Adversity aftermath: Do you give up or rise up? Survivor of trauma, cancers, and strokes offers wisdom

Prisoner of Hope: Captured by Grace
by Ramona Tuma

DALLAS: September 25, 2025 – “What do you do with the memories of the adversity you have faced in life? Do you give up or rise up? It’s not always easy to know what to do when you’re in the midst of a battle,” writes author and speaker Ramona Tuma, whose life has been a roller coaster ride of sorrows, joys and adversity.

Ramona recounts her life and choices in her first book, Prisoner of Hope: Captured by Grace, a personal redemption story.

After overcoming sexual abuse, a physically abusive marriage and abduction of her children by her ex-husband, Mona thought she had survived the worst but then learned the ex-husband had hired a hit man to end her life.

Raised in a Christian home, she admits some of the adversity was of her own making, as her teenage rebellion made her turn away from family and from God, and into a marriage to a psychologically damaged man.

Later as a single mom of two young kids facing eviction, she angrily challenged God to prove his love for her by solving her problem, which he did in miraculous fashion. And thus, she began her journey of faith.

God led her into a redemptive second marriage and the building of a strong Christian family. Blessings of faith and family and a speaking ministry followed for many years.

But God had more challenges in store for her – first cancer, not once but three times. Also a stroke, requiring her to relearn writing, walking and speaking — but then, a second stroke – and starting over yet again to fight to regain use of her body.  It’s a fight that continues.

She knows she could have died many times. In fact, often longed for it while enduring excruciating pain.

So perhaps it’s not surprising that she views the world through a unique lens.

“There are things I simply cannot forget that have defined my relationship with God and others. There are times I’ve felt abandoned by God and questioned Him,” she admits. “It takes looking back and reflecting on the darkest moments to understand that he was always there, walking by my side.”

But while hospitalized recovering from the first stroke, Ramona was in a different place having walked with God through her cancer.

She was able to reflect, “I had an unmistakable sense of wonderment and incredible gratitude. I remember lying there deciding how I was going to handle this new event in my life. I knew I could shrink into bitterness asking ‘why me?’ and a thousand other questions, but I knew that none of those questions would ever be answered.

“So, I had to choose to let go of even having the why question answered. The only way I was going to get through this was with gratitude. “

“I learned from my strokes – and now with the new round of cancer – that we may not have tomorrow, and now I know the power of living day by day.

“When we have an understanding to live today, knowing each day has its own new mercies, then we can release the failures and mistakes of yesterday and receive the grace to live tomorrow.“

Despite all she has been through she states, “We trust that everything that happens to us is for one purpose: to make us more like Christ and to love Him on earth and for eternity.”

“I hang on to the truth that I have not only been a prisoner of hope but also captured by grace,” the scripture references that form the title of her first book.

Ramona has now finished her second book, a continuation of the story of God having his hand on her despite and through the second stroke, and more cancer. Whispering Hope: From Darkness to Dawn is anticipated for release in fall 2025.

Looking back on a life that is mostly now lived, her perspective is one of wisdom.

“The cry of my heart is to finish well. What does this look like? For starters, it’s living a life of forgiveness. Letting go of what was. Not longing for what used to be. That one is hard, but you can get lost wishing for what used to be.

“How do we finish strong? We choose love and we choose the Word of God.” 

For review copies of Prisoner of Hope: Captured by Grace or to interview Ramona Tuma, contact Joni Sullivan Baker, Buoyancy PR, at 513/319-3231 or jbaker@buoyancypr.com.  

Prisoner of Hope: Captured by Grace (978-1954437357, $14.99) was published by Carpenter’s Son Publishing and is available from selected bookstores and online retailers. Whispering Hope: From Darkness to Dawn is anticipated fall 2025 and will also be published by Carpenters Son Publishing. To connect with Ramona, you can find her at https://ramonatuma.com/