That Kind of Faith

By Victoria Chapin

I’ve spent years telling my daughter’s story. It’s the testimony that first put a microphone in my hand. It’s a tragic story yet filled with signs, wonders, and miracles of God. But a few years ago, during a TV interview, the host paused mid-sentence and said, “I have chills. I sense the Holy Spirit saying that while your daughter’s story is beautiful, you’re going to have a story of your own.”

At the time, it felt prophetic—and it was. I just didn’t know the future chapter would include a rare cancer diagnosis where I’d have to fight for my life.

My Daughter’s Story

My daughter, Sydney, was born with tumors on her brain and spinal cord. They weren’t cancerous, but they were disabling. By age five, she’d undergone five surgeries, including a shunt insertion. We lived through therapy and medical challenges for years. She had a strong faith, and her wisdom was beyond her age. Her trials became our ministry as God opened doors for us to encourage other children and their parents going through similar challenges.

Divine appointments. 

At thirteen, Sydney declined rapidly—wheelchair bound, she no longer cared for herself without help. We faced more surgeries and extended stays at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital. She continued to get worse, and after 11 days on life support, we released her to the arms of Jesus (and her daddy, who had gone to heaven before her). Sydney’s life, and what God did through it, inspired all who knew her, especially me. 

The Divine Find

Fast-forward 13 years. We were packing for a trip “up north” to Michigan’s U.P. when hip pain sent me to the ER at my RN husband Jim’s urging. Hip imaging showed nothing. As I was getting ready to be discharged, Jim called me: “Did you mention your chest pain?” (I’d intermittently been having stress-related chest discomfort since taking in two troubled teenage sisters.) I told the nurse, which meant I couldn’t leave without a cardiac work-up. The EKG was fine. Then an X-ray revealed it: a growth on my left lung. They referred me to a pulmonary specialist.

Now hear this … when I walked to my car, I suddenly realized my hip pain was gone! I truly believe God used the hip pain to bring awareness of the growth. When people ask how we discovered the tumor, I tell them simply: divine intervention.

Named—and No Peace

It was unclear at that time if the tumor was benign or malignant. The pulmonary specialist suggested we watch and wait. Scans showed only minor changes until a biopsy was finally done and the tissue sent to Mayo Clinic, then on to a specialty panel. The result came back: spindle cell neoplasm—a rare, typically aggressive tumor. Chemo and radiation weren’t considered effective for that type, and there was no systematic approach to treatment that worked. The average life expectancy… eleven months. The best recommendation was surgery to get it out.

But I didn’t have peace. None.

I dug into case reports online and found just a handful of similar cases. Most were older men with other serious conditions, like heart disease and diabetes. Different methods, such as surgery, chemo, and radiation, were found to be unsuccessful in the average lifespan of those with this diagnosis. One woman in her fifties lived for five years using alternative, natural remedies. That gave me hope, and I clung to two truths: God is sovereign, and information is helpful, but not ultimate. I prayed diligently (and had many hands laid on me) for a miracle.

Way Maker

I went to a Michael W. Smith concert with my dear friend, and the presence of God was thick, yet the veil between heaven and earth felt so thin. On the screen, people held cardboard signs. Have you seen them before? I was this … flip … now I’m this. Eyes closed, I was moved to tears as I worshiped expectantly. Then it happened … I felt a nudge to look up. Through my tear-filled eyes, I could barely read: Cancer…flip…Cancer-Free. I sensed the Lord inviting me to walk in the answer of “cancer-free,” even as I kept doing the practical things. I knew I was healed in the Spirit; my body just didn’t get the memo.

Soon after, I met with a local, respected thoracic surgeon. The proposed procedure was intense and would require cutting through and removing a portion of four ribs, followed by a minimum of two months of downtime for recovery. I went with a page full of questions and didn’t like the answers I received. Again—no peace. Confusion. But we scheduled anyway for a Friday, largely for Jim’s peace of mind. He wanted his wife to live. The day before surgery, the surgeon’s office called: an emergency case took precedence, so that meant my surgery would move to Monday.

A holy exhale. A divine delay. 

I sought the Lord for what He was going to show me over the next 3 days. Within an hour, an email landed in my inbox—access to a weekend of alternative cancer-care modules (which I’d wanted but couldn’t afford) for free, just for those days. I binge-watched, prayed, worshiped, and asked the Lord for a clear yes or no to go ahead with surgery or not. It didn’t come. In fact Jim asked me if I’d heard anything from Holy Spirit yet. It was Sunday, and I was still wrestling. What came out of my mouth next surprised us both— “Maybe I’m not getting a yes or a no”. We wondered what that meant, but knew where it came from.  Jim urged me back to my quiet place to keep praying. I almost ran.

I found myself prone, face to the carpet, worshipping to Waymaker as I prayed, “Lord, I just need a yes or a no. I need to know what you want me to do”. I’d already prayed if He wanted my healing to come at the hands of a surgeon, then so be it. 

And there was my answer … 

I had a vision of the woman in Scripture reaching for the hem of Jesus’ cloak for healing. In my spirit, I heard, “I want you to have that kind of faith.” I popped up, ran downstairs to tell Jim, “I’m not doing it!” Then, I called the hospital and canceled the surgery.

Darkness in the Decision

I hung up the phone, and a wave of darkness hit—fear, second-guessing, but I despised how it felt, so I refused to stay there. I felt death for a moment. I hated it, and no way would I entertain the lies of the enemy that it was the wrong decision. Prayer broke it. I leaned into my decision and began the obedience, the transformation: using food as medicine, exercising, sleeping more, learning, and applying lifestyle changes toward healing. Prayer. Resting in Him. Believing for and thanking Jesus for my miracle.

God highlighted Exodus 15:26: “I am the Lord your God who heals.” The numbers 15 and 26 are sacred in my life: the 15th is the day my daughter met Jesus face to face; the 26th is the day she was born. It was another sign, and I believed it like never before.

Father also led me on a forgiveness journey—writing names, praying through, and releasing bitterness. I even contacted a few people to ask forgiveness for harboring resentment towards them. Not every response was neat or affirming, but obedience in doing it brought me freedom. The rest was between them and God.

I clung to Isaiah 40:31. Waiting, I learned, isn’t passive. “Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength, they will run and not be weary, they will walk and not be faint.”  My waiting was engaging: prayer, fasting, believing, trusting, and practical care for my body—faith with action. Walking in my answer of supernatural healing, I’d declare, “I’m healed, I’m healthy, I’m whole, by the blood of Jesus and in His mighty name. His name is victory!”.

In God’s Timing

Over 2 years later and still at peace (I knew either way, I’d win), my pulmonary doctor suggested we seek another opinion. If the tumor kept growing towards my heart, it could cause even more issues. We found Cleveland Clinic had done the most research on the rare type of cancer I was diagnosed with, so we discerned it was the best place to go. At the appointment, we found the surgeon had treated a few patients with a similar diagnosis. He proposed an approach that might avoid cutting through my ribs altogether. A surgery not as life altering as the first recommendation, with less recovery time, was discussed.

Peace. I truly believe God held me and, in His time, led me to this doctor.

We scheduled surgery for the following January. It took about two and a half hours. The mass came out between the ribs, barely, and the post-op pathology showed NO CANCER. Praise the Lord! The original biopsy had shown malignancy; this one did not. Was I healed of cancer sometime in the waiting? Only God knows. I believe it was supernatural, and I AM HEALED BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS!

What God Taught Me

• Contentment is holy ground. Philippians 4:11-13 was written from prison. Paul says he learned the secret of contentment in any and every situation, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Contentment is where adversity and God’s goodness coexist. That’s where I “sat” for nearly four years. I embraced it.
  
• You don’t get to write the plot—only your response. I wanted the “instant miracle, no surgery” ending. God authored it differently—and He’s using it still. I remember thanking Him for another platform to glorify His name and share the gospel.
  
• Waiting is not passive. Pray, fast, seek, trust, believe, research, change (my lifestyle), and obey (the nudges of the Holy Spirit) are all verbs. Faith takes action.
  
• Forgiveness is key to healing. Bitterness burdens your immune system, your soul (mind, will, and emotions), relationships, and ultimately your health. Obedience in forgiveness frees you, regardless of others’ reactions.
  
• God is never late. Doctors are gifts. So is discernment. The Shepherd knows the full story, and His timing is perfect. Supernatural healing is still for today …  in His way and on His timeline.

For the One Facing a Scary Diagnosis

Friend, breathe His name. Yah (breath in) Weh (breath out). God isn’t scrambling. If you don’t have peace about a decision, pause and pray. Invite trusted people to seek God with you. Gather facts, ask your doctors hard questions, and also ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom. Cling to Scripture—but not only as true in general. Believe it for you. The shift from “I know what the Bible says” to “I know these promises are true and they are for me in Christ” changed everything for me.

However God writes your story, He will be with you—every doctor’s appointment, every sleepless night, every time you’re down on your knees.  And He is the Way Maker, the Miracle Worker.

Disclaimer from my heart:

This is my personal testimony, not medical advice. I’m grateful for skilled physicians and even more for prayerful discernment and Holy Spirit impressions. Please partner closely with your medical team, but also pray for God’s wisdom in decisions as He leads you. He loves you and wants you healed. Amen? Yes and Amen!

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About the Author

Victoria Chapin is a speaker, author, and Executive Director of The Well Ministry for Creatives. She helps audiences embrace adversity and live fully in Christ. Learn more or invite Victoria to speak at victoriachapin.com