I want to introduce you to my friend, Margaret Feinberg. She’s written tons of books and Bible studies including Scouting the Divine and Wonderstruck, and she’s a contributor in my soon-to-be-released book The Beauty of Grace. 

Margaret’s had a tough couple of years fighting cancer. She’s chosen to fight back with one of the most unusual weapons—joy. Bet you can see why I love her already. I asked her to share a few thoughts with us today. May you be as blessed as I am. 

From Margaret:

I can’t help but admire your strength.

When other people say “impossible”, you hear a personal challenge.

When others dare use the word, “can’t”, you manage to find a way

When others are ready to give up, you’ve just begun.

You turn a mountain into a molehill and the overwhelming into manageable.

It’s one of the many things I adore about you.

Now let’s be clear. I know you’re not perfect. You’re the first to admit that. But even after all your self-deprecation, many of us still suspect you have super human strength running through your veins.

Yet even for you, the strong woman, the leader, life is hard sometimes. This world is mixed up and messed up.

In the middle of it all, you’re still holding on, holding strong.

Brave. Brilliant. Beautiful. You.

But sometimes, when everyone is out of earshot, you let the tears flow, the words fall, and you wonder if you’re really doing okay, if it’s all going to be okay.

I wonder these things, too. I suspect most of us strong women do.

But there comes a time when we need to let our hair down and get honest and vulnerable about the struggles.

The fears we don’t say aloud lest they be true.

The anxieties that wake us up in the night.

The loneliness that attacks when we least suspect it.

That’s one of the reasons I wrote Fight Back With Joy book and Bible study—the most heart-wrenching, vulnerable project I’ve ever done. In it, I share my battle with cancer and the lessons that I’ve learned along the way as I’ve walked in the dark with God.

Here’s a sneak peek of the video:

Fight Back With Joy 6-Session DVD Bible Study Promo Video from Margaret Feinberg on Vimeo.

Because us strong women need to connect, and create a space to wrestle through the deepest issues of our heart and our faith. After all, the robustness of God is best displayed in frailty.

This book makes me feel so vulnerable. So raw. So real.

I’m taking that risk for you.

Because you’re worth it.

And us strong women need to stick together—especially if we’re going to change the world—and be a people who fight back with joy.

Margaret Feinberg teaches at churches and conferences including Catalyst, Thrive, and Women of Joy. She was recently named one of 50 women most shaping church and culture by Christianity Today. Her books and Bible studies, including The Organic God, The Sacred Echo, Scouting the Divine, and Wonderstruck, have sold nearly a million copies. She lives in Colorado, with her husband, Leif, and their superpup, Hershey. She believes some of the best days are spent in jammies, laughing and being silly.

This post is part of Margaret Feinberg’s Partymob for her brand-new book and Bible study, Fight Back With Joy. To join the celebration (and learn more), click here. To grab a copy of this book, click here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, 6-Session Bible Study Kit.