Change, while inevitable, is often difficult to understand and even harder to navigate. Author Christopher M. Kennedy reminds us that when changes in life leave us struggling, God has not left us alone to navigate the changes we face. In Kennedy’s new book, Unfailing: God’s Assurance for Times of Change, he uses examples from the life of the prophet Samuel to point readers to the peace found only in Jesus even in the midst of life’s changes.
“Along with the other witnesses of Scripture, Samuel’s life inspires us to lay aside every weight and sin and to run with endurance the race set before us,” writes Kennedy. “The race will have its twists and turns. . . . But by God’s grace, we can run with endurance. God’s Spirit strengthens us. God’s Word directs us. A great cloud of witnesses, including Samuel, surrounds us. And our Savior stands victorious for us, over every change and loss, over every trouble and heartache, over every challenge and mountain that we may have to climb.”
In Unfailing, readers will study the prophet Samuel and the changes he endured to learn how they can trust God to lead them through the shifts in their own lives.
“In Scripture, we can find counsel for managing change in a godly way . . . ,” Kennedy writes. “He comes to us by His Spirit and through His Word to help us navigate life.”
Through personal reflections, devotional questions, room for notes, and a guide for small groups, Unfailing tackles the uncomfortable reality of change. As Kennedy looks at Jesus and God’s Word, he helps readers find everything they need to help them through loss and transition.
“Pastor Kennedy has blessed the church yet again with a relevant and deeply practical work that will help Christians navigate life in a fallen world,” says Rev. Dr. Michael Fieberkorn, associate pastor at Zion Lutheran Church in St. Charles, Missouri, and fellow CPH author. “Kennedy’s insightful and fresh examination of the prophet Samuel sharpens our understanding of one of the Bible’s most overlooked characters and is brilliantly suited for helping us understand how to deal with change. Whether you are encountering Samuel’s tumultuous story for the first time or simply getting reacquainted, you’ll profit from this unique look at his life and times.”
Visit cph.org/unfailing for more information. Contact Erica Sontag to schedule an interview with the author.
Praise for Unfailing
From our conception in our mother’s womb until our last breath, we experience change. Our bodies change—they grow, they get injured, they grow old. Our relationships change as people come and go from our circle of friends and family. Life around us changes as society’s values and norms transform—sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. Coping with change can be challenging to the most nimble and adaptable person among us. How do we find a way to survive the maelstrom of life’s variations? From the pen of a skilled pastor comes Unfailing: God’s Assurance for Times of Change. Pastor Christopher Kennedy presents a series of vignettes from the life of the Old Testament prophet Samuel, who experienced the momentous changes in Israel as it transitioned from a loose governance of divinely appointed judges to the reigns of its first kings, Saul and David. Through these moments from Samuel’s life, Pastor Kennedy shows readers how God’s servant Samuel adapted to a changing world. But more importantly, Kennedy demonstrates that Samuel’s life points us toward an even greater person who is with us throughout every change in our lives and who is always available to guide us—Jesus, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Combining practical insights with solid biblical wisdom, Unfailing guides readers as they seek to navigate the changing currents in the stream of life.
—Andrew Steinmann, distinguished professor emeritus of theology and Hebrew, Concordia University Chicago
If your life is anything like mine, the swirling pace of it all feels like it’s accelerating. To keep the faith amid the rise of our world’s rapid-fire stressors, we need teachers. Using Samuel—the prophet, priest, and king—as a primary model, Christopher Kennedy anchors us in Scripture, roots us in reality, and grounds us in the Spirit’s practical wisdom. The promises of God on these pages are neither formulaic nor pie-in-the-sky. Rather, the concreteness of this book’s applicability to the everyday challenges of everyday people will grace readers with truth that is timeless and, in truth, unfailing.
—Rev. John Arthur Nunes, PhD; pastor, Pilgrim Lutheran Church, Santa Monica, California; senior fellow, Center for Religion, Culture, and Democracy
Life moves on, and with it comes challenging changes. And when our increasingly non-Christian culture and bewildering digital technology pile on? We easily become depressed. Through personal reflection or small-group discussion, Unfailing is an opportunity to conquer change. Christopher Kennedy’s look at changes in Samuel’s life is creative. Most especially, I appreciate how he connects each change to our living Lord Jesus. “O Thou who changest not, abide with me!”
—Dale A. Meyer, president emeritus, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri
Pastor Kennedy has blessed the church yet again with a relevant and deeply practical work that will help Christians navigate life in a fallen world. Kennedy’s insightful and fresh examination of the prophet Samuel sharpens our understanding of one of the Bible’s most overlooked characters and is brilliantly suited for helping us understand how to deal with change. Whether you are encountering Samuel’s tumultuous story for the first time or simply getting reacquainted, you’ll profit from this unique look at his life and times. In fact, I’m confident your encounter with this work will transform how you comprehend change in your own life. Instead of only lamenting changes with a “not again!” you’ll learn how to better cope with and even grow stronger through the many curveballs life inevitably throws your way.
—Rev. Dr. Michael T. Fieberkorn, associate pastor, Zion Lutheran Church, St. Charles, Missouri; author of Battle of the Soul: Luther Reforms Vice and Virtue
About the Author
Christopher M. Kennedy is a writer, podcaster, and pastor. He is also the author of Jesus Said What?, Equipped: The Armor of God for Everyday Struggles, and Grace Under Pressure: Responding Faithfully to Stress. He serves a large congregation in San Antonio, Texas. Pastor Kennedy earned a bachelor’s degree in communication, a master’s degree in theology, and a doctorate in ministry. He and his wife are the parents of four children.
