3. Jesus has suffered as we have…and more. If you’d said this to me during the darkest of my wilderness days, I would have probably gotten very cranky. Sometimes it feels like Jesus is that perfect older brother who does everything right and, more importantly, never does anything wrong. When we lean into that bitter […]
by Jasmine Originally published on http://www.jjfischer.com If you are at least twenty years old, you have probably heard of “Footprints.” There are shorter and longer versions, but the one on my dresser reads like this: “A man dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord. He noticed two sets of footprints. However, during […]
Thank you, Erica, for sharing your story with us! Tell us about yourself! Thank you for the opportunity to encourage others through my story. I’m Erica Baldwin – a wife, mom of one active 10-year-old, and freelance writer/blogger who lives in North Carolina. We also have an international high school student living with us, which […]
Last week we looked at four encouraging themes from Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings that parallel Scripture truths for us in our valley of chronic illness. This week we look at the last four: 5. Our needs will be met along the way All now seemed dry and silent; but refusing to despair Sam stooped […]
I just finished re-reading The Lord of the Rings again. Each time I read this masterpiece I gain a new layer of appreciation for the story, the writing, the characters, the themes, and the language. While all those things impacted and inspired me afresh this time around, I also found a new connection with Frodo […]
Thank you, Leah, for sharing your story with us! Tell us about yourself! My name is Leah Kaiser and I am a 42-year-old wife and mother to 3 teenagers. We currently reside in Tucson, AZ, but have lived in various places all over the country. I am a former Navy Nurse and currently homeschool all […]
“You are not your diagnosis.” Have you heard this phrase? Commonly spoken to chronic illness warriors both in and outside the Christian community, it’s true. We are not defined by our illness. Our limitations. Our losses. Our physical changes. On the converse, we’re not defined by our health either. Our abilities. Our talents. Our physical […]
Thank you, Sara, for sharing your story with us! Tell us about yourself! My name is Sara Willoughby, I’m the author of He’s Making Diamonds, about faith in God in chronic illness. I am also the founder and host of the Diamonds conference, a free online conference for Christians with chronic illnesses, and a Young […]
Fruit in the Ashes Most of us know the story of Joseph, Jacob’s first son by his beloved wife, Rachel (the one who died near Ephrathah): given dreams of a great future, envied by his brothers, sold into slavery in Egypt, falsely accused of crime, forgotten in prison, and finally not just restored but elevated […]
How much do you know about the place called Ephrathah in the Bible? The ancient name for Bethlehem and the region around it, Ephrath or Ephrathah first appears in Genesis 35:16-20 as the place where Jacob’s beloved wife, Rachel, died. The only Ephrathites mentioned by name in Scripture are Elimelech, his wife, and their two […]
The Valley