Have Faith

What do you do when you are still afraid, but people are depending on you and life cannot be put on hold? For much of her life, Ralph Palmer didn't have an easy answer. Growing up shy and frightened on Chicago’s West Side, she faced early loss before she ever understood how to process it. Then, becoming a mother as a teenager, she found herself thrust into adult responsibilities while still growing up herself—navigating the terrifying gap between wanting to do well and not yet knowing how. In Have Faith: A Nurse's Story of Faith, Motherhood, and the Courage to Begin Again, Palmer offers a raw, deeply moving, and beautifully unvarnished memoir about what it means to keep showing up when you are carrying hidden pain, navigating difficult relationships, and putting everyone else's needs before your own. This is not a story of instant fixes or effortless triumphs; it is a profound testament to resilience, quiet endurance, and the courage to rebuild your life one necessary task at a time. Inside these honest and validating pages, you will discover:The Reality of Young Motherhood: Balancing the immediate, relentless demands of a child while still discovering your own identity and voice. Carrying Hidden Pain: Confronting painful relationships and the heavy emotional cost of caring for everyone else while ignoring your own need for healing. A Journey Into Healthcare: Finding professional purpose and building a career—step by painstaking step—from a Certified Medical Assistant to a Licensed Practical Nurse, and eventually returning to school later in life to pursue becoming a Registered Nurse. Faith in the Midst of Uncertainty: Praying through fear, doubt, and unanswered questions without pretending that faith makes life painless or obvious. The Courage to Begin Again: Realizing that it is never too late to chase a dream, honor your own worth, and choose a future you can still shape. Tender, wise, and profoundly human, Have Faith speaks directly to anyone who has ever felt delayed by circumstance, exhausted by caregiving, or uncertain whether they are allowed to start over. It is a gentle reminder that your past does not define your final destination, and your heart is always worthy of care. A powerful, inspiring companion for the road from surviving to truly living.