When Lightning Strikes Twice

"When my doctor found a new melanoma after I'd been officially 'clean' for six years, I was stunned. It was like starting over with the original diagnosis. Except worse." For people who've worked hard to overcome an addiction, become a better spouse, or adopt a healthy, positive lifestyle, a new addiction or a second descent into illness can also represent personal failure. Even more disturbing to those of us facing a repeated crisis is the initial impact it may have on our faith and relationship with God. When we find ourselves facing again the very thing that we've counted on God to prevent, we can feel betrayed. Shock, disbelief, rage, blame--all these feelings can come to bear on our life. These pages explore all of these feelings and examine how people in the grip of repeat tragedy experienced the event, faced their circumstances, learned to cope, and found their way to a stronger faith and deeper trust in God. Using life stories, biblical profiles, and illustrations from our culture, each chapter will define and describe a stage or emotion in the experience of a second tragedy. At the end of each chapter are a prayer conversation with God, questions for reflection, suggested Bible readings, and activities designed to assist in dealing with a return tragedy. This warm and welcoming book is a perfect companion for anyone experiencing that second strike of lightning.