And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
—Romans 8:28
Peace for Each Hour, published by Comfort Publishing, hit the shelves and online stores this morning after stirring in my heart for several years. The book follows my first release, Grace for Each Hour (Bethany House 2005) and my second, Hope for Tough Times (Revell 2009). While Grace for Each Hour focused on a woman’s journey through breast cancer treatment, Peace for Each Hour is for the 12 million cancer survivors in the US today, including two million women living on the other side of breast cancer. Virtually anyone who has survived a life threatening health crisis and is seeking God for wholeness and freedom can benefit from this new release.
Who would have guessed 13 years ago that a journey through a devastating disease like cancer would lead to all this? Certainly not me. But God knew. “The enemy intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position” so I could speak peace into lives of many people (Genesis 50:20). And I have been blessed with countless opportunities to do so. I have prayed with and ministered to hundreds of people with cancer over the years, and I know firsthand the emotional challenges faced by survivors. After successfully completing treatment, they often live with the paralyzing fear of recurrence and feeling of uncertainty about their future. Waiting for the next check up or having a simple headache or backache can unleash possibilities that can send them into an emotional tailspin. Many books help them cope with life as a survivor; I wanted to write a book to disciple them into the future by helping them live victoriously over their past.
Through short chapters and prayers in the style of my other books, Peace for Each Hour uses personal stories as a platform to speak Biblical truth into the fears many people experience after surviving cancer. If you are one of them, my deepest desire is to help you face the future with renewed hope and expectation. The book will help you keep your eyes focused on God and His goodness so you can “get past the past.” Unlike the Israelites who lingered at the border of their promised land because they didn’t believe God would do what He promised, you will be encouraged to step into your future in faith and tend to your blessings through gratefulness, praise, worship, daily devotion, prayer, and simply resting in His love. My hope is for you to understand that your identity is in Christ, not as a cancer survivor. In Him, your future is certain, regardless of what tomorrow might bring.
May you walk in the fullness of life and receive all that Jesus died for–healing for your body, deliverance for your soul, and forgiveness for your spirit! May you freely give back what you have been freely given. And may God continue to cause everything to work together for good, all for His glory!