Beautiful message that is easy to relate to no matter what trials one is facing. Scripturally sound and encouraging.

This book is a great tool I will share with those I Counsel. Life is hard and there are always scars when there is pain. The author shares how God uses those
Scars for His Glory. This book is so encouraging. The stories shared are ones we all need to read

This is a well written book about finding hope in the midst of the trauma or hardship you have suffered. Michelle does an excellent job sharing others’ experiences and tying in scripture. Each chapter even has a prayer and a playlist. I highly recommend this book!

Sacred Scars
Resting in God's Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted
by Dr. Michelle Bengtson
Pub Date Jun 25 2024 | Archive Date Jul 25 2024
Revell
Christian | Self-Help
Revell and Netgalley provided me with a copy of Sacred Scars for review:
Throughout the years, I have followed Dr. Michelle Bengston’s faith journey as well as her cancer battle. Her faith has been lived out through social media, which I consider one of the positive aspects of the medium. Of course she has those dark moments, and Sacred Scars is a reflection of that.
So let’s get into Sacred Scars!
Trials, pain, and hardship are part of life for all of us. It is often the enemy who uses those experiences to convince us that we cannot be used again by God because of our emotional or physical scars. If you surrender to and trust in God, your past pain and brokenness actually serve as preparation for what God wants to do in you and through you.
With Sacred Scars, neuropsychologist and fellow sufferer Dr. Michelle Bengtson helps you deal with your pain
An understanding of suffering based on the Bible:
Learn how your trials serve a purpose in life:
Consider God’s healing:
You can comfort others with the comfort that God has given you.
As Jesus’ scars didn’t disappear after his resurrection, our scars testify to the love and power of God. Dr. Bengtson can help you turn your past pain into present comfort and future hope.

Well-written and biblical. A transparent conversation about the struggles we all face during hard times.

This book really resonates with me. I pray that as you read it, the message of each story shared will be an encouragement to you as you read this book. We all have scars from past evens in our lives. This book shares how our past isn’t wasted.
-Michele C.

So often we see our scars as ugly reminders of the hurts and harms we have endured, but in Sacred Scars, author Dr. Michelle Bengtson reminds us that there are life and faith lessons to be learned from these forays into the wilderness of pain and sorrow.
With truths spoken from experience, Bengtson gently comes alongside readers, sharing her own personal stories, struggles, and sorrows—and offering prayers, a fresh perspective, and so much more. There are even playlists! Bengtson’s words will encourage, reassure, and remind you that “your pain, your wounds, and your scars are in good hands” when you entrust them to our good God.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Baker Publishing for the complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

While reading Sacred Scars I realized my great need for the message of hope Dr. Michelle shares. My journey of grief and sorrow from my hubby’s death turned my world upside down. Each chapter has given me a word or a thought that has filled me with joy even in the midst of the pain as I realized that the pain I am experiencing is not wasted. Through this season my heart has hurt to the point that I despaired of going on alone but Dr. Michelle has given me a light for the future which is God’s presence to care for me; his plans and purposes to move me on alone. Have you ever wondered how to go forward after a devastating loss, disease, or relationship closure? You truly will find out emotionally, mentally, physically, relationally and spiritually how to thrive even when your heart is broken. Sacred Scars encourages you to look to Jesus; to feed on God’s word and to never look back and let the pain of the past dictate your future. Allow your heart to experience healing as scars develop where divine truths and promises flood you. You will weep and even smile as you experience beautiful sacred scars for your painful wounds.

I‘ve read all of Dr. Michelle Bengtson’s books, thinking that each new book is my favorite. “Sacred Scars” is no exception. She writes from her own experience to encourage and comfort others with the comfort with which she has been comforted (see 2 Corinthians 1:14), helping us along as we cling to Jesus in this broken, troubled world. She assures us that God never wastes our pain and He will use it all for our good and His glory. Read this book and be encouraged that with the Lord’s help, we can live this way, too.

You can find beauty in your scars. This book is a roadmap that will show you how. God will take all of the brokenness of your past, and the resultant scars, and craft them all together into a beautiful mosaic masterpiece that forms a sacred scar story. Then, he'll use them for good to help others who are on the same journey.

Just as she does in all of her books, Dr. Bengtson backs all of her teachings up with Scripture and shares both a prayer and a music playlist for you to draw strength from.

Sacred Scars is a book about pain- yes, but it is also a book about HOPE that is found in the dark. The book contains personal stories from Michelle and others of how God turned their pain and struggles around for good and a purpose- healing wounds and redeeming the the pain and leaving Sacred Scars. In these stories Michelle and the others are open and honest about some of their pain, past, and struggles letting the reader know they are not alone.
Each Chapter contains Scriptures, a personal prayer, and a recommended playlist. The end of the book has reflection questions from each chapter and additional resources.
This book let's the reader know that our pain, our struggles, the dark, the hard, and our wounds can all be shaped and molded by God and used for His Glory and Good. Our pain isn't wasted and to quote Michelle Bengtson- "My friend our scars are not a bad thing! Our scars are the tapestry of the lessons we've learned through pain, whether those scars are the result of physical, emotional, relational, or spiritual pain. Scars signify a battle has occurred." Some chapter titles are Shame OFF You- You Are Not Your Past, We Are Stronger Than Whatever Tried To Hurt Us, and We Are Already Accepted. Sacred Scars is a book of hope, encouragement, and words that may be a life raft when you are struggling, overwhelmed, grieving, or hurting. You are not alone my dear friends. We all have some kind of pain and scars but there is Hope.
I received an advanced copy of this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Are you fighting a battle? Do you have a wound that needs healing? Then this is the book you need to help you walk through the significance of the scars that have formed.
Dr. Bengston has masterfully written a resource that everyone needs in their hand. As you are walking through difficulties in life, it is hard not to feel alone or hopeless. Many of us think we are the only one walking through a difficult situation. The author shares stories from her own battle plus others who have experienced suffering in some way. This book is filled with scriptures that we can speak and meditate on as we walk through this valley. As I read through this book, the tears flowed freely as I saw renewed hope and relatability.
This is the book that shows how God shows the significance in the scars we have formed and wants to transformed the scars into something meaningful, for his kingdom. I would highly recommend this to all readers. If you have ever read any of Dr. Bengtson’s books, then you know the profound impact they will have on you, impact that is everlasting.

I’ve just completed one of the most openly transparent and vulnerable books I have ever read. In “Sacred Scars”
Dr. Michelle Bengtson has written about scars. Hers. Trusted friends. Family members. And, although she doesn’t name us by name, she writes about our scars. Yours. Mine. Woven through the shared stories of these scars, she talks about the scars of our great Biblical heroes who had scars too as they followed their Lord and Master. You see, all of us have scars, Wounds that we’ve covered over and buried in the busyness of life. Buried in the depths of our hearts and minds. Wounds of fear, rejection, abandonment. Of being told we are not good enough, smart enough. Not enough.
And those wounds eventually harden behind the walls we erect in our lives and become scars. In sharing of her scars, and others, Dr, Bengston lovingly and gently relates how God takes those scar and turned them in “Sacred Scars.” Healed. Whole. Free. To be the person He created us to be. Finally, she reminds us of the One who took all our wounds and healed them by bearing them on the cross. Who bears them today so we don’t have to carry them anymore. Now is the day. Now is your day.

Dr. Bengston, thank you for this book! It is a life-changing masterpiece!

So far I am really enjoying this book. I didn't realize that there was so much stuff in our lives that cause us shame. I even was able to share a few pages with my husband as we were driving. I think this book will be good for the both of us.

We have pain and traumatic experience in the past that haunted us. We sometimes think is there any help for us. This book Sacred Scars will be a great help for us to rest in God's promise that our past is not wasted.

Reading this inspiring book made me realize that I have scars that are visible to the world and other scars that are hidden. In recognizing my inner and outer scars, I have given the pain and fear that happened to make those marks part of my life, over to God. God knows my scars and He covers me with His love. I'm thankful the author wrote this book. I believe many people will be helped by reading and sharing this one. I received a complimentary copy of the book. No review was required.

I just read Dr Bengtson book Sacred Scars. The title is everything. Within the pages of her book, Dr Bengtson writes about how trials and tribulations produce Scars and how those scars tell our story….. just the fact that we are still standing and standing stronger with our scars gives credibility to our testimony . God allows scars because He loves us. Scars are the proof that He never left us. And He walked through the fire along side us . He covered us in His love So that we can share hope. This book will give you the confidence. to turn your past hurt annd suffering into present comfort and future hope,

Every book by Dr Michelle Bengtson is filled with powerful lessons. Her perspective, advice, and stories never cease to amaze me. The depth of her relationship with the Lord is obvious.

Sacred Scars is a deep dive into the scars we all carry and an en encouraging look into how God can use them for good.

I loved this deeper study of how God can use our Sacred Scars, what I sometimes refer to as my battle scars, to grow in Him. Yes, scars can and do hurt, but God can and does use them for our good.

I received an advanced reader copy from Revell and Netgalley. All opinions are my own.