Melissa Mashburn

Real Women. Real Life. Real Faith.

  • About
  • Speaking
  • Writing
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Women’s Ministry
  • Godly Gals
  • Book Reviews

The Secret To Living A Defiant Joy: An interview with Margaret Feinberg

January 22, 2015 By: Melissa

VIDEOSLIDE-1024x576

One of my favorite authors, Margaret Feinberg, has been through a brutal fight with cancer and shares the unexpected lessons she discovered along the way in her new book and Bible study Fight Back With Joy.

It’s been inspiring to learn how Margaret has been practicing a defiant joy, and I and thought you might like to get an insider’s look, a sneak peek of the video and read an interview with Margaret.

Preview the 6-Session DVD Bible Study, here.

Your newest book and Bible study, Fight Back With Joy, was born out of your fight with a life-threatening illness. What was your difficult diagnosis, and what has your journey to health entailed?

For the last 18 months, I’ve been battling breast cancer. Breast cancer isn’t just one disease represents thousands of different diseases with their varying components and factors. Being diagnosed under the age of 40 is significant. I’ve been through a brutal year of chemotherapy, radiation, and more surgeries than I can count or want to remember.

Why did you write Fight Back With Joy?

I studied joy for a year and was putting the finishing touches on book on joy—just two weeks from turning it into the publisher, when I received the diagnosis. I had been pursuing and activating joy in my life in the relatively good times, now I had to do it in the midst of darkness, depression, and torturous pain. Through the process, I’ve discovered the breadth, depth, and power of joy—that despite hundreds of sermons and many decades in the church—no one had told me of before.

MF_QuoteImages_2-300x300

In Fight Back With Joy book and Bible study, you really push the reader to reevaluate their definition of joy. Why do you think this is so important?

Much of the teaching I’ve heard on joy over the years is oversimplified. I remember those days in Sunday school learning that JOY is spelled Jesus, Others, Yourself. While that made perfect sense at 9 years old, I’ve seen how distorted that can become as an adult.

I see friends who love Jesus but spend so much time pouring into their kids, grandkids and others that their joy looks something like this: jOy.

Technically, it still spells joy, but more than anything, these men and women who are so exhausted, so empty, so running on fumes from pouring into others need to pause and take time to focus on themselves. Laying hold of joy right now will require them to reevaluate for a season and discover the joy that comes with JYo.

I also noticed how most of the definitions of joy define it more by what it isn’t than by what it is. I constantly heard that happiness is based on circumstance but joy is not dependent on circumstance.

Biblical expressions of joy turn out to be far different than what I had been taught. I am now convinced the writers of the Bible would say that, the reason we have joy is because we have great circumstances. If you are a child of God, you are drenched in the grace and mercy of God.

No matter what you’re facing: Your circumstances are better than you think.

If you’re not experiencing joy, perhaps it’s because your definition of joy is too narrow.

On a scale of 1-10, how hard was it for you to write this book and Bible study?

An eleven! This journey has been the most painful experience of my life. And, to share about it requires some vulnerability. Okay, a lot of vulnerability. And, that’s really, really hard. But I feel like I’m finally ready to share what God has stirred in my heart along the way because although cancer has been the most painful journey—it has also been the most joyful. And no one is more surprised than I am.

Pick up a copy of Fight Back With Joy at Amazon or Barnes and Noble today.

 

Related Posts

  • The Cure For The Perfect Life Book ReviewThe Cure For The Perfect Life Book Review
  • Did You Know That We Are Wired For Rest?Did You Know That We Are Wired For Rest?
  • Book Review: Daily Reflections on the Names of God, by Ava PenningtonBook Review: Daily Reflections on the Names of God, by Ava Pennington
  • What If I Don’t Want To Forgive Them?What If I Don’t Want To Forgive Them?
  • The Grass Withers – Visual VerseThe Grass Withers – Visual Verse
  • Book Review: Undone, by Michele CushattBook Review: Undone, by Michele Cushatt

Comments

  1. Margaret feinberg says

    January 23, 2015 at 3:22 pm

    Thank you for this, Melissa. Grateful, honored, and humbled.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
Tweets by @Mels_World

The 5 M’s Are What You’ll Find Me Talking About The Most

The 5 M’s Are What You’ll Find Me Talking About The Most

Spread the Love

Melissa Mashburn

Archives

Find Me Here

 photo cafebuttonplain-1_zpsee773cb5.png

I LOVE Being a Part of Compassion!


Help a Child

My One Word 2014

My One Word 2014

Guest Post: I Had To Let Him Go

Guest Post: I Had To Let Him Go

Categories

5 Minutes for Mom Bible Verses blogs Book Review Books and Development book study Christian Devos and Inspiration Devotionals encouragement Faith Family friends Fun Girl Stuff girlfriends give aways godly gals Hope Internet Cafe Devotions kids Lit Fuse Group make a difference matt mashburn mel's world melissa mashburn meme Ministry Pastor's Wife praise Prayers Purpose real faith real life real women speak to my soul sunday's Stay at Home Mom then sings my soul Thoughts Vacation Women's Ministry Word Filled Wednesday wordless wednesday Work at Home Moms worship writing

Copyright © 2021 ·Modern Blogger Pro · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · WordPress · Log in