As a counsellor and retired pastor of counselling and soul care I thought I knew how to live a life of faith and hope – until I was diagnosed with the devastating news of oral cancer.

When we are in a place of suffering our attention seems to center on the circumstances that caused it and develop the longing to return to what we once knew as normal. In my case the pain came from a disfiguring cancer surgery and treatment. Overwhelm drew me to focus solely on physical healing where I mistakenly expected to have everything return to normal. But my old normal was gone – permanently!

When I finally remembered that God’s original story for us was to be whole – body, mind, and spirit my journey shifted to embrace a more holistic type of healing. This is when I began to heal more fully and find new hope and wholeness so I could live life well with my new limitations because I began to care for myself in a whole way – body, mind, and spirit.

My book “Embrace Life, Embrace Hope: Cultivating Wholeness and Resilience through the Unexpected” weaves concepts and practices from different fields like counselling, ministry formation, spiritual direction, and life experiences, to help readers learn new ways to:

• Cultivate sacred space for their soul;
• Be inspired to live well in difficult places;
• Create space for their heart, body, mind, and soul to flourish;
• Build resilient ways, uncover wholeness and hope; and
• Not just survive but thrive.

June is cancer survivor month, and I am excited to announce that my book was released on June 15, 2023 !