"Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in Him!"
Psalm 34:8
I started writing about my cancer journey in a private journal. I quickly realized that my kids would need regular updates since they all lived away from home, so I turned my journal into an online blog. Finally, overwhelmed with the number of people in our circle of family and friends who wanted to know how to pray for us, I made that blog public. It became a daily comfort for me to sit quietly with God and document all that He was teaching me. For several years I have been encouraged to share my story with a wider audience. I never intended to write a book. Being an author was never something I have aspired to. But, after so many fellow cancer strugglers and their families shared with me the courage and strength they received from the story of my cancer journey, I told the Lord I was open and available to do whatever He wanted me to do in this regard.
In April, 2013, I was eating breakfast in a small cafe in Paris France with my husband, Mark, our son David and his wife Syd, and David's publisher Dr. Todd Swift, the owner of Eyewear Publishing. We were celebrating the debut of David's first book of poetry (Our Obsidian Tongues). In the course of that conversation, Dr. Swift began to talk about publishing books from a Christian perspective and David said, right out loud, "My mom has a book." I was surprised by his statement. I smiled, graciously acknowledged David's kind words, and waited to move on to other subjects. But the publisher was intrigued. "Have you really written a book?" he asked. "I am very interested in publishing books related to spirituality, and I would very much like to see what you've written." I told him I was a cancer survivor. Within the next five minutes of conversation, he was ready to commit to publish my story. I encouraged him to read it first, and then we could talk. By the time we arrived home, I had an email from the publisher waiting for me. He was serious. I was still unsure about the prospect. Then one day, as I prayed, God reminded me of our earlier conversation. So this book is His doing.
If you are interested in purchasing a copy for yourself or a friend, it is available on Amazon.com. Just click on the link below.
Forever Hope by Laura Shook on Amazon
