Thriving in the Face of Adversity: Miracles in Action
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by: Aurea McGarry
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Word Count: 554
What is the mystical force that allows some people to prevail in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, such as surviving a death-defying accident or to even overcome cancer? Some argue that miracles are responsible. According to a Harris Poll, 73% of American adults believe in miracles, with women more likely than men to be believers.
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines a miracle as an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs. Aurea McGarry, author of the new book “I Won’t Survive...I’ll Thrive,” believes that miracles truly do happen - and she is living proof.
McGarry believes divine intervention helped her overcome great heartbreak, tremendous personal loss and a terminal illness. When she was a teenager, her father was brutally murdered forcing her and her mother to move from their upscale Manhattan address to a cramped apartment. Even though she was young, she worked hard and with great focus saved enough money to help them return to Manhattan.
After moving to Florida during college, she married a pastor’s son. He turned out to be physically and verbally abusive. After gathering her courage and leaving him, even more tragedy loomed on the horizon. Her mother died of cancer and shortly afterwards, her brother was also diagnosed and treated for cancer. Then the unthinkable happened; McGarry herself was diagnosed with cancer.
Doctors told her she’d never be able to speak above a whisper after surgery. This operation removed her Thymus and half of her left lung, part of her right lung, the lining around her heart and her left thoracic nerve to her vocal chord. But did she give up hope? No! Standing strong she kept hope alive while her second husband called everyone he knew to pray for her.
“It is amazing that you can really feel the power of people’s prayers,” says McGarry. “It is a warm peace and joy inside your spirit that is unexplainable and wonderful—I felt the prayers so strongly that I began to feel a peace and energy.”
McGarry is not alone in her unshakeable faith in the healing power of miracles. According to a Newsweek poll, a whopping 72% of Americans surveyed believe that God can cure people who’ve been given no chance of survival by medical doctors. While many scientists are not convinced about the benefits of prayer or miracles, those who’ve been in McGarry’s situation cling to their beliefs.
“I recovered from a killer disease,” says McGarry. “So if you face a terminal illness, a debilitating injury, a divorce or any other emotionally wrenching problem, why not believe in a miracle? Honestly, why not a miracle for you? Whether we receive one or not, we live each day better for keeping hope alive.”
Aurea believes she endured those traumatic challenges for a greater purpose; to share her survival mechanisms with others who are struggling. She encourages people who are facing enormous obstacles and challenges to avoid slipping into denial and to adopt a positive attitude. As she so aptly states, a positive attitude can build you up. Negativity will tear you down. Perhaps the ability to even believe in the positive when facing grief and adversity is actually the miracle so many of us hope to witness.
About the Author
Aurea McGarry was born in New York City in 1961. She enjoyed an upscale lifestyle in Manhattan until her father was brutally murdered when she was fifteen years old. Forced to give up her upscale life, she entered the work force at a young age. McGarry attended college and also studied at the New York Academy of Theatrical Arts. She’s had great entrepreneurial success with a leading cosmetics company. She believes her focus on business is what helped her leave an abusive marriage. She lost her mother to cancer only to be diagnosed with cancer herself years later. After surgery, and grueling chemo, doctors told her she’d never be able to speak again above a whisper. She has been cancer free for years now and can talk despite the grim diagnosis. McGarry went on to become Mrs. U.S. Beauty of Georgia in 2003. She lives in the Atlanta area with her husband, Brian and their daughter and grand-daughter.
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