Kimberly Michelle Garrett with her book "Enjoy the Journey" 

DALTON, Ga. — Two days after having a biopsy done, Kimberly Michelle Garrett received a call from a nurse advising her to come to the doctor’s office immediately and bring her mother.

In her book “Enjoy the Journey,” Garrett, a native of Dalton, recalls the nurse ushering them swiftly into the doctor’s office.

Garrett, then 21 and now 52, had breast cancer.

Garrett began writing the book last February.

“I was at work one day and the Lord put in my spirit that it’s time to write a book,” she said.

Garrett self-published the book with the help of Kimberly Conner and Rhonda Sawyers Frye.

The title of the book was inspired by a sermon from Garrett’s pastor, Bishop Stephen Thomas of Community Fellowship Church of Ministries Inc., where she’s been a member for almost 30 years. Thomas preached the sermon in 2013 three weeks before Garrett was diagnosed with breast cancer a second time at the age of 48. She said the sermon always “stuck with me.”

Garrett said Thomas preached that God will never leave a person on a journey alone. He will be with the person to lead and help push them through.

Garrett said the sermon is what she thought of as she went through chemotherapy.

“One day I asked my husband if he remembered that sermon the bishop preached about enjoying the journey. Well, that’s what I’m going to do,” she told him.

Thomas said he is “thrilled” his sermon inspired Garrett.

“We are really excited about her,” he said. “She’s gone through a difficult battle but her personality and attitude never changed.”

Thomas said Garrett always kept a smile on her face.

“She remained pleasant, she didn’t grumble or complain. She never asked, ‘Why me?’ The joy of the Lord is with her.”

He said Garrett has been a “tremendous example” to so many dealing with a difficult time.

“I’m amazed at how well she handled that situation,” he said.

A copy of the sermon is available on CD with the book. The cost is $15 for both and $12 for the book through Garrett at (706) 280-8198 or kmgarrett85@yahoo.com. Copies of the book are also available through Amazon.

Garrett said it took her about five months to write the book. Conner, who has published two books, helped her with topics. Garrett writes about her childhood, her breast cancer experiences and why she never considered herself sick.

“To me, being sick is when you’re in the bed and someone has to wait on you,” she said. “I could get up and do whatever I wanted so I looked at it as going through a process to get to my next level.” 

The book includes Bible verses Garrett said encouraged her, including Psalm 27:14: “Wait on the Lord, be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord.”

“I want people who read the book to see how having faith in God can give you strength,” Garrett said. “I want it to be a book for everyone, but especially for people diagnosed with cancer, to think positive and not worry.”