by Dan Nolta
"Does God simply give you the gift you need to be useful in his kingdom?" For Dan Nolta, the answer is no. Nolta grew up in a family torn apart by alcohol and divorce. Restlessness and longing first ate a hole in Nolta's soul but eventually chased him not only to Jesus but also to his unique giftedness and "divine appointment." "No life experience is a throwaway with God," Nolta states. "With God, nothing is wasted--neither the good times nor bad times, neither the pain nor the privilege." In Compassion: The Painful Privilege, Nolta shares the process through which God gifted him with compassion and led him to work in the Pierce County (Washington) Sheriff's Department as a chaplain. Vivid examples from Nolta's ministry will give you a front row seat to see the inherent costs of exercising compassion--the stress, vicarious suffering, and fatigue. Nolta lets you in on what he's learned about persevering through the difficulties of the compassionate life, and how to enjoy the rich rewards with appropriate humility.