聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 First-time author Joanne Johnston's recently-published book - 'Healing in the Innermost: Letting God Do What Only God Can' is a story of love, loss and faith.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 At a book signing at Carlyle's Second Chance Thrift Store, Johnston, a longtime resident of Kisbey, says: 鈥淭he book is about my life, but I didn't want to focus on me, but rather to write in a way that I could use what I went through to help other people get through their own loss and tough life issues.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎fter all, we all have our own hard and sometimes unfair or devastating issues to get through,鈥� she says. 鈥淗owever, no matter what we face, I've discovered that the people who can move through them into a better future are the ones with a positive attitude about themselves as well as the hope and faith that things can change.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Johnson says the catalyst for the book was a 鈥渂rutal鈥� five-year period in her life in which she suffered a series of life-altering losses.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎 friend and I started a business in Arcola - Coteau Place - which was a seniors' residence. Because we were starting out, we didn't have a lot of extra money for staffing, so I worked there a lot. Two weeks before we opened the doors, my sister was diagnosed with terminal cancer and I was a聽 caregiver for her. She was only 36-years-old when she was diagnosed with a brain tumour and left four little kids.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎 month after she died, our son was in a motorcycle accident and sustained head injuries,鈥� she adds. 鈥淗e's okay now, but at the time, we didn't know how things would turn out for him.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎fter that, my dad had a stroke and lost the ability to speak and my mom was diagnosed with terminal cancer.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Johnston was also diagnosed with severe rheumatoid arthritis, which she has overcome.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Then, Johnston and her family experienced what she calls 鈥渢he greatest blow of all鈥� - the death of her 18-year-old daughter, Danielle - as the result of a motor vehicle accident.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 had a really love-hate relationship with God after my daughter died,鈥� says Johnston. 鈥淭his book is about my journey and how I got to have the faith I have now, but you need to build a cornerstone of faith because when trials come - and they will - that's what I believe will get you through.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 compare it to a tornado,鈥� explains Johnston. 鈥淵ou can read about them and study them, but until you've experienced one, you can't really know the force and the power. And that's what God getting me through those losses is to me.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淢y book is for anyone who has suffered a loss,鈥� says Johnston. 鈥淎nd a loss can even be a divorce or a job loss.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 wanted to show people through my own successes that no matter who you are, what you've done, how old you are or where you're at, God can always restore your life.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淢y prayer is that by reading my story that I will show the reader that when you get God involved, the healing and restoration process is possible in any situation for anyone,鈥� says Johnston. 鈥淵ou're never alone on your journey.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 don't want to make it sound like it's always going to be easy,鈥� she adds. 鈥淟ike anything that's worthwhile, it takes work and we will have setbacks. But we're never alone. I encourage people if they keep going and don't give up on themselves or God, they will make it.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭wo of my favourite sayings that you can take to the bank are: 'God is never looking for perfection, just participation.' and 'You just have to take the first step and God will always be there to help you finish.'鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚'm living proof.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Johnston has partnered will Choose Life Ministries and Second Chance Thrift Stores and books purchased at Second Chance Thrift Stores in Carlyle, Estevan and Weyburn will receive a portion of the proceeds of the book's sales.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 'Healing in the Innermost' retails for $29.95 and can also be purchased via or at聽 Arcola Pharmacy and Carlyle Pharmasave.聽
