Loneliness versus Being Alone

By Julie Porter

Over 4 million people in England identified themselves as lonely. This book explores in the Bible, what it says about the topic and how it can help you overcome loneliness and be content in solitude.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kingdom Publishers
• Release date: Nov 30, 2021
• ISBN: 9781913247843

Book preview

LONELINESS

VERSUS

BEING ALONE

Julie Porter MA

Loneliness versus Being Alone

Copyright© Julie Porter MA

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be

reproduced in any form by photocopying or any

electronic or mechanical means, including information

storage or retrieval systems, without permission in

writing from both the copyright owner and the publisher

of the book. The right of Julie Porter MA to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in

accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act

1988 and any subsequent amendments thereto.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the

British Library.

All Scripture Quotations have been taken from the New International Version and the King James Version of the Bible.

ISBN: 978-1-913247-83-6

1st Edition by Kingdom Publishers

Kingdom Publishers

London, UK

You can purchase copies of this book from any leading bookstore or email [e-mail]

© 2010 by Julie Porter

All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without prior permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in brief reviews.

Unless otherwise stated scripture is taken from the New King James Version ®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations are also taken from the Authorised King James Version. Rights in the Authorised Version in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown. Reproduced by permission of the Crown's patented Cambridge University Press.

Dear Ivy,

This book is dedicated in special fond memory of you. Solitary woman of strength. My mom.

You communicated as was necessary, you studied, preached and taught the Word of God as if your life depended on it, and you were determined to keep learning irrespective of the sacrifice.

Truly you were called to preach and I will never forget, or stop telling, your story of how you often tried to run from preaching at a young age - even turning up late for church. However, your plan didn't work because as soon as you turned up to church (sometimes at the time you would already expect the preacher to be in full swing!) the person leading the service shouted out oh here is the preacher for the day! much to your shock and embarrassment. Yet because you'd put the Word of God so deep in your spirit the Holy Spirit did what He promised to do and brought it back to your remembrance. So you came to 'accept the gift' and run with it. You preached the Word unadulterated, uncompromisingly and with authority! Wow!

I aspire to be you when I grow up (lol).

I know you would have berated me for the time I took to produce this book, but I also know you would have laughed with me and been proud of me anyhow. We got a special kind of love that cannot be replicated.

You are absent from your body but present with your Lord. Thank you for being unashamedly you.

Love always,

Julie xx

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

Proverbs 30:10

Contents

Acknowledgements

Preface

PART ONE: LONELINESS

Chapter One

Loneliness: a debilitating disorder

Chapter Two

Loneliness: the causes

Chapter Three

Loneliness: living through it and slaying the giant

PART TWO: BEING ALONE

Chapter One

Being Alone: The Choice

Chapter Two

Being Alone: Why?

Chapter Three

Being Alone: 'I Won't Let Go Til' You Bless Me'

CONCLUSION

Loneliness vs Being Alone: The Final Story

Bibliography

Acknowledgements

First and foremost I give honour and thanks to YHWH the true living God. Many won't understand the struggles I had to do this book Lord but You do. Thank You for Your help even when I didn't always recognise the push You were giving me.

I thank God for my earthly father, Howard Porter. May God continue to bless and lead you. You're a great dad and I am glad that you're my dad…God makes no mistakes. I'll never forget when I left home you would never put the night latch on in case I needed to get in. Let it forever be immortalised and seen in this book I am grateful to you and honour you. I also thank God for my lovely sister Amanda and her family. When we met it was perfect and I wouldn't change a thing. God bless you and keep you as you navigate this thing called life.

I thank my closest and dearest friends, who also happen to be my spiritual covering Bishop Dr Mark Pearce and Pastor Deborah Pearce.  Mark and Debbie to me! Before mom passed away the last ministry she came to visit was yours Living Hope Grace and Truth Church (Living Hope GTC). Mark, the last message she heard preached was yours - 'The rough side of the mountain'. Debbie, the last person to make her a drink (a hot chocolate) outside of her family and hospital staff was you. She took you both as her son and daughter and wanted to make sure I was spiritually safe – she was satisfied. Thank you for praying for me, pushing me and helping me. God bless you and your family.

Finally I have to give God thanks for my Living Hope GTC family! Whether you all know it or not I am this far in ministry because you have been there to pray for me, to minister to me, to laugh with me and to physically feed me. You've allowed me to teach and preach to you the Word I believe God had given me for you and you've always supported me. God continue to shine His light on you and together let's march forward! 

Preface

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