The onset of my cancer diagnosis at the age of thirty-five on December 23, 2013, plunged me deep into the Word of God on a hunt for hope and help. Peace settles my troubled soul when I receive encouragement from His Word under the comfort and counsel of His Holy Spirit. My constant need for Jesus and His Word has only increased with each passing year since 2013.

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A couple of months after diagnosis, the call to parakaleo came in my prayer closet. Parakaleo means to encourage, come alongside, comfort, and strengthen. The main idea of parakaleo is to come alongside and encourage others with the Word of God. There is no parakaleo without the Paraclete, the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit! He is our ever present Comforter, Counselor, Encourager, and Helper (see John 14:16).

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In a world that is spiraling into darkness, pain, and suffering, Jesus shines as the Light blinking, "I am the way....I am the truth...I am the life” (see John 14:6). As Christians, we are vessels that carry the light and love of Jesus in our hearts. Jesus is the answer for all suffering. His Word is our guiding light. For some, He may heal us here. For others, healing may come at Heaven's Shores. But for all of us, He promises to be with us always (Matthew 28:20).

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As believers, we are pilgrims in pursuit of things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God (Colossians 3:1). We set our hearts on the highways to Zion. As we go through the Valley of Baca, we make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. We go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion (see Psalm 84:5-7).

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We live by Sola Scriptura, the Holy Scriptures as the sole authority for our faith and how we live. We can only do all this through the power of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives (see Ephesians 3:20). Our souls will delight in the richness of God's Word (see Isaiah 55:2). We desire to know Him more and to love others out of the overflow of His love poured out into our hearts (see Romans 5:5). We seek first His kingdom and His righteousness (see Matthew 6:34).

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While I do not know the number of my days, I give them all to the One who numbered them before I was born (see Psalm 139:16). May it be true for me that to live is Christ and to die is gain (see Phil 1:21). This means I do not seek to live for myself but for the One who hung on a cross to pay the price for my sin (see Matthew 16:25). One glorious day, my faith will become sight (see 2 Corinthians 5:7). My gaze will rise to meet the eyes of my Beautiful Savior. In that moment, I will know that any light and momentary suffering I experience here indeed did prepare me for a weight of eternal glory beyond all comparison (see 2 Corinthians 4:17-18).

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Whatever burdens weigh you down today, we pray they will be lifted by the love of Jesus and encouraging comfort from His Word. All burdens become lighter when Jesus shoulders them. Jesus beckons, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 ESV).

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It is our desire here at Parakaleo Press to share hope and encouragement from God's Word. We currently have our first two books for sale through Parakaleo Press, Meet My Medical Director: Navigating Cancer’s Storm and The Whisper Within: Resting in our Creator’s Love. As Jesus leads and equips, we are hopeful about having audio versions of these books available in the future. We are currently in production of the audiobook versions of our books.