ARTICLES BY COLLEEN CHAO

Category: Suffering

Cancer

A story for kids (especially those who are hurting)

Several years ago I wrote a story for my son whose world had been turned upside-down by both chronic illness and my first cancer diagnosis. As a mom, I longed to create a gentle place for Jeremy to process his grief, so I asked God to help me do things like keep an open dialogue with him, create joy in our family even through the hardest days, and track down support for him within our community. I also wanted to address his suffering in a creative, disarming way, so I asked God to help me wield the language of story, putting words to those tenderest places of a child’s grieving heart.

Colleen Elisabeth Chao March 14, 2023

Cancer

Why hasn’t God healed me?

I used to think suffering was meant to teach me lessons—hard but good life lessons—and as soon as I learned what God wanted me to learn, my suffering would come to an end. I see things so differently now. Suffering isn’t a classroom—it’s an invitation

Colleen Elisabeth Chao November 28, 2022

Community

Dear Younger Self

Dear Younger Self—I know it’s cliché,But I would go back if I couldTo say: Make yourself small,Don’t resent being weak—Humility before GodWill set you free. Practice his presence:Listen and rest—A quieted heartHears his voice best. Don’t go it alone.Seek wisdom to knowWho to keep closeAnd

Colleen Elisabeth Chao November 17, 2022

Poetry

Merciful undoing

September 29, 2006 You use pain so wisely,With infinite care,Knowing right whereTo push and pull and tearAnd break and burnUntil I’ve finally learnedWith all my being to yearnFor You only. Merciful undoing:This pain sets me free.My blind eyes now can seeUnspeakable mystery—This death leads to

Colleen Elisabeth Chao August 17, 2022

Poetry

Mystery

June 14, 2022 Mystery— Living in theIn-betweenThe unknownThe not-yet Shadow, substanceLong and shortHandspan, breath…Infinite Holding on andLetting goOpen handedLingering Fragile, fearfulUnmoved, strongLaughing joyBitter drink Hoping long andgrieving slowSleepless nightsMercies dawn Straining forwardDoubled downKneeling, prostrateFighting on Misery andMiraclesHaunting hoursHoly days Pain and promiseLoss and loveBreathless, burdenedGreatest

Colleen Elisabeth Chao June 14, 2022

Cancer

Three years ago today

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

Colleen Elisabeth Chao November 7, 2020

Grief

Becoming Elisabeth Elliot (Book Review)

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

Colleen Elisabeth Chao October 4, 2020

Suffering

Words of wisdom

May the wisdom and hope of these dear saints encourage your hearts as they have mine. We may live in a dark world, but his light shines brighter. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Take the very hardest thing in your life, the place of difficulty,

Colleen Elisabeth Chao July 7, 2020

a person sitting on wooden planks across the lake scenery

Love

Everything my heart craves

Before the foundations of the world were laid, you saw me and knew me and knew my days. You had already determined the era of history, down to the very environment, I would live in. You knew that I would enter a toxic world, a

Colleen Elisabeth Chao April 28, 2020

Singleness

That Beautiful Arduous Hill (reflections on singleness)

Singleness is a long hike up a steep hill. Those who have navigated its precipices have stories to tell of it. (It’s that kind of hike. It’s that kind of hill.) While I didn’t hike nearly as far as some, I spent 34 years on

Colleen Elisabeth Chao October 4, 2019