There are few things more frightening than an alarming health diagnosis. It’s as if the world drops out from beneath our feet, making us feel powerless against the unpredictability of tragedy. In the face of these helpless feelings, it’s easy for fear and anger to foster doubt in a higher power. “Why me?” many people ask in the face of grief and uncertainty. “Why my loved one?”
It’s a struggle as old as time, dealing with a health crisis and questioning one’s own faith in the aftermath. But while this struggle is never easy, there’s a silver lining to its painful relatability — you’re never truly alone when others have experienced similar adversities. These six authors have weathered the same storm and come out the other side with new understandings of their faith. Whether you’re searching for comfort, advice or just a story similar to your own, look no further.
Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I’ve Loved by Kate Bowler
As a Duke Divinity School professor, a wife and a new mother, Kate Bowler’s life seemed to be going perfectly at 35 years old. Then, she got the devastating test results that informed her of her stage IV colon cancer. Reeling at the now-looming question of her own mortality, Kate grappled with what faith had taught her about the ephemerality of life. In her ruminations, she shares that invaluable knowledge with us.
In a world that tells the sick and injured that “everything happens for a reason” and “God only gives you what you can handle,” Kate’s book shares how this thought process can weigh on those already overwhelmed with a frightening diagnosis. Instead of this line of thinking, she uses her knowledge of the Christian faith to propose an alternative — to live and love unapologetically and meet life with open arms. It’s no wonder this book is a New York Times bestseller, a Goodreads Choice award nominee and recommended by Real Simple.
I’ve Seen the End of You: A Neurosurgeon’s Look at Faith, Doubt and the Things We Think We Know by W. Lee Warren, M.D.
We hear many patients’ stories of their near-death experiences and the ways mortality shaped their views on life. But in this groundbreaking book, winner of the Ecpa Christian Book Award®, we hear from another voice — the voice of the doctor making these diagnoses.
A renowned brain surgeon, Dr. W. Lee Warren knew how to search for the assumed outcomes of many of his patients. Even when instilling hope, he sometimes had the sinking realization that he had seen these scenarios play out before — that “I’ve seen the end of you.” In the face of these desperate cases, as well as personal loss, he found himself struggling with his faith. But he also found profound moments of conviction in seeing the ways that loved ones rally to support one another in difficult times.
While his writing clearly demonstrates the depth of his knowledge about the human body and its ailments, Dr. Warren tells his incredible story in language that readers can easily parse — making this a book as approachable as it is inspiring.
Ridiculously Hopeful: A Story of Bold Faith and Hope During a Crisis by Maleah Stephens
Maleah, a mother-to-be, could tell from the body language of her doctor that something was wrong. “Some moments in our lives stand still as solitary moments like the grandfather clock ticking noon; you can’t hear past the noise from the swaying pendulum.” When she and her husband learned that their baby would be born with a congenital heart defect — and would need a life-saving heart transplant soon after birth — they were bowled over by anxiety and anguish. But a choice lay ahead of Maleah: to choose fear, or to choose faith. And in her words, prayer became her daily weapon.
Ridiculously Hopeful tells the story of two parents determined to weather the storm of emotions headed their way. A marathon runner, Maleah compares her struggle to facing down a long and arduous race. Full of heartfelt wisdom, this true story assures us that hope is more than a way to try and feel safe amidst uncertainty. When faced with a difficult situation that feels out of our control, hope and faith can rise above everything else to give us strength.
For our full review of Ridiculously Hopeful, read here. Check out Maleah Stephens’ website and purchase the book here.
Bipolar Faith: A Black Woman's Journey with Depression and Faith by Monica A. Coleman
Not all illness is physical, as Monica A. Coleman details in her spiritual autobiography, Bipolar Faith. All her life, Monica was painfully aware of the legacy of mental illness in her family, and how it was exacerbated by generations of slavery, war, sharecropping, poverty and alcoholism. Now faced with the mental consequences of such hardships, she turned to the Black religious traditions and Christian ministry to gain an understanding of the adversity she faced.
Described as a “memoir of mental illness,” Bipolar Faith weaves together Monica’s inner struggles along with where her faith leads her on her journey of self-examination. The book skillfully educates readers on generational trauma and bipolar disorder, while also telling Monica’s personal story of faith amid crises. The book doesn’t shy away from difficult topics such as suicide, but it also gives us the same hope that Monica’s own journey led her to. Through searching within herself for the healing she needed, Monica ended up finding a new appreciation and vision of the God in her life.
Thank God I Got Polio: A Life of Adventure and the Adventure of Life by Wayne Raffesberger
While at first glance it may seem like Wayne Raffesberger always had a taste for adventure, that’s not necessarily true. In fact, his first brush with danger wasn’t from mountain climbing or skydiving; it was when he was struck with polio at four years old.
Despite being told he may never walk again, Wayne was determined to prove himself to a world that thought less of him as a result of his illness. After years of medical care, Wayne regained mobility but still struggled to keep up with his classmates physically. That was until he dove into sports for pure pleasure and also to prove himself — and soon that discovery led him to the thrill-seeking extreme athletics that he continues to enjoy today. As much as Thank God I Got Polio is a story of physical triumph, it’s also a story of spiritual success. After a lifetime of denial, Wayne found faith alongside his accomplishments, from the mountaintops he’d scaled to the depths of the sea he swam on scuba diving expeditions.
Click here for our full review of Thank God I Got Polio.
Anchored: Finding Hope in the Unexpected by Kayla Aimee
When Kayla Aimee went into labor at only 24 weeks, she felt overcome by fear. She’d always thought that her church upbringing prepared her to handle any difficulty in her way. Now in the face of her premature daughter’s fragile life, it was as though nothing was certain anymore.
In the aftermath of the birth, facing her daughter’s continuous medical treatments, Kayla had to build her faith again from the ground up. It wasn’t easy, asking why she had to leave the hospital while her tiny daughter stayed behind, but she made it out of this experience with a new appreciation of life and God. While Anchored is applauded by those who have experienced premature birth in their family, readers don’t need this experience to be able to relate to Kayla’s words. Her book is a must-read for anyone who has grappled with their faith in the wake of hardship.
