Even If: Keeping Faith in the Face of Adversity

By Dwayne Harris (Indie author, 2024. From the Faith Forward series)

Genre: Non-Fiction/Inspirational/Memoir

Pages: 203

Via: Author Request

Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“It’s undeniable – it’s him! He did it!”

Ever felt afraid? So stressed you can barely see straight? Or maybe you’ve felt like you can’t catch a break. Like just when you muster enough strength to rise above the water and catch your breath, another wave hits? Maybe you’re in a place where nothing makes sense? Asking how could a loving God allow…?

Then this book is for you.

“We stood on the brink of a fight we never imagined we’d have to face again, not so soon.”

Much More

Even If is the true story of one woman’s ten-month battle with an aggressive form of cancer as told by her husband, author Dwayne Harris. It’s a deep dive into what it means to have cancer, the impact of cancer, and how the disease progressed and affected Dwayne and Stacey’s lives and the lives of their family. But it’s also about how strength is made manifest through weakness. The how and why of forgiveness. Peace in the midst of profound struggles. Freedom. Joy. Gratitude. The gift of time. Opening the door. Amazing grace. Victory. Much more. So. Much. More.

It blew us away. (That doesn’t happen very often, Toots. Just sayin’.)

“Cancer had already robbed us of so much, but this felt especially cruel… God knows this is the only thing I asked for – the one thing.”

Chronicles

Early on, we join the author and his wife Stacey for the initial test results and diagnosis. The narrative moves rapidly to an aggressive course of treatment. This includes five weeks of radiation, Monday through Thursday. Then both radiation and chemo on Fridays. It chronicles cancer’s “endless needle sticks and the relentless barrage of symptoms that take their toll, too.” Also the exhausting daily routines of juggling meds, managing symptoms, “and desperately seeking any remedy that might bring a moment of relief” for Stacey. “It felt like every time we got one health issue under control, another would immediately take its place,” writes Harris. “… cancer doesn’t just attack the body; it infiltrates and disrupts every facet of your life.” (Mom gets it. She lost both parents to cancer. Her dad at age 79; her mom at 54.)

Well. Follow-up tests look pretty good after Stacey’s initial treatment.

Not So Soon

But then it comes back. With a vengeance. The next treatment plan is four different chemos “combined with immunotherapy cocktails.” Writes Harris, “We stood on the brink of a fight we never imagined we’d have to face again, not so soon.”

Mom started highlighting key phrases or sentences that jumped out at her as she was reading. She gave up around chapter 3. “I’m highlighting every other sentence, Kimmi.” That “blown away” thing. Silly Mom. Bonus points: A Reflections section is included at the end of each chapter. It includes a relevant Scripture and key questions to ponder. Anchored in a biblical worldview, some of the questions are pretty pointed. So don’t say we didn’t warn you, Buttercup. But don’t skip ‘em. They matter, okay?

“We longed to see His healing hand move once again. We knew He could do it, but more than anything, we needed to hear His voice – that soft, reassuring whisper that reminded us we weren’t alone… And it came.”

Not Light

So Even If isn’t a light read. Piercing, provocative and profound, Even If is the kind of book you have to put down every so often so’s you can catch your breath and regroup. And it’s about a lot more than cancer. Hello, Kid’s House children’s advocacy center. You’ll get that if you read the book. And you should. Cuz it’s an amazing story of healing and redemption.

Kimber: You know we read like a bazillion books a year, right? Typically at warp speed. We couldn’t do that with Even If. It’s not a warp speed kinda book. In fact, it took us a long time to read Even If. That’s cuz there’s a lot here. A lot to digest. To work through and think about. It’s a roller coaster ride of emotions. So it took us a lot longer than usual to read and process this book.

Strong, Sound

In terms of readability, each chapter flows seamlessly into the next, with strong transitions and a sound structure. Key take-aways from each chapter are set off in boxes and large print so you don’t miss ‘em. The text is broken up with frequent sub-headings in large font (Kimber: Always a plus for the older than dirt crowd. Hi, Mom!)

Beautiful and Brisk

Beautifully written and briskly paced, the narrative includes vibrant word pictures to communicate and illustrate key concepts and insights. Interwoven throughout this gripping narrative are biblical truths, principles and precepts from both the Old and New Testaments. The title is explained toward the end. In case you’re wondering.

Kindly note that there’s no lecturing here. No sermonizing or a one-size-fits-all approach. Conversational in tone, the book feels like the author has pulled up a chair at your kitchen table and is sharing his story over a hot cuppa and a plate of warm whatever. (Mom likes chocolate chip cookies best. But we’re open to suggestions.) Indeed, there’s a warmth and an authenticity to these pages that sort of crawls inside your heart and settles in. (Kind of like a sweet furry face we all know and love.)

“It’s not what you carry in life but how you carry it.”

Frankly…

Finally, this is one of the hardest book reviews we’ve ever written. Frankly, we were a little afraid of this book. We knew this book wouldn’t be an easy read. Like we said, Mom lost both parents to cancer. Would Even If stir up unwelcome, painful memories? It did. But there’s so much more here. Like, when dreams die. Beauty for ashes. Never too late, never forsaken. The power of presence. The birth of a promise. Scars. Pearl gates. The antidote to fear. #3 on the hair clippers. 12:12. Again, so much more.

“… we are not defined by what we endure.”

Clear & Pure

Searingly honest and as real as this morning’s sunrise, this remarkable true story about two ordinary people and their extraordinary God is one of the most powerful and poignant memoirs we’ve ever read. It’s luminous. Almost incandescent. We were so moved by this book that it took us days before we could even think about starting to write a review. Yes, it’s heart-rending in places. (Kimmi: I had to re-up Mom’s tissue stash like, a zillion times. Just sayin’.) But sounding through every chapter, every page and every paragraph is a clear, pure note of faith, hope and love. And, no. You don’t need to be afraid of this book (speaking for Her Royal Wussness.) It reminds us of:

We love that.

“The only thing left was the bridge.”

Love Letter

So while Even If takes you on a heartfelt and sometimes harrowing journey through the winter of loss and grief with eloquence and insight, it’s also saturated in the divine promise of light, love, and spring. It’s a love letter to the Greatest Lover of all and to Living Forward. It’s one of the most powerful “Valentine” stories we’ve ever read.

“We were going through the unthinkable, and yet. He was right there beside us.”

A “Must Read”

We don’t say “Must Read” very often. Think frequency of Hailey’s Comet. But you don’t want to miss this one.

“She would be safe, she would be whole, and she would be home.”

Mom: Hey Kimster. Kindly hand me another tissue, okay?

Our Rating: 5.0+