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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

The Hardest Thing about This Book and Why I Love It

by Challice Neipp · 2 Comments

The diagnosis came. Cancer. Of all the people I knew, she was the last I would have expected to get cancer.  She was healthy, active, careful with everything she ate.

But years before, in the seventies and eighties, she’d spent way too much time in the sun—before people knew that was a thing.

I’m not a crier. Crying doesn’t come easy for me.  It’s not that I am unwilling to cry… I just… can’t, most of the time.

Instead, I sat in her memorial service, listened to the congregation sing one song over and over so many times that I wince if I even hear the words from Scripture now, and ached to cry.

When we got home, I went online to a private message board I belong to and typed in three words.

I hate sin.

To be fair, I also recall hearing Mr. Smith’s voice from Meet Me in St. Louis saying, “You also do it.”

But really, we like to complain about cancer as if it was some random, inexplicable thing.

It’s not.

Cancer is the result of sin—not in an individual’s life… I’m not saying that my friend did something wrong that directly caused her to get cancer as retribution.

No, I’m talking about the fact that if sin had never entered this world, we’d have no cancer—no diabetes, no heart disease, no asthma, none of it.

If sin had never entered this world, we wouldn’t have had to say goodbye to a wonderful woman before we were done with her.

One thing I’ve tended to leave out of my books is cancer.  I justify it because it’s “overdone.”  For all I know, that’s not even true.  I can recall a book here and there that deal with it, but not many.

So why did I hesitate when I saw a chance to review a book about a cancer survivor?

Beats me.  But I did.  Still, I’d heard good things about Beth K. Vogt, so I put in my request for a review copy of Moments We Forget and waited.

The Hardest Thing about This Book and Why I Love It- moments we forget

The Hardest Thing about This Book and Why I Love It

Obviously, the hardest thing about this book should be the cancer—how even after you’ve beaten it, you can lose.  Lose your memory, your hopes, your dreams.

I won’t pretend that wasn’t hard, but the point of this book is that hope isn’t found in a lack of cancer diagnosis.  It’s found in Jesus.

No, the hardest thing was watching the relationships between these sisters and seeing similarities in people you know and love—seeing how they create their own pain.  Seeing that avoiding the pain causes a different kind of pain.

I love the book because the author, with brilliant use of words, welcomes you into the lives of characters.  Even her point of view choices offer insights into character development and in the end, you’re left with wanting more.

And that’s a good thing because guess what?

This was book two. We are offered an invitation to walk through that cancer journey with Jillian in Things I Never Told You.  It’s on my shelf.  It’ll be hard to read.  I’m walking through another cancer battle with another friend right now.

Actually, that’s a bit… overstated.  She’s walking.  I’m following behind, weeping, praising God for victories, begging Him for more time (she’s stage IV), ready to be a support if she needs me but instead, being supported by her amazingness.

This book didn’t just tell stories I related to in a brilliant and poignant way.  It prepared my heart for more… for understanding more. And maybe, just perhaps… it helped prepare me for the next day when I come home from a memorial service after saying “see you soon” to a friend who has gone to be with Jesus.

And that day, I’ll probably type those three, horrible words again.  I hate sin.

Not an easy book to read, but it’s not hard, either.  I don’t know how to classify it, but I recommend it for people who value friendships, who understand broken relationships, and who want to invest a bit more in their lives.  I’m so glad I requested and received a review copy.  Looking forward to book one. Sort of.

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Comments

  1. Debbie P says

    May 11, 2019 at 12:17 pm

    This book sounds like a really good read.

    Reply
  2. Vicki Hancock says

    May 11, 2019 at 10:28 am

    Cancer is so scary. My husband’s bf has cancer. They thought they got it but it’s come back. It’s a matter of time. Cancer is such a horrible thing.

    Reply

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The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 215: A Chat with Henry O. Arnold
byChautona Havig

I had a chat with actor and author Henry O. Arnold a while back, and boy did we have a lot of fun. His Song of Prophets and Kings series features the advent of Israel’s kings from Samuel’s birth through David hiding from Saul (so far) and onward. Listen in as we chat about his most recent release, The Singer of Israel.

 

note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

What Made David Such a Man after God’s Heart?

I think this series will show us. I love that Henry O. Arnold started back at Samuel’s story to prepare us for the story of arguably the most influential king of Israel. Yes, Solomon was the wisest and richest, but David offered something that Solomon didn’t have. He was an average guy—a shepherd, no less—chosen by God to lead his country.

In a sense, it’s kind of the ancient Jewish version of a poor, everyday guy growing up to become President of the United States. If you know what I mean.

This five-book series is available as an eBook, in print, and as an audiobook, too! Henry read a snippet of it to us, and boy you get a feel for his love of Scripture and God’s people as he reads.

And if that wasn’t enough, he even gave us a hint of his upcoming Christian suspense/thriller “series. He says he has two books planned for sure, so… at least a duology, but maybe we can talk him into a trilogy at least? Get those odd numbers and everything?

The Singer of Israel by Henry O. Arnold

A singer’s voice inspires a troubled nation…A shepherd’s courage vanquishes a giant

The last official act of the prophet of Yahweh was to secretly anoint a replacement for the king of Israel who has been brought low by an unbalanced mind. The great prophet of Israel lives in fear of the wrath of the king. Then out of the hills of Bethlehem emerges the last-born son of a family of shepherds to become the unforeseen hero of Israel.

When David sings of the glory of Yahweh, this shepherd wins the hearts of the royal family and restores King Saul’s troubled mind. But when the singer/shepherd defeats the champion of the Philistines in single combat, David becomes forever known as “the giant slayer.” Saul quickly sees that David is now a threat to his kingdom and secretly plots to have him killed.

David may be the champion of the people of Israel, but he must live under the constant threat of Saul’s wrath until he is finally forced to flee for his life.

The Singer of Israel is a tale of triumph and tribulation, deepest love, and burning rivalries; the new epoch is given a voice…and it is The Song of Prophets and Kings.

You can learn more about Henry on this WEBSITE.

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Episode 215: A Chat with Henry O. Arnold
Episode 215: A Chat with Henry O. Arnold
March 24, 2023
Chautona Havig
Episode 214: A Chat about After the Shadows with Amanda Cabot
March 21, 2023
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Episode 213: A Chat about Daughter of Eden with Jill Eileen Smith
March 17, 2023
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Episode 212: A Chat about Code Name Edelweiss with Stephanie Landsem
February 28, 2023
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Episode 211: A Chat with Lynn H. Blackburn about Under Fire
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Episode 210: A Chat with Jennifer Deibel about The Maid of Ballymacool
February 21, 2023
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Episode 209: A Chat with Tracie Peterson about Remember Me
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Episode 208: A Chat with Author, Hallie Lee
February 14, 2023
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Episode 207: A Chat with Daniella Rushton about Portal Fantasy
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Episode 206: A Chat with Lisa Phillips about Her New Spin-off Series
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