Finding a truce with chronic pain

Dear friends,

Thanks for taking a few minutes to let me share about the fun happenings around Nelson Books and the challenges of living with chronic pain.

In less than a month, two of the books I worked on as production editor hit the New York Times bestseller list. These books happen to be the two I shared about in January.

The Faith to Flourish by Christine Caine released in February, and it was a special excitement to see the team celebrate. I have a deep respect for Christine and loved getting to see her hit the NYT bestseller list after decades of faithful ministry.

The next week I traveled to Nashville for sales conference and had a wonderful time connecting with the entire Nelson Books team in person. We had a lot to be excited about and more was coming just a few weeks later.

The Lie You Don’t Know You Believe by Jennie Allen released on March 3 and became an instant bestseller on the NYT and Publisher’s Weekly lists. What a great start to 2026!

A few months ago an old, familiar pain flared up. This month marks ten years since I first began limping from a compressed nerve root in my left hip. After months on crutches and an unsuccessful back surgery, I learned ways to cope. Some years are better than others, but so far 2026 has brought pain that may ease but never enough to bring full relief. Driving, bending, and lifting anything more than a pound or two all raise the pain alarms.

I didn’t expect this flare-up to take so long to resolve, and right now my focus is on my trip to Oxford next month. This involves creative solutions like taking the minimum weight possible in a tiny underseat bag instead of a suitcase. (I relearned that this is nonnegotiable when I took a chance and carried my too-heavy backpack up numerous flights of stairs in Nashville. A month later, I’m still paying for it.)

Sometimes pain scares me into panic, but it’s communicating if I’m able to listen—especially in this case, when I know what’s causing it and have at least some recourse to lessen or temporarily relieve it (ice, heat, physical therapy). I’ll always have a damaged nerve root, and without pain’s warning I wouldn’t protect myself as carefully. I can’t lift anything, I stick with no-impact movements, and I avoid salt and sugar. The limitations are frustrating but dramatically affect my pain levels, and they’re good for me anyway. But would I be as careful if I didn’t hurt for days after a lapse? Hardly.

While it’s exhausting and steals a hefty chunk of my mental bandwidth, for the moment this pain and I are cautious allies steering toward a lifestyle that is sustainable in the long term. And the times I can walk pain-free and forget about my hip for a few hours are a sweet reward.

Here are more new releases from authors that I have the joy of working with:

1. After Amen: 50 Days of Poetry and Prayer by Tyler Staton (April 21, 2026). “After Amen refocuses our attention on the role of wonder in the Christian life, presenting 50 devotional entries that feature biblical reflection, heartfelt prayer, and original poetry from Tyler.”

2. When You Love Someone in Recovery by Caroline Beidler (April 7, 2026). “As someone who has personal experience living in sustained recovery, and now professionally helps those starting the journey, Caroline Beidler offers a compassionate guide for understanding addiction and the recovery lifestyle.”

I’ll be back in May to share about Oxford, book releases, and—hopefully—how the pain has lessened its hold. Have a beautiful spring!