Suffering with Joy: Letters on Tragedy, Loss, and Hope (Ascol)

Description

On January 22, 2000, my sister, Joy Dyer, tried to pay for a purchase at a department store in Bryan, Texas in her usual way. But for some strange reason, she could not make her hand write out a check. That was the first sign that something sinister was attacking her body. One week later we were told that Joy had a “high grade glioblastoma.” The doctors said that there was no medical hope that she could be cured and that Joy probably had six months to a year to live. That news rocked our family. On January 28, 2021—almost one year later to the day—cancer took Joy’s life.

The letters in this book were born out of a deep love for Joy and Dean by friends and family. We desired to walk with them through this hard journey and support them however we could. My hope is that these letters, originally written to support my sister through her suffering, will provide some comfort and encouragement to other fellow-sufferers who are walking a hard path.

Contents

Foreword
Preface
Introduction

1. Call to Me
2. Strength and Peace from God
3. A Lesson on Prayer
4. Even the Mountains Will Sing
5. Whom Shall I Fear?
6. The Measure of God’s Love
7. Peace in the Ups and Downs
8. God Is Near to Us
9. Our Hiding Place
10. Seek the Lord
11. A Legacy of Devotion
12. Lift Your Eyes Up
13. Count It All Joy
14. Endure
15. Humble Yourself
16. Christ Our Shepherd
17. In Due Time
18. The God of All Grace
19. Confess Your Sins
20. Love in Deed and Truth
21. Be Holy
22. Seek First
23. Ask, Seek, and Knock
24. Incomparable Glory
25. Our Good and His Glory
26. Foreknown and Predestined
27. Called, Justified, and Glorified
28. Who Can Be Against Us?
29. The Giver of All Gifts
30. For Us
31. Justified
32. Arise, My Soul, Arise
33. Our Final Enemy
34. More Than Conquerors
35. Though All Hell Should Endeavor to Shake
36. To Save Sinners
37. More of Him
38. In Immanuel’s Land
39. Our Great High Priest
40. A Sympathizing Savior
41. Blessed
42. Fight the Fight of Faith
43. We Will Rise with Him
44. Never Doubt in the Dark What God Has Taught You in the Light

Afterword
Endnotes
About the Author

Endorsements

“Suffering has been our constant companion since the Fall. It is a great equalizer that eventually comes calling at the door of every family and is never a welcome guest. In this helpful book, Tom Ascol serves as companion, model, and teacher as he helps his loved ones, and us, navigate the deep waters of suffering and loss. This book is a timeless treasure to be shared with those inside the church as a guide to suffering well, and with those outside the church as a guide to knowing the one who is our only source of true and lasting hope.”
— Voddie Baucham, Founding Dean, ACU Founding, Faculty, The Institute of Public Theology Author of Fault Lines

“After the cancer diagnosis of his sister Joy, brother Tom Ascol wrote weekly letters for one year to encourage Joy’s family and friends with the precious promises of God’s Word. Over twenty years later, we have the rare privilege of reading these tender, Christ-centered, and moving letters for our own Bible memorization and devotional lives—each of which breathe with realism in the crucible of suffering alongside optimism that the world cannot know. Above all, Joy’s life shows that those who live and die in the Lord are truly blessed (Phil. 1:21; Rev. 14:13). I trust that the Lord will richly bless these letters for the comfort, encouragement, and endurance of many of His children in the midst of suffering as well as for stirring up holy jealousy in the hearts of the unsaved for the portion that belongs to God’s people, which in turn, may press them on to seek and find salvation for their own souls by the Spirit’s grace.”
—Dr. Joel R. Beeke, Chancellor and Professor of Systematic Theology and Homiletics, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary Pastor of Heritage Reformed Congregation, Grand Rapids, Michigan

About the Author

Tom Ascol has served as a Pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral, FL since 1986. He has a BS degree in sociology from Texas A&M University and has earned the MDiv and PhD degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Tom serves as the President of Founders Ministries and The Institute of Public Theology. He has served as an adjunct professor of theology for various colleges and seminaries and has written hundreds of articles for various journals and magazines. Tom regularly preaches and lectures at various conferences throughout the United States and other countries. In addition, he edited and contributed to several books over the years and hosts a weekly podcast called The Sword & The Trowel. He and his wife Donna have six children along with four sons-in-law and a daughter-in-law. They have eighteen grandchildren.