Hey! Quit your whining, complaining, and yammering. You’re not on a 40-year wilderness trek with Moses—and you’re not Mark Smith.
OK, let me soften that a tad. Perhaps you are experiencing pain—emotional, physical, relational, and more—but, good news, the authors of
Oh God, I’m Dying have encouragement for you. Terry Powell and Mark Smith believe you can learn “how God redeems pain for our good and His glory.”
If you’re a leader—and you’re learning that leadership is challenging, you’re not alone. The authors note,
“For a Christian leader—whether the venue is a church, parachurch organization or a school—the job description often comes wrapped in a burden.”But there’s help! This book is a page-turner and could be a game-changer. I read it slowly over multiple mornings of quiet and reflection, but the back cover says you can read it in just 144 minutes. I don’t recommend a speed-reading marathon. This is a deep dive. Here’s why:
WHAM! “Oh God, I’m dying!” was Mark Smith’s helpless cry to God. Life looked good at age 30, then WHAM—a 1996 horrific car accident changed his life forever. After 45 minutes in his mangled Ford Taurus, rescuers used the “jaws of life” to extract this young leader. His body and his future looked bleak and painful. Doctors predicted months and months in the hospital.
A car swerved into his car and “the head-on collision sounded like a small bomb detonating,” and “the impact knocked Mark’s car a total of 80 feet off the road” and into an Indiana cornfield. (The other driver also survived.)
Regaining consciousness, Mark “wasn’t sure he had a future on earth, but Mark felt the overwhelming presence of the One who controlled his future.”Yet, this young college administrator, pastor, husband, and father (blessed with a one-year-old son), wondered if his walk with God and the sermon on grace and weakness he had just preached hours before (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)—would be sufficient for the long days and nights ahead.
POP QUIZ! I asked myself—and you may want to ask yourself—could you pass this test? Would your answer echo the Apostle Paul’s courageous response?
“It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.” (
The Message)
Whew. Page after page, I cautiously wondered. Did this book interrupt my comfortable routine to prepare me for something coming? Do I want to endure pain to learn strength?
Not really…but I continued reading. Maybe you should read this too. Ten reasons:#1. MAXWELL ENDORSES. John C. Maxwell’s endorsement: “This book teaches you how to learn from and how to persevere in tough times.”
#2. MEMORABLE STORY. Amazingly, co-author Terry Powell (
click here for my review of Powell’s book,
Serve Strong) convinced Mark Smith to tell his story. Everyone has a story—but in just 169 pages (plus notes and resources), you’ll never forget this story—and the leadership lessons.
#3. MORPHING PAIN. Even today (24 years later), “What starts in the afternoon as a throbbing ache morphs into a burning sensation within a couple of hours. By eight p.m., he labels it a ‘roaring pain,’ as if an accelerant had been injected into the fire already glowing in his neck, left arm and hip. By 10:00 p.m., the ferocity of the pain generates tears.”
#4. MARK’S DAY JOB. You’re not gonna believe this! Dr. Mark Smith’s day job is president of Columbia International University in South Carolina. What’s a tougher job than leading an institution of higher education? Leading a university while coping with debilitating pain—every day.
#5. MIDNIGHT BALM. The long nights in those early days of unbearable pain pointed Mark Smith to the Scriptures he had previously memorized. You’ll delight in the powerful words of God generously sprinkled across the pages.
And get this—dozens of Bible verses are highlighted with unique graphics above and below the Scripture—black tire tracks!
“The text most precious to Mark during his recovery was Psalm 34, especially verses 1-7.”
#6. MEDICINE FOR THE SOUL. The authors quote Marsha Hays, “Music is medicine for the soul.” In the brilliant last half of the book, the authors highlight 10 “Faith Lessons.” Lesson 5, “Using Music to Soothe the Soul” notes that when Mark’s spirit sagged, “God’s Spirit used hymns to massage his mind and restore his focus on the gospel.” When I read this short chapter—I couldn’t resist:
“Alexa, play ‘My Faith Has Found a Resting Place.’” #7. MORE LESSONS. The 10 short faith lessons for helping “God’s people deal with pain and suffering” are both soothing and sobering. (Feature one-per-week at your weekly staff meeting.)
• Faith Lesson 1: Clinging to God’s Word
• Faith Lesson 2: Pleading With God
• Faith Lesson 3: Embracing Brokenness
• Faith Lesson 9: Comforting Persons Who Hurt
• Faith Lesson 10: Redeeming Pain
#8. MATURITY CHECK-UP. “Releasing Resentment,” the fourth faith lesson, quotes St. Augustine:
“Resentment is like drinking poison and hoping the other person dies.” Powell and Smith list eight very-very-convicting questions on releasing resentment, including this poke-in-the-ribs: “Have I stopped telling others what this person did to me?” (See Ephesians 4:29.)
#9. MONEY MIRACLES. I hesitate to mention Chapter 9, “Nowhere to Look but Up!” because my nonprofit CEO and fundraising colleagues will immediately read this chapter first—
but please don’t. Terry Powell chronicles God’s blessing on the fundraising initiatives of Mark Smith over his career at three universities. Talk about miracle stories! Wow!
But, if you skip Mark’s journey from a mangled Ford Taurus to the leadership of a major Christian university (Chapters 1 to 8)—you’ll miss the big idea of this book. They quote D.A. Carson:
The authors quote Charles H. Spurgeon: “Within the Scripture there is a balm for every wound, a salve for every sore.” Mark Smith found solace in Psalm 34.
The authors write, “The library shelves of Christian colleges and seminaries sag with the weight of pastoral and theological tomes on the issues pertaining to suffering and faith.” But gratefully, the authors list 16 additional books on the topic, plus organizations that help people address pain and suffering in God-honoring ways.
