“We…glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3–4 NIV).

The doctor’s call came after hours, and it wasn’t good news. A biopsy of the large fibroid tumor removed days before during my total hysterectomy had revealed cancer.

I don’t remember much of the conversation. I hung up the phone in shock. Cancer? That’s crazy. I’m only 43 years old. I’m healthy. There must be a mistake.

My husband, Sean, and I immediately started praying. We didn’t know what we were up against but were confident God had it under control. His divine intervention had already saved me from other bad situations in my life. Cancer would be just one more thing God would bring me through for His glory.

A second biopsy confirmed I had stage 4 high-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma, an aggressive and rare form of uterine cancer known to spread quickly. My head spun as I was whisked into a second surgery, this time to remove my ovaries.

Then came the grim prognosis: few patients with this grade and stage survived longer than a year. I dug in my faith heels and stubbornly refused to accept the news. I am not like most people—God is on my side.

I started chemotherapy, optimistic and determined to trust the Lord’s good plan for my life. How could I not trust Him? Six years before this cancer diagnosis, God had pulled my life out of the gutter. I had lost nearly two decades of my life to pills and alcohol while living in the fast lane in Las Vegas.

My addiction had consumed my life and stolen what I loved most: my two sons. I lost custody after failing court-ordered drug tests and was overwhelmed with guilt and shame. Still, I continued crawling through the muck, desperately scraping up enough money to support my daily habit. Apart from God’s intervention, I wouldn’t have survived.

When I finally decided to sober up, the Lord led me straight from a Vegas detox center to a bed at the Phoenix Rescue Mission (PRM), a faith-based, long-term recovery program near my mom and sister in Arizona. I entered the program on August 10, 2017, and began my journey with Jesus.

Being surrounded by people of faith was intimidating. Everyone seemed to understand the Bible and have their relationship with God figured out. I didn’t get the whole God thing yet. I had only been to church a handful of times.

Surrendering my life to God and trusting Him with the details was a slow process. I was stubborn and hard-hearted, but God was patient. I asked questions and prayed for understanding. I wanted to overcome my unbelief (Mark 9:23–24).

I also prayed for my boys, releasing them into the Lord’s care. I knew I needed to become a healthier version of myself if I ever wanted to have a relationship with them.

Over time, the Holy Spirit helped me find healing in my heart and mind and freedom from my addictions. In 2018, I graduated from PRM with some amazing, godly women who are still my best friends.

Living free from the power of drugs and alcohol opened a new world for me. I worked hard to earn back the privilege of being in my sons’ lives and trusted God to do what only He could.

Dating was the last thing on my mind, but God brought exactly who I needed into my life at exactly the right time. I saw my future husband’s face for the first time at a PRM alum barbecue. Sean was a graduate and staff member of the men’s program. His character and faith were strong. Dating Sean was easy because it wasn’t chaotic; I felt safe with him. When he proposed six months later, I said yes.

Then the pandemic hit. As the world plunged into fear and uncertainty, Sean and I took advantage of the quality time we had together as newlyweds and planned for our future.

I felt such freedom and contentment. I had a godly husband, a restored relationship with my kids and family, and a bright future. I thanked God daily for this beautiful life.

At the start of 2022, I noticed a small lump and went to the doctor. After an examination, the doctor told me there was nothing there. Feeling silly and embarrassed for wasting their time, I ignored the lump and its increasing size. Stop it! I scolded myself. You’ll make a fool of yourself if you go to the doctor. It’s a pulled muscle—nothing to worry about.

Sean and I were celebrating our third anniversary when horrible pains led me to the emergency room. Tests revealed a huge mass covering all my female organs, which is what led to my hysterectomy, the biopsy, and the grim diagnosis.

Confident that God would heal me, I approached Him boldly, asking for my miracle (Hebrews 4:16). Other people prayed too, but instead of getting better, I grew worse. Excruciating pain led to another surgery to remove more tumors.

When my condition didn’t improve, I felt betrayed and abandoned by God. My prayers turned into angry yelling sessions, and I demanded answers. Lord, I deserve to know why this is happening! How can Your will be for me to die? How am I supposed to be okay with that?

Weary of praying and full of anxiety, I stopped talking to God altogether. I didn’t think He was listening to me anyway.

That attitude made matters worse because then the guilt came. There I was, a Christian with not even half a mustard seed of faith (Matthew 17:20). I felt like a hypocrite.

I didn’t know how a person with cancer was supposed to feel or act, but I was sure I wasn’t doing it right. I didn’t want anyone to judge me for living like I was dying—but that’s exactly what I was doing. Negativity and dread pulled me into a dark place. I isolated myself, pushing away those who loved me. I stopped trying to enjoy life. And I was terribly worried about what would happen to my family if I died.

I was almost to the one-year mark—the point at which I was no longer supposed to be alive. I dreaded every doctor’s appointment, always expecting bad news.

And then it happened.

The doctor looked at me and said, “Misty, you are a walking miracle. After the year you’ve had, most people wouldn’t have made it.” He had never seen anyone survive more than a year with my diagnosis, but my tumors were shrinking. The cancer was responding to treatment! Still, he gave me no guarantees. He only told me that I needed to continue aggressive treatment and celebrate the time I had.

A spark of light ignited in my heart, dispelling the darkness. Neither the circumstances nor the diagnosis had changed, but I was still here. I would appreciate and enjoy whatever time I had left as best I could.

But I needed to work things out with God first. I quit shaking my fist at Him and demanding answers and started talking to Him like a friend. I brought my questions to Him humbly, asking Him to give me peace in my circumstances.

I just couldn’t understand why the Lord had saved me from a life in the gutter, only to let me face cancer. Why hadn’t He healed me yet? I still believed He could—after all, He had already removed my addiction, restored my relationships, and helped me overcome so much.

As I began rereading the Bible, the Lord reminded me of the suffering His Son endured on the cross for me (Hebrews 12:2–3). If Jesus suffered while He was on this earth, how could I expect to skate by unscathed? Jesus Himself told us that trouble is inevitable (John 16:33).

Now, quieter in my spirit and willing to listen to God, I grew more content. I wasn’t accepting death; I was choosing life. I was still breathing, which meant God wasn’t done with me yet.

Life wasn’t over. It was time I started living again.

The reality was, my life was full of miracles before and during my battle with cancer. It was time to look for those blessings and thank God for them.

That’s what keeps me going. It helps me overcome doubt and frustration, even as I continue fighting. So I want to share some of those blessings with you.

God’s presence is at the top of the list. The Lord was with me long before I knew Him, and He has never left me. He has comforted and strengthened me through every surgery, hospitalization, and round of chemotherapy. All I ever had to do was welcome Him into my situation, grab His hand, and walk through the darkness with Him.

His faithfulness is another blessing. Even when I ignored Him, yelled at Him, gave Him the silent treatment, or threw a tantrum, He never once turned His back on me. His love is never ending (Lamentations 3:22–23).

For added measure, He put wonderful and faithful people in my life to help me navigate the hills and valleys of cancer. No matter how hard I tried to push some of them away, they remained by my side, including my mom and my sister who have loved me through it all.

My wonderful husband has been the most patient and loving caregiver, encourager, and best friend anyone could ask for. God knew what was coming and gave me someone special to walk the journey with.

God’s provision is another blessing. Sean and I have not wanted or needed anything (Philippians 4:19). The Lord has provided excellent medical insurance and care, a roof over our heads, food in our tummies, and money to pay our bills. He hasn’t overlooked even the tiniest of details.

I don’t know what the future holds. I am still deep in the battle but have peace because I have God. He is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). He holds the future, and I am grateful my life is in His hands. He has a firm grip on me, and He won’t let go until I make it safely to my eternal home. I trust His plan and His timing and look forward to meeting my Lord and Savior face to face. Only He knows when that will be.

The Lord is under no obligation to provide answers to my questions, and I’ve learned to be okay with that. He is God; I am not. Therefore, I will trust His faithfulness and His promise to fight for me (Exodus 14:14).

In the meantime, I refuse to waste another minute. I am determined to enjoy my life and the people in it as my strength permits, no matter how difficult. I will continue to thank the Lord for everything He has done for me. And I will no longer live like I’m dying. Until God takes me home, I will treat every day like the miracle it is.

MISTY MCGEE was a wife, mom, daughter, and a child of the Most High King who hoped that through sharing her story, others would look for daily blessings in their lives, even in the face of adversity.

TRIBUTE:

On August 31, 2024, Misty went home to be with the Lord. She praised God until her last breath while enjoying precious time with friends and family. Today, Misty is cheering us on from heaven, where she is whole and free. We honor you, Misty, and say “well done.” Thank you for encouraging us with your testimony of faith. We will see you soon!