The Secret to Living a Defiant Joy: an interview with Margaret Feinberg

The Secret To Living A Defiant Joy: An interview with Margaret Feinberg

One of my favorite authors, Margaret Feinberg, has been through a brutal fight with cancer and shares the unexpected lessons she discovered along the way in her new book and Bible study Fight Back With Joy.

It’s been inspiring to learn how Margaret has been practicing a defiant joy, and I and thought you might like to get an insider’s look, a sneak peek of the video and read an interview with Margaret.

Preview the 6-Session DVD Bible Study, here. 

Your newest book and Bible study, Fight Back With Joy, was born out of your fight with a life-threatening illness. What was your difficult diagnosis, and what has your journey to health entailed?

For the last 18 months, I’ve been battling breast cancer. Breast cancer isn’t just one disease represents thousands of different diseases with their varying components and factors. Being diagnosed under the age of 40 is significant. I’ve been through a brutal year of chemotherapy, radiation, and more surgeries than I can count or want to remember.

Why did you write Fight Back With Joy?

I studied joy for a year and was putting the finishing touches on book on joy—just two weeks from turning it into the publisher, when I received the diagnosis. I had been pursuing and activating joy in my life in the relatively good times, now I had to do it in the midst of darkness, depression, and torturous pain. Through the process, I’ve discovered the breadth, depth, and power of joy—that despite hundreds of sermons and many decades in the church—no one had told me of before.

In Fight Back With Joy book and Bible study, you really push the reader to reevaluate their definition of joy. Why do you think this is so important?

Much of the teaching I’ve heard on joy over the years is oversimplified. I remember those days in Sunday school learning that JOY is spelled Jesus, Others, Yourself. While that made perfect sense at 9 years old, I’ve seen how distorted that can become as an adult.

I see friends who love Jesus but spend so much time pouring into their kids, grandkids and others that their joy looks something like this: jOy.

Technically, it still spells joy, but more than anything, these men and women who are so exhausted, so empty, so running on fumes from pouring into others need to pause and take time to focus on themselves. Laying hold of joy right now will require them to reevaluate for a season and discover the joy that comes with JYo.

I also noticed how most of the definitions of joy define it more by what it isn’t than by what it is. I constantly heard that happiness is based on circumstance but joy is not dependent on circumstance.

Biblical expressions of joy turn out to be far different than what I had been taught. I am now convinced the writers of the Bible would say that, the reason we have joy is because we have great circumstances. If you are a child of God, you are drenched in the grace and mercy of God.

No matter what you’re facing: Your circumstances are better than you think.

If you’re not experiencing joy, perhaps it’s because your definition of joy is too narrow.

On a scale of 1-10, how hard was it for you to write this book and Bible study?

An eleven! This journey has been the most painful experience of my life. And, to share about it requires some vulnerability. Okay, a lot of vulnerability. And, that’s really, really hard. But I feel like I’m finally ready to share what God has stirred in my heart along the way because although cancer has been the most painful journey—it has also been the most joyful. And no one is more surprised than I am.

A video message from Margaret

Pick up a copy of Fight Back With Joy at Amazon or Barnes and Noble today.

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Seek Joy in 2015

I read Margaret Feinberg's book Fight Back with Joy during Christmas break. I meant to study it, to soak in its truth, and to allow it to direct my focus in a new direction.

But I got caught up in its pages--the joys and the trials and the truths. Margaret writes of her journey through cancer. She does a beautiful job of sharing her journey without making this an emotionally heavy book. I couldn't put the book down, and I finished it far too quickly.

I ordered the member book that can be used in discussion groups. I am reading it one day at a time, pacing myself so that I will hear the message and the biblical truth that Margaret shares. I am discussing this book on facebook with a few friends, to give myself a bit of accountability.

Margaret balances her story with biblical truth and humor. It is an enjoyable read, but it calls readers to evaluate our own lives and coping techniques. It urges us to lean on Jesus and let him plant his joy in us. This is a comforting yet compelling book.

Margaret also includes some down to earth advice on helping friends who are experiencing difficulties.

Margaret writes:

My prayer is that this book will be beacon for anyone searching for HOW to fight darkness.

My prayer is that this book will be a beacon for anyone ABOUT to face a battle.

My prayer is that this book will be a beacon for anyone IN the fight of their lives.

My prayer is that this book will be a beacon for anyone who has crawled THROUGH the trenches.

 Find this book on Amazon or Barnes & NobleBarnes & Noble. You can also purchase the 6-Session Bible Study Kit.

Hear Margaret introduce her study here: http://mar.cta.gs/0be

You are Here: a new Bible study

I stared out the window of our apartment in Las Vegas and wondered what in the world I was doing here. It was too hot to take the baby outside and I hadn't made friends in our new town. Reading my Bible seemed like more fun than folding laundry. The book of Ecclesiastes caught my attention. Its author was an ancient king who looked out his palace windows and declared that life was meaningless--a chase after the wind. I looked at the dishes in the sink and the cereal on the floor and I could understand the feeling. I kept reading. Nothing made King Solomon happy. Nothing brought him fulfillment. He saw all the evil and unfairness in the world and he was discouraged and confused. I considered current news events and I realized that not much had changed in our world. I was intrigued by the reality in this ancient book.

My Sunday school class led me into another biblical book. Philippians was the opposite of Ecclesiastes! Its author wrote from a prison cell, and said he was perfectly content. Paul urged his readers to rejoice and to be confident that God was working in their lives. I wondered if I too could choose to be content.

These contrasting books were my companions for several years. When the desert heat was overwhelming and discouragement knocked on my door, I would turn to God's word and find hope. I bought a study Bible, and noticed a chart in the book of John. It showed me the statements Jesus made about his identity: I am the light of the world, I am the bread of life, I am the vine. These simple words answered all the longings expressed by Solomon. They explained why Paul could proclaim, "For me to live is Christ."

I began to understand that the difference between discouragement and contentment was not so much a choice but a Person. When I am aware that my Savior is walking beside me, I am not so concerned with memories of the past or worries for the future. He is here, speaking his truth into my reality.

In my new book You are Here, you can join me in the books of Jonh, Ecclesiastes and Philippians. Come see Jesus in action. Whisper your needs and longings to him. He is here.

To order a copy, use the Contact Me form to the left of this page. The spiral bound book is 253 pages and has 12 chapters. The books are $11 each, plus shipping.