This book was very touching..humanity at its hard levels, ..showing life vulnerabilities, struggles, and God's ability to restore and continue to use people..too many people fail to be brutally honest these days and it was refreshing to read.

I had never heard of Jack Deere before picking up this book, but by the time I’d finished it, I felt as thought I’d found a new friend, one who cuts past the small talk to get to the heart.

Deere’s story is one you won’t forget. Yes, Deere is an accomplished preacher, teacher, and theologian, but in this memoir, he writes as a fellow traveler on life’s journey. He lays bare the childhood scars, his longing for significance, and his rationalizations of worldly pursuits. With the same adroitness, Deere examines his shortcomings in relationships and, in a couple of instances, his blatant rebellion. In less humble hands, a story like Deere’s could devolve into a depressing confessional, but Deere’s intent shines through. He holds up his life to the light, examines it without excuse, and says, “Here’s what ensnared me” and “Here are my battles,” BUT “Here is God’s faithfulness.”

Deere invites readers into his life as if we were his trusted friends. He reveals things we’d never expect to learn about a respected pastor. What’s refreshing is that his admissions aren’t gratuitous; I never sensed that he was sharing his inner turmoil in that popular, faux humble way. (I’m so bad, but confessing my badness makes me good.) Instead, Deere writes as a seasoned warrior who hopes to accomplish something far more significant than penning a record of his life. Deere intends to tell the truth, not just about who he is, but about the One who never abandoned him. Through recounting seasons of sorrow, discord, and delight, Deere consistently drives home his main point: Even in our darkness, we can count on the relentless love of a Heavenly Father who looks beyond our pride and shame and foolishness and sees a beloved, broken child.

Even in Our Darkness is, in the end, a hopeful and hope-filled book.

I struggled with what my review would be on this book. The title reads like it is a self help book that provides guidance on working through the battles of life, but the book is really a memoir and I wasn't prepared for that when reading through.
As a memoir, I think the book was good, but it is a hard one to recommend outright to people as it is so dark and confusing at times.