This week we talk with Erica Barthalow about her new book, Holy Doubt: Finding Hope When Faith is a Struggle. Erica is a writer, pastor’s wife, and mom to two of the best people on the planet, Jacob and Juliana. She is married to Jonathan Barthalow, and together they currently serve the people of Crosspoint Church in Waverly, Iowa. Since entering full-time ministry in 2003, Erica has been involved in a variety of roles in youth, children, missions, and college/university ministry. The only one missing is senior adults! After struggling with God as a missionary in India, Erica realized the importance of honesty and authenticity in her relationships and with God. You can read her blog at: www.droppingtheact.com In this episode Erica tells the story of her struggle with doubt, depression, and suicidal thoughts that developed while she and her husband and two children were serving as missionaries in India. Living in a house on the edge of a jungle outside of a remote mountain village, Erica began to question everything she thought she knew about being a Christian as her experience with missions was not what she expected. We talk with her about this process as she explains how God used her situation, and the people around her, to grow her faith from simply believing in the Jesus she had heard about to finding the real Jesus in the midst of deep suffering. Her story will challenge you to ask questions and open up about your own doubts about the Christian life and inspire you to never give up on God because even in our darkest moments, we find God has not abandoned us. Continue Reading...