Living with Cancer and Jesus

Cancer has impacted the lives of tens of millions of people across our nation. Though cancer is never easy to deal with, many are finding strength to battle this enemy through their faith. Kathy Graff has written a faith based book about her own battle with cancer. Her story tells of how God turned her fear into stronger faith, panic into peace, and moments of hopeless abandonment into an assurance of His presence.  Just as the Lord provided peace and comfort through her cancer, Ms. Graff’s prayer is that the reader would experience the presence of God and know His perfect love which casts out all fear. Recently, I interviewed Ms. Graff via the Internet. You will find the interview below.

Question: What inspired you to write this book?

Answer: The foundation for my book was a blog I created chronicling my journey with stage 3, muscle invasive bladder cancer in 2011. While writing the blog I found it to be very therapeutic and realized that there were many others who were experiencing the same horrors of cancer that include mental and emotional distress as well as the physical.  Eventually, I felt the Lord calling me to write this book. 

Question:  Your book is called “Living With Cancer and Jesus.”  How did you come to use this for your title?

Answer:  Actually, it is the same title as my blog.  At the time, I didn’t think anything of it.  It just sounded good.  But as I started to write the book it became clearer to me the true meaning of it.  My journey talks about the darkness that cancer brought into my life.  But within that darkness, there was a bright light that kept me going.  That hope was Jesus, the hope that lives within all those who call on His name.

Question: Does your book apply only to cancer patients, even though the title speaks of cancer?

Answer:  No.  I think as people read the book, they could certainly apply the same truths to their own challenges and difficulties. My hope is that anyone who reads it will see that God is the same no matter what the person is going through. 

Question:  What do you hope the reader would learn from your book?

Answer:  I believe there are 2 reasons why God wanted me to write this book.  First, that people who live with cancer would know that they are not alone.  There are millions of us out there who have had or still have cancer.  They should never be ashamed or afraid to talk about it.

Second, that people who are living with cancer (or in any other crises) should know that there is hope in life and death.  I think the book explains it clearly that with Jesus, we have hope to get through the daily “cancers” of life, whatever they may be.  Whether a person is dealing with a disease, a broken marriage or a guilt ridden life, there is hope to be found in Jesus Christ. The main theme throughout the entire book is hope. Hope has a name, and it is Jesus.

Living with Cancer and Jesus can be found at CrossBooks.com, Amazon.com and many other online retailers.