Blindsided by God

by Peter Chin

This book has all the makings of a horror story: failed church plant, broken in house, breast cancer, unexpected pregnancy, lost health insurance and so on. Peter is a pastor who moves his family to Washington D.C. because he feels God has called him to start a church plant. In the first year, all of the above happens.  On the day his wife is scheduled for her mastectomy, the Dr. discovers she is pregnant and contrary to what a lot would expect, the Dr. expects them to keep the child and not abort him.  They do keep the baby and he goes through the surgery and all the chemo and is born a beautiful healthy normal child.  The lost health insurance was a scam from the health insurance company once they realized Peter's wife had cancer, they tried to figure out a way to drop her off their plan by saying there had been a lapse in insurance and therefore her need existed prior to their current health coverage.  When they sent the proof that there had been no lapse in coverage, the insurance company had no choice but to cover the cost of the treatments.

The book chronicles their journey through that very tough year, but it does more than that. It gives the journey of Peter as well and his struggle to accept what God had allowed to be placed in his lap.  It describes his struggle to hold on to faith as he was tested in the areas most precious to him: his wife and his church.  He came through and he discovered that because of his suffering, the church drew in suffering and hurting people as well, and even though the church eventually closed down, I believe there was a purpose behind it.

Peter is a good writer: has a bit of sarcasm/humor that he inserts here and there to keep your attention.  His story does have all the happy endings; not only does his wife survive the breast cancer at 4 years out currently, but the chemo didn't make her infertile and they have had two more children since the chemo and in his studies, Peter discovered that pregnancy seems to provide a better chance to breast cancer victims and survivors.  I haven't done any research myself to verify this; just saying what he said in his book. The question he addresses in the epilogue is "What About my Happy Ending?" Peter realizes that not everyone gets the happy ending and he doesn't have pat answers for that, but he's willing to listen and care.

I would recommend the book; it's not the best I've ever read, but it is a good story and it is encouraging to hear happy stories with happy endings in a world filled with tragedy and sadness and death.

This book was given me by Bethany House Publishers for the purpose of reading and reviewing. All opinions expressed are my own.