In Episode 106 of The Thinklings Podcast, Dr. Tim Little discusses the example of the Servant (a prophetic portrayal of Jesus) in Isaiah 50. I was greatly encouragement by Dr. Little’s breakdown not only of Jesus’ suffering, relatable especially to those of us with chronic illness, but also of God’s help that sustained Jesus, available […]
Last week we looked at two reasons we are valuable, reasons that come from God Himself and that define us with truths that cannot be changed: we are made in God’s image, created in His plan, and redeemed into His family by the priceless blood of His own Son. These next two reasons include truth […]
Have you ever struggled with your sense of value? Do you feel like you’re worth less (or perhaps completely worthless) because of your chronic illness? Do you question what you can offer to the world, to a special someone, or to God Himself with your limited capacities? I know I have. Lots of times. It’s […]
Last week we looked at the first three of seven characteristics of God He’s been showing me in fresh ways through the fires of chronic illness and other trials. This week we’ll look at the next four of these characteristics. 4. God is My Stability Stability: the quality, state, or degree of being stableStable: firmly […]
There’s been a lot going on in my life the past few months, both with my health and with other things. (You may or may not have noticed that we’ve missed a few posts–sorry about that.) I’ve experienced some very real pain and some very special blessings in what is still a time of growth, […]
Last week we looked at five more reasons for our falls as believers (and humans) and how God can use our moments of discouragement for our good, others’ good, and ultimately His glory. Today we finish that list with one more purpose to our falls, then we’ll look at some practical tips for getting back […]
Last week I shared the story of a fall I’d recently taken–a fall into discouragement–and the way God’s Word in II Corinthians helped me back onto my feet, parallel to the iconic “Why do we fall?” moment from the movie Batman Begins. We also saw two reasons behind why we as believers (and humans) fall […]
The Day I Fell I took a fall the other day. Not the kind of fall that sends you down with a stubbed toe or a stinging knee, but the fall that sends you down with a bruised heart and a throbbing spirit. After a few weeks of mild improvement with my health, my hopes […]
It’s another New Year! Emily and I hope you had wonderful holidays! As we start 2023, The Valley’s blog schedule will shift to posts every other week instead of weekly. We pray you will continue to be blessed by these posts and grow closer to God this year! The Struggle of Another Day I woke […]
Last week we looked at how to find grace, joy, and peace in chronic illness based on Elisabeth Elliot’s short devotional about the hymn “It Is Well With My Soul” by Horatio G. Spafford: by receiving what God has given us and by relinquishing what He takes from us. As I meditated on Elisabeth Elliot’s […]
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