Time to Die, A Time to Live: Making and Moving Beyond End-of-Life Decisions

A mother grapples with a crisis of faith while struggling to know God’s will when facing end-of-life decisions for her child and learns to recognize and recover from false guilt as she seeks to reconnect with God in the aftermath.

It was years ago I first learned about Stacey’s story - little did I know how intimately involved I would become in both her life and death. Stacey Magargle taught me many lessons, not the least of which is that God is utterly sovereign over the decisions we make. I also learned the painful lesson of learning to think - and think hard - before speaking. I am so glad to now see A Time to Die, A Time to Live in print, and I hope as you read that you, too, will learn timeless lessons about life and death, care and compassion, and how we can best support each other through the toughest of times. The book you hold in your hands is a deeply personal look into the heart of Nancy, Stacey’s mother - I pray that in these pages, you will see how deep and wide a mother’s love will go when faced with impossible choices. And that, perhaps, is the best lesson of all.

• Joni Eareckson Tada, Joni and Friends International Disability Center