The Art of Joy: Three Supernatural Keys to: Believe Again, Recapture Hope, Experience Freedom

by Tracey Armstrong

Could your past disappointment be the source of your present trouble?

Many people are living aimless lives, suffering from depression, anxiety, doubt, cynicism, and fear because of disappointments they have experienced in the past. You may even be affected without realizing it—completely unaware that events that happened long ago are still simmering in the background. But you can find the strength to change the course.

In The Art of Joy Tracey Armstrong skillfully uses the biblical stories of Sarah, the wife of Abraham, and King David, who both defeated pain and disappointment, to demonstrate not only how to cope with hurt but also overcome it.

Genres: Christian

240 pages, Paperback

First published April 7, 2015

Reviews

[Geo Hendrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome, he is a pastor and is also a life coach. The intro is a must read! The last chapter really makes you feel like he is your life coach!

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway and, I must admit, it is not really what I was expecting. I knew that it would be about religion, but I did not realize just how religious. I was raised Catholic, but in the past ten years or so have grown distant from any organized religion. I chose to submit my name to be entered to win the book as I thought it might bring me closer to my faith, especially as I have struggled with issues like depression. That is not really what this book is about. This book is strictly for the person who is already a believer and literally takes the Bible as God's word. The basic message of the book is to just let God do what needs to be done. It is actually a little extreme, as one is not consistently encouraged to help this process along and questionable actions, like miraculous cancer healings, are mentioned more than once. The book relies heavily on the idea that God is good, although somewhat surprisingly, this is shown to be true through Old Testament stories, with the same passages quoted over and over. Also, much of the prose in the book would be better spoken during a Sunday sermon than written in a book - it just feels disjointed. I suppose very strict Christian believers may enjoy the book, but for those of us with questions, it really provides no answers.