THE Beauty of Tribulation by: J.A. Cox

 

 

The Beauty of Tribulation was written to help Christians and people in general to realize the purpose for tribulation in their lives...

Title: The Beauty of Tribulation

Author: J.A. Cox

Publication Date: August 28, 2020

Pages: 98

Genre: Christian/Nonfiction

The Beauty of Tribulation was written to provide answers based upon scripture to help us understand things such as:

• The purpose of tribulation in the life of a believer.
• Reasons why it is necessary.
• How God uses it for our edification and his glory.
• How God is not the author of our tribulation.

At the root of it, the greatest purpose is to depict the beauty of our painful, frustrating, and most hopeless moments when we allow God to complete the work he is trying to accomplish through them. As you turn the pages of this book you will be taken on a journey that will delve you deep into the tribulation process and come away with a firm understanding of it, perhaps like never before. Every premise is backed with scripture, focused on what the bible says rather than my own ideas.

J.A. Cox hopes that all who read will walk away with a greater appreciation and devotion toward the Lord in regard to this troublesome subject and inevitable part of our lives.

PRAISE:

“…I think The Beauty of Tribulation will be relevant for Christians seeking a deeper understanding of their faith, as well as for those grappling with questions about the presence of evil in the world and the nature of divine justice. Cox’s approach which blends insightful queries, scriptural citations, and logical explanations, facilitates a comprehensive and engaging learning experience. The book encourages a connection to the experiences of Jesus and offers a perspective on suffering as a path to dignity and honor, both in heaven and on earth. Its insightful and reflective nature makes it a valuable read for people looking to deepen their understanding of Christian theology and the human experience within it.” – The Literary Titan

You can pick up your copy at Amazon or Kobo.

The Beauty of Tribulation by J.A. Cox is a very good study book if you are looking for a study on how to bring beauty to tribulation.  It is a very simple read.  I loved how Cox used lots of scriptures in his book to back up his thoughts.  I also loved that he gave just the scripture reference and let you look the verse up and read it in whatever bible version you prefer.  I loved this quote from the book:  "We need to realize that God's desire for tribulation is for it to be an asset and a tool." (page 53) If you are in the middle of tribulations, this book may be just the one you need to pick up. 

Book Excerpt:

Tribulation is the most abundant commodity that everyone is looking to sell but no one is willing to buy.  It is an experience so common to mankind that it transcends social, cultural and language barriers.  It requires no introduction or explanation.

We commonly associate the following with it:

1.                   Suffering.

2.                   Adversity.

3.                   Trial.

4.                   Pain.

5.                   Temptation.

6.                   Infirmity.

It is safe to assume that the general perception of tribulation is not positive, and we desire to avoid it as much as possible.  This places a Christian in a precarious position. 

This is the case when we consider what God's word exhorts:

1.                   To count it all joy, James 1:2,3.

2.                   To greatly rejoice in it, 1 Peter 1:6.

3.                   To not think of it as strange, 1 Peter 4:12.

4.                   That we glory in it, Romans 5:3.

5.                   Paul expressed exceeding joy in it, 2 Corinthians 7:4.

6.                   We must experience much to enter God's kingdom, Acts 14:22.

In regard to such maybe you have thought the following:

1.                   Okay Paul, I know you were a great man of God and had endured much hardship but I'm having a difficult time finding joy in this.

2.                   Is there something wrong with me if I have no joy in suffering?

3.                   Why must we go through tribulation?

4.                   Why does God allow us to suffer?

5.                   Do we experience tribulation as a form of punishment?

6.                   Does tribulation mean that God has forsaken me?

I realize that these are thoughts believers scatter from as roaches do from the light.  This is done out of a fear that entertaining such could give authority to them as well as make it a reality.  While there is truth in that line of thought, the realization of that reality is on a conditional basis.  In other words, those thoughts would not manifest without effort being put into making them so or a lack of effort to bring them about.  There is also an equivalent level of danger in believing that a Christian is above such lines of thinking.  It is also devastating to deny their reality. Those types of thoughts are a natural and unavoidable occurrence generated from our unconverted body. Also, another truth needs to be realized, your tribulation is not being orchestrated by God.

 

 

About the Author

J.A. Cox is a husband, father and disabled veteran. He is passionate about Jesus Christ and has a desire to allow God to use his writing to bring glory to his name and reach others for him. His other passions lie in: 1) Empowering people by teaching about things that he is knowledgeable in in a simple and fun as well as interesting manner. 2)Inspiring others that they may realize how the true potential to overcome their perceived dilemma lies right between their ears and how they allow it to manipulate what their eyes behold. 3) Helping people to realize that being healthy truly begins with realizing how important it is for them to be intimately acquainted with their own body in order for others to help them resolve its maladies that beset it. Along with those, he enjoys entertaining with fiction based on the concept that fact is stranger than fiction and then stretching it just a tad to create some memorable page turning moments that you will likely recall for some time to come.

Author Links  

Website | Facebook | Goodreads

 

Sponsored By:

Coming this fall: God's Not Dead: In God We Trust

Oh, I can't wait to see this.  I've seen many of the other ones.  This one looks awesome for an election year.   

 

 

When a beloved congressional incumbent unexpectedly withdraws from the race, Reverend David Hill faces an old nemesis. Determined to ensure the voices of the faithful remain heard, he navigates a tense political landscape, rallying support and overcoming challenges to protect his community's interests.

Release Date:
9/12

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The Best Life Book Club by: Sheila Roberts

 

It started as a book club. It became a way to build a better life together.

Title: The Best Life Book Club

Author: Sheila Roberts

Publication Date: May 7, 2024

Pages: 368

Genre: Women's Fiction/Romantic Comedy/ContemporaryRomance

Karissa Newcomb is ready for a new start in a new neighborhood, as far away as she can get from Seattle, where her husband cheated on her with the neighbor who was supposed to be her best friend. She and her nine-year-old daughter are moving on to the city of Gig Harbor on the bay in Puget Sound. She even has a new job as an assistant at a small publishing company right in Gig Harbor. Her new boss seems like a bit of a curmudgeon, but a job is a job, she loves to read, and the idea of possibly meeting writers sounds fabulous.

Soon she finds she’s not the only one in need of a refresh. Her new neighbors, Alice and Margot, are dealing with their own crises. Alice is still grieving her late husband and hasn’t been able to get behind the wheel of a car since a close call after his death. Margot is floundering after getting divorced and laid off in quick succession. They could all use a distraction, and a book club seems like just the ticket. Together, the three women, along with Alice’s grumpy older sister, Josie, embark on a literary journey that just might be the kick-start they need to begin building their best lives yet.

Buy Links:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | HarperCollins

 

Oh my goodness I've never read any of Shelia Roberts' books, but I'm going to start hunting them up now.  The Best Life Book Club was an excellent read.  All the women in the book club were from different walks in life and end up with the best friendship ever.  There is always a twist and turn with each chapter right up to the last chapter.  The last 30 pages had the best twist ever so caught me off guard.  You won't want to put the book down once you pick it up. 

Book Excerpt:

Landing butt first in mud. How symbolic of Karissa Newcomb’s life. The old life. Not the new one, please, God.

She shouldn’t have crossed that corner of the lawn where the grass was sparse and slick in the pouring Northwest rain. Now here she was, wet and caked in mud. Like the cardboard box she’d dropped. At least the towels were still safely inside it. Something to be thankful for.

“See? There’s always a bright side somewhere,” her mother would say.

What was the bright side to Karissa’s marriage ending? There had to be one. It would be nice if she could find it before she turned thirty-five. It felt like a landmark birthday of sorts, but that was only a few months away though, so she wasn’t holding her breath.

Gig Harbor, Washington, a small maritime city, was a good place to start—close enough to Seattle for the obligatory bi-weekly child hand-off with the ex-husband, but far enough away that she wasn’t constantly having to look at the scene of the crime. Out of sight, out of mind. Someday, hopefully. Meanwhile, she needed to get up and get focused.

Brush the mud off your rear and get it in gear. That should be a bumper sticker.

She picked up her soggy box of towels and followed her brother Ethan and his friend Ike, who were making their way up her driveway, carrying her couch. Her eight-year-old daughter Macy was sitting on it, giggling.

The excitement of the new house had temporarily distracted Macy from the fact that she’d left behind her best friend. Who happened to be the daughter of Karissa’s former best friend. Like Karissa, Macy was going to have to find a new bestie.

Moving in the middle of February, in the middle of the school year, swimming through a deluge of icy rain wasn’t ideal, but that was how events had played out. The house in Seattle on which Karissa had lavished so much care had finally sold and now she had this house—a blue, two-story, Victorian-inspired one with three small bedrooms and a front porch. And a need for paint. The price had been right. Motivated sellers, the real estate agent had said. Karissa knew what that meant. She’d been a motivated seller, herself. Divorce had a way of motivating you. The house didn’t come with a water view like she’d originally dreamed of—water views were far outside her price point—but the neighborhood was pretty, and the street seemed quiet. She could hole up in her almost Victorian home and rebuild her life, the new start people expected you to make after your world collapsed.

“This is adorable,” her mother had gushed when she and Dad had made the trip to check out the house with Karissa and her Realtor.

Her parents were as enamored of Gig Harbor and its waterfront downtown as Karissa was. “I think Gig Harbor will be a perfect place to write the next chapter of your life,” Mom had told her.

“I hope I do a better job of writing this time around,” Karissa had muttered.

“It wasn’t you who messed up,” her dad had growled.

But maybe it was.

She jerked her mind away from that thought. She had a new house and a new job waiting for her. Between that and the spousal and child support her ex was paying she’d be okay financially. Certainly not rich, but okay. And she had free moving help. Look at all the good things she could focus on.

Inside the house, she followed one of the butcher-paper paths she’d made and set the box on the guest bathroom counter. Then she went back for the one with her clothes, brought that into the primary bedroom, which would be hers, and dug out a fresh pair of pants and panties. Think of this as peeling off all the bad parts from your past, she told herself as she ducked into the bathroom and stepped out of her pants.

It was hard peeling off the bad though. It stuck to you like dog poop on a shoe. There was always some little stinky bit that hung on. Like the memory of Mark walking out the door for the last time.

Dog poop, mud. She needed a new image to focus on. Rain. Rain washing away past sadness, bringing a rainbow and a promise of something better. Yes, that was a good image.

Her butt hurt.

Her cell phone rang, and she fished it out of her jacket pocket. “Hi, Mom,” she said, trying to sound the way a hopeful woman making a new start should sound.

“How’s it going?” Mom wanted to know.

“The guys are moving the furniture in now.”

“What’s the weather like there? It’s partly sunny up here.”

“It’s raining like crazy. I should have rented an ark instead of a moving van. I spent a fortune on plastic covering.”

“At least it’s not snow,” Mom said. “And the rain is what keeps everything so green.”

The Pacific Northwest was famous for its perpetual state of green and Seattle had been dubbed the Emerald City. Like Dorothy, Karissa had loved living in the Emerald City.

Until the witch showed up.

 

About the Author

USA Today and Publishers Weekly best-selling author Sheila Roberts has written over fifty books under various names, ranging from romance and relationship fiction to self-improvement. Over three million of her novels have been sold and that number continues to climb. Her humor and heart have won her a legion of fans and her novels have been turned into movies for the Lifetime, Hallmark, and Great American Family channels. Sheila is also a popular speaker, and has been featured at women’s retreats, writers’ conferences, and banquets. When she’s not out dancing with her husband or hanging out with friends, she can be found writing about those things near and dear to women’s hearts: family, friends and chocolate.

Author Links  

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram 

 

Sponsored By:

Unsung Hero movie review with Amazon giftcard giveaway

• Buy tickets today to see Unsung Hero in theaters starting April 26th!

• Synopsis: 

When David Smallbone's successful music company collapses, he moves his family from Australia to the United States in search of a brighter future. With nothing more than their six children, their suitcases, and their love of music, David (for KING + COUNTRY's Joel Smallbone) and his pregnant wife Helen (Daisy Betts) set out to rebuild their lives from the ground up. Based on a remarkable true story, a mum's faith stands against all odds; and inspires her husband and children to hold onto
theirs.

 

Oh boy this movie is worth every minute.  It is almost 2 hours long, but well worth it to say the least.  There are joyous moments in the movie as you follow the Smallbone family on their adventure and trials.  Tissue alert.  There are also moments I was in tears over the struggles and how God helped them overcome.  It is based on a true story of how King & Country and Rebecca St. James came to be.  So if you are a fan then you'll want to see this movie.  

Links:

Jean’s interview w/ Luke Smallbone: LINK
Website: LINK
Buy Tickets: LIN

 

GIVEAWAY ($10 Amazon giftcard)

Please leave a comment with contact information to enter the giveaway.  I will draw a winner May 3rd. 

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Disclosure:
Many thanks to Kingdom Faith Marketing Services, LLC for providing a sample of the
product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

The Hopeful coming to theaters April 17 & 18 with Amazon giveaway

Buy tickets today to see The Hopeful in theaters ONLY on April 17 &18th!

Synopsis: William Miller’s faith is in ruins. After miraculously surviving a fierce battle in the War of 1812, Miller questions why God spared him. His search for wisdom leads to an astonishing prophesy — the world is going to end. The Hopeful unfolds as a story of a man burdened with the knowledge of Christ’s return. Miller’s message resonates with some—even as it is scorned by others. When a young woman named Ellen Harmon listens to one of his sermons she is transformed. And through her witness the message begins to take flight. The preaching grows beyond prophecy and develops into a more holistic vision for how Christians should live and worship. We see blossoming the seeds of a new global movement of faith —the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The Hopeful is the true story of a community whose lives were transformed as they learn what it means to truly wait for Jesus. This sweeping drama, set in 19th century New England, invites audiences of all ages to imagine how hope can change the world.

Interview with the Director of the movie

 

This movie was very interesting and informative.  If you are interested in knowing about the Seventh-Day Adventist then this movie would be very much worth your while. It takes you through how they came into existence at the ground level.  How families were split because of different opinions of which day is the correct day of worship.  

 $10 Amazon giftcard

This is limited to US winners only. Leave your name and a way to contact you in the comments if your name is drawn. 

 Website: LINK
Buy Tickets: LINK

 

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 Disclosure:
Many thanks to Hope Studios for providing a sample of the product for this review.
Opinions are 100% my own.

Someone Like You

Synopsis: 
Based on the popular novel by #1 NY Times Bestselling author Karen Kingsbury, Someone Like You is an achingly beautiful redemptive love story. Shocking news hits after young architect Dawson Gage loses his best friend, London Quinn. Now in his heartbreak, Dawson is compelled to launch an impossible search for London’s secret twin sister, twins separated as embryos. But along the way, Dawson never planned to fall in love.

Release Date:
4/2

I am so excited to see this movie based on Kingsbury's book.  

  #SomeoneLikeYouMIN

#someonelikeyoumovie

• @karenkingsbury, @someonelikeyoumovie

The Hopeful Movie trailer

 

 Synopsis: 
The Hopeful is the true story of a community whose lives were transformed as they learn what it means to truly wait for Jesus. This sweeping drama, set in 19th century New England, invites audiences of all ages to imagine how hope can change the world.

Release Dates:
4/17 & 4/18

I can't wait to see this movie.  It looks like a really great movie.

 #TheHopefulMIN 

 #TheHopefulMovie