“Kurt Willems's book provides an approachable framework for understanding and carrying pain in light of Jesus Christ. I loved the practical invitation to apply and practice his insights in our own lives through helpful formation exercises. Echoing Hope gives us something to hold on to in the midst of suffering.”

“Kurt translates my deepest emotions, pains, confusion, doubts, fears, hopes, and joys in a way that makes all of us feel less alone. ... We are all better for not just reading but meditating on this terrifically genuine and relatable book.”

“This book is all about Jesus. It is the gospel according to Kurt Willems. Echoing Hope captures the paradox of the life of Jesus — we have a God who suffers so that suffering doesn’t get the final word. Jesus absorbs all the violence of the world to subvert it with love. In Jesus, God leaves all the comfort of heaven to joined the struggle here on earth. ... It is a book about the enduring hope that God is with us… no matter how bad it gets.”

“Without resorting to worn-out clichés, Kurt Willems walks the reader through the problem of pain with the mind of a theologian and the heart of a pastor. This book will help many people.”

“Now more than ever we need, Echoing Hope. We need enthusiastic reminders of Jesus’ humanity and his acquaintance with our vulnerabilities.”

“Readers who hope for more from the gospel will be informed by and empowered by this generative rendering of the truth of Jesus.”

“Kurt Willems powerfully moves us from the theoretical and abstract to what is real and concrete. In Echoing Hope, Willems deftly weaves together theological ideas and biblical teaching with personal experiences and historical realities to invite us all to trust our whole selves to a Savior who gave his whole self for us.”

“Kurt Willems pastorally writes for the hurting and despairing, and lifts the eyes of the questioning, and points to the hope woven and soaked in the gospel. ... Every pastor must have multiple copies of this book on their shelves to offer up to the hurting and despairing in their midst.”

“I’m so thankful for Kurt’s ability to help leaders grasp the importance of Jesus’ humanity and the role it plays in our day to day faith! Echoing Hope is such a crucial work for the seasons we are living in today!”

“In Echoing Hope, Kurt takes us into moments of pain and violence from his own life, but he does so with Jesus ever-present ... Easter happens in this book. Read it.”

“I admire Kurt Willems’ accomplishment ... It will deeply bless many readers who struggle with memories of past abuse. Willems sensitively and openly reflects on his own memories and relates them to Jesus’ life of suffering and teachings about forgiveness. He invites readers to realize that Jesus himself experienced our pain, and he gives us guidance to walk in his steps.”

“Echoing Hope is integrated and honest, attending both the inward and outward dimensions of faith. Willems weaves theology with spiritual practice in ways that beckon the reader to bring their own pain and hope into a living conversation with Christ.”

“Echoing Hope draws Jesus near - his humanity, his pain, and his purpose, without losing Jesus’ divinity in the process. Kurt brings his own stories of healing and hope to the feet of an accessible Jesus, so that readers can bring our own.”

“... readers will find a rare and generous invitation into the areas of their own lives where pain understandably raises questions about God's power, love, and nearness. May this careful look at pain in the context of Jesus's life and ministry open up avenues of discovery and healing.”

“This book came at a time in my life where my own pain and grief was hindering me from connecting with the Jesus-who-just-wouldn’t-understand, and reintroduced me to the Jesus-who-knows-how-it feels. If you’re longing to connect or reconnect with Jesus on a deeper level— one that is real, authentic, and that doesn’t dismiss or gloss over the pains of life, you need to read this book… I did.”

“Kurt Willems has given us a rare gift—a beautifully written account of Christ’s humanity, that is also a tender, vulnerable account of his own. This brave book gives us permission to be fully human. ... To read Echoing Hope is not only to go deeper into the Christ story, but to go deeper into your own.”

“In Echoing Hope, Kurt leans into the inescapable reality of pain and sorrow in life, not in some sort of masochistic celebration, but as a way of pointing us towards the only One who can truly heal our pain and wipe away our tears. In this meditation on the life of Jesus, Kurt shows us a better way forward, not just through our pain but into becoming the hope filled, hope spreading followers of Jesus we were created to be.”

“Kurt Willems represents a new generation of theologians, one that dares let his own vulnerability, courage and pain guide his beliefs about God. Echoing Hope is no exception ... I’ve no doubt his words will change the way readers interact with themselves, with their neighbors, and with the God who stands in solidarity with them all.”

“In this book, Kurt generously and vulnerably invites us into his own pain to illuminate the healing hope of a God in Jesus who doesn’t dismiss our pain but accompanies us in the midst of it. In rare form, Echoing Hope weaves history, theology, story, and practice into an accessible guide for reframing our scars from reminders of pain to signposts of God’s restoration.”

“Nothing is as transforming as entering into the experience of Christ in his context and finding our own healing in his presence. Echoing Hope helps us do that!”