Just as artists of the past glamorized and misrepresented sickness and fatigue, even well-meaning doctors or loved ones can unintentionally gloss over our difficult realities. The truth is, there’s nothing glamorous about being unable to get out of bed, struggling to find energy for even the simplest tasks, or feeling lost in a fog that just won’t lift…

It’s my prayer that you will feel seen, understood, and embraced by the Lord when you read and pray A Lament for Difficult Medical Seasons. Send it to someone who is struggling to show them that you care—and to remind them that they are never alone.

As I shared in my devotional Incurable Faith, one of my childhood dreams was to become a poet. What I never dreamed of was a future marked by disability, cancer that is considered incurable, and long stretches of isolation due to frequent hospitalizations and being homebound. Yet, in the most unexpected way, God used these struggles to bring my childhood dreams to life in ways I could never have planned, asked, or imagined.

During a setback, we cannot understand how our path has taken this sudden turn for the worse. We might feel defeated, as though all of our efforts will never lead us to higher ground. Yet every setback holds room for God’s grace and power to prevail. 

Here’s a thought: Our setbacks might just be hidden switchbacks—leading us to high and holy ground.

Although today’s prayer is for those who are mourning any loss, my heart is particularly heavy for those who are experiencing the loss of a loved one. I’d like to share a personal message that I wrote for a friend as she sat by her mother’s hospice bedside. The Scripture verses and reflection brought her much comfort—I pray they comfort you as well.

In this podcast, Charles and I discuss embracing the joy of the Lord amid suffering, guarding our spiritual fervor and pursuing our callings during seasons of sickness, and how the Lord led me to write Incurable Faith.

A reflection on what it means to join Christ in suffering on the day when we ponder the enormity of His sacrifice: May suffering and pain lead you to experience a greater love for the One who suffered for you. May you be filled with the same resurrection power that raised Jesus from the dead. May gospel hope will fill your heart, lifting your sorrows, and making space for the glorious joy of your salvation.

One of ironies of being a caregiver or having health issues is being isolated during a time when you need people the most. Do you feel alone or overwhelmed with your caregiving or health challenges? If so, I hope you’ll join The Incurable Faith Book Club!

What blessings, challenges, and challenges that are actually blessings (although you might realize it at first) will this year hold for you? A week after my book launched, I endured another series of serious health complications: COVID-pneumonia, a dangerous blood infection, hospitalization, and a lengthy road to recovery that I am still navigating. (You can learn more in my LIFE Today TV interview here…)

Do you know a caregiver who needs support? Here is a free resource! Incurable Faith: Connecting Conversations for Caregivers can be used in a caregiver support group, as a journal prompt, or with loved ones.