Reviewer Comments

Since publishing Tragedy Transformed over a year ago, I’ve received several critiques. I’m sharing  one of those with you. Kirkusreviews.com, the independent review source for books says:

“A debut guide to the redemptive power of suffering, as seen through the prism of the book of Job.

In this Christian-themed book, Grose chooses the single most challenging biblical tale on the subject of suffering: the story of Job, in which the titular righteous, wealthy, and pious man from Uz becomes the subject of a heavenly wager. Satan taunts God with the idea that if faithful Job were sufficiently tormented, he would curse the name of the Lord. God then gives Satan permission to destroy Job’s life, and so the man’s business collapses, his children and servants die, and he suffers from boils and sores. Still, he refuses to curse God. In carefully planned, very approachable chapters, Grose links this familiar story to tales of tragedy that he’s heard from parishioners over the years, including stories of illnesses and disasters such as Hurricane Katrina. “I wish you didn’t need this book,” he writes, addressing the reader directly, “but I’ve written it because I know you do.” The author carries this holistic tone throughout the book, which will prove invaluable to Christian readers enduring tragedies of their own. “Risky as it may feel, with Job you may need to express your anger, fear, and even rage to God directly,” he writes, referring to the fact that Job eventually breaks down and demands from God an explanation of his tragedies. Job is never given an explanation in his own story, which is slightly problematic for Grose’s book; when the author writes that God “brings [Job] through ” his tragedies into a new life, he’s being extremely optimistic, as God was absent during Job’s sufferings. In the end, however, Grose says that he makes no excuses for the God of the book of Job, and this is a wise move.

A pragmatic, uplifting examination of the role that tragedy plays in people’s lives.”

If you’re going through a difficult experience, or if you know someone who is finding life difficult, here’s a way to find hope for your recovery, or to share with them for theirs.

About Grose

Gordon Grose loves most to write, speak, and preach on the message of hope from the book of Job. Using drama, video, and PowerPoint, he has preached and presented this message of hope to churches around the country. Grose pastored three congregations 25 years, then served 12 years as a pastoral counselor in a Portland, Oregon counseling clinic. He now serves with Good Samaritan Counseling Services, Beaverton, OR. A graduate of Wheaton College (IL), Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Brandeis University, and Boston University, he comes from a rich and varied background in theological and counseling training. In 2015, Gordon published Tragedy Transformed: How Job's Recovery Can Provide Hope For Yours, a book about turning to Job for hope after tragedy. If you have experienced life challenges or personal tragedy, visit his Transforming Tragedy (gordongrose.com) blog to learn more. TragedyTransformed.com provides a sample of Gordon's speaking as well as an opportunity to purchase copies of his book.
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