015 Hope for the Fight Against Cancer
Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast
Release Date: 07/25/2019
Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast
Episode Summary: Join me with Melissa Heiland as we talk about an important but sensitive topic: what is sexual abuse, and how we can offer hope for sexual abuse survivors. In the US, 10% of all children experience some form of sexual abuse before they turn 18. These numbers are likely low since sexual abuse is underreported. The victims are most likely to be female (75%), but these numbers are rapidly changing as boys are increasingly the targets of molesters. A whopping 90% of the children who are abused know their abuser which often points to a family member, teacher, scout...
info_outline 258 How to Hold Onto Faith While Waiting for HealingYour Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast
Episode Summary: Dr. Michelle Bengtson joins David Robison of LifeToday to explore the challenging journey of maintaining faith during periods of waiting for healing. Drawing from her personal struggles and professional insights as a neuropsychologist, Dr. Bengtson shares about the emotional, physical, and spiritual pain that tests our faith. Through her new book, "The Hem of His Garment," she offers hope, encouragement, and practical advice to those navigating the complexities of pain and waiting. Join us as we discuss the importance of pressing into faith, the biblical examples of those who...
info_outline 257 The Truth About Anxiety in Motherhood: How to Overcome Overwhelm and FearYour Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast
Episode Summary: All moms worry, right? Motherhood tempts many moms to worry, especially about the wellbeing of their children. Are they breathing? How can I keep them healthy? What if they don’t make friends at school? But for moms who experience anxiety, worry quickly elevates into debilitating overwhelm, fear, and doubt. This can make normal tasks of motherhood overwhelming and joy-less. Courtney Devich and I share the truth about anxiety in motherhood and how to overcome overwhelm and fear. Quotables from the episode: Many moms believe the adage, “I’m a mom, it’s my...
info_outline 256 Lessons You Can Learn from Broken FriendshipsYour Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast
Episode Summary: Relationship conflict can be difficult. Can good come from broken relationships? How do deal with mutual friends after a breakup? How do we get over the pain of friendships that end? And how does Jesus teach us to be a good friend? Join me with Jessica Van Roekel for Lessons You Can Learn from Broken Friendships. Quotables from the episode: It could be safe to say we become God’s enemy when we harbor the sin of unforgiveness in our heart, which is why we must be careful not to point fingers at our ex-friend. Jesus tells us to take care of the log in our own eye before...
info_outline 255 How to Heal After a Friendship BreakupYour Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast
Episode Summary: The contributors to a friendship breakup are varied and as individual as the parties involved. A spectrum of relationship commitments falls under the umbrella of friendship. Friendships can range from acquaintances, colleagues, familial, casual, close, or intimate. The type of friendship prior to a breakup affects the depth of the wound. Many questions exist around friendship breakups ranging from “why do friendships end?” to “what does this say about me?” and even “what do we need when friendships end?” In the last episode, Jessica Van Roekel and I talked...
info_outline 254 How To Repair a Friendship with Grace to Move from Hurt to HealingYour Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast
Episode Summary: What do you do when your friend walks away from your relationship without explanation or chance for reconciliation? Guilt and shame keep Christian women from talking about it. It’s embarrassing, confusing, and often heartbreaking. In this episode, Jessica Van Roekel and I talk about a common event, that few in Christian circles discuss openly. Misunderstandings happen and disagreements occur even in the healthiest of relationships. In a world that seems to thrive on discord, it can be tempting to run from conflict in a friendship. But conflict can bring about...
info_outline 253 How To Find Your Natural Prayer Style and Unleash Your Prayer PotentialYour Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast
Episode Summary: Do you ever feel uncomfortable praying in public? Do you ever envy the prayer-life or prayer style of others after you hear them pray? Do you ever feel guilty for not praying more like those you admire? What if I assured you that God is more interested in your heart and in having a relationship than he is the eloquence of your prayers? Join me with Janet McHenry to discover how your personality influences your prayer life and learn practical ways to pray so that you find your natural prayer style. Quotables from the episode: I started prayerwalking in the fall of...
info_outline 252 Depression: A Christian's Guide to Navigating the DarknessYour Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast
Episode Summary: Join me with Alicia Michelle for a candid discussion about my personal journey through depression as a Christian doctor. Not only did we focus on depression's physical, emotional and spiritual components, but we also addressed fundamental questions surrounding depression, such as its definition, the intersection of faith and mental health, barriers to self-recognition, and practical strategies for identification. You won't want to miss this episode as we offer insights on depression from personal, professional, and spiritual perspectives. Questions we answer in this...
info_outline 251 How to Find Mental Rest and Calm Your Racing ThoughtsYour Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast
Episode Summary: Do you ever have difficulty calming your racing mind when life is stressful? Do you lay awake at night, unable to tame your thoughts so you can sleep? Do the stresses of life tempt you to fall into the trap of second-guessing yourself or others? Then you’ll be glad you tuned in to today’s episode where Alicia Michelle and I share how to find mental rest and calm your racing thoughts. Quotables from the episode: Our busyness, perfectionism, and people pleasing often originates with core negative soundtracks that play in our minds from early childhood. Our tendency...
info_outline 250 Unmasking the Unexpected: A Guide to Coping with Unforeseen EventsYour Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast
Episode Summary: Life doesn't always go as planned, but that doesn't mean we can't navigate the twists and turns. Join me with Jillian Benfield for a guide to coping with unforeseen events—gaining insights into the beauty of vulnerability, the healing process, and finding strength in unexpected places. Learn how to turn unforeseen events into stepping stones for personal growth. Quotables from the episode: When unexpected events hit our lives, we realize just how fragile we really are. Unforeseen events are the gateway to living more vulnerable. For me, grief looks like good pastoral...
info_outlineEpisode Summary:
If you have ever gone through a difficult trial that you hadn’t anticipated, or given an unexpected diagnosis, then today is the perfect show for you. Today we’re going to be talking about how to maintain our hope when unexpected news like a devastating medical diagnosis turns your life upside down. We’ll specifically discuss hope for the fight against cancer.
In this episode, Scott Bengtson shares about some of the very difficult life circumstances that turned our lives upside down, from a long-distance commuter marriage for several years to his fight against cancer with a very poor prognosis.
He reflected on how his upbringing resurfaced during those times to provide him a foundation on which he could rest his hope despite what doctors warned would be his fate. We also discussed tips for how we chose to navigate those treacherous waters, while minimizing the negativity in our lives and focusing on what we knew to be true.
Scott and I discussed the importance of knowing what you believe before crisis hits because that is no time to try to determine what you think is true. You must cement your beliefs before you fight against cancer. We also talked about the importance of guarding our hearts and minds, and what exactly that means. We also shared things that people said or did that were of help and encouragement, as well as things that were said or done which were not helpful.
Scott ended the broadcast sharing his perspective about how to maintain hope in the difficult times, and reminded us that doctors are just human, and they give their best estimates but that God cannot be put in a box or limited to humanly derived statistics.
Quotables from the episode:
- Tears are liquid prayers.
- Life may be difficult, but successes still happen.
- Sometimes we hold on to hope by doing what you know to do.
- There were many days of discouragement and fear, filled with many anguished prayers. A lot of those days were valley days. But what got us through those dark days was knowing who he was, who his Father was, and how we could go to Him in honest prayers, and we had the privilege to worship Him.
- The trials we experienced didn’t change the truth that we knew.
- It is often not living day by day, but depending on God moment by moment.
- You have to know what you believe before a crisis hits, because that is what you will fall back on when crisis hits.
- It would have been easier to get through those trials if we had understood the power of our words, and the importance of guarding our minds. We made the decision to no longer watch the evening news or take the daily newspaper because we wanted to limit the negativity that entered our home.
- We are now less likely to allow people to speak negative things to or over us. And now we are more careful about what we say to others.
- When someone is going through a trial or devastating diagnosis, your presence is more important than your words. Limit your questions because it can be very wearing to have to answer the same questions repeatedly.
- In the book of Job, he experienced so many devastating hardships. Job’s friends came and sat with him for 7 days in his time of grief. Yet they got in trouble when they opened their mouths.
- Don’t say to a person in a crisis situation, “If you need anything, let me know.” If you think of something that might be helpful, just do it. They will appreciate it. Be consistent in your presence and your support.
Scripture References:
- Philippians 4:1, “Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!”
- Philippians 4:8, “Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Recommended Resources:
- https://drmichellebengtson.com/practical-grace-how-to-not-be-friend-to-someone-with-cancer-part-1/
- https://drmichellebengtson.com/practical-grace-what-not-to-say-to-someone-with-cancer-part-2/
- https://drmichellebengtson.com/practical-grace-how-to-be-friend-to-someone-with-cancer-part-3/
- https://drmichellebengtson.com/how-to-support-someone-with-cancer/
- https://drmichellebengtson.com/10-lessons-learned-after-being-diagnosed-with-cancer/
- https://drmichellebengtson.com/the-day-i-was-diagnosed-with-cancer-18-promises-when-crisis-hits/
- https://drmichellebengtson.com/the-cancer-in-each-of-us/
- https://drmichellebengtson.com/what-cancer-taught-me-about-the-church/
- https://drmichellebengtson.com/hope-prevails-even-in-cancer/
- https://drmichellebengtson.com/how-testimonies-in-bible-bolster-faith-during-hard-times/
- “Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression” by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award https://amzn.to/2zB0e7J
- “Hope Prevails Bible Study” by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award https://amzn.to/2yMdN46
Social Media Links for Host:
For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at:
- To order Hope Prevails: https://drmichellebengtson.com/hope-prevails-book/
- Website: https://drmichellebengtson.com/
- Blog: https://drmichellebengtson.com/blog/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrMichelleBengtson
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrMBengtson (@DrMBengtson)
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmichellebengtson/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmichellebengtson/
- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/drbhopeprevails/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MichelleBengtson
- Radio Show Host: http://graceandtruthradio.world/shows/your-hope-filled-perspective/
Guest: Scott Bengtson
Scott earned his electrical engineering degree from Georgia Tech University. He spent the better part of his career in telecommunications. He has been married to his wife, Michelle for 31 years, and together they have two children: one who is a junior in college, and the other a junior in high school. He is a 3-time cancer survivor and gives God all the glory. In his spare time, Scott leads a men’s Bible study and serves in his local church.
Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson
Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson
Air Date: July 22, 2019