Category: Thoughts

Today in my time in God's Word, I was searching for hope. I went to the right place. I began studying 1 Peter.

Yesterday, I had a dark spell. Those of you who also deal with chronic illness know what I’m talking about. For those of you who don’t, it’s a time when my mind becomes a scary place. Every depressing thought I can think comes out. I know they’re not true. I know they’re lies. I know the truth to combat them. It doesn’t stop the battle from coming.

When Anna Jarvis first envisioned the celebration of Mother’s Day, she intended for it to be a day that families set aside to spend time with their mothers showing their appreciation for the sacrifices they have made. No mom has sacrificed more for her children than my mom has for me.

I’ve noticed something about myself recently: I am proud of my chronic illness. I don’t mean “proud of” as a parent is proud of a child. I mean I take pride in being disabled, and I don’t mean that in a good way.

I’ve always been somewhat of an introvert. Sometimes, though, I wish I could be a turtle so that I could pull my head and arms and legs inside my shell and not have to see or hear or deal with any people.

Last fall, I had to resign from teaching due to my complicated migraines. I had five years under my belt, and I had finally figured out the nitty-gritty aspects of teaching.

I’ve heard and seen a lot about how one can let his or her chronic illness turn them into either a victim or a survivor. The mindset is that either you can let your illness keep you from living life, or you can push through and live a full life in spite of your illness.

Two holidays in our national calendar are more important to the Christian faith than any others: Christmas because it is the celebration of Christ coming to earth as a man, and Easter because it is the celebration of Christ’s atoning work on the cross and His resurrection upon which our entire faith rests.

My goal with this blog is to encourage those who struggle with chronic illnesses with what I have learned in dealing with mine. With that in mind, I figured my story would be a great place to start.