Laughing at the Days to Come

Facing Present Trials and Future Uncertainties with Gospel Hope

By: Tessa Thompson

Narrated by: Susan Hanfield

Length: 7 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

In Laughing at the Days to Come, Tessa Thompson shares a poignant story of physical suffering and her journey to not only understand God's hand at work in it, but to face the future with laughter. This book is gospel centered and hope-filled. Chapter after chapter, the author directs our focus to Christ and his work for us. We all face suffering in this fallen world, but we are not without hope. In Laughing at the Days to Come, listeners are equipped to face their own stories of suffering with joy because of our present and future hope in Christ.

Tessa Thompson was 15 years old when she was diagnosed with a rare neurological disease that took away her hearing and would eventually cause chronic pain and other health complications. Faced with a future of uncertainty, she encountered Proverbs: 31:25: "Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come." The godly woman of Proverbs 31 had something Tessa lacked - a vision for life that allowed her to laugh at the future. In this warmly personal account, Tessa insightfully considers what she calls the Christian's "peculiar perspective on suffering" and shows you how the hope of God's Word will enable you to laugh at the days to come even in the midst of tears and suffering.

©2019 Tessa Thompson (P)2020 eChristian

So Slow , Somewhat Of a Short Story

I was disappointed that Tessa was not the Narrator,
It was too long, and slo.
Maybe, I would share with a friend to get their opinion

So many Stereotypes Don’t Make Me Laugh At The Times To Come

I hate to give low reviews to Christian books but this one doesn’t leave me much choice but to rate it a two stars at the most. It’s useful and encouraging book at some points, as well as perplexingly ignorant on some affirmations, as early as in chapter 2, when the reader (and I have my perplexities on the choice of this reader) uses the word, feminism, with a definitive change of tone (surprisingly as her general inflection is that of boredom) to a dismissive and dispregiative inflection, as well as talking, in chapter 3 about wanting to grow her son under the rules of biblical masculinity…?!

With the disgraceful ignorance, very present among some Christians, that the women in the Bible times, were what it now falls under the term feminism, independent women, such as Lidia supporting with her own business Jesus and the disciples, and so many others like her, as the Bible says the women (not men with their businesses) were supporting the early christians it’s disheartening to find such lack in a book that talks about women laughing at the times to come.

So many other stereotypes are present, such as “women tend to be worriers”… I know plenty of men who worry but may not manifest it verbally or by biting their nails. So if you don’t fall for stereotypes avoid this book because it’s full of it.

Then she moves on saying being a wife, mother and grandmother are her “life callings”?! Does this imply a woman who cannot fullfil any of this roles by nature or choice has no “life calling”? One is left wondering but she quickly moves on about being worried to
fall under the weakness of her husband’s “weak desire of the flesh” and to become a “victim” of adultery!

She often manifests her fears that God may take away more if her health after taking away hearing and whilst sympathetic with her at the beginning her way of viewing God create sone alarm in me as I am very sick myself with multiple cancers but I don’t want to indulge in a view of God that isn’t what supports me as his child.

The last part is a long sermon about not giving up on Sunday’s church services and on the common gathering with the saints even when things are tough.

I will rate it two stars because although I was disappointed with the content of this book I appreciate the effort she put into it but if it wasn’t for that it will be one star, especially because the reader is doing a terrible job, I though for the longest time it was a computerized A.I. voice until, quite irritated by its monotony, I went to check and realized it was a woman who for some reason breaks words and syllables with odd inflections at whim.

Was This Read By Siri?

I couldn't finish this book just bc the narrator was so abysmal. It literally sounded like a robot was reading the book.

Great encouragement for trials

Loved the book. I didn’t understand the reviews saying it sounded like a robot listening until I started the book at 1.2x speed instead of the 1.75x I usually listen at. If at a slow or regular rate I can see how this audiobook sounds monotone and boring. I usually listen at double speed so it’s not an issue. Really enjoyed the material and it addressed a lot of my typical anxious ways of thinking!