Walking through grief with grace

Doing it Well

Joanne Schreuders
Word Alive Press, 2024.

Doing it Well is one of those books that you’ll keep thinking about long after you finish the last chapter. Throughout the book, Joanne Schreuders describes her husband Jim’s battle with cancer – and her experiences of walking alongside him in this time. After many years of prayer and care, Jim passed away in 2022.

Schreuders’ book serves as a tangible resource for people navigating cancer or supporting someone who is going through cancer or something similar. She gently prepares her readers for what they may face in their personal journeys, offering comfort and practical guidance for those early days of navigating life after loss.

At the beginning of her book, Schreuders writes, “This story is from my perspective, not from Jim’s perspective or that of one of my ten children. They have their own stories to tell.” From doctors’ appointments and paperwork to cancer treatments and work-life balance, Schreuders documents her journey supporting her husband through his diagnosis, sharing about the many highs and lows of navigating life with cancer.

The blend of narratives and reflections makes this book both emotionally resonant and practically useful. Sprinkled throughout the chapters, you’ll find excerpts titled “Think About It.” In these sections, Schreuder gently nudges readers to pause and reflect on thought-provoking nuggets of information about important tasks, such as writing and updating wills and bringing a notebook to doctors’ appointments.

Schreuders’ writing is raw and vulnerable, full of emotion and deeply rooted in her faith. She writes with a gentle yet powerful voice. As she pays tribute to Jim’s life of faithfulness and wisdom, she is not afraid to take on hard truths or painful moments. However, she always finds a way to return to the hope she finds in her Christian faith.

I especially appreciate how Schreuders does not stop her book at the moment of losing Jim; she brings readers into the personal, and often overwhelming, experiences that follow the death of a loved one. Readers learn about the funeral, visitation and navigating the paperwork that comes after someone passes. These experiences are not always discussed openly, and she approaches them with compassion and clarity, inviting readers to witness and learn from this stage of grief and loss.

Although I’m not personally walking alongside someone navigating cancer, this book left me feeling encouraged and humbled, as well as inspired to “do life” with more presence and purpose.

Doing it Well is a powerful resource for readers affected by cancer or other life-altering challenges. Schreuders is a warm and wise guide for anyone who wants to live well, love deeply and trust God through uncertainty. She encourages others to live with intention, prepare their loved ones with grace, and hold on to what matters most.