Today, it can feel like we're all standing on shaky ground, unsure whom we can count on, heart and soul. Indeed, several forthcoming books from religion presses are threaded with talk about trust issues.

Skepticism and doubt are not new, of course. But now the plague of mistrust goes beyond the side-eye we give to politicians and the courts. It touches on how people view family, friends, teachers, preachers, librarians, coworkers, and neighbors.

"Trust is a deep, deep need and we are pointing to it in a lot different and interesting ways on our front list," says Ted Olsen, IVP associate publisher and editorial director for media and trade. It does no good to urge "trust" unless it is used to empower working for the common good, Olsen says.

He points to a leadership title, Invest in Transformation: Quit Relying on Trust (Aug.). In the book, author Tod Bolsinger, associate professor of leadership formation at Fuller Seminary, insists that only renewing one's vision and mission can build an essential and lasting community of trust.

In the spirit of Ronald Reagan's adage to "trust, but verify," Olsen also cites Trustworthy: Thirteen Arguments for the Reliability of the New Testament (July) by Benjamin Shaw, president of Core Apologetics. It digs deep, from archeology to text criticism and more to make a scholarly case for the historical accuracy of Scripture and its worthiness as a guide for life, he says.

IVP launched its first Bible study series in February with Upheld: Meeting Our Trustworthy God Through Isaiah—A 6-Week Bible Study Experience by Kori De Leon, founder and director of Adoring Christ Ministries. And an IVP Kids' title Not Finished yet: Trusting God with All My Feelings (out now) from Sensible Shoes series author Sharon Garlough Brown.

Still, it's hard to trust anyone, even God, if you don't trust your own ability to discern truth and integrity, according to Amy Orr-Ewing, author of Lead Like the Real You: Wisdom for Women on Finding Your Voice, Pursuing God's Calling, and Leading with Courage (Brazos, Aug.) She's an international speaker, theologian, and apologist, who comes by the wisdom she offers from personal experience as a former executive in a ministry when the untrustworthy evangelist leader was accused of sexual abuse.

"She had to face a lot of self-doubt about how to recognize who is right and true and trustworthy and who are the allies she can lean on," says Brazos Press editorial director Katelyn Beaty. "This book lets you know you can trust and believe in the integrity and wisdom of Scripture. Even when you are struggling intensely, you can find a lot of comfort and security in knowing God has placed us at a specific place and time for specific purposes. God knows what God is doing."

Broken Trust Leaves Marks

Bible teacher and bestselling author Lysa TerKeurst—divorced from a cheating spouse, betrayed by old friends, so traumatized that even scans of her brain showed marks of emotional trauma—tells exactly how painful the loss of trust can feel in I Want to Trust You But I Don't: Moving Forward When You're Skeptical of Others, Afraid of What God Will Allow, and Doubtful of Your Own Discernment (Nelson, Oct.).

"Trust is the natural next step for Lysa to write about. Her books have covered challenging topics we all face in relationships, from rejection to disappointment, forgiveness, and boundaries," says Nelson Books editorial director Jessica Rogers "This new book takes readers further, answering the question of how you can move forward into healthy relationships rather than remaining stuck in the cynicism that naturally comes from broken trust."

Chosen Books author Joe Dobbins, a pastor, addresses recovering trust after being harmed by people in their church in his book Hope After Church Hurt: How to Heal, Reengage, and Rediscover God's Heart for You. Editorial director Kim Bangs says this division of the Baker Publishing Group serves the charismatic arm of the church and a personal connection matters deeply. "Healing happens when people are present to walk you through the pain and distrust."

Dobbins has chapters that look at the corrosion of trust people experience in the aftermath of physical, psychological, or spiritual abuse at church. His approach, Bangs says, is that "healing happens" when people are present to walk you through it with love, support, and comfort.

"Dobbins wants to reestablish trust with God," Bangs says. "And when you do, you can look for a healthier church community. We were created to be in community from the very beginning. We were created to be together."