I drove through the town of Paradise the other day - the town that was ravished last November by a vicious fire. It was intensely humbling to see the destruction and devastation. Entire streets had been completely leveled - homes gone, debris cleared leaving only dirt and driveways.My friends home - gone Some streets would…
Years ago, one of my closest friends was in a deep pit of depression. She suffered so deeply and it hurt to know she was in so much pain. Yes - depression is painful. It cuts deep into the heart and can steal your entire life. I started writing a devotional for her about joy.…
I have had consistent neck and head pain for 6 years, and intermittently (often daily) for 13 years. I have multiple herniated discs, spinal cord narrowing and compression, and bone spurs - none of which are severe enough for surgery but all of which can and do cause incredible pain, not just in the neck;…
Embarrassed. Humiliated. Frustrated. Angry. Heartbroken. Alone. The feelings that come with being chronically sick are not easy. In fact, they're often so overwhelming that it can be impossible to get well. Today has been both physically and emotionally challenging. We are traveling and everywhere we go, there is chaos - too many people, too much…
My least favorite interview questions are the ones about plans. "What’s your 5 year plan?" "Where do you see yourself in 10 years?" Good grief - I don’t know where I’m gonna be at the end of the day! Don't get me wrong - it makes sense that we should plan for the future, to…
My youngest daughter has always struggled with being overwhelmed by sensory things - sounds, lighting, smells, and even just the presence of other people in the same room. We never fully understood what she was experiencing - people would call her shy, quiet, even rude. She struggled in school not because the work was too…
I've lost several friends in recent years to cancer - and I've seen friends battle and fight and suffer that cruel disease. I have nothing but respect for anyone who has been in that trench. I do not discount the terror that comes with a cancer diagnosis. It is horrible, it is painful, it is…
Every aspect of the chronically ill life is vastly different from the healthy life. And with those differences comes a feeling that we are not "normal". And we're not! And that's ok. It's what we do with the minutes of our abnormal life that counts. Every night, every person on the planet lays down, closes…
I've been back in Kansas for another 5 days of treatment. It's once again been such an encouraging experience - leaving me filled with hope. I was in a lot of pain when I got here and feeling a little discouraged, but my pain level is down today and I am leaving with new tools…
One of the hardest things I've had to adjust to as a chronically ill person is balancing the various worlds I live in. I live in 7 worlds. Occasionally two or three of these worlds harmoniously overlap, but more often than not, these distinct worlds live in extreme competition with each other. 1.) Faith in,…
PhilippiJoy 