Book Review: Hope Prevails

Author of ‘Hope Prevails’, Dr Michelle Bengtson, starts this book in a brilliant way with incredible promises from Gods word, to encourage the sufferer of depression. These are great promises to write out and look at regularly if youve been through an episode of depression. They read like a wonderful love letter from God.

Promises included in the book are :

• There are brighter days ahead (Prov 4:18)

• You are not alone (Heb 3:5)

• You will have His peace again instead of worry (Phil 4:6-7)

• A great outcome will result from your current pain (Rom 8:38)

• And more

What I also love about her book is that she tackles the subject of depression from every possible angle the physical, emotional and the spiritual, rather than looking at it from just one side. In fact, she emphasises just what an impact depression has on us spiritually, and what we can do about it.

She examines all of the possible causes of depression, wisely pointing out that its often not one thing that causes depression, but a multitude of factors can contribute to it. I recognised a number of them as being possible causes for my own life.

These include causes such as :

• Our brain chemistry

• Genetics

• Difficult circumstances or a traumatic experience

• Spiritual roots

She reveals how we can become vulnerable spiritually when we believe the enemys lies about us. They are thoughts about ourselves that the enemy has brought to us which weve accepted and come into agreement with. But she offers hope by showing us Gods truth and how we can use it as our weapon against these lies, and rise out of depression.

Overall, I felt this was a very sound, wise, well balanced, and thorough look at what contributes to depression and how to gain victory over it.