Self Surrender; The Key to Dreaming Again

"We parked our car in front of Yankton's Federal Prison Camp and walked through the doors of the control center. 'I'm Rick Unruh, and I'm here to self-surrender, ' I told the corrections officer. There is no way I could comprehend what those words would mean over course of the next year, as God would begin a new work in me."
Born and raised in a small town in Kansas, Rick Unruh was called to be in the ministry. But when he lost his mother to cancer despite her unwavering faith that God would heal her, it planted seeds of doubt in his heart. He served as a traveling evangelist for years but later faded away from the ministry.
He and his wife lost their house in a fire, but a year later, far worse pain was ahead when they, lost their twelve-year-old son in an ATV accident. Just when it seemed there was hope and recovery ahead, Rick was blindsided by a federal investigation into a mortgage consulting group he'd been involved with. He was eventually charged and then sentenced to over a year in prison, embarrassed and sure that God was done with him this time. But God wasn't finished.
This book is a testament to the God who restores us and allows us to dream again--if we will only surrender ourselves to him.

My thoughts: Rick's story is one of incredible pain and loss, but also one that shows how the Lord moves when we seek Him through the trials we go through. I really appreciated how open this book is and that Rick shares what they went through. His thoughts on the time he spent in prison were a unique insight; I thought it was excellent that he used the time with limited distractions to grow closer to God. I also feel like this book is a good resource for those who have been in prison or have a loved on who has served time, since it shows some of the difficulties when getting out. This is a thought provoking book that will turn your eyes to God and glorifying Him through the hard times.
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

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About the Author:
Rick Unruh is a US MAPS missionary and is the founder of Dream Again Ministry. He holds a master’s degree in counseling from Logos University (Jacksonville, FL), with a special interest in grief ministry. He lives in Kansas with his wife, Tamela, and travels the country sharing his Dream Again testimony, a message of hope and finding our purpose. He recently added workshops for the church, helping them understand and minister to the grieving. Rick also recruits full-time missionaries to serve with MAPS.

More from Rick
I actually wrote the first chapter of my book in 2011 and then it just sat there until December of 2018. I continually have had people ask me to write a book about my story, since I travel nearly every weekend sharing my story. I could just never get the desire or focus to finish it. After writing it, I realized, that I was hesitating because I didn’t want to go back to some of those places and dig deep, stirring painful emotions, just to write about them. I would feel the anxiety building as I was getting closer to those moments. There is great healing in writing, but the early process of writing this book caused me to shed many tears. But, if it can help others who are struggling with the loss of a loved one or a major setback in life, and bring hope and encouragement, then it has all been worth it.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here.

Giveaway!
To celebrate his tour, Rick is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card and a eBook copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.