EnCouragement when facing the "little" c

I LOVED this book. It may have a lot to do with my wife being diagnosed with colon cancer and two weeks ago having surgery, now we meet our oncologist next week ... but in that journey God has given us peace and assuredness that He is in control. Still, we are human and emotions come and go and we may have that peace tested. I have already purchased a copy of this book and gifted it to my wife so she can be encouraged during upcoming treatment. Reading this myself, helped me to more closely tune in to some of the thoughts and feelings she has or will experience - but many of them I too had already experienced, so it was like sitting down with a friend, or many friends who have faced cancer in the face and survived. You'll have a few moments to laugh, whether reading about Pink Panther movies, or chemo crotch pantyhose (to go under the wig)... or the encouragement that the Big C (Christ) has already beaten the Little c (cancer), or that when arms are spread during chemo sessions it can be a reminder of what Jesus did for us on the cross. For the women telling their stories in this book, cancer was not a comma but a period in the sentences of their lives and that was because of their faith in Jesus who lives in their hearts. The final word is an encouragement to invite him in for those who haven't - making this book a great gift for any friend who may be facing this battle whether they already are a believer or not. An advance copy of this book was made available through NetGalley with no commitment for a positive review.

Are you making lemonade yet?

This is such an important book written out of the pain of tragedy yet with the backdrop of God's goodness and sovereignty. Mattie Selecman lost her husband Ben after less than a year of marriage due to an accident. She writes "It's not fair that I lost Ben the way I did. But it's also not fair that, through jesus, God pours out unending grace and forgiveness over me every single time I sin and fall short. Grace isn't fair; it's a gift." This memoir is her documented journey through the pain of grief and loss and life afterwards. Written with raw honesty Mattie takes us along in the process of wrestling with her thoughts and emotions. One of my favorite quotes from her book is "A big God can handle big prayers. If we believe in an almighty, all-powerful God, which I do, we are selling ourselves short and underestimating His divine nature when we don't pray bold prayers for healing. But if we don't couple His ability to answer our prayers with His authority to choose how He will do so, we diminish who He is as Lord and are left, at best, disappointed and at worst, determined He can't be as good as He says He is." We will all experience some pain, loss, grief, tragedy at some point - if we are not now, we will, because we live in a fallen world. Because Mattie has already gone there and is brave enough to write about all that God has taught her, this is a very important work, worth your time and support. If you don't need it now, you may one day and it will help you on your own journey. An advance copy was made available to me through NetGalley without any commitment of a positive review.

We're only Human!

Kate writes a deeply vulnerable and honest book, as good as her debut work. I didn't realize the timing of picking up my advance copy would coincide with my wife's colon cancer diagnosis and surgery. But there is hope - both in the medical advances of the day and in a God who knows us, loves us and cares about what we go through. Yet not without raw and deep emotions since we are only "being human". Whether you are personally in the middle of a battle with disease or only know someone who is, pick up this book and allow Kate's intimacy and candor become your friend in your journey. I was advanced a copy of the book through NetGalley with no commitment on delivering a positive review.

Raw, Honest, Hopeful

We know Philip Yancey from his great works over the years such as "The Jesus I Never Knew" and "Where is God When It Hurts". What we did not know was was the real Philip Yancey - and what prompted these themes. This is an extremely well crafted memoir, with writing that is beautiful and captivating. But the story - written with extreme rawness, honesty, vulnerability - will leave one unsettled at how so many things could be seemingly against one man, even a Christian. From the death of his father, to growing up in a racist south, to his broken relationship with his mother and brother... And then - how he could take this undesired and unexpected journey in his life and come out still with hope, and offer that hope to others through his writings. This work has been compared to Hillbilly Elegy due to its revelatory nature.