This book has been a long time coming. I’m sorry . . . and I’m not, all at once. I needed the time, and I have to say THANK YOU for sticking in there with me.
I finished the first draft of this book during a season where I lost several family members and two more were diagnosed with cancer. We have since lost them, too. I think some of the first draft was therapeutic for me. Micah lost many of his team, after all. Loss is part of life and will be until Jesus comes back.
While the first draft of this book was written and rewritten as a way to deal with grief, the last draft, the one you are now reading is filled with hope, that even in our floundering and pain, there is life on the other side, purpose, joy, and love along the way.
If you’ve followed along with my stories, maybe you’ve spotted a theme, that even in the darkest times, we can get through them together. And we can have hope.
I believe words matter. I believe stories matter. And while you will never read my first draft, I believe it mattered and got me here. I hope this story inspires you. I hope it urges you to find healing, hope, and purpose in a God who gives good gifts and loves us deeply. And I hope it gives you courage to face your fears, your challenges, and your past with grace and find your people along the way. This book is for the family I’ve lost. For the ones you have lost. And for the believers in Christ, this book is a celebration of the party we will all one day have again.
I believe our heart’s cry is ultimately to come. But here in the present, we can find it in hope, love, and purpose and making the most of every day and every opportunity.