Author Spotlight: Joanne Schreuders

We are pleased to introduce Joanne Schreuders. Joanne's first book, Family at Large: An Entertaining Peek into the Life of a Large Family, chronicles her everyday experience raising and home-schooling ten children. And, now available for pre-order is Doing It Well: Walking through Cancer with Hope. Both titles are available for through the Word Alive Press Bookstore, and everywhere fine Christian books are sold. We asked Joanne to share a little bit about her new books and found she rediscovered her passion for writing. But first, a little bit about her.

About

Joanne Schreuders was born into a Christian family with two parents, a sister, and a brother. She attended a Christian grade school and high school, in Ontario, in the Niagara area.

She had given up on guys and was working on her relationship with God. But leave it to God to have other plans. He had a handsome redhead walk into her life. Jim became her best friend. They were married and moved to southwestern Ontario here they had a boy and later a girl. After moving their little family, a little more west, God blessed them with two more boys. At Jim’s encouragement, they began homeschooling. Then came two more girls. Joanne struggled with life, trying to do it all herself. God heard her prayers and sent a dear friend one summer.  Together they read God’s word, prayed and cried many tears.  During this time, she realized she couldn’t do it on her own and she wasn’t expected to. Once she gave it to God, Joanne realized He had had them the whole time.

Taking this new step in her spiritual journey, she was excited when one, then another, girl came into their family. Are you keeping count? That was eight kids when God revealed to them a tumour on the base of Joanne’s brain on her spine the size of a grapefruit or baseball. The doctors could not understand why she had not lost eyesight or hearing or any other side effects. Joanne and Jim knew it was God. Their faith grew as God supplied for their family’s needs. After surgery, a muscle was gone from the right side of her head and it caused neck tremors that have gotten worse over the years, causing her head to bobble. But she was still here to care for and love her family.

Well, God was not finished blessing them yet and along came two more boys; making that five boys and five girls in 18 years. Taking one year at a time they have continued their homeschooling journey for the elementary and junior high years. During this time, at the arena, the homeschooling moms talked about writing a book about large families as many of them had one. Topics were discussed but no one followed through, except Joanne. Taking those topics, she began writing Family at Large and self-published it in 2016. Later she republished it with an extra chapter in 2024, with Word Alive Press.

Then 17 years after her surgery, COVID hit. Along with that came the diagnosis of Jim’s cancer; the same cancer as Terry Fox. The doctors saved Jim’s leg but were unable to keep it out of his lungs. They prayed for healing but it was not God’s will. So, she started writing as a way to process. Through her writing, God showed her that she needed to write Doing It Well: Walking Through Cancer with Hope to help others walking on a similar journey.

From here she feels God’s leading to talk to others about preparing for the end of life in practical ways that will benefit their families who will be left behind. She also hopes to help people go through their things with her new business Organize and Prioritize. Here she hopes to walk people through the memories of the stuff they no longer use, helping to find new homes and even enjoy watching the next generation enjoy their treasures.

Q&A

Q: How did you find time to write Family at Large?
A: One summer, when my kids begged me to take them to the neighbour's pool to swim, I eagerly agreed so I could sort through all the scribbles and notes I had made on the different chapter topics over the years. Later at night when the kids were in bed, I typed the chapter I had worked on that day at the pool.

Q: Why did you write Family at Large?
A: People always asked what it was like to raise a large family. There were fun things but also struggles. I wanted to share with others that even if it looked like I had it all together I didn’t and that they were not alone. At the same time, I wanted them to see that with God anything was possible, even raising a large family. We are not in control, He is.

Q: Why did you write Doing It Well?
A: Multiple reasons, really. None of them being because a friend commented that the last chapter of a book usually hints at the next book. So, she figured Jim, having written the last chapter of Family at Large, would be writing the next book. Which, sadly in a way he did.

First, I wrote Doing It Well because I needed to process what we went through. Being in it we just walked one step at a time, doing what we needed to do. Now I could write and process what had happened.

Secondly, I wanted my grandkids to know their funny Papa who thought the world of them. I want them to know they were prayed for and loved immensely.

Thirdly, while walking our cancer journey Jim would say he wished he could talk to someone who had gone through this journey, but they were all gone. I wanted to be that voice for someone else.

Lastly, but most importantly, God kept leading the way in every step of the process. As you know, when God leads, you have to follow. So, I did.

Q: How did you remember all those facts while you were grieving?
A: Photos, videos, and journals helped to remember the facts. Sometimes I would wake up in the mornings and remember a doctor’s visit, or another time in our journey so clearly, that I just had to write it down. I also received detailed medical records, which brought my thoughts back to the doctor’s appointments and what was said. But truthfully it was all God’s doing, giving me what I needed while I wrote.

Q: Do you tell any helpful tips in your book about planning for end-of-life?
A: Yes. I call them “Think About It” boxes. In these sections, there will be tips on making wills, pre-planning funerals without cost to you (or you can pay for it if you choose), sketching out your memorials, and so much more. All things that will help your loved ones, after you have passed, so they don’t need to make those difficult decisions while they are grieving your passing.

Jim did it well, preparing us for what was to come. He helped us in the planning, making a hard time much easier and more relaxed as we made decisions together. Think about it, if your loved one passed on and then you had only a few days (or less) to make all those quick decisions, wouldn’t you wonder during that time what your loved one would want and maybe later regret the decisions you did make? Do it now, together. Save your family those hard decisions, even if it is scribbled notes in a file somewhere. Just make sure you tell someone where the file is.

Q: Having lost your husband, what advice would you have for us?
A: First I want you to understand that I thought I knew what it was going to be like, but I had no idea. One of the hardest things was going through stuff. It's not just stuff anymore, it’s memories. Have you thought about all your stuff? The stuff in the cupboards, closets, basement, attic and garage that you never use? They all have memories, that’s why you still have them. This can make it hard to pass it on after a loved one is gone. Do it now while there is not so much attachment.

One way is to think about someone else who could use it. If a family member is starting out and needs a set of dishes and you have two sets (or more), why not give them a set and watch them enjoy using them? What if you have an old stroller and a struggling neighbour is expecting a new little one? Why not bless them? You might be surprised to see how their smile blooms in your heart. Why not just keep what you need to live your life today? Not for “just in case” or “someday”. You might also find that you will be so much happier with less. Fewer things talking to you saying, “Clean me.” “Fix me.” “Find me a home.” or “Look at me.” You will have more time for things you love to do.

Q: Were you always encouraged to write? What encouragement do you have for new writers?
A: I was on the high school newspaper committee years ago. The teacher verbally tore my articles to smithereens. I was devastated. I dropped out of writing for the newspaper and didn’t write again because I was no good. Years later, as I was homeschooling my kids, I learned to write along with them. I continued to write again for myself, journaling, and writing stories of my kids. Writing also seemed easier when it pertained to my life, a detailed explanation. I love trying to explain where I am with all my senses, creating feelings in words. That being said, I would encourage new writers to just write what is on their hearts. Let God lead you. His words are always the right words.

Connecting Points

Find and follow Joanne on Facebook or Instagram. And, feel free to contact her on Facebook Messenger.
Facebook: Joanne Schreuders
Instagram: @joanneschreuders

And, of course, you can order both of her books, here.