Becky Baudouin - Cancer, Faith, and Unexpected Joy: What My Mother Taught Me about How to Live and How to Die

In Cancer, Faith, and Unexpected Joy, Beckys mother becomes my mother; her grief, my grief; her hope, my hope. With a combination of emotion, vulnerability, and dailiness, this book offers practical comfort and wisdom for anyone in a place of trial or suffering. Buy two; give one as a gift. Youll both be relieved not to navigate the journey by yourself.

J ANE R UBIETTA , international speaker and author of Worry Less So You Can Live More

Becky Baudouin invites the reader to step into her family story and pull up a chair. Cancer, Faith, and Unexpected Joy is an engaging, powerful memoir about love and loss, mothers and daughters, and healing in the midst of death. I sat down to start it, finished it the same day, and invited my husband into a long conversation about it that evening. Baudouins subtitle and repeating theme, What my mother taught me about how to live and how to die, becomes a lesson in living and dying for each of us. All of us know someone who could use this book right now. Bravo, Becky!

L ETITIA S UK , author of Getaway with God: The Everywomans Guide to Personal Retreat

Beckys extraordinary skill as a writer and her astute spiritual insights provide readers with a glimpse into how one woman navigated the heartbreak of losing her mom to cancer. From her moms diagnosis to her untimely death, Becky captured each moment with her mom as a treasured memory. The books rhythm of succinct chapters, the spiritual truths woven throughout, the setting of home, her childhood memories, and her past and present struggles all make Beckys story ring with authenticity and familiarity. If youre walking alongside someone who is battling cancer, youre sure to resonate with Beckys experiencesand gain wisdom and hope from her well-told journey.

S EPTEMBER V AUDREY , author of Colors of Goodbye

Cancer, Faith, and Unexpected Joy: What My Mother

Taught Me About How to Live and How to Die

2017 by Becky Baudouin

Published by Kregel Publications, a division of Kregel, Inc., 2450 Oak Industrial Dr. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwisewithout written permission of the publisher, except for brief quotations in reviews.

Distribution of digital editions of this book in any format via the Internet or any other means without the publishers written permission or by license agreement is a violation of copyright law and is subject to substantial fines and penalties. Thank you for supporting the authors rights by purchasing only authorized editions.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.TM Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

Scripture quotations marked MSG are from The Message. Copyright by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are from the New American Standard Bible. Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org

Scripture quotations marked NLT are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

) / Atlas Mountain Songs (BMI) worshiptogether.com Songs (ASCAP) sixsteps Music (ASCAP) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com). All rights reserved. Used by permission.

, quotation of Untitled Hymn (Come to Jesus) by Chris Rice: Copyright 2003 Clumsy Fly Music (Admin. by Word Music, LLC). All rights reserved. Used by permission.

ISBN 978-0-8254-4474-6

Printed in the United States of America

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 / 5 4 3 2 1

This book is dedicated in loving memory to the most courageous woman I have known:my mother, Carol Stephens.

In faith she held on to Jesus while letting go of this life. She makes me want to be brave.

W ith a sincere heart, Id like to thank:

My editor, Steve BarcliftThank you for believing my story was worth telling.

The team at Kregel PublicationsYou graciously guided me through a process that was harder than I had imagined, more collaborative than I had expected, and more rewarding than any work I have done thus far. You are truly excellent at your craft.

My groups, Life After Loss and GriefShareNone of us wanted to be part of the club, but I am certain that showing up every week moved me forward, and sharing our sorrows healed my heart. Thank you.

Moms amazing doctors and nursesI dont remember all your names, but I will never forget how you cared for Mom and our family.

StephYour help during the process of writing this book was invaluable. Thanks for your honest critique and encouragement, and for saying, Let me just read the whole thing one more time. Youre the best!

MargieThank you for your encouragement and for your insightful editing, especially on the hard chapters.

Chicago Area Speakers GroupYou are an amazing group of generous, smart, gifted women. Thank you for sharing your expertise with me and helping to get the word out.

GerryWithout you, this book would not have happened. Thank you for believing in my gift and for publishing my articles. You were an extraordinary mentor and friend, and you are deeply missed.

My extended family (scattered across the globe), my wonderful friends, the Tribe, and the ladies in the KitchenThank you for walking with me through every season of life.

Dad and AnitaThank you for your love and support, and for graciously providing a place we can all gather every summer.

My brothers, Russ and BryanIm so grateful we were together with Mom at the end. Though distance separates us, we share the loss of the best mother anyone could ever have.

My sisters, Deb and KariTogether we cared for Mom, supported one another, and are becoming the women she raised us to be. I thank God for you both.

Katelyn, Claire, and BrennaThe sorrow of losing my mom is overshadowed by the joy of being your mom. I love you always.

BernieYour empathy during Moms illness and after her death brought me profound comfort. Thank you for never rushing my grief.

MomThank you for showing me I dont need to be afraid. You keep making ripples long after youve gone. And I still miss you every day.

My Lord and Savior, JesusThank you for the gift of life, the promise of your presence in every moment, and the reality of heaven.