“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 […]
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 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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
It was a dark and stormy night. In my soul. It had been another day of relentless fatigue, weakness, headache, and other symptoms. I spent the morning in bed, didn’t go to work in the afternoon, and stayed home from the evening Bible study. I finally broke under the attacks both physical and spiritual I […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
The Valley