UNDEFEATED INNOCENCE: How God Helped My Parents and Me Navigate the Alzheimer’s Journey

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Others said, “You are blessed.” I was broken.

Others said, “You are strong.” I was scared.

Others said, “You are courageous.” I was cowardly.

Others said, “You are brave.” I was barely standing.

Others said, “You lost much.” I loved much.

Others said, “You gave much.” I received grace.

That pretty much sums up the reality of how I felt as a caregiver and losing both parents to Alzheimer’s, a terminal disease that is painfully brutal, we know how it ends, there is no cure, and it doesn’t get better. I pleaded with God to not allow them to suffer anymore.

And I asked God the question, “Where are you in Alzheimer’s?” I began looking for the answers in scripture and was amazed at what I found.

I found permission to mourn. I found grace. And I began to discover the collateral beauty in Alzheimer’s. Sometimes caregiving got ugly, and sometimes it felt like no one else really understood. But God always understood, and He walked the journey with me.

You are not alone–according to the Alzheimer’s Association 2018 Facts and Figures report, 5.7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s, and over 16.1 million caregivers gave 18.4 billion hours of care valued over $232 billion. If you feel broken, stressed, scared, scarred, tear-stained, fear-filled, and weary, I’ve been standing right where you are. And I wasn’t defeated by it. I’m still standing, and a better person because of it.

UNDEFEATED INNOCENCE will help you find hope in difficult circumstances and the grace to get up one day at a time with one foot in front of the other.

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Cheryl Crofoot Knapp is passionate about using her life experiences to encourage others. She is a caregiving survivor, and a devoted wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, speaker, author, blogger, and Mrs. Minnesota-America 1996. She's the author of UNDEFEATED INNOCENCE, which combines personal and humorous anecdotes with Biblical truths to share with caregivers that God's grace is always sufficient. She encourages readers to find passionate patience, look for life's collateral beauty, and recognize that it's okay to store toothpaste in an underwear drawer.

She was a primary caregiver and life manager for her parents through their battles with Alzheimer's. Caregiving taught her about gains and losses, discovering courage within herself, and the importance of having love and support from those around her. She lost her dad to Alzheimer's in 2010 and her mom to Alzheimer's in 2016. She says, "The dust continues to settle, and the plumb line is set to a new normal."

Cheryl won the 2018 Foundation Award (Article) for her blog post, "Mama I'm So Sorry," at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in Ridgecrest, North Carolina.

Her devotions are currently featured on Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN.com). Her column, "Caregivers Corner: Caring for Parents," is featured in Broken But Priceless online quarterly magazine. She enjoys being a periodic guest facilitator at the Mruk Center on Aging's Alzheimer's Dementia Caregiving Support Group meetings. And she was a guest speaker at the "Passionate About Purple Gala" in San Antonio for the Enchanted Hearts Alzheimer's and Dementia Association.

Cheryl and her husband are members of First Baptist Church of Mountain Home (Arkansas). They participate in Walks to End Alzheimer's, and she has served in Bible study, worship, evangelism, and prison ministries. She founded Regifted Grace Ministry and shares her contagious faith at conferences, retreats, banquets, and churches, as well as on television and radio interviews.