Another Special Life in Christ

These testimony lives are not stories of "role models". Jesus is the role model!
These are lives wonderfully touched & changed by Jesus!

Kelly Nance Jeffcoat, R. N.:

Born about 1964, she grew up in a family in which the father had an alcohol problem which lead to a very disruptive upbringing...she, however, was always confident of his love. She often ended up spending periods of time with her paternal grandmother who spent much time in church. I'm not sure yet of how she came to belief. By the time we met, Kelly was a believer in Jesus.

I first met Kelly about 1997 when she was an oncology nurse for Dr. Brenda Carroll in their office in Lexington Medical Center. When Brenda moved her practice to the Wilmington, N. C. area in 2000, Kelly's job disappeared. In 1997, our hospital had formed a multidisciplinary breast cancer program. That September, a multi-physician team went together to a broad-topics and important breast cancer conference in Palm Springs, California. Our founding nurse coordinator, Deidre Young, was shortly promoted to a broader institutional oncology responsibility; and Kelly was hired in 2001 as Deidre's successor.

The Breast Program nurse coordinator's duties include 24/7 availability to enrolled patients as their needs to discuss concerns, fears, and confusing medical issues arise. In less than two months on the job (2001), Kelly found her own breast lump...cancer!!

Now, Kelly was already many years as a Christian of strong faith. I recall several times when I asked coworkers how Kelly was doing...I'd get comments like, "Dr. Shaw, she has to be in denial...she hasn't been sad or angry or pessimistic...she has just continued to be 'Kelly' as if this is not a big deal!" After several chemo treatments, I happened by her closed office and knocked on the door, "Come in!" I opened the door...my jaw had probably dropped and Kelly stared startled at me for a minute. (Her wig was off....her head was hairless...I felt like I'd walked in on a "naked lady"...she had thought the door knock was from Deidre.) "Oh, heck," Kelly laughed, "come on in and sit down...it had to happen sooner or later!" This has been 'Kelly' through it all. She had told me a number of times that she had simply turned her situation over to God.

We met on 17 January 2003 (a few months past her 2nd cancer anniversary) about something, and Kelly shared the following faith testimony: She recently joined a Beth Moore study group at Northside Baptist Church in West Columbia, S. C. And that course had impressed on everyone that the believer's tendency to turn things over to God and then attempt to periodically "take it back" was a sin. This insight lead her to step into a new orbit/zone of confidence and peace resulting when she completely turned her life over to God. "Now I just want to be 100% in God's will, and I'm working on trying to be sure that I'm listening and hearing when He speaks!"

By the way, her dad quit alcohol for awhile and also came to belief in Jesus. Kelly then knew, as always, that she was loved by her dad. And now she also knows that he...deceased...is with Jesus. What better can anyone hope for regarding a parent? See other faith & health information [here].

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[posted 1 February 2003; latest update 5 November 2004]

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You have just read a very brief example of the powerful, supernatural transformation of a person's life which is possible through the acceptance of Jesus as your savior. Are you tired of life as it now is for you? He will accept you just as you are right this second! Consider accepting Jesus now [check it out]!