An Impossible Life

By Erin Elizabeth Austin

I live an impossible life. Nothing about my life is easy. I don't just live with one chronic illness; I don't even live with two chronic illnesses. I live with three chronic illnesses (lupus, Crohns, and fibromyalgia). For me, the question at the start of each day isn't, "Will I experience pain and fatigue today?" The question is, "How much pain and fatigue will I be in today?" Every day I am able to get out of bed and accomplish anything is considered to be a miracle. Maybe that's why over the past several years, the way I view life has changed so drastically.

Before I became sick, I liked to have every moment of every day planned. I liked order and control. But as we all know, a chronic illness is anything but ordered and controlled. It's chaotic and unpredictable. Because of this, it's no wonder why I dug in my heels when God told me to start Broken but Priceless Ministries. I never know when I'm going experience a severe flare or be hospitalized. Logic said there was no way I could ever be a part of a ministry, let alone lead one. Yet this is exactly what God wanted me to do. So after MANY discussions and arguments with God, I knew I had to be obedient to what He was calling me to do, and if I failed, so be it. 

It's been two-and-a-half years since Broken but Priceless Ministries was created, and I'm constantly amazed at all God has done and is continuing to do. I remember thinking after I wrote the first blog, "No one is going to read this." I also remember the response to that blog and the shock I felt that anyone outside of my family had taken the time to read it. Since the beginning of the ministry, God has taught me many things, but the number one thing I've learned is this - I may live an impossible life, but I serve the God of impossibilities. Nothing is impossible with God. He makes the impossible possible, and the more I let go of my need to control what happens in my life, the more I allow God to do the impossible in my life.

Six months ago, God worked out an impossibility that only He could have done. Broken but Priceless Ministries had grown so much and in such a short time that I needed help. Through my alma mater, God introduced me to Josie Siler. Interestingly enough, we never met until last week. Yet because everything about this ministry has happened because God made it possible, I knew that God was at work and wanted Josie to be a part of BPM. 

Last week, Josie and I were able to finally meet. We got to spend the week together in Disney World. By the end of the week, I jokingly referred to Josie as my Midwestern twin, and I was her Southern twin. Everything about us, from what we like to eat to the type of music we enjoy, is the same. The only thing we disagreed about was how to pronounce certain words. Sidenote: Is it miniature golf or putt-putt?

God has done so much in Broken but Priceless Ministries recently, we wanted to share it with all of you. Truthfully, there's too much to share in a blog, but I'll hit the highlights.

• BPM has been recognized by the South Carolina Baptist Convention and is now a resource for all of the Southern Baptist Churches in the state of South Carolina.
• Many speaking engagement have been lined up, and we are hopeful more will come.
• BPM has been asked to be a part of a national event called Community Wellness Day.
• We are starting to reach people living with a chronic illness in other countries.

Some things Josie and I are working on are:

• Becoming a resource for the Christian Missionary Alliance churches in the state of Wisconsin.
• Having speaking tours where we will travel together and speak at churches and events.
• Train churches how to develop ministries that will target the chronically sick and their families.
• Minister to missionaries who are serving overseas and living with a chronic illness.

Again, nothing that has happened is because of Josie or myself. God is the One who has made everything possible. Josie and I are simply blessed to be a part of what He is doing. God truly is the God of impossibilities. I may live an impossible life, but that's okay. I serve a God who can turn the impossible into possible.

"But He said, 'The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.' " ~ Luke 18:27