Broken but Blessed

Journeying from Pain to Peace with Unlikely Guides

By: Rebekah Domer, Alice von Hildebrand

Narrated by: Rebekah Domer

Meet ordinary people who exemplify the upside-down values of Jesus’ Beatitudes.

“Why me?” is the cry I hear most often in my work as a hospice chaplain. I’m not a theologian, but through my encounters with people who are elderly, disabled, dying, and bereaved - and through my own quest for peace - Jesus’ teachings known as the Beatitudes have become essential. They describe the attributes of God’s people: God is with those who suffer, those beaten down by life and rejected by the world. Whether you consider yourself a Christian or not, you too can be encouraged by these words:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Broken but Blessed is a journey through the lives of ordinary people who exemplify these values, which flip the priorities of modern society on their head. Perhaps you, like one of these people, are up against insurmountable odds, battling illness or devastated by loss. You may have been rejected, betrayed, or abused. Whatever you are facing, these people will accompany you, showing how suffering can be transformed into blessing and how, even in our own brokenness, we can become a blessing to others.

©2018 Rebekah Domer (P)2021 Plough Publishing House

Critic reviews

Broken but Blessed is rooted in the Beatitudes, which are so desperately needed today. In these teachings, Jesus lifts up the poor and the weak and the helpless. He totally upends the world’s understanding of what brings happiness. . . . I am convinced that, like the amazing people Rebekah Domer has profiled in this book, you too can find the peace that the Beatitudes offer. (Alice von Hildebrand)

"Jesus’ statements about blessing - the Beatitudes - may sound inexplicably strange to anyone unaccustomed to his way of thinking. But in this slim book, Rebekah Domer gently leads her readers into the heart of Jesus’ teaching by introducing us to the stories she has encountered through her work as a hospice chaplain. There is perhaps no better way to grasp what Jesus meant than through reading and pondering the stories of lives lived well and faithfully, and the stories with which Domer has blessed us are truly a gift." (Cameron Lee, Fuller Theological Seminary, author of Unexpected Blessings)

"This is at once a simple and sophisticated piece of work. There are raw moments and joy-filled moments and the book moves between the two with an ease that itself conveys the central message." (Sarah C. Williams, Regent College, author of Perfectly Human)

Broken But Blessed

Very soothing, and reassuring. When she was finished, I realized I had many things to think about, and pray about.