Discovered Tools to Triumph in Tragedy

By Jana Hanback

After a move to New York in 2005, author Jana Hanback’s husband, Doug, lost a lot of weight. He visited the doctor, underwent tests, and was diagnosed with celiac disease. They changed his diet to eliminate gluten, but Doug didn’t improve much. Then, tests showed a small bowel obstruction that required surgery. On September 13, 2007, the surgeon came out to the waiting room and announced Doug had cancer.

Jana was paralyzed by fright, and she felt as if they were trapped in a horrible pit. Emotionally, darkness surrounded her. In Discovered Tools to Triumph in Tragedy, she shares eight tools—gifts, really—that helped the family triumph amid the tragedy.

The Hanback’s story chronicles Doug’s cancer journey, offering Christian-based advice to help others prepare for life challenges.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Aug 3, 2022
• ISBN: 9781664270473

Jana Hanback

Jana Hanback has served the Lord alongside her husband in various ministry capacities for more than thirty-five years. The couple enjoy time spent with their four grown children, a daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren.

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Copyright © 2022 Jana Hanback.

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Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the

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ISBN: 978-1-6642-7045-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-7047-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022911847

WestBow Press rev. date: 8/3/2022

Contents

A Strong Presence

Talk It Out

The Living Word

Rejoicing

Laughter is Medicine

Faithful Trust

A Personal Relationship

Realities

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H ave you ever been in a place where your mind, body, and spirit felt paralyzed by fright, or perhaps a place where you felt ecstatic, like your spirit could soar because of an indescribable event? My family has experienced both.

My husband and best friend is James, but he goes by his middle name, Doug. He grew up as an army brat. His dad was strong and independent and thought any situation out. He was a planner. Doug is very much like his dad but is also dependent on God. That was what actually drew me to him. I guess if you likened our family to a ship, Doug would be the wind in our sails and the rudder, providing steady, godly direction.

Doug and I have been extremely blessed with four incredible children. Darik is compassionate. Sarah is giving. Nathan is thoughtful, and Breanna has a practical, positive outlook. We cannot say enough about how they are so much of a help and encouragement to us!

In telling you about our experience, I would like to share eight tools—gifts, really—that helped us triumph in tragedy when we were paralyzed by fright. I call them gifts because God offers them freely to all; they are also tools because it is up to us to put some of them to use.

There is a psalm that we could have written because it happened to us. It is our story. But it was written by David of the Old Testament. The only difference is that sometimes I waited patiently for the Lord, and sometimes I did not. The latter I regret, but the Lord is good and forgives us.

I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the