Tears of sadness, tears of joy : One couple's journey through love, faith, and mental illness

In the summer of 1956, when Jo met charismatic young preacher Bill Vamos at a Vacation Bible School conference, neither could possibly have predicted the decades-long journey they were about to embark on together. It was a journey from courtship to marriage and beyond that would take them everywhere from the colorful bazaars of India to the cornfields of Indiana. It would bolster--and test--their faith in ways they never could have anticipated. Jo Vamos Honig tells the frank and captivating story of their life together, navigating the triumphs and the sorrows with humor and grace. The joyful moments of building a life and a family are explored alongside the struggles of navigating a partner's mental illness. We travel with Jo and Bill from the sanctuary of the church to the cold hallways of the psych ward and back again, witness to both their sadness and their joy. "This is a memoir of a successful Indiana pastor, eventually diagnosed with a bi-polar disorder, and of his wife, who made that journey with him. Through the years Bill and Jo experienced many challenges; bi-polar illness, breast cancer, a near divorce, a hurtful situation in the church that caused Bill to consider leaving the ministry, as well as several frightening episodes in the community, including one in which he helped avoiding a race riot. Bill and Jo grew in faith and developed a deep love and appreciation for each other. The setting of the story are the flat lands of Indiana and exotic places in India and Africa. What makes this story unique is Bill's courage to provide a graphic description of his experience in a psychiatric hospital. By sharing his story, Bill hoped readers would gain insight into the impact of this disease and how one can still live a productive life"-- Provided by publisher