An athletic and charming twelve-year-old girl, Hope Stout, was an ordinary child, until she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, that was found in both of her legs, her back, her hip, and her lungs.
As Hope and her family fought cancer, their faith in God kept them grounded. Stuart and Shelby, Hope’s parents, would often ask God for signs that he was watching over her. God’s signs were miraculous to say the least. When Stuart was driving in the mountains, he saw an enormous billboard that read, “Hope Thou in God.” Additionally, when Shelby went to pray in the chapel at the hospital, she noticed a stained glass window titled “The Hope Window” that featured a picture of a young girl on crutches with God’s hands placed on her shoulder as he was healing her. God was certainly watching out for the Stout family.
Because Hope’s Wish is written from Stuart and Shelby’s perspective, the readers are able to attain an insight into what grieving is like for parents with a child suffering from cancer. Throughout the book, Stuart and Shelby discuss Hope’s life using the past tense, which allows the readers to assume that Hope’s cancer is terminal. However, her parents have a very unique perspective on her death. Shelby shared, “Inside the prayer box I wrote that I wanted Hope’s 100 percent complete healing. Well, the prayer in my prayer box was answered: Hope did receive 100 percent healing. It just wasn't the way I expected.” This quote speaks volumes to the trust Stuart and Shelby had in God, even if this meant Hope’s healing would come from eternal life with God.
Hope’s faith in God and her extreme care for others differentiated her from the other children her age. When the wish granters from Make-A-Wish arrived at the Stout household, Hope was conflicted with what she wanted to wish for. She had many desires: to be a model, to be the first female president, to be famous, to be on television, and to marry Brad Pitt. However, Hope ultimately decided that she had been very fortunate in her life, unlike many children her age. Therefore, Hope’s wish was to grant all the wishes of the other 155 children on the Make-A-Wish waiting list in North Carolina: an $850,000 endeavor.
I would highly recommend reading Hope’s Wish to see if Hope is able to accomplish this tremendous task, but be prepared for an emotional roller coaster. Hope’s story is no doubt a tearjerker, but it is filled with heartwarming elements and signs from God.
As Hope and her family fought cancer, their faith in God kept them grounded. Stuart and Shelby, Hope’s parents, would often ask God for signs that he was watching over her. God’s signs were miraculous to say the least. When Stuart was driving in the mountains, he saw an enormous billboard that read, “Hope Thou in God.” Additionally, when Shelby went to pray in the chapel at the hospital, she noticed a stained glass window titled “The Hope Window” that featured a picture of a young girl on crutches with God’s hands placed on her shoulder as he was healing her. God was certainly watching out for the Stout family.
Because Hope’s Wish is written from Stuart and Shelby’s perspective, the readers are able to attain an insight into what grieving is like for parents with a child suffering from cancer. Throughout the book, Stuart and Shelby discuss Hope’s life using the past tense, which allows the readers to assume that Hope’s cancer is terminal. However, her parents have a very unique perspective on her death. Shelby shared, “Inside the prayer box I wrote that I wanted Hope’s 100 percent complete healing. Well, the prayer in my prayer box was answered: Hope did receive 100 percent healing. It just wasn't the way I expected.” This quote speaks volumes to the trust Stuart and Shelby had in God, even if this meant Hope’s healing would come from eternal life with God.
Hope’s faith in God and her extreme care for others differentiated her from the other children her age. When the wish granters from Make-A-Wish arrived at the Stout household, Hope was conflicted with what she wanted to wish for. She had many desires: to be a model, to be the first female president, to be famous, to be on television, and to marry Brad Pitt. However, Hope ultimately decided that she had been very fortunate in her life, unlike many children her age. Therefore, Hope’s wish was to grant all the wishes of the other 155 children on the Make-A-Wish waiting list in North Carolina: an $850,000 endeavor.
I would highly recommend reading Hope’s Wish to see if Hope is able to accomplish this tremendous task, but be prepared for an emotional roller coaster. Hope’s story is no doubt a tearjerker, but it is filled with heartwarming elements and signs from God.