"Strength for the Cancer Journey" (Deborah Barr)

TITLE: Strength for the Cancer Journey: 30 Days of Inspiration, Encouragement, and Comfort
AUTHOR: Deborah Barr
PUBLISHER: Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2020, (208 pages).

Cancer is a tough experience to go through. Not only is it difficult for the patient, it also wreaks havoc on family and loved ones. In fact, just to say "hard" would be an understatement. For many, it begins with shock and denial; proceeding with anger and anguish; followed by resignation or depression. Individuals express it in their own ways. In this book, author Deborah Barr writes a 30-days inspiration with inputs drawn from eight different cancer patients. The emotional ups and downs range from sleepless nights to physical pain. The key question posed in this book is this: Would you face cancer on your own strength or God's strength? If you choose the latter, this book is definitely for you. Meant as a 30-days devotional and journal, this book helps us to journey along both spiritually and emotionally along the difficult path of cancer. Each day introduces a particular thought or emotion. Barr parallels each occurrence with a corresponding set of Bible text to help us lament and learn. We lament the state of brokenness while learning to deal with faith matters. Using real life stories to describe the human experience, Barr helps readers to meander through the many range of emotional expressions without dumbing anyone down. Remembering our pain does not necessarily deny the reality of faith. Acknowledging our questions does not mean we answers are immediately available. Each day is an opportunity to build strength through daily meditation and prayer. With intentionality, the book helps us not only to honestly deal with our questions but also to wait for spiritual enlightenment.


There is ample journal space for readers to record their thoughts. In spite of the rising popularity of eBooks, this is best done with pen and paper. Thus, the paper edition of the book is preferred over the electronic version.

The main purpose of this book is to inspire, encourage, and comfort those affected by cancer. Whether it is the patient, family, loved ones, or caregivers, there are many areas that they can identify with. The waiting for a cure or for some conclusion can be arduous. Practically, there are questions on finance and affordability. There are decisions to make with regard to the right course of treatment. What to do with loneliness? How to avoid the temptation of going out alone? How is cancer changing our perspective of life? What the Bible says about life and death, and the in-between? How to cultivate gratitude in the midst of bad news one after another? How do we deal with conflicted emotions? What do we do when the practice of faith meets the reality of facts?

I believe many of us have had some experience of hearing someone close to us suffering from cancer. It is one of the most cruel and devastating things to happen not just physically but in many other areas as well. When in doubt about what to say to the cancer patient, silence is golden. This book fills in the silence for anyone who cares about their cancer relative or friend. It will not make one an experienced counselor but it sure guides us to learn how to walk with the sick person. There are many thoughts about spirituality and biblical encouragement. This is part of holistic healing. Often, we tend to go on a frantic search for medical solutions and pay less attention to the inner spirit of the person. Healing in the biblical sense is holistic. While it is important to depend on modern medicine and scientific advancement, we cannot forget that our bodies are temporal. What happens if extending our lives comes at a cost of quality of living? How do we connect belief in God with the bad things that are happening to us? Barr does not answer all these directly because her purpose is not to solve cancer, but to journey along. Do not let problems overwhelm us. The greater asking is not about immediate release from our problems, but for strength to overcome. That is faith in action.

Deborah Barr is a versatile writer and speaker with a special interest in health and wellness topics. She is a master certified health education specialist (MCHES®) with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in health education.

Rating: 4.25 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of Moody Publishers and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.