Putting Your Past in Its Place

Lives grind to a halt when people don't know how to relate to their past. Some believe "the past is nothing" and attempt to suppress the brokenness again and again. Others miss out on renewal and change by making the past more important than their present and future. Neither approach moves people toward healing or hope. Pastor and biblical counselor Stephen Viars introduces a third way to view one's personal history-by exploring the role of the past as God intended. Using Scripture to lead readers forward, Viars provides practical measures to • understand the important place "the past" is given in Scripture • replace guilt and despair with forgiveness and hope • turn failures into stepping stones for growth This motivating, compassionate resource is for anyone ready to review and release the past so that God can transform their behaviors, relationships, and their ability to hope in a future. Most people either give their past pains and experiences too little or too much importance and power. Pastor and biblical counselor Stephen Viars explores the role of the past as God intended and offers readers biblical examples and practical, encouraging steps toward a transformed today and a hope-filled future. "The Christian counseling world has waited a long time for a book that has substantive help for people who are weighed down with problems from their past. It is finally here! Steve Viars has taken a difficult issue and, aptly and with clarity, applies practical theological answers to it. You cannot read this book without being personally changed. If you are looking for solid biblical answers about your past, this is the book for you." -Dr. John D. Street, chair of the Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling program, The Master's College and Seminary "The gospel promises believers the power to change, but those who've experienced deep pain in their past often struggle with living by faith. Pastor Steve Viars' new book, Putting Your Past in Its Place, offers practical, compassionate, biblical help for those with painful personal histories, and for their pastors and counselors." -Dr. Laura Hendrickson, author, biblical counselor, psychiatrist "Steve Viars is a pastoral psychologist of the best sort: realistic, practical, and thoroughly Christian. His book really does put the past in its proper place and does so by comforting, challenging, and encouraging those who need to make peace with their past. Whether you are struggling with the past yourself or one who counsels the strugglers, you cannot read this book and not be changed." -Sam R. Williams, PhD, associate professor of counseling, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC "Many of us remain paralyzed by our past even though freedom from our past was purchased on the cross. In this much-needed book, Steve Viars shows that the Bible teaches us what we need to know about learning from and disarming our past. So read well, see yourself, see Jesus, and receive His liberating grace." -Paul Tripp, president, Paul Tripp Ministries and author of What Did You Expect? Redeeming the Realities of Marriage "In Putting Your Past in its Place, experienced biblical counselor and respected Bible scholar Steve Viars seeks to answer the important question, What role does a person's past play in his or her present-day living? Viars bases his answer not on his or any other human being's opinion but on God's authoritative, infallible Word. This interesting and insightful book will be of great benefit to many people. Counselors will find this book to be very helpful, as will Christians who struggle with discerning a biblical perspective." -Wayne Mack, professor of biblical counseling, Grace School of Ministry, Pretoria and Capetown, South Africa "As a counselor I know people often get stuck in the past. Some wallow there and others make every effort to deny its effects. While Steve V