The Opposite of Certainty: Fear, Faith, and Life in Between

Written by Janine Urbaniak Reid and Anne Lamott

Narrated by Ginny Welsch

This gripping memoir about what it means to face uncertainty details the plans Janine had for her family and her life that were gutted by her then 10-year-old son Mason’s diagnosis of a cancerous brain tumor, only to be followed by her own cancer diagnosis.

All Janine Urbaniak Reid ever wanted was for everyone she loved to be okay so she might relax and maybe be happy. Her life strategy was simple: do everything right. This included trying to be the perfect mother to her three kids so they would never experience the kind of pain she pretended not to feel growing up. What she didn’t expect was the chaos of an out-of-control life that begins when her young son’s hand begins to shake and he is diagnosed with a brain tumor at age 10.

This moving memoir is the story of Janine’s reluctant journey beyond easy answers and platitudes. She searches for a source of strength bigger than her circumstances, only to have her circumstances become even thornier when she is diagnosed with breast cancer. Drawn deeply and against her will into herself, she discovers hidden reserves of strength, humor, and a no-matter-what faith that looks nothing like she thought it would. The Opposite of Certainty is:

• Brilliant, breathtakingly honest, and sometimes very funny account of marriage, motherhood, and the unfathomable salvation we find in God 
• An unvarnished look at defying the gravity of challenging life circumstances
• The recognition that anyone can tap a source of strength inside themselves to walk through the impossible

Beautifully written and deeply hopeful, Janine shows us how we can come through impossible times transformed and yet more ourselves than we’ve ever allowed ourselves to be.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Release date: May 12, 2020
• ISBN: 9780785230632

Janine Urbaniak Reid

Janine Urbaniak Reid was born in Chicago and grew up in California. Before she began raising a family and then writing full-time, she was vice president of a San Francisco public relations firm. Janine has been published in the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, and San Francisco Chronicle and is widely syndicated. Hoping to bring humanity into the healthcare discussion by sharing her experience as a mother of a son with a brain tumor, she penned a piece for the Post that went viral. She has been interviewed on national news networks and continues her work as a spokeswoman for healthcare justice. Janine writes about her imperfect life, what connects us, and addresses the question of what it means to love fiercely in a sometimes dangerous and always uncertain world. Janine is a graduate of the University of California at San Diego and lives in Northern California with her family and a motley assortment of pets. She attends St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Marin City: all are welcome. For more information, please visit JanineUrbaniakReid.com.

Reviews for The Opposite of Certainty

[cherylk_44 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is one of the most real feeling book that I have read in a long while. the fact that Janine shared her family story was inspiring. I felt for her son, Mason. Yet, the chipper attitude that Mason maintained despite his situation was uplifting. What I liked about this book was the fact that Janine did not sugarcoat her son's cancer or the feelings that she was experiencing. Janine was not happy or thinking positive thoughts all the time. She was worried, upset, frustrated, and thankful when Mason was given the "all clear" and graduated high school. I dare you to not feel anything while reading this book. You might even shed a tear or two. God is great. Faith and pray in him can bring miracles.