Faith Like Skin

By Hannah Dekker Keels

Cancer. Divorce. Moving. Career loss. Death.
Can the hardest trials of life turn into its biggest blessings?

One huge hurdle in life can stop you in your tracks, disrupting your heart for years, making it difficult to get back into the game, if at all. Hannah did not just face one devastating hurdle, she encountered five. In a very short period, Hannah was tested to the limit physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Faith Like Skin is more than just the title of her book, it became a way of life for her. Faced with life's greatest trials, Hannah responded in a manner that forever changed her life, her faith, and how others would view her. This book is an amazing tool for anyone facing challenges that feel like dead-ends.

Hannah's honest retelling of the lessons she learned will show you how God's promises can frame your faith, even if you feel you don't know what to do or where to go. Learn how to wear your faith like it's your skin as you navigate this confusing maze of trials that we call life and, in so doing, become a radiant beacon of hope for others!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Intelligent Design Press
• Release date: May 19, 2022
• ISBN: 9781734567731

Hannah Dekker Keels

Hannah Dekker Keels is a mother of 6 sons and 3 dogs, and resides with her husband in Scottsdale, AZ. Hannah is a registered nurse by profession and is thriving with metastatic breast cancer. She has a passion for cooking, painting, and sharing her love for Jesus. She is the co-founder of Living Hope Cancer Foundation, a cancer support network to inspire a positive mindset in cancer, which has launched her into cancer coaching and public speaking. GetUpAndLive.org

Book preview

Faith Like Skin

Copyright 2020 Hannah Dekker Keels. Published by Intelligent Design Press. All rights reserved. No portion of this work may be copied, reproduced, or distributed in any form without prior consent of the publisher. The views and opinions expressed in this book are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher.

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are from The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017, 2018 by Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations labeled ‘NIV’ taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973 1978 1984 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TM. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations labeled ‘ESV’ are taken from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations labeled ‘NLT’ are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations labeled ‘NASB’ are taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

ISBNs:

978-1-7345677-2-4 Paperback

978-1-7345677-3-1 eBook

Table of Contents

Foreword

I: The Five Losses

II: The Monster Within

III: The Not So Great Divorce

IV: Treatment Choices

V: Back to Work 20

VI: Reconnections

VII: Changing Course

VIII: Stage 4—The Stage I Never Planned to Be On

IX: A Chorus of Friends

X: Breaking Up with Me

XI: Kingdom Perspectives

XII: Use Me, God

Epilogue

This book is dedicated to my sons Liam, Lance, Logan, & Lucas, to my bestie in Heaven, Sara, and to my bestie on earth who doubles as my husband and Twinkie, Chuck. You all teach me to go to Jesus. Every moment of every day.

Foreword

I met Hannah in 1995 when I moved to New Jersey. Four years later she was a bridesmaid in my wedding, and from then on we shared life as sisters-in-law. Moves. Pregnancies. Babies. Before long there were seven boys between our two families. We shared the boy-mom bond and unique friendship that comes from being married to brothers. When we settled within an hour of each other in southeast Pennsylvania, our efforts to get our kids together forged fond memories: autumn corn mazes, Christmas gift exchanges, Easter egg hunts, and sleepovers. Every summer, in Hannah’s kitchen, we’d make gallons of salsa with farm fresh ingredients. After a full afternoon, I’d drive home with at least a dozen mason jars clinking in the back of my minivan. I’ll never forget the time we forgot to wear gloves while dicing jalapenos. Hannah’s resourcefulness kicked in. We tried everything from lime juice to yogurt to stop the burn. We can laugh at it now!

My family and I missed Hannah and her family when they moved to Arizona in 2015. Those rhythms of togetherness changed. A few months after their move, we flew out to see the cousins in sunny Phoenix. Shortly after we returned to the snowy Northeast, we got a phone call. The events that followed are explained in this book.

If you meet Hannah, the first thing you notice is her natural beauty. As you get to know her, you find her radiance is more than skin deep. She is smart, strong, industrious, and adventurous. She is caring, wise, nurturing, and creative. She’s an amazing cook! With an eye for detail, she creates beauty in all that extends from her—fashion, home, meals, art. Hannah was slightly ahead of me in marriage and motherhood, so I leaned on her for advice. Her open home and joy in serving others inspired me. Her faith was steady. As the events of this book unfold before you, you will see what I had the honor to witness in real-time: a soul transformed by suffering.

Hannah experienced a series of tragedies. Powerless, I watched her endure loss after breath-taking loss. Along with committing to pray, I began to check-in via text every Friday. Eventually, those texts became more frequent, and visits followed. Although we no longer shared a family name, our friendship flourished. C.S. Lewis wrote, Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one!’ We discovered such moments, realizing we could talk with ease about the hard stuff of life, our mid-life journeys, and the spiritual renewal we were both experiencing. We found a shared vision: a Godward life of worship, prayer, and surrender to His will in everything.

I watched what could have made Hannah bitter and depressed become a chrysalis. Something sacred was happening. Weeping slowly gave way to joy; pain molded to purpose. Beauty from ashes was rising. Hope was born. Hannah’s life proves our losses are not the end of our story. They are the doorway to more, if we surrender all to Jesus, lay down our defenses, and wear our faith like skin.

—Linda Cerynik

I: The Five Losses

Do you know what the five most stressful events of life are? I googled them. Research shows they include moving,