Grace and Hope for Long Dark Nights
Have you ever suffered with depression, sadness, or the feeling
that you just can't seem to get it together? Do you wonder if you
could ever view your deepest wounds in a different light?
Through candid storytelling, biblical truth, honest lament, and
unexpected humor, The Radiant Midnight is a bold refusal to
simplify the experience of suffering by moving too quickly to try
to relieve it. With questions to guide you and practical
suggestions to lead you through dark moments, this book takes you
on a journey of surrender, suffering, rest, and restoration as it
encourages and comforts you in whatever struggle you face.
The message of The Radiant Midnight is fueled by the
passionate belief that not only will God lead you out of
darkness, He will be fully and beautifully present within it. You
can find deep contentment in painful circumstances and
discover a profound intimacy with a compassionate, tender God who
is with you in every moment—in each hope-filled dawn and every
radiant midnight.
“There is that wisdom tradition that runs through our greatest
stories that goes something like this: The thing you need the most
can be found in the place you least want to look. The knights of
the round table begin their quest for the holy grail by stepping
into the part of the forest that looks darkest to them. The hero
descends into the underworld to find the treasure guarded by the
dragon. Luke Skywalker confronts his shadow self in a dark cave in
Dagobah. The dark places hold the treasures of truth and wisdom
that will lead us where we need to go.
“But it’s scary to go it alone and without a compass. So Melissa
offers herself as a fearless tour guide into the unknown and gives
us this compassionate book about her own journey into the dark to
serve as handrails for those of us who find ourselves, willingly or
not, descending into the underworlds of depression, pain, anxiety,
and beyond to find the riches they hide.
“Henri Nouwen has said that a spiritual leader is one who walks
into the darkness first in order to lead others through it. In this
book, Melissa has demonstrated strong, loving, and trustworthy
leadership.”
—Jason Gray, singer and songwriter
“Melissa’s voice and story are precious gifts to the church
because they bear witness to the reality that the Christian
narrative doesn’t always follow the path of celebration and
triumph. For those of us whose lives are more a testament to
darkness, suffering and survival, we too need to be reminded that
our stories also belong to those of the family of God. The
Radiant Midnight does this beautifully and honestly, offering
compassionate and challenging insights along the way.”
—David C. Wang, ThM, PhD, associate professor of psychology,
Biola University; pastor of spiritual formation, One Life City
Church
“As a woman who has experienced a good bit of her life in the
midnight hours, I’m grateful for another voice that tenderly and
candidly calls attention to a subject many Christians have ignored.
Melissa doesn’t just set the subject in front of you, but she digs
deep and encourages you to push harder against the darkness than
you may have ever dared to do. She combines Scripture, research,
and her personal struggles in a way that will leave you with a new
understanding of the heart of God for his children. Many of us
(including myself) have felt unqualified for ministry because of
our struggles with this invisible ache, and The Radiant
Midnight reminds us of the glorious light that’s worth fighting
for.”
—Angie Smith, bestselling author of Seamless, Chasing
God, and What Women Fear
“I so appreciate Melissa Maimone’s honesty and unique
perspective on battling depression and anxiety. She skillfully
weaves King David’s life and words with her own, giving the reader
space to battle fear, worry, and heavy sadness—yet with hope. If
you’re facing your own midnight, find solace and light in these
hard-won words.”
—Mary DeMuth, author of Healing Every Day
“Radiant Midnight is an oxymoron—a combination of two
contradictory terms that invite a curious mind to explore the
wisdom that might hold them together. In this way, ‘radiant
midnight’ now establishes its place in a lexicon that has
illuminated other impossible truths like ‘sweet sorrow,’ ‘wounded
healer,’ or ‘terrible goodness.’ Through her achingly personal
journey, Melissa sets the night on fire with the radiance of
unrelenting love, revealing what we can never see or feel when we
are in the dark—God is already there.”
—Nicole Johnson, author of Creating Calm in the Center of
Crazy and Fresh Brewed Life; founder of Seasons
Weekends
“Melissa’s vulnerability, humor, and depth make her one of our
favorite voices to hear on some of life’s harder topics. Her story
and wisdom have helped illuminate the treasure to be found in our
own dark places.”
—Katherine and Jay Wolf, coauthors and cofounders of Hope
Heals
“Melissa entered my world during a period of intense suffering
and I cannot believe it was by chance. I struggled to find comfort,
meaning, and hope amidst the darkness—and Melissa’s words offered
just that. Mercifully, she doesn’t hand out Band-Aids or tidy
answers. Rather, she invites us to listen for the story of
redemption that God is writing for each of us, even as we wait for
the light.”
—Jen Wise, author of The Bright Life
“Melissa spoke to my soul! Like a good therapist, she sits with
you in your pain and teaches you how to sit with your own darkness.
Melissa’s book speaks to anyone who struggles with any type of
darkness in their life—and that would be all of us! She so
accurately and vulnerably portrays the shame of the shadow that
most of us feel but can never put into words. But instead of
condemnation, Melissa gives a wonderful combination of humor,
heart, and hope in your darkest of times.”
—Dr. Zoe Shaw, host of The Dr. Zoe Show podcast
Melissa Maimone writes with transparency, humor, and grace about the darkness of depression and the light of down-to-earth, authentic faith. Drawing from her lifelong battle with anxiety and depression, she speaks and writes to women facing similar struggles, offering hope in the midst of deep pain. She lives with her husband and children in Southern California. MelissaMaimone.com