Brave Souls: Experiencing the Audacious Power of Empathy

Review "The beauty and power of Christ-like, Spirit-empowered empathy in a world of apathy and antipathy is the missing ingredient in our homes, schools, churches, communities, cities, and the world. This book is a valuable tapestry of the sad?but true?stories of women and their experiences of violence and injustice interwoven with the joyful and hopeful outcome of authentic Christian love and empathy. You will be inspired, encouraged, and equipped in Brave Souls!" -- Ed Stetzer, Billy Graham Distinguished Chair, Wheaton College"This book pulls you in and doesn't let you go until the end. Given the tone of today's public discourse, what does it mean to have disruptive empathy or high functioning apathy? Bauman's authenticity, wild stories, and gift with words pull you into the inner world of a woman being asked by God to listen?really listen?to the people around her, specifically to the stories of women who have survived the violence of war. She reminds us?challenges us?that empathy is not reserved for a few select saints. It is gritty, personal, concrete, and practical, and available to all brave souls thirsty enough to pursue real love." -- Shayne Moore, author of Refuse to Do Nothing"This is a time for followers of Jesus to 'take heart' in the face of profound challenges, and my friend Belinda has written a book that will help us do just that. Belinda's commitment to justice is grounded in her love of God and her love for people, and her love is one that will inspire anyone who reads Brave Souls to follow Jesus with courage." -- Michael Wear, author of Reclaiming Hope"Belinda does a masterful job of integrating research, experience, and story to help illustrate the transforming power of empathy. This is a book that searches your soul and prepares you to practice the spiritual discipline of empathy. As a pastor, leader, mother, and neighbor it has invited me to new spaces of bravery." -- Sandra Maria Van Opstal, author of The Next Worship"The power of empathy is the power for God to transform our understanding of how he is working in the world. This book is a reminder that there is indeed a commonality formed and a shared human experience created in hearing, listening, and being shaped by others' stories and experiences. Belinda has a rich history of being shaken and broken before the Lord and using herself as an empty vessel to carry the stories of the women she meets to the places that need to hear their stories. Throughout this book, she reminds us that our own strength and bravery don't have to come from ourselves but from others we meet along the way. She helps us find a way forward to not forget those who are easily forgotten. Belinda weaves the stories of so many brave and fearless women, who are our teachers and leaders, into a rich tapestry where God's grace and power is the redemptive thread. She ultimately points us to the power of building relationships with those who are on the margins of society, where we so often see God redeeming and restoring his beloveds. I'm so grateful for this book and Belinda's ongoing work of education and advocacy. I believe you'll find, as I did, that this book will inform and inspire you to action!" -- Jenny Yang, vice president of advocacy and policy for World Relief, and coauthor of Welcoming the Stranger"In an age where it is easy to think of ourselves as socially aware and compassionate, but where studies show we are swiftly losing our empathy and growing ever-more distant from one another, this book is a beautiful and passionate call back to becoming fully human, learning to listen to one another's stories, and being willing to risk the loss of comfort to live in solidarity with others. In Brave Souls, a book born from her life story, Belinda Bauman takes direct aim at what it means for us to truly love?having a form of holy empathy?and be deeply engaged in the world around us. Not everyone has a mentor to sit down with for coffee; for those who don't, you will be delighte