and practical ways in which faith can be strengthened.
This candid look at faith, where it comes from and how it can be threatened, provides women with reassurance that they're not alone and gives them the resources they need to overcome their struggle.
