Discovered Tools to Triumph in Tragedy

Jana Hanback

Description

We never know when tragedy will strike. This book will help you prepare for or triumph over a current tragedy. Come with us on our cancer journeys as we share how we discovered tools to triumph in our tragedy.

After a move to New York in 2005, author Jana Hanback’s husband, Doug, lost a lot of weight. He visited the doctor, underwent tests, and was diagnosed with celiac disease. They changed his diet to eliminate gluten, but Doug didn’t improve much. Then, tests showed a small bowel obstruction that required surgery. On September 13, 2007, the surgeon came out to the waiting room and announced Doug had cancer.



Jana was paralyzed by fright, and she felt as if they were trapped in a horrible pit. Emotionally, darkness surrounded her. In Discovered Tools to Triumph in Tragedy, she shares eight tools—gifts, really—that helped the family triumph amid the tragedy.



The Hanback’s story chronicles Doug’s cancer journey, offering Christian-based advice to help others prepare for life challenges.

Sujets

• Christian Living
• Inspirational
• Philosophie et théologie
• Help! (película)
• Religion
• Help

Informations

• Publié par: WestBow Press
• Date de parution: 03 août 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781664270473
• Langue: English

Extrait

DISCOVERED TOOLS TO TRIUMPH IN TRAGEDY
Jana Hanback


Copyright © 2022 Jana Hanback.
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.
 
 
WestBow Press
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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
 
ISBN: 978-1-6642-7045-9 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-6642-7047-3 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2022911847
 
 
 
WestBow Press rev. date: 8/3/2022
Contents
A Strong Presence
Talk It Out
The Living Word
Rejoicing
Laughter is Medicine
Faithful Trust
A Personal Relationship
Realities


H ave you ever been in a place where your mind, body, and spirit felt paralyzed by fright, or perhaps a place where you felt ecstatic, like your spirit could soar because of an indescribable event? My family has experienced both.
My husband and best friend is James, but he goes by his middle name, Doug. He grew up as an army brat. His dad was strong and independent and thought any situation out. He was a planner. Doug is very much like his dad but is also dependent on God. That was what actually drew me to him. I guess if you likened our family to a ship, Doug would be the wind in our sails and the rudder, providing steady, godly direction.
Doug and I have been extremely blessed with four incredible children. Darik is compassionate. Sarah is giving. Nathan is thoughtful, and Breanna has a practical, positive outlook. We cannot say enough about how they are so much of a help and encouragement to us!
In telling you about our experience, I would like to share eight tools—gifts, really—that helped us triumph in tragedy when we were paralyzed by fright. I call them gifts because God offers them freely to all; they are also tools because it is up to us to put some of them to use.
There is a psalm that we could have written because it happened to us. It is our story. But it was written by David of the Old Testament. The only difference is that sometimes I waited patiently for the Lord, and sometimes I did not. The latter I regret, but the Lord is good and forgives us.
I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God; many will see it, and fear, and will trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man that makes the Lord his trust, and does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works Which You have done; and Your thoughts which are toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered. (Psalm 40:1–5 NKJV)
Notice verse 2, which says, “He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay.” I would like to give you some background, and then take you to our horrible pit.
Doug ministered in a church in Ripon, Wisconsin for fifteen years. We loved the church family very much. Doug’s parents and sister lived there, and it was where all four of our children were born, so it was home. But God was leading Doug elsewhere. Doug obeyed God’s call to minister in New Hartford, New York. We moved there on October 25, 2005. Seven months later, he began to get very sick and was losing a lot of weight. I wanted him to go to the doctor, but he assured me he was all right.
One beautiful Sunday morning, as the sun streamed through the church windows, Doug was standing up front. As I saw him there, I thought, He looks like a little boy in a man’s suit . He had lost so much weight that his suit literally hung on him.
Thankfully, a man we affectionately call Grandpa Bob met Doug in his study after the service. Doug was ready to help him in any way he could, for whatever need he may have. However, it was Doug who needed the help.
Grandpa Bob said, “Pastor Doug, you have a wife and children. You need to get yourself to a doctor.”
I was elated when I found out Grandpa Bob had convinced him that he needed to go to the doctor.
After a few doctor visits and tests, on January 11, 2007 he was diagnosed with celiac disease. Our children were also tested, and it turned out that our daughters also have celiac disease. To combat it, we changed their diet, eliminating all gluten. But Doug did not improve as much as we had hoped.
More tests showed a small bowel obstruction that required surgery. On September 13, 2007, the surgeon came out to the waiting room and said, “Your husband has cancer.” I was paralyzed by fright. I felt we were in a horrible pit. Emotionally, darkness was all around me, and the only light I could sense was way up above me. This is where the eight gifts began to have a crucial impact in our lives.
A Strong Presence