A friend at church shared a quote on Sunday that she has on a poster. It went something like, “We go slow because we go far.” (Original source unknown) The quote stuck with me. Speed and chronic illness do not go together. Yet, slow is acceptable. Slow speed has some advantages. Going slowly allows us…

My dad would often quote the most famous part of The Serenity Prayer. However, I had never heard the whole prayer. It is really good as we face our day. The Serenity Prayer “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change the courage to change the things I can and the…

My dad used to say something to the effect of old age not being for wimps. I would add that chronic illness, disability, and isolation are not for wimps. It is sometimes hard to keep persevering. Oswald Chambers, author of My Utmost For His Highest, is one who faithfully served God throughout His life. He states, “Perseverance…

“Always be kind. You don’t know what someone is going through.” ~Unknown The past few weeks, I have thought this often as I have watched loved ones walk through tough places. To see them out and about, you would never know it. They smile, function, and go about their day. Yet, you know that they…

My disability is not my identity, but it is my reality. This truth is something that has struck me recently. My identity is found in Christ. 1 John 3:1-3 “3 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know…

“27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.’” The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mt 14:27. Yesterday, I went in to get the stents out of my eyes. Now, hindsight says it is a very, very simple procedure that took about…

In Joni Eareckson Tada’s book, Keeping Faith When Life Hurts, she says in the “Before You Begin” section, “What does it mean to keep the faith? In 2 Timothy 4:7, the aging apostle Paul says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” To keep faith is to continue…

Contentment. Joni Eareckson Tada says, “Don’t let anyone tell you that contentment is easy. Contentment—real satisfaction with God’s purposes and plans—comes through making tough choices: leaning hard into Jesus, and not away from him, believing God and not your feelings. All this doesn’t come naturally. Even Paul says that he learned the secret of being content.”…

“I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages.” Charles Spurgeon This quote struck me this past week. It is so easy to get frustrated with our circumstances. Yet, if the circumstances draw us to (or throw us against) the Rock of Ages, they are dear circumstances.