choose joy: a survior’s guide for hope

I woke up one August morning in 2011 to a different day. This was the day I would choose to live my life without my forever friend and joy. August 26, 2011, the day my daughter, Emily Joy, died and her brother, my son Jarett survived changed my life forever. The love that held our family together shattered when a boat swerved to miss one Sea-doo and crashed into another which carried my son and his sister.

This book is a relatable journey of traveling through hell and grief to peace, compassion and forgiveness that will show you that happiness is an option. Living your best life is still possible. The rest of your life can be the best of your life. There is more to your life than what you may be currently settling for. You deserve the best. I want to inspire you to be the person that someone looks at and says, ＂Because of you I didn’t give up.＂

CHOOSE JOY is a survival guide for anyone who has been or will ever feel broken by life. It is a handbook for hope designed to help you find peace. Learning to navigate through the places you travel in life is easier with a friendly guide, easy to understand map and success strategy. A guide gives you something to hold onto as you wait for the pain to end. A map shows you that there are many places to travel. A strategy offers you action steps to take to help you achieve success.

Being a human isn’t always easy. Difficult challenges and every day stress creates times when it would seem easier to just give up. This book is for the champion in you who refuses to surrender.

Faith is a cornerstone for peace. Life without faith is no life at all. Believe that better is coming. Trust that your breakthrough is near. It is essential to trust that this is your year to win. This is your season for growth. Now is your time to heal.

＂Choose Joy: A Survivor’s Guide for Hope is more than a book-it’s a roadmap to personal transformation. Nancy’s courage and fierce determination shine through every page as she lays out the tools you need to shift from surviving to thriving.
If life’s hardships have left you feeling stuck or overwhelmed, this book will remind you of your inner strength. Nancy doesn’t just share her story; she hands you the blueprint for breaking free from the grip of trauma and embracing a future full of purpose and joy.
With her heartfelt wisdom and actionable strategies, you will feel empowered to release the past, take charge of your healing, and rediscover your true potential. This is not just a read-it’s your invitation to a whole new way of living.＂
-Christopher Rausch, Coach Speaker

＂I loved every minute of reading Choose Joy: A Survivor’s Guide for Hope.
It drew me in, and I couldn’t put it down.
This is a book for anyone who has EVER struggled with grief or the feeling of not being enough.
Thank you Nancy for sharing your journey of tragedy to triumph so eloquently with all of us.
It is wonderful how you walked us though the steps you used to turn the Lights on after living in the darkness for so many years.
Reading your different life experiences showed me how, as you said, Forgiveness does not change the past. Forgiveness enlarges the future.
I am so grateful for how your words have assisted me to now allow my angels to guide me more to do what brings me joy.＂
-Daphne McDonagh, Healing Energy Coach, Rehabilitation and Wellness Specialist, 2x International Bestselling Author