When Despair Meets Delight

Stories to Cultivate Hope for Those Battling Mental Illness

By: Tony Roberts

Narrated by: Tony Roberts

When Despair Meets Delight is a memoir of a minister with a brain disorder and a model for mental health ministry. Sharing stories of his life and ministry, Tony Roberts cultivates hope for those battling mental illness.

The book bridges the dangerous divide between faith communities and those living with the stigma of mental health challenges. Faith leaders seeking greater understanding for those with troubled minds as well as those impacted by brain illnesses (including loved ones) will benefit from listening to Roberts narrate his personal and pastoral journey through bipolar disorder.

©2020 Tony E Roberts (P)2020 Tony E Roberts

Personal and riveting

Tony Roberts speaks as a pastor, with decades of ministry experience, who has navigated one of the most difficult roads to travel, that of Bipolar Disorder. He utilizes the framework of a Christian worldview, to point people to the hope that is available in Christ, while at the same time advocating for good medical care and continued therapy. His holistic approach will be welcome by those who take their faith seriously, and believe God has given us much help through his creation grace (scientific discovery).
I was planning on enjoying the book over the course of several weeks, but Tony’s writing style is captivating and made it too hard to put own! Thankfully his website, “delightindisorder.org” has tons of additional material, especially his podcast “Revealing Voices”. By sharing the details of his personal experience, he has contributed towards reducing the stigma that many Christians experience with their diagnosis. I strongly recommend this book for those who have a mental health diagnosis themselves, and to those seeking to care for persons with mental illness. Ministry leaders will appreciate how Tony brings his faith to bear on both the highs and lows of Bipolar Disorder.

Quiet Comfort

While I don’t personally identify as somebody with a mental disorder or sickness, I was able to identify with Tony’s transparent and articulate story in terms of anxieties that he faced and the source that has sustained him through it all. Less like listening to an audiobook and more like chatting with a friend, this title is definitely a delight.-