God’s Treasure Box

By Cynthia Fortenberry

Life is difficult and sometimes really tough. We live with anxieties and face adversity almost every day. In God’s Treasure Box, author Cynthia Fortenberry exemplifies what it is to be living life as a true believer in today’s upside-down world. She opens avenues of thinking and gives encouragement to be the best you God has created you to become.

Through scripture and unique, sometimes unconventional stories, she brings reality into a new perspective, gently leading you to see yourself how God sees and desires your life. Fortenberry offers a look at a variety of subjects including fear, choice and consequences, salvation and rededication, the importance of scripture, Christianity, and the pitfalls of the world.

Fortenberry communicates that God wants us to have a clear destiny, to keep moving forward and to understand that the struggles we face today give us strength for tomorrow. With his love, we can live in an evil world with new eyes and open hearts.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Sep 13, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664243941

Cynthia Fortenberry

Cynthia Fortenberry is a wife, mother, grandmother and a devout follower of God. Cynthia studied at Jefferson State community college and Samford University with a concentration in music education. She also studied conservatory piano at Birmingham Southern College. Cynthia was employed as a staff member of a small Baptist church in the position of children’s director and sat on the church council as an advisor for that department. She has also served her community in a variety of voluntary positions. God’s Treasure Box is her first book.

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Copyright © 2021 Cynthia Fortenberry.

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ISBN: 978-1-6642-4393-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-4395-8 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-4394-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021918012

WestBow Press rev. date: 09/10/2021

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version.

Scripture quotations marked ESV taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NCV are taken from the New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked GNT are taken from the Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition). Copyright © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked ERV are taken from the HOLY BIBLE: EASY-TO-READ VERSION ©2014 by Bible League International. Used by permission.

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1

Treasure Box

Chapter 2

Once Upon a Lifetime

Chapter 3

Things that go Bump in the Dark

Chapter 4

Choices

Chapter 5

Where Do We Go From Here?

Chapter 6

Yes, We Can!

Chapter 7

What Comes Next

Chapter 8

We Can Do This!

Chapter 9

Refined

Chapter 10

Rebirth

Conclusion

Acknowledgments

I would like to express my appreciation to the following people who gave their focus, help, encouragement, and dedication to the creation of this book. First, I thank Almighty God for His complete inspiration and patience with me through the process. My husband and family members gave endless support, and encouraging words, and they shared many experiences along the way, giving me their time and effort. My daughter, Christina Crow, gave generously of her finances. My church family and Christian friends would not let me give up on this project; they had such faith. My friend and pastor, Mark Correll, teaches the Word without excuse or exception; I appreciate his forever faithful guidance. Without his teachings, I could not have had the courage to even begin such a project. My lifelong friends, Diann and Glenn Randall, believed in me as a person of faith and also believed in my ability to complete my vision of this book. I thank my special friend and soft editor, Merry Stamper Perkins, more than words can ever express for her tireless efforts. I am grateful to the publishing company and publisher who sought to see this book come into existence. I am also grateful to those who participated and helped with the cover, those who gave financially, and to those who prayed for the unleashing of the message from the kingdom of God. I am very grateful.

Introduction

We are born into a world full of anxieties and adversities. When my children were small, life could be quite taxing, and they sometimes got on my every nerve. We experienced many anxious moments, as I am sure you have experienced with your children as well—or in life in general. For example, medical appointments often were a cause for anxiety, which included outbursts of crying and pleading. Now, some of this anxiety was a result of remembering past experiences or just from the fear of the unknown. After a morning of preparation to get to the doctor’s office and, of course, elevated stress levels for both my child and me, we usually made it through the visit without too many emotional scars. It never failed, however, that, once the examination and any tests were complete, a giddy smile would appear upon my child’s face. It was a custom that, before we left the office, the doctor or staff member would escort the little patient to a special place that had been set apart from all those bad experiences It was to be a magical moment. Every child who entered this area knew there was a treasure box waiting for him or her, and it was filled with all kinds of goodies. The child always received a colouring book along with his or her choice of a prize from the treasure box. Somehow, all that worry, all that anxiety just melted away in that single moment.

In the following pages, we will discover ways you can release your stress and equip yourself for such a moment of grace just as my children did. If we allow ourselves to learn