This week’s review: Unexpected, by Trina Pocket.

Pocket received a cancer diagnosis when she was 23. And pregnant with her second child. The illness combined with the hellish effects from chemo caused her once vibrant spiritual life to shrivel.

Yet in the midst of the pain and confusion, Trina miraculously finds hope. She writes of her first chemo treatment:

The woman in the recliner next to me looked my way. She gently reached over and held my hand. She looked me straight in the eyes and said, “It’s okay. Everyone cries the first time. . . . And that was it. She squeezed my hand, let go, and went back to doing her crossword puzzle. As soon as she spoke those words, something profound happened. Her words breathed peace in my heart. . . . For the first time since the diagnosis, I felt something stirring in the depth of my soul. An overwhelming feeling was bubbling up from within. It reached my heart and mind and the same time. My mouth opened and I called it out by name, hope.

I have never had cancer and I barely know Trina but I found myself crying throughout the book. She does not invite pity. She simply shares the story of the most difficult season in her life in the hope that others will not feel so alone.

One of the most helpful subtexts in Pocket’s book is her struggle to ask for help. So often, we mistakenly think we should be strong and independent. Because of her dire need, that illusion was stripped away, allowing Pocket to accept the reality that so many of us fight against: we need community! (Even when we are well!) She writes,

Pride kept me from building real relationships. Pride talked me out of being candid for fear of looking weak. Pride kept me from saying the words that I knew were true: “I need help.”

Trina could have called her book

Searching for a Through-line, or

Invitation to Exhale, or

Stories of Provision, or

Unexpected Stops on the Journey of Life

because she writes about all of these issues. Unexpected offers us hope and help finding our way through life when road maps no longer work. It’s a quick and encouraging read. Check out Trina’s website or follow her on Twitter (@trinapocket).

I will be giving away a signed copy of Unexpected. Leave a comment below to enter.

To read more reviews, visit my Goodreads page, or enter click here.

Thanks for stopping by. Happy reading.