Making Sense Out of Suffering

Author reveals how to 'smell the roses' along life's harsh pathways

Longwood (PRWEB) April 20, 2008 -- In the midst of our hardships, Jesus brings hope even to impossible situations. Just ask Carol Lebeda Johnson, author of In the Stink of Life SMELL the ROSE of Sharon (paperback, 978-1-60477-282-1). It was bad enough that the doctors thought she might lose her mind and her skin was transparent--confinement to a wheelchair was the last straw.

Age 12 is a pivotal year in most children's lives, but for Johnson it was marked by the sudden onset of illness. On the threshold of womanhood, she struggled to reconcile the knowledge of her Christian faith with the reality of her circumstance: a terminal diagnosis, medication that could literally make her crazy, physical pain, loss of friendships, and rejection at church. She was full of questions: Is God the faithful healer? Am I being judged by God? Would death be better than the struggle to live?

In the book readers can discover what it means to "Smell the Rose of Sharon" and learn that God can be an active part of everyday life. "Many people experience troubles with quality of life, depression, life-threatening illness, and fulfillment in life," says Johnson. "These issues are addressed in the book through my personal experiences, as opposed to a textbook approach to the previously mentioned topics. Since this is a personal account of my life, the book not only deals with the troubles of life, but also comes complete with a romance story at the end."

Carol Lebeda Johnson is married to Rev. Orville Johnson and is the mother of two children, Joshua and Lucas. A trained medical transcriptionist and medical secretary, she has also published several poems and short stories.

Xulon Press, a part of Salem Communications Corporation, is the world's largest Christian publisher, with more than 5,000 titles published to date. Retailers may order In the Stink of Life SMELL the ROSE of Sharon through Ingram Book Company and/or Spring Arbor Book Distributors.

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