Why?

“I guess God’s still got something planned for you.” I heard those words countless times after the stroke. People who were really trying to be kind and gracious, hoping to speak inspiring words into my life, kept making that statement. Yet if I’m being honest, each time someone said it to me, my mind went to friends who were my age and younger who had lost their lives in recent years. Certainly, God wasn’t done with them anymore than He was with me. I’m confident that God had plans for their lives, but why did I get another chance? Those are the why questions I’ll never understand.

• Why do ugly things happen? (BTW - I know the Sunday school answers.)

• Why did I survive? (The answer to this question requires more than a casual conversation.)

If you have seen my social media posts or received a few recent emails, you may be wondering about the contents. Why are we recounting information about my cancer diagnosis, treatment, and recovery, and my major stroke recovery? It’s because I have been writing a book, and it went to the publisher today for printing.

Why write a book? A few weeks ago, my friend and author, Bob Goff, asked me why I had taken on this task. He immediately said, “You didn’t do it with the idea of getting rich. I know you better than that.” For me, it was easy; it was the same conversation I had been having with God for the last two decades, “just put me in a place where my life can make the biggest difference.”

Why? It’s one of the questions that the book will address. I look forward to sharing the book and countless other insights regarding resiliency with you. We hope to have the initial copies ready by early February. Thanks for praying for us and cheering us on.

Here’s to Choosing Your Best!