Finding Real Joy

A Thankful Heart in a World of Hurt

It is hard to be grateful when you are looking into the jaws of mind-bending pain. Chronic illness, a heart attack, a terrible car accident, caring for a developmentally disabled child, facing betrayal and loneliness. These tough times make you want to give up and throw in the towel. You try to overcome, but the exhaustion destroys your energy and hope. You try to pray, but the pain interrupts your concentration. You want to give up.

The topics of fear and hopelessness, depression and suffering, loneliness and worry are issues that author, Joni Eareckson Tada, can speak to personally: A diving accident in 1967, when she was 17, left her a quadriplegic. She has lived 45 years in a wheelchair and she has experienced her share of ups and downs. “But,” she says, “oh, the difference the grace of God has made in my life.”

Let Joni tell you her secrets to peace and joy, despite her wheelchair. She has spent decades studying the Word of God. She knows that God does not enjoy seeing your suffering. He has compassion for you and gives you many ways to deal with life’s pain so that you can have peace.

She has taken her most important insights on thankfulness and joy and encapsulated them into this 14-page pamphlet. Whether you or a loved one is suffering. This pamphlet will bring you comfort.

In A Thankful Heart in a World of Hurt, author Joni Eareckson Tada tackles questions such as:

• How can I really give thanks for all things?
• How can I cultivate a grateful spirit?
• What was the Apostle Paul’s secret to a grateful heart? (He had been beaten, stoned, whipped, starved, shipwrecked and betrayed by people he thought were friends.)
• How is it possible to “Rejoice in the Lord always”?

This colorful pamphlet gives God’s answers to the biggest questions.

You need this if —

• you are in pain and need encouragement,
• you have a friend who needs words of comfort,
• you are a pastor or church counselor, or
• you lead a discussion group or home fellowship.

“The Lord loves us and he has given us his Word to help us through. Let me share the secrets to joy and happiness I’ve found.” —Joni

Purchase your copies here and save money

"When Joni Eareckson Tada writes about hardship, it's real. When she says good can come from suffering, I wanted to know how....I wanted to gain a deeper understanding of the adverse circumstance I'm in. I was surprised that such a small pamphlet could offer such a large portion of hope and courage."
Carol Witte

"I love how the pamphlets get to the point, saying exactly what I needed to hear in an easy-to-understand way. Plus, they are light weight and can fit in my purse, making them easy to take to the doctors' office or to my chemo appointments. If you know someone fighting a terminal illness or even their family members who need encouragement as well, I highly recommend you check out these pamphlets."
Cindy Curran

"The new pamphlets from Rose Publishing by Joni Eareckson Tada are a treasure for both Pastors and Chaplains. Joni has the ability to answer so many hard asked questions by her experience. Her love of God and her knowledge of His Word linked with her genuine empathy for people that are suffering and questioning God is uncanny."
Dr. Skip Lewis, Director of Chaplaincy, Heart of Florida

"Joni is at once a student and a teacher. She searches for answers, and then ably guides those who are seeking to understand some of the same difficult questions she has asked about suffering, anger, God’s sovereignty and prayer. She is candid about her personal struggles, but addresses each of them by providing biblical illustrations of how God is always present and in control. Through her practical counsel, Joni empowers anyone who has endured painful experiences in life to trust and turn toward God."
Jean Driscoll, Assistant Dean for Advancement, University of IL, College of Applied Health Sciences

Jean was born with spina bifida (an open spine). She began using a wheelchair at the age of 15 and after learning about wheelchair sports, she started pursuing athletic opportunities. During her career, Jean was the first eight time winner of the Boston Marathon. She also won two Olympic medals, 12 Paralympic medals, and still holds the world record in the 10,000 meters set during the 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta. Jean remains the only 12–time champion of the Lilac Bloomsday 12K Road Race held in Spokane, Washington. Jean retired from her successful racing career following the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

Questions for personal reflection or group discussion:

1. Read Panel 1 – The box on this page contains three mistakes people make when going through suffering. How have you seen these make a person’s life worse, not better?
2. Read Panel 2, including the Bible passages in the box. Often we don’t think about God’s power and nature. In what way do they inspire us to gratitude?
3. Read Panels 3-5. How is it possible that our afflictions were “designed for our good,” when they seem to be just the opposite? What was the Apostle Paul’s secret to a grateful heart?
4. Read Panel 6 and discuss the idea of sacrifice and suffering and gratitude in the life of the woman in the story.
5. Read Panel 7 and spend time writing a list of 25 blessings you have.
6. Read Panels 8-9. How could the apostle Paul possibly be joyful despite being in jail? How can crippling suffering actually make us more powerful for God’s kingdom?
7. Read Panels 10-11. How do Jesus’ sufferings compare with yours?
8. Read Panels 12-13. How can we redefine happiness?