Jesus – Sharon O'Connor

“You Had a Really Hostile….

by Sharon

Published September 13, 2024

… abdomen.”

The doctor doing morning rounds kindly and efficiently shared details about the previous day’s surgery. I’m a pretty laid-back person. Don’t get hostile about much… but am dedicated to avoiding medical intervention. When doctors are needed, I go big. Thanks, abdomen.

“We had trouble getting to the cyst because you had so much scar tissue. You had what we call a hostile abdomen, probably from your previous radiation. The cyst we eventually removed took up much of your pelvis, but there is no cancer.” I would go home the following day. A miraculous difference from years ago with the first open surgery, a long hospital stay, cancer treatment, and more surgeries to follow.

Have you ever asked God for help with something, and discovered he was giving you an assignment to work through as part of the answer to that prayer?

This past spring I was driving or doing makeup before work or something mundane.

“God, would you help me get healthy?”

I went on about my day. I was having what seemed like endocrine issues or maybe thyroid stuff. I added in specific essential oils and supplements based on nutritional scans. I felt better but decided I needed get my act together with some cardio and losing weight. Overall my body has carried me well for the fourteen years since the first colon cancer diagnosis, the return of colon cancer in 2012, and being declared cancer free in 2013. Work life balance had blessedly arrived in 2024. It was time to get more proactive physically going into the next decade.

In July, probably two months after my quick prayer about getting healthier, I went for a gyn exam. You know, not feeling any issues, but maybe it was time for blood work to check thyroid levels. I spent about six months talking myself into that visit. The July gyn visit found a 10 cm cyst and set in motion a flurry of tests that caught me up in every category. Bloodwork (including thyroid) = good. Colon = clean. Mammo = clear. Cyst = hopefully, oh God please, would it be benign, or push me back into dealing with cancer? I and my family worked through fears and dread and trust and waiting on an answer with the news of this cyst. Would I be healthy? Are my fears unfounded? Or was this process just a mean thing to go through again, a distressing development after being cancer free so many years? I know God doesn’t work in mean ways; sometimes my mind does.

A referral sent me to a surgeon out of town. The beautiful sign at the office said “Gynecology Oncology“; Tom and I both almost fainted at that second word. My dormant white coat syndrome came right back and sat beside me.

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16

In late August 2024 I showed up for surgery to remove what we hoped would be a large benign ovarian cyst, and to rule out cancer. This was the exact same scenario we tumbled into during 2010, except they weren’t sure where the cyst or tumor was located.

I woke up this time to the incredible gift of no cancer, and surgery was able to be done laparoscopic instead of open.

I felt like I had gotten away with something.

Moving forward, I have every confirmation and incentive to be healthy. I am grateful for the medical team God used to help me, starting with my own phenomenal gyn doctor, and the specialty team she sent me to for gyn surgery.

Two of the ways Webster defines “scar” include “a mark remaining (as on the skin) after injured tissue has healed”, and “a lasting moral or emotional injury”.

Here are thoughts on how God worked over the past few months helping me face emotional scars and the removal of extensive internal physical scar tissue:

We have to want to be healthy.
Once we ask for help, be ready for God to lovingly and effectively deal with the scars. They may be ones we didn’t know we had, or ones we didn’t realize were limiting health.
Allowing God to deal with our scars can be really scary. Will it hurt? Will there be more pain? Will it create more issues than it solves (if you’ve been through health challenges, you get it). What if it’s easier to just leave the scar tissue instead of removing it? We’ve become used to each other.
Scars are protective and restrictive.
The process of confronting and removing scars, while painful, positions us to move forward in better health.
God lovingly helped me work through many fears going into this surgery. I would have had the same fears to work through no matter the outcome. I can tell you that my hope, my security, and my joy is in the presence of God every day. He has proven himself to me not so much in the outcome for which I prayed, but in the journey of learning who He is today and into an eternity. I love him and trust him.
My body will fail someday, but my eternal soul is secure because of Jesus Christ. If you would like to know more about the God of hope, please visit https://www.peacewithGod.net.

Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. Psalm 73:23

The photo at the top of the page is my husband’s hand holding mine. We started a habit of praying together at the start of the day back during cancer rounds one and two years ago. This photo is from Summer 2024 when contemplating whether we were walking towards cancer round three. The picture of Tom holding my hand is a sweet reminder that God is always with me, with us. Isn’t that amazing?

God holds us by the hand no matter how deep and unseen the scars we carry or hard difficulties we face. He is for you. Trust him with your scars.

Other info:

Things I did in the month before surgery to prepare:

Myrrh and Sacred Frankincense essential oil on my abdomen with a rice heating pad before bed (after about a week, I felt far less pressure on my bladder – the cyst was sitting on top of my bladder based on CT imaging).
Castor oil pack over my liver/abdomen 3-4 times weekly (may help detox the liver, which in turn helps the liver function better, and may help break down cysts).
Deep Spectra Phyto Nutrition essential oil blend taken daily, 20 drops in water.
Thyromin, Super B, and Progessence Plus taken daily for thyroid, endocrine and adrenal support.
LifeWave X39 Patch begun two weeks before surgery to help promote wellness before and healing after surgery. Honestly it helped my anxiety about surgery, as well.
I eliminated most meat, dairy and processed foods.
Dropped to one cup of coffee daily with organic creamer (with my hubby in the morning; it’s our time to get ready for the day; the picture at the top of the page is from our prayer time together). Caffeine strains the adrenals.
Started walking one mile per day 4-5 times per week.
I lost about seven pounds before surgery and felt good going into the procedure.

Things I’ve been doing after surgery:

Daily iTovi nutritional scans for guidance on which oils would support my body. Lots of specific hormonal and structural support going on with some emotions tossed in!
Deep Spectra Phyto Nutrition essential oil blend taken daily, 20 drops in water.
Thyromin, Super B, and Progessence Plus taken daily for thyroid, endocrine and adrenal support.
LifeWave X39 Patch daily for healing at the cellular level (think, stem cells), and the addition of the Aeon patch for hormonal support, stress support, adrenal support, and inflammation support.
And other things nutritionally with lots of rest, gratitude, prayer, hope, and relief.

Follow me on Instagram for things that encourage me and may encourage you, too.

Sharon's Journal

Called to Hope

by Sharon

*Saturday morning mindset while relaxing and drinking coffee or tea*:

“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

*Monday morning mindset looking at the list of to-do’s for the week*:

“My sorrow, when she’s here with me, thinks these dark days of autumn rain are beautiful as days can be; she loves the bare, the withered tree; she walks the sodden pasture lane.” – Robert Frost

Which quote can you relate to above?

Are you invigorated this year with the change to a crisp fall, sunshine filtering through falling leaves, and the cozy happiness of all things autumn (pumpkin spice coffee lovers, rejoice)? Or do you struggle with those subtle change-of-season-blues that are real for many people? If you know, you know.

Maybe you’re like me and can relate, some seasons, to both. Last year I walked in our familiar misty woods on paths covered in foliage. This year we moved. A big change. A lovely provision from God. The new scenery is just as beautiful in its own way. I walk my dachshund pup on a country road surrounded by pastures, curious cows, and a stoic blue heron that swoops away up the creek nearby.

I think about seasons and situations and how God works through them all.

Illness.

A big life change – a precious new baby, new marriage, adjusting to an empty nest, or a new job.

The loss of a loved one.

Global upheaval.

An unknown future.

The ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, “There is nothing permanent except change.”

I think Heraclitus is not wrong in terms of this world . . . but hold onto your pumpkin spice coffee just a minute and stick with me.

Hebrews 13:8 assures us that, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever.”

If we have a relationship with Christ Jesus, even in a rapidly changing world, we know our future. We are secure in him and our future is good. Our unknowns, our sorrows, our dreams and joys are filtered through powerful, personal, hope. Whether we’re in a sunny happy pasture-place in life, or feel like we’re walking down a misty hidden lane, as believers, our spiritual footing is secure.

God offers hope freely, day to day, month to month, season to season. There is enough for you, too.

Here is a passage from Ephesians 1:15-23 that I journaled recently. I’m holding onto these truths hiking into the end of October:

¹⁵For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, ¹⁶I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. ¹⁷I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. ¹⁸I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, ¹⁹and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength ²⁰he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, ²¹far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. ²²And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, ²³which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

If autumn quotes aren’t quite resonating with you this year (or even if they are – some of them are a lot of fun!), the promises of God’s Word, friend, are always true. Let’s get to know God and his promises better. We’ve been called to hope (read that as a noun) every day of the week!

Would you like to know more about true Hope? Comment or message me. I would be honored to share the hope available in every season, in every “pasture or path” of life, that only comes from believing in God’s son, Jesus Christ.

Are you worried about the future? Struggling with a personal or spiritual issue that’s causing anxiety, uncertainty or fear about tomorrow? You can browse through dozens of topics and questions and begin your journey to a more peaceful life right now at Peace with God (https://peacewithgod.net/)