The Upside of Down: Finding Hope When It Hurts - Softcover

Stowell, Joseph M.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0802485332 ISBN 13: 9780802485335

Publisher: Moody Pub, 1991

Synopsis

Joseph Stowell presents tribulation as the tool of God tha prepares Christians to be used by Him. It is through trials tht God draws us closer to Himself, if we will rely on Him. Ordeals will come, but our reaction to them is what affects faith.

About this title

From the Back Cover

THE UPSIDE OF DOWN

Have you ever found yourself caught on a roller-coaster ride that you weren't standing in line for? If so, you'll appreciate the way that author Joe Stowell reminds you of the important truths you need to know that will help you hold on with certainty and stay on board, even in the ups, downs, and wild curves of pain and suffering.

"But," you might ask, "what's the connection between roller-coaster rides and trouble?" After all, roller coasters are intended for fun and trouble is never fun. But roller-coaster rides and troubles do have something in common, explains nationally known and respected Bible teacher Joe Stowell. "Trouble is filled with stomach-wrenching drops, dips, and sudden curves. And, just when we think we've caught our breath, we're dropping again."

The difference between a roller-coaster ride and trouble is clear. If we want to ride a roller coaster, we stand in line, eagerly waiting to enjoy the thrill; but trouble comes to us all, whether it takes the form of the death of a loved one, an illness, the untimely loss of a job, or the sudden break-up of a marriage. It's a "ride" that we would rather avoid, and none of us eagerly stands in line for it. If we didn't know better, we would think that this roller-coaster ride of trouble was the result of the forces or fate, lifting us up and pushing us down randomly, whimsically.

In The Upside of Down, Dr. Stowell presents tribulation as God's tool to prepare Christians for His use. It is through trials that God draws us closer if we will rely on Him. Citing numerous passages of Scripture and the personal experiences of Christians who have suffered, Stowell explains that ordeals will come, but we can respond productively in the midst of trouble if we remember that there is an ultimate purpose behind our suffering and that the end of the ride is God's responsibility."

"This book... is about hope in God, who works all things toward that which is good and who never wastes our sorrows."

About the Author

Dr. Joseph M. Stowell serves as the president of Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He loves students and desires to provide an educational experience in which they are intellectually and spiritually stimulated to engage their world with the love of Christ. Joe also works with RBC Ministries in Grand Rapids, partnering in media productions. His Web ministry, Strength for the Journey, features daily devotionals, weekly messages and commentary, downloadable Bible study curriculum, and an audio library of his most requested messages. You can also enjoy his devotional thoughts in Our Daily Bread. He is a graduate of Cedarville University and Dallas Theological Seminary and was honored with a doctor of divinity degree from The Master's College in 1987. Joe and his wife, Martie, are the parents of three adult children and have ten grandchildren.

Edition details

• Publisher: Moody Pub
• Publication date: 1991
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0802485332
• ISBN 13: 9780802485335
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 202