ARTICLES BY COLLEEN CHAO
Three years ago today, my phone rang with terrible news. My doctor’s office called to inform me they finally had the results of my three-and-a-half months of medical testing. When they wouldn’t disclose the results over the phone, I knew exactly what they were. This
When I was a child, my mother passed along to me a deep appreciation for the life story and writings of Elisabeth Elliot. As a teenager I read her book Passion and Purity, convinced that my own Jim Elliot was right around the corner. In
In the past decade, going to the doctor has felt a bit like guzzling apple cider vinegar while walking barefoot on hot coals. Not exactly my idea of fun. Thursday’s appointment was no exception—bad news again. Not necessarily cancer, but a complicated cocktail of issues
Yesterday felt heavy and strange as we closed the door on 2018. What a year. Twelve months ago today, I was recovering from the first of several surgeries and staring chemo in the face. I’d already spent five months hopping from one doctor’s office to
Well, tomorrow is Round 12, my final chemo infusion. It was three months ago today that I went in for my first infusion, with a head full of hair and a cancerous tumor bigger than a golf ball. It was nine months ago that I
Four months ago I found a lump in my breast. And the Spirit clearly said, “This lump is a gift.” ~ ~ ~ This summer was the first time in a decade that I felt well. I started sleeping, I had energy, the aches and
Summer is an odd duck. School lets out, Instagram becomes a film reel of beach days and vacas, and by July 31st Halloween paraphernalia is holding stores hostage. Between June and August I’m never quite sure if I’m winding down or revving up. These hot
This past year has been one of the hardest of my life. My hubby will say the same. We watched the bottom drop out from underneath us, and at times fear and fatigue overwhelmed our faith. It’s been one thing after another, but it hasn’t
If you’ve ever spent time around someone who thinks they know everything, you’ve got a pretty good picture of what I was like in my late teens to early twenties. I had it all figured out, folks. I shared my opinions freely. I judged silently but liberally.
I’m not in a wheelchair. I’m not on chemo. I’ve ended up in the hospital only two times, for brief outpatient visits. To see me, you’d assume I’m the picture of perfect health. But underneath this strong exterior lies deep weakness. I’ve been given the
Three years ago today, my phone rang with terrible news. My doctor’s office called to
When I was a child, my mother passed along to me a deep appreciation for
In the past decade, going to the doctor has felt a bit like guzzling apple
Yesterday felt heavy and strange as we closed the door on 2018. What a year.
Well, tomorrow is Round 12, my final chemo infusion. It was three months ago today
Four months ago I found a lump in my breast. And the Spirit clearly said,
Summer is an odd duck. School lets out, Instagram becomes a film reel of beach
If you’ve ever spent time around someone who thinks they know everything, you’ve got a pretty
I’m not in a wheelchair. I’m not on chemo. I’ve ended up in the hospital
