Through the valley

THROUGH THE

OBU FRESHMAN FINDS HOPE IN CHRIST AMID CANCER JOURNEY

Claire Hall Claire Hall grew up overseas, spending more than 10 years of her life living abroad with her family.

From her earliest childhood memories to the time she turned 12 when her family moved back to Oklahoma, Claire vividly recalls her time overseas.

She then spent her middle school and high school years in Edmond, was active in her church student group, school and a busy life with seven siblings.

Claire, 18, is now a freshman at Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU), studying nursing and seeking to following Jesus with all of her life.

Over the past year, however, life has handed her more challenges than she could have ever imagined. In the fall of 2021, Claire began to experience significant health problems.

“The summer before my senior year was very good, and I was very excited for my senior year of high school,” she said. “I remember going to school the first day and attending cross country practice. We were running, but I was really struggling on the run. My coach told me to stop, but I only had half a mile left, so I said, ‘I’ve got this.’”

During that run, Claire’s entire right side of her body went numb. “I immediately stopped and fell on the ground and thought, ‘What’s happening? I had never felt anything like this.’”

Claire ended up in the ER. Early medical advice suggested she was simply under stress, but problems continued to persist. An MRI revealed the shocking news that Claire had a large mass on her brain.

“When we met with the surgeon to determine what the mass was, they sent me to the oncology floor at OU Children’s Hospital,” she said. “I was really struggling and was upset because I thought that this was just a mass that could be removed, that I surely didn’t have cancer. I was wondering why God would put me through something like this. The biopsy came back, and it was cancer. That was a kick in the gut.”

Claire was scheduled for surgery, which came with risks, as surgeons would be working on key areas of the brain that affected her whole right side and motor functions.

“I remember being scared,” she said. “I had never had any health problems. I remember that my prayers were very selfish, and I was bargaining with the Lord. I was fighting the suffering. I was trying to make a deal with God instead of just accepting His sovereignty and accepting the end goal of what He had for me.”

Claire had a six-hour surgery and a month of recovery. She then had to undergo radiation and chemotherapy because the form of cancer was so aggressive.

“The doctor asked me if I wanted to know the chances of me surviving, and I said that I didn’t want to know. I wanted to leave that in God’s hands. Ultimately, I believe that only He knows,” she said.

In the meantime, family, friends and acquaintances were rallying in prayer and support for the Hall family. Claire’s family also created a Caring Bridge page, at which they would give health updates, share inspiration they received from God’s Word and also hear from families who were praying.

“As we walk through this season, Claire and our family ask that you would join us in praying that we would do so with grace and faith,” her mother said. “Please ask that He would give strength, comfort, wisdom, patience and perseverance! Pray that she will use all this to declare His glory.”

The Halls received an outpouring of help and support, even as Claire struggled. But through it all, God gave her peace through His Word.

“This was the first time in my life that I had truly been in a very low valley,” she said. “I knew that I needed to go to God’s Word. I wondered, whose life resembled mine. I thought about Job. I had never really understood the Book of Job, but this time when I read it, some of his cries to God were the same of what mine were. I read the whole book, and toward the end of it when God speaks, that was really a turning point for me. God reminded me that His ways are best, and who was I to question Him. At the end of Job, you see that God ultimately restored him.

“Restoration is a big thing for me,” Claire continued. “I wasn’t thinking that one day my life is going to get better. It was one day, in Christ, I will be restored. One day all of the brokenness, the cancer—the fact that my right side doesn’t function the same—one day in heaven, I will be restored. There is hope!”

Claire underwent the radiation and chemotherapy, even as she continued with life, school and pursuing her path. She managed to finish her high school senior year.

“I was struggling, but by January I decided I wanted to come to OBU to become a nurse,” she said, “but I didn’t have enough money. My counselor called and had found a scholarship for me! I was so excited about that! It was an answer to prayer.”

The summer of 2022 came, and it was time for Claire to begin her journey at OBU.

“I finished chemo three or four weeks before school started,” she said. “Throughout the process, I had MRI every three months just to check on progress. You could see it receding. I kept having to give God all my plans, my excitement and my future.”

Then came the great news. Claire was declared cancer free. Her college roommate threw a celebration party for Claire and her friends at the WMU Dormitory at OBU.

“Over the last year, there have been so many hard moments and struggling, but I can look back on it and truly thank the Lord,” Claire said. “I would not be where I’m at with my relationship with Him if I hadn’t gone through that.”

While Claire does not know what her future holds, she rejoices that God has carried her through and holds her future in His hands.

“My life is not what it was, but it is so much better,” she said. “God is so faithful when we give everything to Him. Suffering is never for nothing. We shouldn’t run from hard things but embrace them and take them to God. He makes beautiful things out of them every time!”

ADVANCE CONFERENCE

JANUARY 30-31, 2023

QUAIL SPRINGS BAPTIST CHURCH, OKC

FEATURING:

ANDY TAYLOR SHANE PRUITT KEVIN WILLIAMS STEPHEN RUMMAGE VERN CHARETTE MIKE MURRAY DANNY GANDARA RICK FRIE EMMITT MCKENZIE BOB HASKINS MARK CUSTALOW & MORE