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Fight Back With Joy: Celebrate More. Regret Less. Stare Down Your Greatest Fears.
When Margaret Feinberg learned she had cancer, she
knew she would need great strength to overcome it. She believed the
weapon she selected for the battle would change everything. And she
decided that weapon would be joy.
Joy is More Than Whimsy.
It's the Weapon You Can
Use to Fight Life's Greatest Battles.
Through months of treatment, questions, and hopes, Margaret
discovered that joy is a far more dynamic force than most of us realize.
It has the power to reignite our passion for laughter and celebration.
It can free us to rise above endless demands as we become more content
and thankful. It can change unchangeable circumstances and bring a peace
rooted in the remarkable love of God.
Here Margaret shares her journey of using joy to fight back
fear, regret, and pain. Whatever you face today, discover with Margaret
how to embrace a way of living that's deeper and fuller than you've ever
known--a life radiant with joy.
knew she would need great strength to overcome it. She believed the
weapon she selected for the battle would change everything. And she
decided that weapon would be joy.
Joy is More Than Whimsy.
It's the Weapon You Can
Use to Fight Life's Greatest Battles.
Through months of treatment, questions, and hopes, Margaret
discovered that joy is a far more dynamic force than most of us realize.
It has the power to reignite our passion for laughter and celebration.
It can free us to rise above endless demands as we become more content
and thankful. It can change unchangeable circumstances and bring a peace
rooted in the remarkable love of God.
Here Margaret shares her journey of using joy to fight back
fear, regret, and pain. Whatever you face today, discover with Margaret
how to embrace a way of living that's deeper and fuller than you've ever
known--a life radiant with joy.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 31, 2014
125 people are currently reading
1229 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Feinberg
145 books553 followersA self-described "hot mess," Margaret Feinberg is a popular Bible teacher and speaker at churches and leading conferences such as Catalyst, Thrive, and Women of Joy. Her books, including The Organic God, The Sacred Echo, Scouting the Divine, and Wonderstruck and their corresponding Bible studies, have sold nearly one million copies and received critical acclaim and extensive national media coverage from CNN, the Associated Press, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, and more.
She was recently named one of 50 women most shaping culture and the church today by Christianity Today, one of the 30 Voices who will help lead the church in the next decade by Charisma magazine and one of the ’40 Under 40’ who will shape Christian publishing by Christian Retailing magazine. Margaret lives in Morrison, Colorado, with her husband, Leif, and their superpup, Hershey. She believes some of the best days are spent in jammies, laughing, and being silly.
She was recently named one of 50 women most shaping culture and the church today by Christianity Today, one of the 30 Voices who will help lead the church in the next decade by Charisma magazine and one of the ’40 Under 40’ who will shape Christian publishing by Christian Retailing magazine. Margaret lives in Morrison, Colorado, with her husband, Leif, and their superpup, Hershey. She believes some of the best days are spent in jammies, laughing, and being silly.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
February 23, 2019
As 2008 came to an end, I bought my new datebook on a whim--it was a beautiful, purple engraved leather-bound book with "Joy" beautifully embroidered on the cover. Little did I know when I made that purchase that God was already working in me to pour out His oil of Joy on me more than anyone else. (Psalm 45:7 & Hebrews 1:9)
Prior to that time, I had suffered a stillbirth and two miscarriages--both at approximately 11 weeks. My marriage was crumbling and my health was going downhill faster than I realized...until at the end of 2009, I found myself in the hospital at death's door--truly. I had to have emergency surgery to save my life where I was given an ostomy bag that I had to wear for the next three months. Praise God, the doctor reversed the surgery at the end of those three months and removed 8 inches of my colon. A few months later, I had another surgery because of severe bleeding. This surgery truly brought any hopes of a future pregnancy to a screeching halt.
I did NOT handle these challenges with grace, dignity, or joy. There was a lot of depression, severe anxiety, and, quite possibly worst of all, Rage.
In the midst of all the health issues, I also had to deal with a boss at work who clearly had decided that it was time for me to leave.
My life was a mess, in complete shambles. I was a broken, beaten, wounded warrior unable to stand any longer on my own.
In the midst of this mess, God met me. In spite of the darkness of my days (literally and figuratively), I continued reading everything I could get my hands on about Joy--most specifically, the Joy that comes from the Lord. I have marked every single verse in every single Bible I own that uses Joy. I have purchased and read one book after another on Joy. I have done one Bible study after another on Joy.
I clung to my study on Joy as if my life depended on it. In so many ways that I will more than likely never know, it did. God has used my study on Joy to bring me out of a deep, dark, black, lonely cave of depression, anxiety, fear, and Rage. I am still on the path to full and complete Joy, but at least I am out of my cave and well on my way to complete healing!
As I read through Margaret Feinberg's book Fight Back with Joy, I
was amazed at how God has used Joy to help Margaret fight cancer while also using Joy to help me find Joy regardless of my circumstances. I am excited to see that while our stories (especially our studies on Joy) have many similarities, God is using Margaret to demonstrate how we must Fight the trials and tribulations in our lives with Joy and how so often, it is a fight to live the fullness of God's Joy. Just as we so often give God a sacrifice of Praise, it is the same with Joy--we must sacrifice our feelings to fight back with Joy. It is that sacrifice that brings Joy into our lives even though we didn't feel Joy when we started!
I am so excited to have read Margaret's book and to meet her at next year's Women of Joy Conference. One way or another, I WILL get there!
God is using JOY in a powerful way in the lives of many....How is He using Joy in Your Life???
Margaret also has a 6-session Bible study to go with the book: FIGHT BACK WITH JOY
Originally posted to my blog: http://pandapaw48.blogspot.com/
Prior to that time, I had suffered a stillbirth and two miscarriages--both at approximately 11 weeks. My marriage was crumbling and my health was going downhill faster than I realized...until at the end of 2009, I found myself in the hospital at death's door--truly. I had to have emergency surgery to save my life where I was given an ostomy bag that I had to wear for the next three months. Praise God, the doctor reversed the surgery at the end of those three months and removed 8 inches of my colon. A few months later, I had another surgery because of severe bleeding. This surgery truly brought any hopes of a future pregnancy to a screeching halt.
I did NOT handle these challenges with grace, dignity, or joy. There was a lot of depression, severe anxiety, and, quite possibly worst of all, Rage.
In the midst of all the health issues, I also had to deal with a boss at work who clearly had decided that it was time for me to leave.
My life was a mess, in complete shambles. I was a broken, beaten, wounded warrior unable to stand any longer on my own.
In the midst of this mess, God met me. In spite of the darkness of my days (literally and figuratively), I continued reading everything I could get my hands on about Joy--most specifically, the Joy that comes from the Lord. I have marked every single verse in every single Bible I own that uses Joy. I have purchased and read one book after another on Joy. I have done one Bible study after another on Joy.
I clung to my study on Joy as if my life depended on it. In so many ways that I will more than likely never know, it did. God has used my study on Joy to bring me out of a deep, dark, black, lonely cave of depression, anxiety, fear, and Rage. I am still on the path to full and complete Joy, but at least I am out of my cave and well on my way to complete healing!
As I read through Margaret Feinberg's book Fight Back with Joy, I
was amazed at how God has used Joy to help Margaret fight cancer while also using Joy to help me find Joy regardless of my circumstances. I am excited to see that while our stories (especially our studies on Joy) have many similarities, God is using Margaret to demonstrate how we must Fight the trials and tribulations in our lives with Joy and how so often, it is a fight to live the fullness of God's Joy. Just as we so often give God a sacrifice of Praise, it is the same with Joy--we must sacrifice our feelings to fight back with Joy. It is that sacrifice that brings Joy into our lives even though we didn't feel Joy when we started!
I am so excited to have read Margaret's book and to meet her at next year's Women of Joy Conference. One way or another, I WILL get there!
God is using JOY in a powerful way in the lives of many....How is He using Joy in Your Life???
Margaret also has a 6-session Bible study to go with the book: FIGHT BACK WITH JOY
Originally posted to my blog: http://pandapaw48.blogspot.com/
September 4, 2014
I read an advanced reader's copy of this fantastic book! You should pre-order it TODAY.
When the troubles of this worked darken our days - depression, disease, financial dearth - the ancient temptation “to curse God and die” wells deep within us. In her new book Fight Back with Joy: Celebrate More. Regret Less, Stare Down Your Greatest Fears., Margaret Feinberg vulnerably shares her own battle with the deadliest of cancers. She puts skin on the fears and voices questions most of us are too terrified to even speak out loud. However, her beautiful honest struggle isn’t the primary focus of this work. Rather, Feinberg recounts her personal choice to combat overwhelmingly bleak circumstances with the brightest expression of joy. Don’t think of this as a happy-clappy naive approach to having her life ripped away, but rather a difficult and conscience decision to encounter the darkness with light, deep sorrow with deep, lasting joy. No matter your personal fight, your life will be changed through the reading of this hope-filled book. It is, in my opinion, the most important and well written she has ever penned.
When the troubles of this worked darken our days - depression, disease, financial dearth - the ancient temptation “to curse God and die” wells deep within us. In her new book Fight Back with Joy: Celebrate More. Regret Less, Stare Down Your Greatest Fears., Margaret Feinberg vulnerably shares her own battle with the deadliest of cancers. She puts skin on the fears and voices questions most of us are too terrified to even speak out loud. However, her beautiful honest struggle isn’t the primary focus of this work. Rather, Feinberg recounts her personal choice to combat overwhelmingly bleak circumstances with the brightest expression of joy. Don’t think of this as a happy-clappy naive approach to having her life ripped away, but rather a difficult and conscience decision to encounter the darkness with light, deep sorrow with deep, lasting joy. No matter your personal fight, your life will be changed through the reading of this hope-filled book. It is, in my opinion, the most important and well written she has ever penned.
January 9, 2015
Wow. If you want to read an example of keeping your joy and giving joy in the midst of adversity, this is it. Feinberg was diagnosed with breast cancer and did the chemo treatments. If there were any side effects, she seemed to get them. It was a hard time for her and her husband. They determined to fight with joy and developed a battle plan. This is a great book for anyone going through a similar experience or if you just want to know about the experiences. It is a great resource for those helping others. The spiritual lessons she learned through her experiences are amazing. I highly recommend the book.
See my complete review at http://bit.ly/1AycqAF.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.
See my complete review at http://bit.ly/1AycqAF.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.
April 21, 2016
I heard Margaret speak at a women's conference back in April. I knew I had to read this after hearing her speak. Wonderful message and advice for those who know some one struggling. I can't wait to sit down and go back over all I marked.
March 5, 2015
Practicing defiant joy is the declaration that the darkness does not and will not win.
When we fight back with joy, we embrace a reality that is more real than what we’re enduring and we awaken to the deepest reality of our identity as beloved, joyful children of God.
The journey to joy begins with acceptance
The journey to joy advances through adaptability -- We rarely choose what is subtracted from our lives, but we can choose how we respond. How we reorganize our lives in order to move forward.
The severity of our hardship increases our opportunity to depend on God. In those moments divine grace seeps through the ruins, softens our wills, and takes us to deeper places than we could venture on our own. Our weaknesses become ripe opportunities for his infinite power to be displayed. We radiate God’s glory.
acceptance, adaptation, and dependence
“theology in action,” a way to turn my face toward God in life’s most impoverished moments.
Blessed are You , Adonai our God , Ruler of the universe , the Judge of truth
God has given . God has taken . Blessed be the name
The more we strive to hold everything together, the more we fall apart. But when we release and learn to mourn, we discover the truth Jesus promised: “You are blessed when the tears flow freely. Joy comes with the morning.”
What do you need to grieve? What is damming up the cleansing river of mourning inside you? Betrayal? Disappointment?
the faintest expressions of celebration infuse us with strength and fill us with hope. Joy begets joy. Even the most meager acts are an outward expression of an inward trust in God’s ability to meet our needs. As silly as it sounds, mirth has a magical way of poking holes in the darkness until we see the stars.
If joy emanates out of the abiding sense of God’s fierce love for us, then celebration asks us to take action by practicing abundance in times of scarcity.
Rejoicing is not a prescription as much as a gateway to possibility. Hope springs when we realize God as the source of life when all seems lost. This doesn’t always happen in the way we expect or in the measure we anticipate. But we can choose to find those places where life has withered and determine to praise God.
Joy is irrational and takes hard work and does not always deliver a happily ever after.
Habakkuk’s declaration rings in our ears: "I’ll trust you . . .” Even if...
Even microscopic offerings cement our commitment to follow God in anything. This grace- given resolve to celebrate Christ in all things is fortified in the storms, not on the still seas.
Joy is an action, something we can do, regardless of what our emotions may reveal.
Something beautiful resides in a faith that is not results- based. Choosing to follow the apostle Paul’s instruction to “rejoice always” is not a cure- all elixir.
cultivate a defiant joy, the habit of worship, and the discipline of faithfulness
Miraculous transformation begins with one question from God: “What do you want Me to do for you?”
I ached for Christ, the Living Water, to replenish me in the wilderness. I thirsted for Jesus’ sweet presence and pined to experience his provision in ways that would leave me wonderstruck.
A prayer for springs in the desert is a request to discover the fullness of life even when facing trouble and difficulty. When Jesus said he came that we might have life to the full, he spoke of that which covered the gamut of human experience— joy and sorrow, gain and loss, pleasure and pain. Such fullness depends on Christ, the Living Water, to grow us in the likeness of God, to expand our hearts, to water our deserts. Our days may not be easy, but they are always full when lived in Christ.
the boldness of Achsah welled within me. I lifted my eyes and prayed aloud: I’m parched, God. I never imagined this life. I am tired of living in this desert. I don’t know why you allowed me to come to this place or even if I will get out alive. But if I must live here, then give me springs of water . Every day for the next few weeks, I prayed this prayer and the posture of my life shifted with every petition. Instead of seeing only rocks and sand, my eyes widened to signs of refreshment and renewal. Water bubbled up, and I slurped in God’s goodness.
during this bold prayer campaign that I ran across a man in a coffee shop with an unusual phrase tattooed across his bicep: But if not ...Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are rescued from the flames. He reinstates the trio to his service with a promotion. Their harrowing adventure reminds us that if we remain faithful to God, then he will remain faithful to us and rescue us in our time of need. But the story reveals something more. Three tiny words: But if not . The three trusted in God’s power and might. Yet if God decided not to rescue them, they committed to stand in their convictions.
It’s easier to ask, “How will God rescue me?” rather than “What will happen if God doesn’t rescue me?” That’s the deeper question that resides within each of us. Eventually we will face circumstances that make us wonder, What will happen if I lose the job? The house? The marriage? Life as I know it? What will happen if God doesn’t rescue you? Or me?
Joy asks “What if God?” and declares “But if not!”...Joy means holding on to hope in God regardless of the outcome. Declaring we will give up everything and entrust ourselves more fully and wholly to the One who holds all things together. God shows up in the flaming bushes and blazing clouds and tongues of fire. He also waits for us in the furnaces of depression, heartbreaking loss,
Praying for zero is an expression of trust, an act of faith, an expectant “What if God?” When coupled with “But if not!” this becomes a sturdy resolve. The same joyful resolve that traces all the way back to Abraham, Moses, and many more. Each died clinging to the hope that God could do the impossible regardless of the outcome of their experience.
the greatest feeling of betrayal came from those who vanished, those who said nothing, those whose response could be summed up in a single word: silence. Abandonment is its own form of betrayal.
Somewhere along the way I stumbled on the joy that comes with making mangled relationships whole.
find joy in becoming ambassadors of reconciliation.
When we fight back with joy, we embrace a reality that is more real than what we’re enduring and we awaken to the deepest reality of our identity as beloved, joyful children of God.
The journey to joy begins with acceptance
The journey to joy advances through adaptability -- We rarely choose what is subtracted from our lives, but we can choose how we respond. How we reorganize our lives in order to move forward.
The severity of our hardship increases our opportunity to depend on God. In those moments divine grace seeps through the ruins, softens our wills, and takes us to deeper places than we could venture on our own. Our weaknesses become ripe opportunities for his infinite power to be displayed. We radiate God’s glory.
acceptance, adaptation, and dependence
“theology in action,” a way to turn my face toward God in life’s most impoverished moments.
Blessed are You , Adonai our God , Ruler of the universe , the Judge of truth
God has given . God has taken . Blessed be the name
The more we strive to hold everything together, the more we fall apart. But when we release and learn to mourn, we discover the truth Jesus promised: “You are blessed when the tears flow freely. Joy comes with the morning.”
What do you need to grieve? What is damming up the cleansing river of mourning inside you? Betrayal? Disappointment?
the faintest expressions of celebration infuse us with strength and fill us with hope. Joy begets joy. Even the most meager acts are an outward expression of an inward trust in God’s ability to meet our needs. As silly as it sounds, mirth has a magical way of poking holes in the darkness until we see the stars.
If joy emanates out of the abiding sense of God’s fierce love for us, then celebration asks us to take action by practicing abundance in times of scarcity.
Rejoicing is not a prescription as much as a gateway to possibility. Hope springs when we realize God as the source of life when all seems lost. This doesn’t always happen in the way we expect or in the measure we anticipate. But we can choose to find those places where life has withered and determine to praise God.
Joy is irrational and takes hard work and does not always deliver a happily ever after.
Habakkuk’s declaration rings in our ears: "I’ll trust you . . .” Even if...
Even microscopic offerings cement our commitment to follow God in anything. This grace- given resolve to celebrate Christ in all things is fortified in the storms, not on the still seas.
Joy is an action, something we can do, regardless of what our emotions may reveal.
Something beautiful resides in a faith that is not results- based. Choosing to follow the apostle Paul’s instruction to “rejoice always” is not a cure- all elixir.
cultivate a defiant joy, the habit of worship, and the discipline of faithfulness
Miraculous transformation begins with one question from God: “What do you want Me to do for you?”
I ached for Christ, the Living Water, to replenish me in the wilderness. I thirsted for Jesus’ sweet presence and pined to experience his provision in ways that would leave me wonderstruck.
A prayer for springs in the desert is a request to discover the fullness of life even when facing trouble and difficulty. When Jesus said he came that we might have life to the full, he spoke of that which covered the gamut of human experience— joy and sorrow, gain and loss, pleasure and pain. Such fullness depends on Christ, the Living Water, to grow us in the likeness of God, to expand our hearts, to water our deserts. Our days may not be easy, but they are always full when lived in Christ.
the boldness of Achsah welled within me. I lifted my eyes and prayed aloud: I’m parched, God. I never imagined this life. I am tired of living in this desert. I don’t know why you allowed me to come to this place or even if I will get out alive. But if I must live here, then give me springs of water . Every day for the next few weeks, I prayed this prayer and the posture of my life shifted with every petition. Instead of seeing only rocks and sand, my eyes widened to signs of refreshment and renewal. Water bubbled up, and I slurped in God’s goodness.
during this bold prayer campaign that I ran across a man in a coffee shop with an unusual phrase tattooed across his bicep: But if not ...Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are rescued from the flames. He reinstates the trio to his service with a promotion. Their harrowing adventure reminds us that if we remain faithful to God, then he will remain faithful to us and rescue us in our time of need. But the story reveals something more. Three tiny words: But if not . The three trusted in God’s power and might. Yet if God decided not to rescue them, they committed to stand in their convictions.
It’s easier to ask, “How will God rescue me?” rather than “What will happen if God doesn’t rescue me?” That’s the deeper question that resides within each of us. Eventually we will face circumstances that make us wonder, What will happen if I lose the job? The house? The marriage? Life as I know it? What will happen if God doesn’t rescue you? Or me?
Joy asks “What if God?” and declares “But if not!”...Joy means holding on to hope in God regardless of the outcome. Declaring we will give up everything and entrust ourselves more fully and wholly to the One who holds all things together. God shows up in the flaming bushes and blazing clouds and tongues of fire. He also waits for us in the furnaces of depression, heartbreaking loss,
Praying for zero is an expression of trust, an act of faith, an expectant “What if God?” When coupled with “But if not!” this becomes a sturdy resolve. The same joyful resolve that traces all the way back to Abraham, Moses, and many more. Each died clinging to the hope that God could do the impossible regardless of the outcome of their experience.
the greatest feeling of betrayal came from those who vanished, those who said nothing, those whose response could be summed up in a single word: silence. Abandonment is its own form of betrayal.
Somewhere along the way I stumbled on the joy that comes with making mangled relationships whole.
find joy in becoming ambassadors of reconciliation.
January 5, 2015
“When we fight back with joy, we no longer size the character of God according to our circumstances, but we size our circumstances according to the character of God and his great affection for us.”
I have long enjoyed Margaret Feinberg and her great love of God. Her books have always inspired me to grow closer to Him and strive to see His beauty in everything. Fighting Back with Joy is her latest and most intimate book yet. A little over a year ago, Margaret was diagnosed with cancer and her life came tumbling down around her. She chose to fight. To fight back with JOY.
What a wonderful reminder this book is. In my own struggles with terrible health, there is much here to encourage me. It is in giving joy that we receive joy. It is a discipline and it is hard work. Striving to bring others joy and Christ’s love is the key to fighting back.
This book is a must read. It is a must read for those that are going through life altering events and feel blind and lost. It is a must read for those who don’t know how to “be there” for a friend struggling through something they couldn’t possibly understand. You definitely fit into one of those categories. So, pick it up!
Thank you, Worthy Publishing, for giving me this book in return for an honest review. Here’s to many more!!
I have long enjoyed Margaret Feinberg and her great love of God. Her books have always inspired me to grow closer to Him and strive to see His beauty in everything. Fighting Back with Joy is her latest and most intimate book yet. A little over a year ago, Margaret was diagnosed with cancer and her life came tumbling down around her. She chose to fight. To fight back with JOY.
What a wonderful reminder this book is. In my own struggles with terrible health, there is much here to encourage me. It is in giving joy that we receive joy. It is a discipline and it is hard work. Striving to bring others joy and Christ’s love is the key to fighting back.
This book is a must read. It is a must read for those that are going through life altering events and feel blind and lost. It is a must read for those who don’t know how to “be there” for a friend struggling through something they couldn’t possibly understand. You definitely fit into one of those categories. So, pick it up!
Thank you, Worthy Publishing, for giving me this book in return for an honest review. Here’s to many more!!
December 14, 2014
Fight Back With Joy
Celebrate More. Regret Less. Stare Down Your Greatest Fears
Margaret Feinberg
Worthy Publishing
Worthy Publishing
Pub Date Jan 6 2015
Margaret Feinberg decided that when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in her thirties she was going to Fight Back With Joy.
Instead of hiding away from the world which was what she felt like doing Margaret surrounded herself with caring people and the outpouring of love helped to reach to her.
This book reminds us too of the importance of having people in our lives that will walk with us in the darkness and help us to see the light.
Fight Back With Joy will help us to Fight through the difficult times in life.
I Recommend this book to anyone going through a difficult time.
Five out of five Stars...
Happy Reading. ..
Celebrate More. Regret Less. Stare Down Your Greatest Fears
Margaret Feinberg
Worthy Publishing
Worthy Publishing
Pub Date Jan 6 2015
Margaret Feinberg decided that when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in her thirties she was going to Fight Back With Joy.
Instead of hiding away from the world which was what she felt like doing Margaret surrounded herself with caring people and the outpouring of love helped to reach to her.
This book reminds us too of the importance of having people in our lives that will walk with us in the darkness and help us to see the light.
Fight Back With Joy will help us to Fight through the difficult times in life.
I Recommend this book to anyone going through a difficult time.
Five out of five Stars...
Happy Reading. ..
October 10, 2015
Wonderful book. Feinberg decided to have "joy" as the word of her year. Midway through the year she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Although her world instantly changes, she fights her cancer by bringing joy, giving joy and receiving joy with others. She gives practical advice for those in pain. She is such a thoughtful, deliberate writer and speaker. She used to attend and speak at our church, but has now moved to SLC and will continue to write and speak there.
"I've learned to practice a defiant joy - one that is my heritage, my purpose and my destiny - and in the process my life is marked by more gratitude than ever."
"I've learned to practice a defiant joy - one that is my heritage, my purpose and my destiny - and in the process my life is marked by more gratitude than ever."
February 8, 2015
Precious precious book!
I love that it is still Margaret's voice but changed by life, circumstance, lessons, and the love and grace of God. This book made me weep and laugh. And I was gently reminded of the biblical stories of my youth and life but with a retelling about a teacher that I care about.
So grateful for this book. It scared me. And it reminded me of my own courage.
What if God? But if not?
Yes and Amen!
I love that it is still Margaret's voice but changed by life, circumstance, lessons, and the love and grace of God. This book made me weep and laugh. And I was gently reminded of the biblical stories of my youth and life but with a retelling about a teacher that I care about.
So grateful for this book. It scared me. And it reminded me of my own courage.
What if God? But if not?
Yes and Amen!
June 19, 2016
Margaret's personal story of journey through breast cancer, shocking diagnosis at her age. She describes the hell of the treatment process and how she and husband Leif decided to fight back with joy. Quite the challenge. She describes her journey with honesty and also how she discovered God's gift of joy in the journey. There is something for all of us in here: patient, caregiver, friend. Go read it!
July 2, 2015
I love this book. I love Margaret Feinberg. Margaret has a way of taking both passages in the Bible and life events and causing me to look at them in new ways. In is book, she uses her cancer diagnosis to show us how to access God's joy. I have read it while going through my own crisis and have found healing in her wisdom. This is an antidote to the prosperity gospel so prevalent today. I believe this book is truly anointed by God.
May 21, 2015
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, and I was surprised. A blend of memoir, devotion, and cancer survival memoir--Fight Back with Joy really spoke to me. I loved the honesty and spunk Margaret Feinberg shared. This is a great book to read if you're struggling and want more meaning and joy in your life.
April 17, 2015
Can't recommend this highly enough. Don't wait until you have a significant event like cancer to take seriously the encouragements in this book. Very easy to read, very likeable, surprisingly practical but mainly wise.
February 16, 2015
A few weeks ago, I mentioned in a message that one of my goals this year was to seek the Lord for greater joy in my life. One of my friends took my goal to heart and gave me a gift, Margaret Feinberg's book, Fight Back with Joy.
I decided to make it a priority to read this devotional book as a part of my daily devotions. I'm glad I did.
Feinberg details her journey as a cancer fighter and survivor. When diagnosed, she decided to fight the cancer emotionally by pursuing joy.
In the book she shares her personal fears, hopes, and dreams. She is a Christ-centered author and speaker who is the kind of person with energy, wit, creativity, and passion. As I read the journey that she and her husband, Leif, traveled, I thought that she would be the kind of person most of us would love to have as a friend. Her energy, optimism, and honesty are infectious even through the pages of the book.
As a man who enjoys a historical-grammatical approach to the scriptures, I was encouraged and helped by the fact that Feinberg weaves her story with a sound exegesis, explanation, and application of some of the most prominent Bible passages and stories highlighting the pursuit of joy.
This is a book I am glad to have in my toolkit as people in my life and ministry face cancer. Even though the problems that I am personally facing are different than Feinberg's trials, I have gained insights and inspiration from her story.
Here are a few quotes from Fight Back with Joy that have impacted me:
I define joy as a spectrum of emotions, actions, and responses that includes gladness, cheer, happiness, merriment, delighting, dancing, shouting, exulting, rejoicing, laughing, playing, brightening, blessing and being blessed, taking pleasure in and being well pleased (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, pp. 18-19).
Joy emanates from the abiding sense of God's fierce love for us. The tigerish love of God from which joy comes is foundational to faith. God's love guards us, protects us, grows us, strengthens us, and compels us to walk in greater trust and holiness. This is no passive affection, but a feisty, fiery pledge to grow us into the fullness of Christ. When we embrace this love and cultivate an awareness of it, our hearts are filled with joy (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, p. 19).
Practicing defiant joy is the declaration that the darkness does not and will not win. When we fight back with joy, we embraced a reality that is more real than what we are enduring and we awaken to the deepest reality of our identity is beloved, joyful children of God (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, pp. 19-20).
You are founded enjoy, created for joy, and destined for joy. Joy is where you come from. Joy is what you are created to experience. Joy is where you are headed. Joy is your heritage, purpose, and destiny. Joy is a far more dynamic, forceful weapon and most of us realize. The abiding sense that you are fiercely loved by God? That kind of joy empowers you to rise above any circumstance (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, p. 23).
Sometimes we need to get space for grief in order to make room for joy. No one is immune to sorrow, and only those who learn to grieve well can we recapture the healing it brings. Just as light darkness, so Joy needs grief. And just as night precedes morning, so joy comes in the mourning (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, p. 72).
Sometimes we sweep away opportunities to grieve by convincing ourselves the loss is no big deal or if we ignore the loss, it will vanish. They never do. Some of the losses that need the most grieving took place decades ago. When we don't allow ourselves to grieve well, something inside us dies. Our bandwith for feeling narrows and emotional signals seem to fade. We may not feel as much pain, but we also don't feel as much joy (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, p. 79).
We can choose to rejoice when it does not add up... [God has] power to redeem an evil situation... Rejoicing does not center on circumstances; it's founded on God's intent and ability to save. Rejoicing is not a prescription as much as a gateway to possibility. Hope springs when we realize God [is] the source of life when all seems lost. This doesn't always happen in the way we expect or in the measure we anticipate. But we can choose to find those places where life has withered and determine to praise God (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, pp. 103-104).
Joy is irrational and takes hard work and does not always deliver a happily ever after. Many of us practice faith that contains the fine print: I'LL TRUST GOD... if he does something for me in return. Perhaps that's one reason we slam into a giant speedbump whenever life doesn't turn out like we expect (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, p. 106).
Our efforts to fight back with joy are riddled with the temptation to turn our backs, throw up our hands, and abandon the battle. That's precisely when we need to praise, when our decision to rejoice matters most. Even microscopic offerings cement our commitment to follow God in anything. This grace-given resolve to celebrate Christ in all things is fortified in the storms, not on the still seas. Rejoice when it makes no sense...(Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, p. 107).
Joy is an action, something we can do, regardless of what our emotions may reveal. Something beautiful resides in a faith that is not results-based. "Rejoice always" is not a cure-all elixir. It isn't a silver bullet guaranteed to slay every monster. Often we choose to fight back with joy without immediate pay off. Those are the days we cultivate a defiant joy, the habit of worship, and the discipline of faithfulness (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, p. 108).
A prayer for springs in the desert is a request to discover the fullness of life even when facing trouble and difficulty. When Jesus said he came that we might have life to the full, he spoke of that which covered the gamut of human experience – joy and sorrow, gain and loss, pleasure and pain. Such a fullness depends on Christ, the Living Water, to grow us in the likeness of God, to expand our hearts, to water our deserts. Our days may not be easy, but they are always full when lived in Christ (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, p. 115).
"It's more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). Giving is less like an arrow and more like a boomerang. As we receive divine gift of grace and compassion and joy and forgiveness, we pass those along to others, and they ricochet back to us. The giver will be blessed! The giver will be happy! The giver will wallow in the richness of the life marked by generosity (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, pp. 129-131).
I'd been asking how I could get more joy for myself. Now I needed to look at how I could be a joy giver. One of the fastest ways to receive joy is to give it away )Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, p. 131).
Like a fistful of red balloons, joy picks us up when life knocks us down. Sometimes the wall of difficulties we face appears too large or cumbersome to overcome. The presence of joy carries us and lifts us. We become more agile, infused with what we need not just to face the barrier, but to search for a way around or possibly even over that we may never have considered before. Not only does joy enhance our stride in life, but it also shouts, "Look up!" Imagine yourself holding a handful of helium–filled, red balloons. Feel the tug of the ribbons against your palm and fingers. Notice the way each inflated bulb moves gently in the air. Consider your posture. Just as clinging to the balloons invites us to raise our eyes and admiration, so does joy. It's presence is an invitation to do one of the simplest yet most powerful things a follower of Jesus can do: look up! No matter what adversity we face, we can turn our eyes from what's before us and refocus on the God who fills us with joy. Instead of only seeing adversity, we become alert to Christ, who has overcome all things and for whom nothing is impossible (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, pp. 132-133).
Joy is a gift we can offer even when we don't possess it ourselves. When we do, something mysterious happens... God fills us. "It's more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). The blessedness Jesus describes overflows through, in, and all over us (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, pp. 135-136).
Joy expands with every "I forgive," "I'm sorry," and "thank you" (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, p. 170).
I realize that fighting back with joy is without beginning or end. This year, the fight is cancer. Next year, it may be financial struggle. A decade from now, it may be the snares of midlife existence. After that, it may be wrestling with the death of loved ones. The wall before me is not just a series of reminders about what I have been through; it is a collection of tools for the fights that yet lie ahead. I can hear the cannon fire in the distance from battles I may be able to delay but cannot avoid (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, p. 178).
I decided to make it a priority to read this devotional book as a part of my daily devotions. I'm glad I did.
Feinberg details her journey as a cancer fighter and survivor. When diagnosed, she decided to fight the cancer emotionally by pursuing joy.
In the book she shares her personal fears, hopes, and dreams. She is a Christ-centered author and speaker who is the kind of person with energy, wit, creativity, and passion. As I read the journey that she and her husband, Leif, traveled, I thought that she would be the kind of person most of us would love to have as a friend. Her energy, optimism, and honesty are infectious even through the pages of the book.
As a man who enjoys a historical-grammatical approach to the scriptures, I was encouraged and helped by the fact that Feinberg weaves her story with a sound exegesis, explanation, and application of some of the most prominent Bible passages and stories highlighting the pursuit of joy.
This is a book I am glad to have in my toolkit as people in my life and ministry face cancer. Even though the problems that I am personally facing are different than Feinberg's trials, I have gained insights and inspiration from her story.
Here are a few quotes from Fight Back with Joy that have impacted me:
I define joy as a spectrum of emotions, actions, and responses that includes gladness, cheer, happiness, merriment, delighting, dancing, shouting, exulting, rejoicing, laughing, playing, brightening, blessing and being blessed, taking pleasure in and being well pleased (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, pp. 18-19).
Joy emanates from the abiding sense of God's fierce love for us. The tigerish love of God from which joy comes is foundational to faith. God's love guards us, protects us, grows us, strengthens us, and compels us to walk in greater trust and holiness. This is no passive affection, but a feisty, fiery pledge to grow us into the fullness of Christ. When we embrace this love and cultivate an awareness of it, our hearts are filled with joy (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, p. 19).
Practicing defiant joy is the declaration that the darkness does not and will not win. When we fight back with joy, we embraced a reality that is more real than what we are enduring and we awaken to the deepest reality of our identity is beloved, joyful children of God (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, pp. 19-20).
You are founded enjoy, created for joy, and destined for joy. Joy is where you come from. Joy is what you are created to experience. Joy is where you are headed. Joy is your heritage, purpose, and destiny. Joy is a far more dynamic, forceful weapon and most of us realize. The abiding sense that you are fiercely loved by God? That kind of joy empowers you to rise above any circumstance (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, p. 23).
Sometimes we need to get space for grief in order to make room for joy. No one is immune to sorrow, and only those who learn to grieve well can we recapture the healing it brings. Just as light darkness, so Joy needs grief. And just as night precedes morning, so joy comes in the mourning (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, p. 72).
Sometimes we sweep away opportunities to grieve by convincing ourselves the loss is no big deal or if we ignore the loss, it will vanish. They never do. Some of the losses that need the most grieving took place decades ago. When we don't allow ourselves to grieve well, something inside us dies. Our bandwith for feeling narrows and emotional signals seem to fade. We may not feel as much pain, but we also don't feel as much joy (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, p. 79).
We can choose to rejoice when it does not add up... [God has] power to redeem an evil situation... Rejoicing does not center on circumstances; it's founded on God's intent and ability to save. Rejoicing is not a prescription as much as a gateway to possibility. Hope springs when we realize God [is] the source of life when all seems lost. This doesn't always happen in the way we expect or in the measure we anticipate. But we can choose to find those places where life has withered and determine to praise God (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, pp. 103-104).
Joy is irrational and takes hard work and does not always deliver a happily ever after. Many of us practice faith that contains the fine print: I'LL TRUST GOD... if he does something for me in return. Perhaps that's one reason we slam into a giant speedbump whenever life doesn't turn out like we expect (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, p. 106).
Our efforts to fight back with joy are riddled with the temptation to turn our backs, throw up our hands, and abandon the battle. That's precisely when we need to praise, when our decision to rejoice matters most. Even microscopic offerings cement our commitment to follow God in anything. This grace-given resolve to celebrate Christ in all things is fortified in the storms, not on the still seas. Rejoice when it makes no sense...(Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, p. 107).
Joy is an action, something we can do, regardless of what our emotions may reveal. Something beautiful resides in a faith that is not results-based. "Rejoice always" is not a cure-all elixir. It isn't a silver bullet guaranteed to slay every monster. Often we choose to fight back with joy without immediate pay off. Those are the days we cultivate a defiant joy, the habit of worship, and the discipline of faithfulness (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, p. 108).
A prayer for springs in the desert is a request to discover the fullness of life even when facing trouble and difficulty. When Jesus said he came that we might have life to the full, he spoke of that which covered the gamut of human experience – joy and sorrow, gain and loss, pleasure and pain. Such a fullness depends on Christ, the Living Water, to grow us in the likeness of God, to expand our hearts, to water our deserts. Our days may not be easy, but they are always full when lived in Christ (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, p. 115).
"It's more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). Giving is less like an arrow and more like a boomerang. As we receive divine gift of grace and compassion and joy and forgiveness, we pass those along to others, and they ricochet back to us. The giver will be blessed! The giver will be happy! The giver will wallow in the richness of the life marked by generosity (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, pp. 129-131).
I'd been asking how I could get more joy for myself. Now I needed to look at how I could be a joy giver. One of the fastest ways to receive joy is to give it away )Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, p. 131).
Like a fistful of red balloons, joy picks us up when life knocks us down. Sometimes the wall of difficulties we face appears too large or cumbersome to overcome. The presence of joy carries us and lifts us. We become more agile, infused with what we need not just to face the barrier, but to search for a way around or possibly even over that we may never have considered before. Not only does joy enhance our stride in life, but it also shouts, "Look up!" Imagine yourself holding a handful of helium–filled, red balloons. Feel the tug of the ribbons against your palm and fingers. Notice the way each inflated bulb moves gently in the air. Consider your posture. Just as clinging to the balloons invites us to raise our eyes and admiration, so does joy. It's presence is an invitation to do one of the simplest yet most powerful things a follower of Jesus can do: look up! No matter what adversity we face, we can turn our eyes from what's before us and refocus on the God who fills us with joy. Instead of only seeing adversity, we become alert to Christ, who has overcome all things and for whom nothing is impossible (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, pp. 132-133).
Joy is a gift we can offer even when we don't possess it ourselves. When we do, something mysterious happens... God fills us. "It's more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). The blessedness Jesus describes overflows through, in, and all over us (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, pp. 135-136).
Joy expands with every "I forgive," "I'm sorry," and "thank you" (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, p. 170).
I realize that fighting back with joy is without beginning or end. This year, the fight is cancer. Next year, it may be financial struggle. A decade from now, it may be the snares of midlife existence. After that, it may be wrestling with the death of loved ones. The wall before me is not just a series of reminders about what I have been through; it is a collection of tools for the fights that yet lie ahead. I can hear the cannon fire in the distance from battles I may be able to delay but cannot avoid (Margaret Feinberg, Fight Back with Joy, p. 178).
April 3, 2018
I really enjoyed this book! It was really inspiring to read about Margaret Feinburg's battle with breast cancer and all the ways she chose to fight back with joy. Every chapter was easy to understand, I enjoyed the Bible stories/applications as well. I only wish she wrote with a more conservative Christian style... and this book did not use the KJV.
May 10, 2017
Accept, Adapt, Depend. This is the "motto" which seems to thread through this account of a devastating battle with cancer. The author decided to seek joy even through the valley of the shadow. I'm glad of the outcome; however, my personality is so different from the way she presents herself, that I didn't appreciate this account as much as I had anticipated.
January 16, 2020
Margaret has a whimsy goofiness to her that shines through the book even through the most brutal and honest recounts of her battle with cancer. There were a few times I took pictures of a page or two to send to friends and it was perfect for what they needed to hear!
January 8, 2015
Joy Joy Joy and more Joy
BY Claire Efird · JANUARY 6, 2015
We have just celebrated a season that is known for its joy, and I’m willing to bet (if I was a betting girl), that many of us have determined to greet 2015 with smiles and laughter and dare I say, JOY. For many, the idea of Joy means an easier life, one that blesses us in the manner that we think we should be blessed, not the joy that C.S. Lewis called “serious business” (page 6).
When I settled down to read Margaret Feinberg’s book Fight Back With Joy, I was prepared to read a book all about New Year’s resolutions. I thought she would tell all of us how to be better women, wives, mothers, aunts. employees and Christians. Boy, was I wrong! As I read, I thought that Margaret began her joy journey as many of us tend to choose our New Years resolutions, a little selfishly and a little altruistically. In other words, with mixed motives. It didn’t take long before I saw Margaret’s world turned upside down in her journey for joy. She says:
I learned that you need much more than an experiment to unleash the power of joy. You need chutzpah, you need backbone, you need intentionality – and sometimes you need a crisis.
Margaret met her crisis with a determination to bring joy to the battle. From quirky jokes (hidden in unique places) to gifts for those who suffered along with her she made a choice to think of others and even celebrate during her trials. She even brought joy (or rather a test for joy), when choosing her medical team that would journey with her through the crisis. They say that laughter is the best medicine, well, Margaret proved that laughter whose source is joy, is the best medicine. The joy that Margaret found and shares with the reader is the joy of being loved by God, and she demonstrates and proves this with scriptural evidence from Jesus, Nehemiah, Daniel, a bleeding woman and a grieving father. This book is no “Christian self-help” book, but one that points to Christ and Christ alone.
This book is one that I will share with friends, family and all of those struggling with crisis of any kind, not just health. The extra sections at the end are vital for those who want to reach out to their hurting friends and family. Thank you Margaret for being vulnerable for your readers and for allowing us to journey with you. Thank you for wading through the hype of “Christian Living” to the truths of Christ following.
A self-described “hot mess,” Margaret Feinberg is a popular Bible teacher at churches and leading conferences such as Catalyst, Thrive, and Women of Joy. She was recently named one of the 50 women most shaping the church and culture by Christianity Today and one of the “30 Voices” who will help lead the church in the next decade. Her books, including The Organic God, The Sacred Echo, Scouting the Divine, and Wonderstruck, as well as their corresponding Bible studies have sold nearly a million copies and have received extensive national media coverage from CNN, Washington Post, and USA Today. She lives in Morrison, Colorado, with her husband, Leif, and their superpup, Hershey. She believes some of the best days are spent in jammies, laughing, and being silly.
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BY Claire Efird · JANUARY 6, 2015
We have just celebrated a season that is known for its joy, and I’m willing to bet (if I was a betting girl), that many of us have determined to greet 2015 with smiles and laughter and dare I say, JOY. For many, the idea of Joy means an easier life, one that blesses us in the manner that we think we should be blessed, not the joy that C.S. Lewis called “serious business” (page 6).
When I settled down to read Margaret Feinberg’s book Fight Back With Joy, I was prepared to read a book all about New Year’s resolutions. I thought she would tell all of us how to be better women, wives, mothers, aunts. employees and Christians. Boy, was I wrong! As I read, I thought that Margaret began her joy journey as many of us tend to choose our New Years resolutions, a little selfishly and a little altruistically. In other words, with mixed motives. It didn’t take long before I saw Margaret’s world turned upside down in her journey for joy. She says:
I learned that you need much more than an experiment to unleash the power of joy. You need chutzpah, you need backbone, you need intentionality – and sometimes you need a crisis.
Margaret met her crisis with a determination to bring joy to the battle. From quirky jokes (hidden in unique places) to gifts for those who suffered along with her she made a choice to think of others and even celebrate during her trials. She even brought joy (or rather a test for joy), when choosing her medical team that would journey with her through the crisis. They say that laughter is the best medicine, well, Margaret proved that laughter whose source is joy, is the best medicine. The joy that Margaret found and shares with the reader is the joy of being loved by God, and she demonstrates and proves this with scriptural evidence from Jesus, Nehemiah, Daniel, a bleeding woman and a grieving father. This book is no “Christian self-help” book, but one that points to Christ and Christ alone.
This book is one that I will share with friends, family and all of those struggling with crisis of any kind, not just health. The extra sections at the end are vital for those who want to reach out to their hurting friends and family. Thank you Margaret for being vulnerable for your readers and for allowing us to journey with you. Thank you for wading through the hype of “Christian Living” to the truths of Christ following.
A self-described “hot mess,” Margaret Feinberg is a popular Bible teacher at churches and leading conferences such as Catalyst, Thrive, and Women of Joy. She was recently named one of the 50 women most shaping the church and culture by Christianity Today and one of the “30 Voices” who will help lead the church in the next decade. Her books, including The Organic God, The Sacred Echo, Scouting the Divine, and Wonderstruck, as well as their corresponding Bible studies have sold nearly a million copies and have received extensive national media coverage from CNN, Washington Post, and USA Today. She lives in Morrison, Colorado, with her husband, Leif, and their superpup, Hershey. She believes some of the best days are spent in jammies, laughing, and being silly.
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February 19, 2015
Feinberg does a wonderful job of relating the emotional roller coaster that is cancer. I will quote her often with "each place of pain is a portal for healing," and thus reason for giving thanks. In an attempt to remain joyful despite adversity she does quirky, funny things like writing on her body with marker for exams, and handing out red balloons in the infusion room so people will look up in hope. As she hands them out, she is focusing outward and that is the key to maintaining a positive outlook. Pain has a way of bringing the focus inward and spiraling down into a self-absorbing black hole, instead she finds ways to be grateful in the face of adversity and to give others companionship and joy.
Bible verses and parables weave throughout in a meaningful way. I especially like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego as they continued to stand in defiance of King Nebuchadnezzar, risking the fiery furnace, stating their God will deliver them, "But if not,". The three words, 'But if not' hold another key to joy. Coming to a place where you do not fear death but instead have faith in God's plan. For me personally, that meant handing my children back to God and having faith He loved them more than i did. I have a feeling this is not the first crisis that will have me putting them down at the foot of the cross.
The book ends with a few helpful lists including: 5 Things to say when you don't know what to say; 8 Things those facing crisis won't tell you (but wish they could); 6 lessons I learned from crisis. There is also a nice letter to caregivers from her husband and a playlist with some great tunes to accompany her chapters.
This is a quick read, and a little close to home at times for those of us who have spent time in the PET/CT/MRI tube trying not to sing, but well worth the walk with her if just to bear witness to her victory. Just a side note/pet peeve: Cancer is often described as a battle and while that may rally the forces, I found it to be healthier if viewed as a journey, or ride, but if I had to go into battle, fighting back with joy is definitely the way to do it!
Bible verses and parables weave throughout in a meaningful way. I especially like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego as they continued to stand in defiance of King Nebuchadnezzar, risking the fiery furnace, stating their God will deliver them, "But if not,". The three words, 'But if not' hold another key to joy. Coming to a place where you do not fear death but instead have faith in God's plan. For me personally, that meant handing my children back to God and having faith He loved them more than i did. I have a feeling this is not the first crisis that will have me putting them down at the foot of the cross.
The book ends with a few helpful lists including: 5 Things to say when you don't know what to say; 8 Things those facing crisis won't tell you (but wish they could); 6 lessons I learned from crisis. There is also a nice letter to caregivers from her husband and a playlist with some great tunes to accompany her chapters.
This is a quick read, and a little close to home at times for those of us who have spent time in the PET/CT/MRI tube trying not to sing, but well worth the walk with her if just to bear witness to her victory. Just a side note/pet peeve: Cancer is often described as a battle and while that may rally the forces, I found it to be healthier if viewed as a journey, or ride, but if I had to go into battle, fighting back with joy is definitely the way to do it!
January 6, 2015
"Fight Back with Joy" has been a life changing, thought changing book for me. Margaret shares her own story of getting cancer and what it has meant in her life. The ups and downs, but mostly, finding joy where ever she can through her faith in God.
The greatest thing about this book is how real and honest Margaret is. She shares her story honestly and you feel like you're sitting with her over coffee and getting to know her. I highlighted this book on almost every page. As I'm going through my own health issues, I found her book so helpful and encouraging! It really has helped me to have a new attitude about my struggles. One of my most favorite things she said is this:
"The Great Give is parachuting people into your life to remind you that you are not alone. Perhaps you've been distracted by those who have vanished....(then she goes on to say later) Even if you feel alone, God has positioned people waiting in the wings to spring into action. They may not be the faces of those you expect, but if you keep your heart and eyes open you may be surprised by whom God uses."
It was almost as though she was reading my journal and my mind. I had been doing exactly that. Distracted by those who have vanished from my life, however, I started to see I had a core group of people who have circled the wagons around me and have never left.
The whole book was like this for me. Beautiful pearls of wisdom and insight that have helped me to look at my situation in a whole new light and with joy! Whether you're going through a health issues, a family problem, or anything else, this book will show you how to find joy in your life, have greater faith, and understand that there is joy, even in those dark situation. It will also show you how to reach out to others with joy when they are going through those hard times.
In my opinion, this is a must-have book for everyone. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.
*This book was provided to me for my honest review by Worthy Publishing
The greatest thing about this book is how real and honest Margaret is. She shares her story honestly and you feel like you're sitting with her over coffee and getting to know her. I highlighted this book on almost every page. As I'm going through my own health issues, I found her book so helpful and encouraging! It really has helped me to have a new attitude about my struggles. One of my most favorite things she said is this:
"The Great Give is parachuting people into your life to remind you that you are not alone. Perhaps you've been distracted by those who have vanished....(then she goes on to say later) Even if you feel alone, God has positioned people waiting in the wings to spring into action. They may not be the faces of those you expect, but if you keep your heart and eyes open you may be surprised by whom God uses."
It was almost as though she was reading my journal and my mind. I had been doing exactly that. Distracted by those who have vanished from my life, however, I started to see I had a core group of people who have circled the wagons around me and have never left.
The whole book was like this for me. Beautiful pearls of wisdom and insight that have helped me to look at my situation in a whole new light and with joy! Whether you're going through a health issues, a family problem, or anything else, this book will show you how to find joy in your life, have greater faith, and understand that there is joy, even in those dark situation. It will also show you how to reach out to others with joy when they are going through those hard times.
In my opinion, this is a must-have book for everyone. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.
*This book was provided to me for my honest review by Worthy Publishing
January 7, 2015
“Great Joy Waits in Life’s Greatest Battles. Joy is stamped on coffee mugs, sewn onto decorative pillows – even displayed on dish soap. But what if there’s a deeper power and purpose to this mighty virtue? Through vulnerable story telling, a difficult diagnosis, and a good dose of humor, Margaret Feinberg revels how joy is more than whimsy. Its’ the weapon you can use to fight life’s battles.”
This is an extraordinary book that will take you by surprise. When I read the first few pages of the first chapter, I though to myself… here we go, another book that is going to try to teach me the how’s and why’s of being joyful. And then came chapter two.
Wow, was I wrong. Yes this is a book about joy. Intentional, defiant, bold, in-your-face JOY! And not just joy for the sake of being joyful. No, this joy was drawn from somewhere deep inside of this author. It is joy that is drawn from the same place where a horrific cancer diagnosis goes in order to take root and stifle joy.
In this book, Fight Back with Joy by Margaret Feinberg, we are taken on a journey -- Her journey of diagnosis through treatment to recovery to zero. Having taken this journey with my husband (though not with the same outcome), I understand about wanting to grab onto anything that has a glimmer of hope. This woman, and her amazing husband, do more than that; they intentionally choose joy. If you are facing, or have faced a situation that seems beyond horrendous and you don’t know if you’ll ever breathe easy again, this book is for you. I can’t recommend it enough.
*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through the Worthy Publishing Blogger Review Program, in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review
*Reviews of this book were posted at the following locations:
Amazon, Christian Book, Deeper Shopping, Goodreads, and to be featured on my blog at http://titus3.wordpress.com
This is an extraordinary book that will take you by surprise. When I read the first few pages of the first chapter, I though to myself… here we go, another book that is going to try to teach me the how’s and why’s of being joyful. And then came chapter two.
Wow, was I wrong. Yes this is a book about joy. Intentional, defiant, bold, in-your-face JOY! And not just joy for the sake of being joyful. No, this joy was drawn from somewhere deep inside of this author. It is joy that is drawn from the same place where a horrific cancer diagnosis goes in order to take root and stifle joy.
In this book, Fight Back with Joy by Margaret Feinberg, we are taken on a journey -- Her journey of diagnosis through treatment to recovery to zero. Having taken this journey with my husband (though not with the same outcome), I understand about wanting to grab onto anything that has a glimmer of hope. This woman, and her amazing husband, do more than that; they intentionally choose joy. If you are facing, or have faced a situation that seems beyond horrendous and you don’t know if you’ll ever breathe easy again, this book is for you. I can’t recommend it enough.
*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through the Worthy Publishing Blogger Review Program, in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review
*Reviews of this book were posted at the following locations:
Amazon, Christian Book, Deeper Shopping, Goodreads, and to be featured on my blog at http://titus3.wordpress.com
January 26, 2015
"Joy is one of those words that has been overused, distorted into a cliche."
I nodded in agreement as I read that statement in the first few pages of this book. I confess I'm one of those people who doesn't really understand it and too often relates it to happiness and/or my circumstances. Besides Margaret's brilliant Biblical teaching, I was drawn to read her latest book to better understand "joy."
Margaret drew me into her 18 month battle with cancer. We visit her doctors, the wards at the hospital, her standing in front of the mirror to inspect the surgeon's handiwork and the downtime spent with her husband and puppy, Hershey. My eyes were never far from tears as my heart cried out for her but always awestruck at her bravery at sharing such details of the battle.
As I read this inspirational book I was constantly reminded of Brene Brown's words, "Numbing the pain numbs the joy" as I believe that is how I've lived much of my life. Margaret stepped into her battle mindful of this and sought to discover joy. "No one is immune to sorrow, and only those who learn to grieve well can recapture the healing it brings." and "Running from sorrow will only take you to scary places."
Embracing our pain and sorrows enables us to experience joy. The sense of being intentional about experiencing joy was a key point I took from the book. Whether it's in choosing to be alert to how we numb our pain, to loving intentionally with simple gestures as "thank you" and "I'm sorry," or something grander like giving everyone in the hospital ward a red balloon as Margaret did, grabbing a hold of joy is a choice we make.
Often a challenging read, this is one of the books that lingers long after you've read it. As you'd expect, it's full of relevant Biblical illustrations, Margaret's sense of whimsy and brave storytelling. It also comes with some added extras at the end including tips on what to say to people going through a battle when you don't know what to say and from Leif, her husband, on how a caregiver should care for themselves.
I nodded in agreement as I read that statement in the first few pages of this book. I confess I'm one of those people who doesn't really understand it and too often relates it to happiness and/or my circumstances. Besides Margaret's brilliant Biblical teaching, I was drawn to read her latest book to better understand "joy."
Margaret drew me into her 18 month battle with cancer. We visit her doctors, the wards at the hospital, her standing in front of the mirror to inspect the surgeon's handiwork and the downtime spent with her husband and puppy, Hershey. My eyes were never far from tears as my heart cried out for her but always awestruck at her bravery at sharing such details of the battle.
As I read this inspirational book I was constantly reminded of Brene Brown's words, "Numbing the pain numbs the joy" as I believe that is how I've lived much of my life. Margaret stepped into her battle mindful of this and sought to discover joy. "No one is immune to sorrow, and only those who learn to grieve well can recapture the healing it brings." and "Running from sorrow will only take you to scary places."
Embracing our pain and sorrows enables us to experience joy. The sense of being intentional about experiencing joy was a key point I took from the book. Whether it's in choosing to be alert to how we numb our pain, to loving intentionally with simple gestures as "thank you" and "I'm sorry," or something grander like giving everyone in the hospital ward a red balloon as Margaret did, grabbing a hold of joy is a choice we make.
Often a challenging read, this is one of the books that lingers long after you've read it. As you'd expect, it's full of relevant Biblical illustrations, Margaret's sense of whimsy and brave storytelling. It also comes with some added extras at the end including tips on what to say to people going through a battle when you don't know what to say and from Leif, her husband, on how a caregiver should care for themselves.
May 16, 2019
“The true power of joy supersedes a chirpy disposition, candy-coated emotion, or saccharin fantasy.”
Margaret Feinberg. God interrupted her “misguided joy experiment” with cancer and took her on an expedition of fighting back with joy. Her new book is not just a must read for those who are facing a cancer crisis but for anyone who finds his or herself bombarded with any life struggle. She challenges her readers to practice “defiant joy,” for it is the very thing that will declare that “the darkness does not and will not win.”
“Fight Back With Joy” written by Feinberg and published by Worthy Publishing is packed full of encouraging advice, personal story, and impacting Scriptures BUT does not sugar coat the pain, fear, emotion, and mourning that comes from life’s battles.
This book helps us fight back with joy by reminding us that . . .
Fighting back with joy includes surrounding ourselves with support.
“They become incarnate reminders of god’s fierce love.”
Mourning is a gift.
“The more we strive to hold everything together, the more we fall apart.”
Fighting back with joy rarely makes sense.
“Rejoicing is not a prescription as much as a gateway to possibility.”
Margaret’s creative writing style abounds with illustrations and great quotes. I was also delighted to find a section in the back of the book written by her husband Leif on the lessons he learned as a caregiver and co-fighter on their expedition of joy. I highly recommend this book to those who are facing some of life’s hardest battles and for those pastors, spouses, and friends who want to encourage them along the way.
“Jesus is not a sorcerer handing out a magical formula whereby we conjure results because of what we do; rather, he issues a call to step out in radical faith, dependent on God’s promises and provision.”
Margaret Feinberg. God interrupted her “misguided joy experiment” with cancer and took her on an expedition of fighting back with joy. Her new book is not just a must read for those who are facing a cancer crisis but for anyone who finds his or herself bombarded with any life struggle. She challenges her readers to practice “defiant joy,” for it is the very thing that will declare that “the darkness does not and will not win.”
“Fight Back With Joy” written by Feinberg and published by Worthy Publishing is packed full of encouraging advice, personal story, and impacting Scriptures BUT does not sugar coat the pain, fear, emotion, and mourning that comes from life’s battles.
This book helps us fight back with joy by reminding us that . . .
Fighting back with joy includes surrounding ourselves with support.
“They become incarnate reminders of god’s fierce love.”
Mourning is a gift.
“The more we strive to hold everything together, the more we fall apart.”
Fighting back with joy rarely makes sense.
“Rejoicing is not a prescription as much as a gateway to possibility.”
Margaret’s creative writing style abounds with illustrations and great quotes. I was also delighted to find a section in the back of the book written by her husband Leif on the lessons he learned as a caregiver and co-fighter on their expedition of joy. I highly recommend this book to those who are facing some of life’s hardest battles and for those pastors, spouses, and friends who want to encourage them along the way.
“Jesus is not a sorcerer handing out a magical formula whereby we conjure results because of what we do; rather, he issues a call to step out in radical faith, dependent on God’s promises and provision.”
January 8, 2015
This is a very touching book. I love how the author decides to “Fight Back With Joy” when she was diagnosed with cancer. Her amazing strength and courage shines in this book. It was hard to put down.
When I first started reading this book, I thought it was going to be a book on life lessons on how to live more joyful. As I kept reading it took me by surprise. As I started to read about her health scare, and then being diagnosed with cancer, I realized this book had a much deeper meaning.
She takes you on her journey through the diagnosis, through the treatment, and then through the recovery process. Being a cancer survivor myself, this book really hit home. I love how she shows you how she chose joy to get her through it all.
If you’re faced with a situation that leaves you feeling helpless, I would highly recommend this book. She will show you how to rediscover joy, even during the times it might seem impossible.
Margaret takes you through her personal journey with cancer. She is the real deal and she shares it all. Even though we all handle things in our own way, she still teaches us a lot through her own journey, and you learn a lot from her experience. I appreciate her honesty and for sharing her story with the world.
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars
*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through the Worthy Publishing Blogger Review Program, in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are 100% my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.
When I first started reading this book, I thought it was going to be a book on life lessons on how to live more joyful. As I kept reading it took me by surprise. As I started to read about her health scare, and then being diagnosed with cancer, I realized this book had a much deeper meaning.
She takes you on her journey through the diagnosis, through the treatment, and then through the recovery process. Being a cancer survivor myself, this book really hit home. I love how she shows you how she chose joy to get her through it all.
If you’re faced with a situation that leaves you feeling helpless, I would highly recommend this book. She will show you how to rediscover joy, even during the times it might seem impossible.
Margaret takes you through her personal journey with cancer. She is the real deal and she shares it all. Even though we all handle things in our own way, she still teaches us a lot through her own journey, and you learn a lot from her experience. I appreciate her honesty and for sharing her story with the world.
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars
*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through the Worthy Publishing Blogger Review Program, in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are 100% my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.
June 7, 2018
Just finished a fabulous book today. I am reading it for a women's bible study class at church. I will admit I was worried I wouldn't be able to get through it thinking that it would be filled with bible verses and things I just didn't understand. However, I was completely blown away by this amazing story and this amazing woman and author Margaret Feinberg. She tells it how it is and she does it with humor. I was pulled in and hooked from page one. I laughed out loud, cried and smiled at those moments on the page when I knew exactly how she felt. Magnificent read!!!
Fight Back With Joy by Margaret Feinberg
http://amzn.to/1YuY8gO
#Fightbackwithjoy
Fight Back With Joy by Margaret Feinberg
http://amzn.to/1YuY8gO
#Fightbackwithjoy
January 8, 2015
Just as the title of her newest book suggests, Margaret's life reflects the secret to finding great joy in life's greatest difficulties. And the secret is really no secret at all, but a hard truth. A hard, but loving truth. Life is a battle and joy is a weapon. It comes with hard work, sweat, tears. Often it's found in the darkest nights and the fiercest battles. If you're looking for someone to tell you that life is rainbows and sunshine, butterflies and unicorns, then I'm afraid Margaret and her book will disappoint. But if you're looking for someone who cares enough and loves enough to be honest, is willing to be vulnerable and share the hard truths, knows how to make you cry and how to make you laugh, and someone who knows what it's like to suffer but refuses to give up, then please take the time to read this book. Allow Margaret to take you on a journey through the dark in order to open your eyes to the joy that's not just found in the morning, but to find the hidden and secret joy that can only be found in our mourning. If you are willing you will find she does not leave us hopeless and in despair, but helps us to "awaken to the deepest reality of our identity as beloved, delightful children of God."
Note: While I did receive a complimentary copy of this book from Worthy Publishing for review, I was not paid by the publisher or author to review and feature it. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Note: While I did receive a complimentary copy of this book from Worthy Publishing for review, I was not paid by the publisher or author to review and feature it. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
April 28, 2015
Margaret Feinberg is a beautiful example of what fighting for joy in the middle of hardship looks like. Two years ago, Margaret was putting the finishing touches on a book about joy. And then she got a phone call. A cancer diagnosis changed everything and the book was pushed aside for treatments and time with family and leaning into the God of all hope.
But what emerged was something she never expected. A book about joy … but not the shiny, happy idea we use on throw pillows and wall art. As she says,
I discovered facets of joy that no one ever taught me—more than whimsy, joy is a weapon we can use to fight life’s battles.
The thing is, no one signs up for that discovery project—finding joy in suffering. No one. I’ve never felt so surefooted on my path to a joyful life. I know now that without shadows, joy can feel shallow. But, when we can discover joy while in the fight of our lives—no matter what that is—it is lasting.
Everyone who has faced a challenge, or who knows someone in the midst, needs a to know that suffering doesn’t win. Joy wins.
Joy wins. Not because we’ll always be happy but because true joy is deep and rich and comes from the abiding presence of Jesus in our lives.
Fight Back with Joy is a gift to all of us who wonder what to do with suffering and heartache. Margaret’s vulnerability becomes our own guide to the depths of true joy and the victory we find over the trials of this life when we live in joy.
But what emerged was something she never expected. A book about joy … but not the shiny, happy idea we use on throw pillows and wall art. As she says,
I discovered facets of joy that no one ever taught me—more than whimsy, joy is a weapon we can use to fight life’s battles.
The thing is, no one signs up for that discovery project—finding joy in suffering. No one. I’ve never felt so surefooted on my path to a joyful life. I know now that without shadows, joy can feel shallow. But, when we can discover joy while in the fight of our lives—no matter what that is—it is lasting.
Everyone who has faced a challenge, or who knows someone in the midst, needs a to know that suffering doesn’t win. Joy wins.
Joy wins. Not because we’ll always be happy but because true joy is deep and rich and comes from the abiding presence of Jesus in our lives.
Fight Back with Joy is a gift to all of us who wonder what to do with suffering and heartache. Margaret’s vulnerability becomes our own guide to the depths of true joy and the victory we find over the trials of this life when we live in joy.
March 23, 2016
Let me be clear about this: I am a front row center seat Margaret Feinberg fan.
When I first heard Margaret was fighting breast cancer I believed with every shred of my soul the enemy would not win and God would be glorified. The glorious day Margaret posted "we got zero" on her blog I sobbed, responding to God's faithfulness with deep gratitude and some unrestrained dancing.
As a front row fan, I consider Margaret my teacher and my friend, a sentiment I suspect I share with millions. Through this story of healing I am certain God has worked through Margaret more miracles than we will ever know or be able to count on this earth in any of our lifetimes.
Whether this is your first of her books or you've read every one, I urge you to read this work - better yet, listen to it. It will indelibly etch itself in your heart, I guarantee.
Have tissue and knee pads at the ready, and be prepared for some hard glimpses in the mirror as you accompany Margaret through her journey. Expect to learn how to minister to yourself and others walking through the valley of the shadow; and most important of all, to come to understand with your full being that with God within us and beside us we can fight the enemy with Joy...and red balloons.
When I first heard Margaret was fighting breast cancer I believed with every shred of my soul the enemy would not win and God would be glorified. The glorious day Margaret posted "we got zero" on her blog I sobbed, responding to God's faithfulness with deep gratitude and some unrestrained dancing.
As a front row fan, I consider Margaret my teacher and my friend, a sentiment I suspect I share with millions. Through this story of healing I am certain God has worked through Margaret more miracles than we will ever know or be able to count on this earth in any of our lifetimes.
Whether this is your first of her books or you've read every one, I urge you to read this work - better yet, listen to it. It will indelibly etch itself in your heart, I guarantee.
Have tissue and knee pads at the ready, and be prepared for some hard glimpses in the mirror as you accompany Margaret through her journey. Expect to learn how to minister to yourself and others walking through the valley of the shadow; and most important of all, to come to understand with your full being that with God within us and beside us we can fight the enemy with Joy...and red balloons.
June 6, 2015
Excellent book by a very good Christian writer highlighting what she learned from life and the Lord during cancer treatment. She went into the treatment with a good marriage, family, church support system, and public teaching and writing ministry. Lots of pointers for managing cancer treatment and words of wisdom.
"When we fight back with joy, we no longer size the character of God according to our circumstances, but we size our circumstances according to the character of God and his great affection for us."
(on doctor): "She shared difficult news without panic and provided optimistic news with caution."
"The journey to joy begins with acceptance...Acceptance acknowledges our helplessness and requires us to loosen our grip, slow our pace, and reorient our focus on God in the situation."0
"The biggest myth about joy is that it only flourishes in good times, or that it is only the byproduct of positive experiences."
"Caregiving: Be realistic about your time and energy levels."
"When we fight back with joy, we no longer size the character of God according to our circumstances, but we size our circumstances according to the character of God and his great affection for us."
(on doctor): "She shared difficult news without panic and provided optimistic news with caution."
"The journey to joy begins with acceptance...Acceptance acknowledges our helplessness and requires us to loosen our grip, slow our pace, and reorient our focus on God in the situation."0
"The biggest myth about joy is that it only flourishes in good times, or that it is only the byproduct of positive experiences."
"Caregiving: Be realistic about your time and energy levels."
May 7, 2017
What a book that puts attitude in perspective.
We did this book for our Bible Study along with the workbook & it was just a wake up call how much our attitudes & the way we look at our lives, our every days, can make such a difference.
This book talks about Margaret's journey when she found out she has cancer & had to go through the treatments to save her life. It's a hard read sometimes to see what she had to go through & had to face... but you come out seeing what real life joy can look like. It's not always perfect & the struggle is real in finding it, but its possible.
I love the book has extra sections at the end on things to say to someone who is facing a crisis, & one of my favorite lists, a playlist of songs that are encouragement for joy. I am currently going through all of them & focusing on the words of each of them.
I heard Margaret in person at a conference & just loved her little spunky self & her book totally represents that same side of her. I totally recommend this book - & the study if you get a chance.
We did this book for our Bible Study along with the workbook & it was just a wake up call how much our attitudes & the way we look at our lives, our every days, can make such a difference.
This book talks about Margaret's journey when she found out she has cancer & had to go through the treatments to save her life. It's a hard read sometimes to see what she had to go through & had to face... but you come out seeing what real life joy can look like. It's not always perfect & the struggle is real in finding it, but its possible.
I love the book has extra sections at the end on things to say to someone who is facing a crisis, & one of my favorite lists, a playlist of songs that are encouragement for joy. I am currently going through all of them & focusing on the words of each of them.
I heard Margaret in person at a conference & just loved her little spunky self & her book totally represents that same side of her. I totally recommend this book - & the study if you get a chance.
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