LORILYN ROBERTS BOOK REVIEW: “Treasures of Darkness,” by Trish Jenkins: A Beacon of Light on a Dark Street Corner Near You

A Beacon of Light on a Dark Street Corner Near You

For anyone who wants an amazing book, you should read Trish Jenkins’ story, Treasures of Darkness. It’s a memoir about her prison journey – and to me, it seems allegorical about life. Matthew 24:12 says in the last days, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.” In the end times, much of what Trish endured and experienced in prison will be the norm. We are headed there now, like a frog that is slowly brought to the boiling point unawares—the dysfunctionality of our country, the threat of war in the Middle East, and the compromise in morality on many fronts. 

When you think of anti-Christ – the opposite of Christ—in order to survive in prison, the guard and other inmates try to break you and convince you that you are no different from the others and your faith is the problem. They attempt to pit you against your convictions by flipping your world upside-down – seeing Trish throw her pearl (Jesus Christ) before swine was heartbreaking. What would I do if I found myself in a similar situation—would I have the courage of my convictions? Would I be willing to pray for those who wanted to hurt me?

I will let you read Treasures of Darkness to see what Trish’s story is about and how she landed in such a horrible place. Think of working for someone like Bernie Madoff unawares and getting in over your head – it could happen to any of us. Trish’s testimony and how God used her in the lives of her prison mates left a lasting impression on me—one of those books that will stick with me for life.

I am reminded of the words spoken by the 1600th-century evangelical preacher and martyr, John Bradford, “but for the grace of God, go I.” Would I be able to endure this trial and still love my Lord and Savior, not the same, but even more? You won’t see your relationship with God or the opportunity to be a shining beacon despite persecution or hardship in the same way after reading Treasures of Darkness.

To  purchase, click here on Amazon

LORILYN ROBERTS BOOK REVIEW: “Getting Out of the Bed in the Morning,” by Author Alice J. Wisler

 

For those who'd rather stay in bed, put this book on your nightstand and read it. As a Christian sojourner, I have walked my own Via Dolorosa. I couldn't imagine during my lowest moments that anyone would understand my pain or sorrow. I would cry myself to bed at night poring over the Psalms, the only book of the Bible that I had the strength to read.

Getting Out of Bed in the Morning: Reflections of Comfort in Heartache will help anyone who loves deeply and grieves deeply. If your pain is so overwhelming that you are having difficulty coping, get this book. God won't abandon you, but having resources to help you through your sorrow can be healing and comforting. I wish I'd had this book to read. I found myself remembering - memories I had actually forgotten, which is a good thing, but without God's healing on my heart, I could have been stuck without experiencing God's power to overcome that pain.

Getting out of Bed in the Morning will help anyone who is struggling to get beyond the pain - anyone who wants to give up, or sees no reason to go on living. There can be nothing more painful than losing a child, and while I haven't experienced that, I have come close, walking a road where I wasn't sure of the outcome, and I have lost others in my life through death and divorce. Grief has no preferences for status, race, or gender - it visits all of us at some point. Getting Out of Bed in the Morning: Reflections of Comfort in Heartache will help you to transform your hopeless grief into grief that will bring healing.

I highly recommend Getting out of Bed in the Morning: Reflections of Comfort in Heartache to anyone who is suffering now, to anyone who might suffer in the future, or to anyone who has suffered in the past. Wherever you are on your own Via Dolorosa, you can be encouraged and reminded by Alice J. Wisler's Reflections of Comfort in Heartache that God is faithful, no matter what. Hearing it from someone who has walked that difficult road and loves God, even more, is a gift worth reading. 

Get your copy of Getting out of Bed in the Morning: Reflections of Comfort in Heartache here from Amazon: http://bit.ly/get_out_of_bed 

From Alice J. Wisler:

"For over twenty years, I've written for magazines and devotionals. Writing is what I love to do.

I also travel the country and teach Writing the Heartache Workshops at seminars and conferences. I'm a big advocate for writing through sorrow. I founded Daniel's House Publications after the death of my four-year-old son Daniel in 1997. Helping others cope with grief is important to me.

My days are spent writing novels, blogging (I have three blogs), reviewing books, writing for a variety of magazines and websites, crafting my two newsletters, and teaching grief-writing courses both online and at conferences.

My five published novels are: RAIN SONG, HOW SWEET IT IS, HATTERAS GIRL and A WEDDING INVITATION (all by Bethany House) and STILL LIFE IN SHADOWS (River North).

My devotional, GETTING OUT OF BED IN THE MORNING: Reflections of Comfort in Heartache(Leafwood Publishers), is my tribute to my son Daniel and in praise of a God who sustains us on our journey.

In addition, I've taught English as a Second Language in my birthplace of Japan, worked as a social worker, a cake decorator, and taught English in a refugee camp in the Philippines. I was an office manager at a non-profit for education and worked at a portrait studio.

Specialties: I can sing Go Hiromi's "Otoko to onnanoko" at any Karaoke event. I enjoy creating Asian dishes in my kitchen. Most of all, I enjoy conversations over cups of hot Earl Grey."