Joy in Suffering

This week from the Cedarville Stories podcast archives, we revisit the powerful story of Dr. Angie Mickle, Dean of the Cedarville School of Nursing, who shared about a series of trials that rocked her world and deepened her faith in profound ways.

In late 2018, doctors diagnosed Dr. Mickle with what they thought was a malignant brain tumor. On January 7, 2019, surgeons spent nine hours removing the tumor, which turned out benign. But three days after her surgery, Dr. Mickle suffered a stroke.

While she was recovering at home in February,2019, her seven-month-old grandson suddenly stopped breathing. Although she desperately tried to revive him, her precious grandson went to be with Jesus.

This hailstorm of tragedy banged up Dr. Mickle’s typically steady and strong faith. She began to question Jesus and wondered aloud, through many tears, why He would allow so much suffering and loss in her life. But even in the middle of the questions, the Lord met her over and over again. Her trust in Him grew deeper because of the pain.

Dr. Mickles heart-wrenching and inspiring story causes anyone who hears it to look more closely at their relationship with God and how much they truly trust Him. She gives glory to Him in the midst of her tragedy.

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Besides leading the School of Nursing, Dr. Mickle is also a leader in the Air National Guard, where she serves as a major. She is a nurse practitioner and Chief Nursing Administrator for the 121st Medical Group at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio.

Mickle also maintains her sense of humor through her trials. She believed God called her to name her tumor, and she landed on “Joy,” in view of James 1:2-4. The tumor had likely been growing in her brain for 15-20 years, doctors informed her.