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Women in the Valley

Women in the Valley: Sara’s Story

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 […]

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Wednesday Writings

Chronic Illness: A Place of Fruit and Ashes, Part II

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 […]

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Wednesday Writings

From the Valley of New Jersey to the Mountains of Colorado: A Journey of Faith, Hope, and Miracles, Part II

The God Who Moves the Mountains Even though I was settled in my decision to move to Colorado, I wanted to visit again–to see the area as a prospective home and not just a nice place to visit–before I made things Official. So when Erin drove out at the end of February with as much […]

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Wednesday Writings

From the Valley of New Jersey to the Mountains of Colorado: A Journey of Faith, Hope, and Miracles, Part I

Happy New Year? “I look at 2022 and I see a black hole.” “There’s not much else that I want right now, and I hesitate to make plans or even to have big desires because 1) it takes energy to have and maintain big desires and 2) it’s really hard when they aren’t met, and […]

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Women in the Valley

Women in the Valley: Ashley’s Story

Thank you, Ashley, for sharing your story with us! Tell us about yourself! Hi, I’m Ashley! I am married to my high school sweetheart, John, and we currently live in South Carolina. John and I have been together for 6 years and married for 2. We both have chronic illnesses, and we are both undergrads. […]

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Wednesday Writings

Living With a Thorn in the Flesh

by Jasmine Originally published on the author’s blog “If you take this away, God, imagine how much more I could do for you this week.” I catch myself praying this prayer at least every second day. Oh, sometimes it’s not in so many words. It could be as simple as: “God, if you give me […]

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Wednesday Writings

The Beauty of Dependence

A few weekends ago, my parents and I watched the NCAA women’s basketball national championship: the Connecticut Huskies vs the South Carolina Gamecocks. The power, speed, and agility on the court showed a stark contrast to me sitting on the couch with my blanket and cup of tea, my head aching and my stomach trying […]

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Wednesday Writings

The Unravelling: Lessons From God’s Pruning

By Jasmine Originally published on The Gospel Coalition Australia Author’s Note: I wrote this article just over a year after having to leave my job overnight due to the onset of serious chronic illness. As I write this note in April 2022, I’m blessed to have finally received a diagnosis (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome), which […]

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Spiritual Depression Wednesday Writings

Spiritual Depression: God’s Chastening

I hope you’ve been as blessed as I have looking at these chapters from D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones’s book Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure. After reviewing general considerations, fear and faith, feelings, and trials, this week we’re going to look at Chapters 17 and 18, God’s Chastening and In God’s Gymnasium. God’s Chastening The key […]

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Spiritual Depression Wednesday Writings

Spiritual Depression: Trials

While every chapter in Lloyd-Jones’s book Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure is good–so far we’ve looked at the introduction, fear and faith, and feelings–this chapter on trials was one that struck me as immensely applicable to us in our valley of chronic illness. The key verse for his Chapter 16 is I Peter 1:6-7: […]