In 1981, Doug Stringer was a fitness instructor with his own exercise studio. He knew there was a God, but he lived as if God didn’t exist. Tired of his own hypocrisy, disgusted with his life, he sat down in the back room of his studio one night, put his head in his hands, and prayed: “Lord, if You can use someone like me after all I have done to wound Your heart, I make myself available to You.”

What happened soon afterward started a ministry that reaches out to thousands of lost and hurting people around the world.

Mending the Net: Bringing Hope in a Hurting World is the story of Doug’s ministry from its humble beginnings until today. Obviously, much else has changed in the world since then. Doug himself has changed, having gone through a battle with stage four cancer. Doug’s wife, Lisa, wrote the book God Did Not Do This to Me to share their trials and triumphs through that cancer journey.

But what hasn’t changed is Doug’s undefeatable spirit and love for others, which shine through in his books, his ministry, and everything he touches.

My thoughts: I enjoyed reading about the author's life, how he finally decided to give God a chance and the road that his decision put him on. I thought that the message of this book was so applicable to what our nation is going though, since he talks about the ministry where churches are coming together and working with one another to reach out to the hurting. We need to see more of that unity! The reminder that the work needs to be done and to find new ways to reach out is one that I have been pondering lately, so I appreciated this book.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy here! This post contains affiliate links.

About the Author

Dr. J. Doug Stringer is founder and president of Turning Point Ministries International and Somebody Cares America/International (SCA/SCI). Doug’s years of ministry have taken him to numerous communities and nations—from urban to foreign missions, from garbage dumps to the palaces and halls of government leaders.

As an Asian-American, Doug is considered a bridge-builder of reconciliation among various ethnic and religious groups. A sought-after international conference and crusade speaker, he addresses thousands of people each year throughout the U.S. and abroad on topics such as persevering leadership and community transformation.

Over the years, Somebody Cares has become a model for connecting needs with resources during natural calamities. Through the expansion of the disaster preparedness and relief collaborations, the ministry has established a Global Compassion Response Network.

Doug is the author of Leadership Awakening, In Search of a Father’s Blessing, It’s Time to Cross the Jordan, The Fatherless Generation, Somebody Cares, Born to Die, Hope for the Fatherless Generation, and Living Life Well.

I have no text on this. The author is suddenly rewriting large chunks of the text. All I have is a note from him:

This book (Mending the Net) will be available February 2021, but the message is so needed today. Regardless of how the elections turn out, we, the church, must Spread the Net, Wash the Net, MEND the NET, and Cast the Net together…if we are to bring healing and hope, and see a mighty harvest…

Doug resides in the greater Houston area with his wife, Lisa, and daughter, Ashley.