Cancer Mom

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Cancer Mom

Susan B. Parris is a mother, pastor’s wife, and cancer survivor. At the age of 34, Susan received a breast cancer diagnosis that turned her life upside down.

Susan B. Parris is married to Dr. Stan Parris, who is the senior pastor of Franklin Heights Baptist Church in Rocky Mount, VA. Stan and Susan have been serving churches in Virginia for the past 20 years. Besides her role as a mom and wife, Susan is the vice president and marketing director of TruPoint Bank. She roots for the University of Georgia, where she graduated cum laude.

Excerpt from Cancer Mom

Have you ever felt regret after making a decision? Stan and I thought that our opportunity to move was perfect for us to fulfill our goals for our family and for our careers. But, through Haggai, God told us to stay where we were. Instead of building a new house for myself, God’s plan for us was to help build a new church in Vansant. I didn’t understand this decision at the time. I felt dreary and empty, like the cold, February weather. I’d been saving a new pair of shoes I’d bought to wear on our first Sunday at the new church. Now I walked into worship at Vansant wearing those shoes, feeling like a great opportunity had just walked by my life. Soon, however, I would discover the power of God’s sovereignty. He had a plan. He always does. This experience was building a foundation to teach me two truths about life. One, God’s Word is powerful and He speaks to us through His Word. Second, friends are essential in the journey of life. I would need both in just a few short months. God would once again speak to me through an Old Testament prophet and use my deep friendships in utterly amazing ways. Eight months after making the decision to stay at Vansant, I heard the words I’ll never forget, words no human being wants to hear. Earlier the doctor had said, ‘You have nothing to worry about.’ But on October 20, 2004, the doctor said, ‘You have cancer.’

At 34, Susan had just gotten her children settled into kindergarten and preschool when she received a breast cancer diagnosis that turned her life upside down. Cancer Mom chronicles her courageous battle with cancer, a clinical trial, and the power of God’s presence in her life.