Hey, ladies of faith. I'm Jenny Peckel. I am the host of our new podcast. It's a podcast we hope will make the community of women at faith feel smaller and more connected. We'll be releasing them periodically over the next several months.

So if you don't wanna miss even one episode, hit that subscribe button, and I hope you'll join me. Thanks for listening. I'm Claire Kingsley, and usually it's Jenny on the other side of the microphone for women of faith podcast, but this is a special episode. And we're joined with Sylvia, Scott, and Ingrid Mehl. And, Sylvia had it on her heart to share testimony of what God's been doing in her life.

And so, we're recording an impromptu podcast episode together, and, I'm gonna let Sylvia introduce herself and then Ingrid, you could just give us a little bit about yourself also just so women are able to put a voice to the name and, maybe understand a little bit about you as well. My name is Sylvia Scott. I'm married to Beverly Scott. And, yes, it's a it's a guy. We've been attending church since 19 1982.

I didn't have any plans for speaking today. I didn't even know I was going to speak until I was in the shower this morning and felt that I was supposed to call the ladies who are in charge of this event tonight and let them know what has been going on. My name is Ingrid Mayo and, I'm married to Jack Mayo. And, we've been attending Faith Church since before we were married, beginning in about 1978. And, we were married here in the older part of the church in 1982 and, our daughters Laura and Erica were raised here.

I've been fortunate to sing in the choir and to lead the handbook choir. Did a. And to, and to sample many of Faith's, ministries and over these many years. And, Sylvia, tell me a little bit about your friendship with Ingrid. The morning I was working in the toddler's room or the 2 year olds.

It was the crawlers. Yeah. The crawlers. And Jack and Ingrid are both doctors. And at this time, I was really one of those people.

You have to stay home. Your children and, you know You were taking care of our daughter, Laura. Yes. And I was changing her diaper, a very dirty one, at the end of the service and when they walked in. And Ingrid most we used cloth diapers back then.

Ingrid rips off the diaper. I think you weren't using would you? I I think actually you had she had a clean diaper back on, but you had, carefully washed her, her poopy tights, basically. They were they were white, and they had a lot of cotton. And I had wasted too many hours trying to get, white back into into white tights.

And so, I'm not usually this decisive, but, Sylvia handed me the the little paper bag with the, moist tights, and I I made the mistake of dropping it into the garbage in front of her knowing After she just spent so much time working on that? Sylvia had boys. You know, it really Yeah. And it does make a difference. It does.

So I was I was just horrified. Not only that, they were young, you know, well off for med schools, and they struck me as, well, I have nothing in common with these people. And so I was horrified. Of course, I don't And she knew I would never be friends. Yeah.

First thing I was, I could never be friends with her. So you take it up from there. Well, we ended up in the same Sunday school class and, Had to be mingling. Mhmm. And eventually, we found that we had really many things in common.

We both loved music and literature and, loved a good bible study discussion and, loved our children and our husbands and, good food and had really many reasons to be excellent friends. So And the rest is history. That's true. Yes. Okay.

Okay. So, Sylvia, your life, really changed in the last 5 years. Mhmm. What happened 5 years ago? 5 years ago, Beverly and I had, 5 years ago.

Yeah. We had just retired from the symphony. I had had this pulled muscle or what I thought was a pulled muscle, in, in my mid back. And it just kept bothering me, so Ingrid said we should get it checked out. Somewhat after that, we we got a chest X-ray that was maybe a little abnormal.

But then we got a CAT scan, and we found just how abnormal things were. Sylvia had, a a tumor in her lung, and it had eaten into her rib, which gave her the pain that she thought was in her muscle. And she still have been some muscle on it. And then, there were also there were evidence of cancer that had spread to her liver and to her bone and to the other lung and even to her brain. So, you know, as her front and her doctor, this was devastating to me because, you know, doctors like to be smart, you know, and and we don't like to be outsmarted by by cancers or and, you know, we'd like to keep, stay ahead of things like that.

So we got Sylvia to an oncologist and, Wonderful. And she's been a real blessing too. The and, we were able to start, we even we we knew from the very beginning that, this was not gonna be a cancer that could be cured, you know, where where we could declare a medical victory, which really made me sad, honestly. Of course. And so, but it was it was, it was heartening to see, that there was some chemotherapy that could that could help Sylvia feel better.

And, so we went along, in the 1st 6 months. And, then we had another hiccup in that, a growth in her pancreas, got bigger while all the other evidence of cancer was getting smaller on the medicine that she'd been started on. So, a biopsy showed that that was a second kind of cancer, and then she, underwent an operation to remove part of the pancreas. Doctor Singh is one of the, one of the most skilled, robotic surgeons and just I and he was willing to, to take her case. Yeah.

And to, and to remove part of her pancreas. But, but she recovered nicely. And, and for about a year and a half, the pancreatic cancer was was held steady. She did, actually, at the very beginning, she did have to undergo chemotherapy for the, for the pancreatic cancer right after, the surgery. Not fun, but certainly bearable.

Good good good drugs. So, Sylvia has had kind of an interweaving of different types of chemotherapy over the last, three and a half years. You know, but and and through all of it, she has been, gracious and God has been gracious to her Oh, yes. In not giving her more than she could bear. Strange thing about this is too.

I've had no pain Really? Except from the surgery, you know. And that's was nothing. But I've had no pain from all the things going on with me. Well, what I hear is, like, anyone in your shoes over the last many years would have many opportunities to become bitter or angry or upset or just fearful.

Yeah. And yet you've shared with us that that's not been your story. So what's it been like we know physically what's been happening to your body, but what's been happening in your heart these last 5 years? I felt I had been reading Rumors of Another World. If you haven't read it, it's fabulous.

And I've been sending it to friends and stuff. And I just was feeling particularly inspired. And I live near Crown Hill and this beautiful hill up there, and I would go walking in it all the time. But, this day, it was wild and there was the most glorious shades of orange and yellow and red and russet. And right that fall.

Yes. And I was up there. I had a book of just poetry for autumn. And I was up there and put took a blanket with me and it's just lying there like this. And I point to that as the beginning because, for me at least, all the poetry just to me seemed to be inviting me to heaven to see the beauty that was there.

Let's see. Did you know what was happening at the time or did you just No, no, no. You just felt the immense peace. Yes. And I think at that point that was when the Holy Spirit just grabbed me and shook me.

We got the diagnosis and she had told me that the day before that it was not good. It was very bad, you know? She was prepping you, yeah. Yeah. And that night, the day I the day after, Jack and My husband and I, had a party and we called it dinner and diagnosis.

And we had some nice wine because I was not afraid. And I wasn't even sad. But I know people who have gone, you know, through these kinds of things with terrible amounts of pain. So, you know, I'm a sissy compared to those people. That's why God made it so easy for me, I think.

Yeah. So Did your conversations with God change then? What did that sound like, your relationship with him? I don't think it's changed. It's strengthened.

So I wonder if, you could tell me in your experience. I think that I didn't know God as a sustainer until I became a mom of little children. Oh, yeah. And I'm like, I knew that was a true characteristic about him, but I'm like, lord. I'm late.

Like, that is the characteristic I'm, like, need in my life right now. Yeah. And I imagine going through hardship, you are learning about characters of God, the character of God in a way that I haven't Yeah. Experienced. And so what character or characteristic of God have you relied on or, gotten to know more in the last few years?

How terribly, terribly good he is. And I think I felt more as I've been coming toward death, More and more is more urgency on my part to tell others. That's why we're here tonight. And, yes. What truth do you know that you really want everybody to know?

To not fear. I worried, worried, worried. My whole family did except for my father. We were worriers. All growing up you felt that.

Oh, and performance. Actually, I was pretty good in performance off stage. But, yeah. So you would say you've experienced fear and worry your whole life up until this and then it just changed in the last 5 years. And I have a bad temper, and it changed.

It was not instantly, and it is not perfect. Well, if we know the Lord, then we're just on a highway to heaven. So, yeah, I'm excited. I'm not happy, of course, of saying goodbye to my grandchildren, one's 1a half, you know, and oldest, only 7. Aside from that and leaving the loved ones, I'm ready to go over, you know?

I really wanted to get this made soon because I had such a story, I felt. I really felt God compelling me. It all happened today. You know? Okay.

Sylvia, you've mentioned performing a few times throughout our conversation. Why don't you share what it was that you did for your career the last many years? I was a professional pianist for the ISO for 33 late around 33 years. Yes. And played chamber music with my husband, his brother, and his wife.

We were the Scott Chamber players in residency for many years at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Taught a while at, as a sub at Indiana University. It was a big music school. So in our conversation, you mentioned that I think that that was one of the things you said you've had to give up as a part of your diagnosis. And so do you have you felt that piano is something you've had to give up?

Instantly, the cancer is in my brain, you know, and something shifted. I literally was in the dining room looking over something and when I raised my head my vision as I describe it was there. What other things have you lost with this diagnosis? What other things have you had to give up? Shopping.

Is that a love of good pastime? Oh, yeah. Yeah. I could be a big shopper. But fortunately, it's not too much because we're poor musicians.

The ability to drive, the ability to read. I do everything book this thing in my eye. I can read, but generally I can read a couple of pages of a book and then my eye gets so tired trying to adjust. So giving up reading, I'm in a book club still but I just prepare, you know, by listening. Yes, yes.

And that's nice because I don't feel good, I can lie down. My husband and I played professionally duo piano where 2 pianists are seated at the same bench and we did that professionally and that was so romantic. So but Yeah. That was a special piece of your relationship that you just gone. Yeah.

This is maybe a bold question. I don't know how you feel about this, but what do you think you've gained with your diagnosis? We were just talking about things that you lost. Oh, what you gained. It's everything.

You know, just God has opened my heart. This diagnosis has made my husband and me much more interested in giving away what we have. And it's been a beautiful thing to watch. Has it been fun to be able to just open your hands a little bit more? Oh, yes.

Yes. Absolutely. One other thing that I have to say that I admire, I know that you have lost, but I mean, I know how, you know, what a spectacular pianist you've been for so many years. And at the same time, you and and Beverly have both, wholeheartedly played with the bell choir. Yes.

And, And I can't do it. It's so hard. Well, but You have to your mind has to turn you play this way instead of this way. So it's a bell bell music is organized differently than any other kind of music. It is as if you were a key on the piano instead of a singer to to have your own melody.

Yes. And so, first but but you still love to be part of a musical group. And, and I think, you know, for someone who for whom, excellent performance, was the way that you, that you had to make your your daily bread for so many years, when you and Beverly make worship music, your emphasis changes and it's all about the heart. Yes. That's one thing that I miss very much.

I used to play hymns. I had to quit, you know, and I loved to play hymns. Sylvia, we are, we're having this conversation because you feel that you don't know how much time you have left to live on this side of Yes. It is just growing very quickly. This this, I don't know what that's been long and coming and now is it too fruition or whether this is a vicious new cancer.

You'd like to share what it's like, to die with Jesus. Oh, yes. Can you tell us what that means to you? Oh, that means heaven. And I I words describe I would have I would have to play the piano or play, you know, something listen to Bach or Brahms, the religious music they wrote.

Schubert. To be able to describe what that would be like, you would need music. Yeah. And yeah, I know the fantastic music when I arrive, I think, at heaven. I want others to understand the joy that I have in Jesus.

How else has God sustained you? Oh, gosh. Well, the church has been you? Oh, gosh. Well, the church has been feeding us a lot.

I am so fortunate to have wonderful, wonderful friends. Ingrid, what's it been like being a close friend of Sylvia the last few years and what have you admired about her walk with Jesus these last 5 years? Well, I think that understanding that she's close to death has allowed Sylvia to look through life with a different lens and to distill things down to, their essence, what's really important. She loves and values her friends and her family. She enjoys, and maybe even savors a little bit more, you know, times with good food and good meals.

Heavens. Yeah. And How many people with advanced cancer are gaining weight? That's a real blessing. Put it then you put that in there.

I am putting it in there. You know, and and I have to say, you know, especially this to to see, you and and Beverly savor your time together, making sure that you have all the necessaries done. But, because she's a very good cook. But, going out to, you know, taking every invitation that comes your way and, you know, and enjoying each other's company. Yeah.

And we're going to Maine to we have the fortunate duty to babysit our grandchildren, go to world class concerts and eat lobster. And that's What a pain. Yes. Somebody's got to do it. So Would you like to share what the gospel is to you?

That God and 3 persons, but one created the universe. And then amazingly, that he died, one person of the of the 3, Jesus died, saved my life and opened my eyes and just I didn't know living like this could be so amazing. Throughout my life, Jesus has changed dramatically the way I live. As I approach this final stage, Jesus was just like putting honey honey on the pancake. So I'm ready to go.

My bags are packed. Mhmm. If there is someone listening who hasn't experienced the love of Jesus, I would love for you to know him and the way he sweetens both life and death.