In your own life, have the seas been rough? Have you been battered by storms, or blown off course? If so, join us. Fair Havens is a ministry to restore hope to the weary traveler. It's an anchor for the soul, a safe harbor offering spiritual refreshment. Fair Havens is a digital portal to multiple resources bringing renewal, repair, and strength for the onward journey.
Our spiritual journey has been long, and often difficult. The storms of life can be brutal, and disorienting. Sometimes we've found ourselves on our own and without support. Our needs are not being met. But we are not alone. The Lord is near. He desires that we turn to him, for is the one who restores our soul (Psalm 23:3). For us the best help has come through God's Word, and we want to share that with you.
CONTACT US
Need direction, or have questions about Fair Havens resources? You can reach us at FairHavensHope@gmail.com. Want to set up a telephone or Zoom call? We will normally get back to you within a week or less. We are happy to talk with you, hear your story, and make suggestions for the onward journey. — Douglas & Vicki
RESOURCES
Current Fair Havens resources include books, Quiet Time series, podcasts, "Conversations," a cultural tour of Israel, and online Communion services. As you scroll down we hope you'll find what you're looking for, the resources that will enable you to repair and renew.
Imagine how your life and ministry would feel if you could get help for...
- Stress overload
- Discouragement
- Relational conflict
- Spiritual dryness
- Compassion fatigue
- Feeling alone as a leader
- Hitting a wall
The health of your soul is too important to neglect
At Soul Shepherding we feel for you because we’ve been there. We’ve hit the wall, got help, and come out the other side, learning to live and lead from intimacy with Jesus, emotional health, and loving relationships. We can help you do the same. Check out the ministry of Jim and Lindsay Long at https://www.soulshepherding.org/.
BROKEN TO BELOVED SUMMIT
Have you experienced hurt, abuse, or trauma at the hands of the church or its leadership?
Do you want to stop feeling hurt, isolated, alone, or even crazy?
Do you want to learn to give language to your pain and hurt? To discover a path through the pain to healing and wholeness? Are you looking for a community of people who will hear and understand you?
Learn how to manage your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors from the comfort of your own home, on your own schedule with the Broken to Beloved Summit!
Note: The first 6 talks (day 1) are all excellent. The five talks of day 2 are mainly edgily liberal and perhaps postmodern. The impression is that church attendance is optional; LGBTQ+ is fine; "deconstruction" needs now controls. (We don't see eye-to-eye with most of the speakers.) Days 3 and 4 are back to normal—practical, solid.
Summit begins January 23, 2024. CLICK https://www.brokentobeloved.org/summit
Quiet Times
Are your devotional times dull, dry, or even causing more harm than good? Are you stuck? Or just need a little inspiration? The following series (containing 100s of quiet times) can help you revitalize your daily time with the Lord.
- The 10 Commandments
- Psalms
- Proverbs: the Disciplined Life
- Isaiah & Injustice
- Ezekiel
- Amos
- OT & NT Character Studies
- Matthew: The Prism
- Sermon on the Mount
- A Tour Through John
- Romans A - Z
- Hebrews
- 40 Days with James
- Christ Through the Ages
- The Imitation of Christ
- Clean
- Worship
- On Location with Jesus
Conversations
Grace & Ungrace
If you like our Conversations, you may also appreciate an earlier series, Grace & Ungrace. The series is based on Lamentations. Talk 1 (Douglas) sets the stage. In talks 2 and 3 Douglas and Vicki share openly about their journey.
BOOKS
Amen offers a wide selection: formal and informal, ancient and modern, historic Christian prayers, prayers in Scripture, intercession, and numerous hymn-prayers. If you’re like me, you will benefit greatly by having these at your fingertips.
This book of prayers draws on 3000 years of Jewish and Christian experience. The title is Amen! Collected Prayers and Hymns for the Journey.
When it comes to reaching the heart, no other Book in Scripture is quite like Psalms. It can be a constant, nourishing part of our spiritual life, in worship and communion with God. From the opening verse of Psalm 1, "Blessed is the man...,"to the closing exhortation of Psalm 150, "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord," it brings comfort and restoration for our souls.
The psalms are rich and deep, touching our hearts and revealing the inner emotions and currents. When our hearts are filled with heartache, chaos, and contradiction, we may not need a list of things to do, a "how-to" Book, or a code of discipline. Sometimes we just need connection a lifeline we can cling to and follow back to safety back to God.
The Book of Psalms can be the source that fuels you to greater growth. Even if you have gotten discouraged or find yourself spiritually dry, it's time to stop simply surviving; let the psalms redirect, restore, and revive you it's never too late to thrive!
The title is Thrive! Using Psalms to Help You Flourish.
We inhabit the same world Jesus did—one of pain, joy, surprise, suffering, and wonder. At times life is good, joyous, and fair. At other times it's dreary, unfair, and hard. We may pray with little sense that God is listening. In many ways, divine silence is part of this life. It can be deeply unsettling when we have been wronged, misrepresented, defrauded, violated, or betrayed. Inwardly or perhaps vocally, we cry out for divine justice. To hear nothing in response is difficult, even disorientating.
In this work, Douglas addresses questions we all ponder:
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- How long should we keep praying if God is not answering?
If a person with mental illness commits suicide, can God have mercy on them? - What about tsunamis, floods, and other "acts of God"?
- Why does God allow the death of the innocent?
- Why wouldn't an all-powerful, all-loving God prevent humans from doing evil?
- Is there purpose in suffering and can good come from it?
- How long should we keep praying if God is not answering?
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When God is Silent: The Problem of Human Suffering
The hurts of spiritual trauma and abuse are real. They didn’t start with our church, but they do exist there. Why? Because people sin. Spiritual trauma is the mental and emotional harm that comes from having damaging or abusive interactions with other Christians. Any tight-knit church fellowship, regardless of denominational affiliation, will naturally supply the preconditions necessary for spiritual hurts to occur.
But what if we could heal from those painful wounds, without sacrificing our faith—not by trying harder, but by trying differently? Drawing on years of clinical practice with disillusioned Christians, Dr. St. Jean guides us through the steps needed to heal from trauma and find peace with God.
Order the book at seanstjean.com. I devoured this book and recommend it heartily.
Cultural Tour of Israel
In addition to seeing most of the top sites in Israel, our May 2025 tour will focus on 1st-century culture—what it was like to live in this part of the world at that time. We will take time to learn about first-century foods, family, women, village life, marriage, and other cultural aspects of Israel in the time of Christ. This tour should be of special interest to women, but is open to all. (Smart men will also join us!)
Zoomunion
You are also welcome to join us for our weekly communion message, every Sunday at 7pm British time (2 pm New York time). CLICK HERE for more information.
