By Erin Elizabeth Austin

As I drove to the airport, my only thought was, “Lord, I’m worn-out.” Never have I needed a vacation as much as I did in that moment. I felt beaten-up emotionally, mentally, and physically, and I needed a break from all the stress and problems of life. I begged God for seven perfect days so that I could return home restored, ready to take on life once again. 

While sitting on the plane waiting for it to take off, the verses of Philippians 4:6-7 kept coming to mind: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” 

I have heard these verses so many times in my life that I can actually quote them. Yet knowing them hasn’t made it any easier for me to “be anxious for nothing.” Maybe it’s just me, but I find it difficult to not worry when I have a chronic illness constantly rearing its ugly head. When doctors are telling me all the potential horrors that may one day occur in my body, I struggle to be thankful. And even though I know I shouldn’t worry, that doesn’t help me to stop worrying. If anything, I then become worried over the fact that I’m worried! It’s a vicious cycle and one in which many of us find ourselves. 

As I watched clouds and sky fly past, I asked God to help me. I desperately wanted to be free of worry, but I didn’t know how. I knew part of the reason why I was so emotionally and mentally exhausted was because I had been worrying about a problem that my doctors were having no luck whatsoever in solving. They were becoming desperate, which in turn, was making me desperate for a solution. I was scared and hurting, and I needed God to deliver me my from my fears, whether or not a solution was ever found to my problem. 

Shortly after I admitted to God that I needed His help in overcoming my fears and worry, I had an epiphany. Although I was praying and letting my requests be made known to God, I wasn’t thankful. I want to pause here and say that when God says we should be thankful, I don’t think He necessarily means we should be thankful for the pain and suffering we have to endure, although there’s nothing wrong with that. But truthfully, few of us can truly be thankful for the trials we are facing. However, we can be thankful for the many blessings God has given us. If you’re like me, you can be so overwhelmed with the stress and trials of the day that you forget to notice all the good things in your life. From waking up in the morning to having friends and family with whom to share this life, we all have many blessings we often take for granted. When we fail to be thankful for the good things in our lives, our perspective goes out of focus and we grow anxious. Yet all we have to do to regain our perspective is to thank God for who He is and all He’s done for us. It’s hard to stay worried when you’re praising God.

That day when God opened my eyes to my lack of gratitude, I spent the remainder of my flight thanking God for every blessing I could think of in my life. Shortly before my plane landed, I saw the most amazing thing outside of my window. Huge, gray, billowing clouds were surrounding the plane, so much so that I could see nothing but clouds. All of a sudden, I saw a miniature shadow of the airplane reflected on the cloud directly beside my window. Surrounding the shadow was a circular rainbow. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. It was as if God was saying, “Don’t worry. I’m taking care of you. You are surrounded by my love.” In that moment, I experienced what Paul described in Philippians 4:7. God’s peace flooded my heart and mind in a way that I can’t even begin to describe. My problems were still there, but they didn't seem nearly as big and complex as they had just four hours earlier.

As we begin a new year, I don’t know what challenges you’re facing. Some of you might have had a good year and hate to see 2013 end. Some of you, like me, may be praying God will change your circumstances in 2014. And some of you may simply be trying to survive and could care less about it being the New Year. Yet whatever you've been through in 2013 and will face in 2014, be it good or bad, my prayer for each of you is that you will be overwhelmed with God’s presence. I pray you will see that He has surrounded you with His love and your heart and mind will be guarded with His peace.

We can’t change what our illnesses do to our bodies, but we can change how we respond. So who’s with me?

“Those who trust in the Lord are secure as Mount Zion; they will not be defeated but will endure forever.” ~ Psalm 125:1

*Text written and posted on December 30, 2012.

By Katy Kauffman

I didn’t know what to call it.

When I was twenty-six years old, it came as peace. My heart had been anxious about waiting for the one right person God wanted me to marry. I had been struggling with the fact that he wasn’t here yet. I asked for God’s help. A few months later I had the most satisfying, calming, and even joyful peace. Over time, the peace has come and gone, but when I keep my heart close to God, His peace remains.

When I was twenty-two, it came as hope. I was going through an extremely hard time, one of the most trying ever. There really wasn’t anywhere to run—except to God. Through that storm, God showed me that He was enough—to help, to rescue, to set things right. He gave me hope that things would get better. And they did.

When I was thirty-one, it came as endurance. I knew God had called me to write a book, and even though it was almost finished, I felt like giving up. So many words, so much editing and designing, so many details. How would it all get finished? But He reminded me of the book’s purpose—to bless hearts, to show how God enables us to win our spiritual battles, and to excel in the marathon race of life. So He enabled me to keep running, and the end result is a book that I know He gave me the grace to write.

The apostle Paul told Timothy, his beloved son in the faith, “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:1, NKJV). Timothy had a difficult task before him—to preach God’s Word in a dangerous time, to stand for Christ amidst opposition, and to be a godly leader who would be targeted with persecution. So Paul told Timothy to be strong and to find in Christ everything he needed. Whatever God has called us to do—to trust Him when we feel like giving up, to serve Him when we don’t know how great our impact will be, to stand for Him when no one else does—He will give us the grace—the strength, endurance, and motivating love—to do it.

Don’t let the situation you are facing overwhelm you or the task ahead daunt you. However difficult our race becomes, we have Jesus and His grace to keep us going. However hard the fight, we have a Warrior who fights for us and who enables us to win our spiritual battles. Depend on Him. Depend on His grace.

© October 24, 2013

 About Katy:

Katy Kauffman is a co-founder of Lighthouse Bible Studies, a ministry which seeks to connect people to God through His Word. She has taught the Bible to women and teens, and her first Bible Study, 2 Timothy: Winning the Victory, has just been published. Her heart’s desire is for people to know and love God, understand the richness of His Word, and fulfill His plan for their lives. Katy graduated from Luther Rice Seminary with a BA in Religion, and makes her home in a cozy suburb of Atlanta, Georgia

By Josie Siler

Do you remember the day you got sick? Did your illness come on suddenly or was it a gradual occurrence? For me, it was sudden. Doctors were quick to determine I had an autoimmune disease, but two years passed before I had a name to go with the pain. For two years I put my life on hold, thinking that this would all quickly pass and I would be able to pick my life up where it left off.

Maybe I’m a little slow to grasp reality, but it was all of those two years and then some before I understood that I had a chronic illness. When that realization settled into my brain I felt suffocated. I felt like I was in the prison of my own sickly body with no way out. What about all the dreams I had? What about all the plans that were put on hold? What about all of the ways God was going to use me? Doggonit, I was going to do great things for the Lord!

Maybe you have felt these same emotions. There are no words to describe that kind of pain and life change. It’s the ultimate game of fruit basket upset – only, it’s not a game; it’s your life.

 It’s been five years and nine and a half months since the sudden onslaught of sickness in my life. I’d like to think I’ve learned a few things. I’ve learned that trust in God is my greatest weapon against hopelessness, misery, and defeat. The truth is God does have a plan for each of our lives, and it’s a good plan. We need to trust that His plans cannot be stopped. He is sovereign and all powerful. His purposes will be accomplished in each of our lives. 

More importantly, I’ve learned that sickness does not equal a free pass on biblical obedience. The things we are commanded to do in the Bible still apply to us. We are still to love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind and love our neighbor as we love ourselves (My paraphrase of Matthew 22:37-39). We are still to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything Jesus has commanded (My paraphrase of Matthew 28:19-20).

As I think about what I’ve learned, I think about the Apostle Paul who wrote the Book of Ephesians. As he wraps up his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul reminds them to pray for each other. He also asks for prayer for himself. “And don’t forget to pray for me. Pray that I’ll know what to say and have the courage to say it at the right time, telling the mystery to one and all, the Message that I, jailbird preacher that I am, am responsible for getting out (Ephesians 6:19-20, MSG).”

Paul used to be known as Saul. He was known for persecuting Christians before his encounter with the living God and subsequent conversion to Christianity. He became one of the most influential leaders of the early church and his teachings still influence our lives today. He traveled the known world telling others about Jesus. He was especially called to tell Gentiles (non-Jews) about the mystery of Jesus and God’s plan to save humanity. Paul was beaten, threatened, and nearly died on more than one occasion. Yet he persevered! He continued to be obedient to Christ in the midst of great trials and suffering.

I wonder what went through Paul’s mind when he was imprisoned? Did he wonder why God didn’t rescue him? I don’t know. What I do know is that Paul continued to obey God. He didn’t let his present situation stop him from the call of God upon His life.

While in prison Paul wrote letters to the churches and individuals with whom he had built relationships. The Book of Ephesians is one of these letters. It is part of a group of Books known as “The Prison Epistles,” which also include Philippians, Colossians and Philemon. Paul wasn’t in a prison but he was a prisoner under house arrest with a Roman soldier to guard him. “He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance (Acts 28:30-31, ESV).”

What a challenge! I’m not sure what God is calling you to today, but I do know that even as a sick person, you can have great impact for the Kingdom of God. Obedience to God – even in the small things – is a win for the Kingdom. Let’s pray that each of us will know what to say and have the courage to say it at the right time, telling the mystery to one and all, the Message that we too, are responsible for getting out in spite of the prison of sickness we are in.

“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.” -Matthew 6:34, The Message

© September 25, 2013

By Erin Elizabeth Austin

“Earth! Fire! Wind! Water! Heart! By your powers combined, I am Captain Planet!” If you haven’t guessed by now, I am a child of the 80s and 90s. Even at a young age, I loved superheroes, a love that has continued on in my adult years. My fascination began with a mullet-haired superhero named Captain Planet whose job was to save the world from villains, pollution, and natural disasters. Thankfully, my choice of superheroes has evolved as I've grown older, yet I still love a good story filled with drama, problems, and the overcoming power of good over evil.

Although it may seem silly for a grown woman to love the stories of Spiderman, Thor, Superman, Captain America, Green Lantern, and Iron Man, I find their stories comforting. Every one of these superheroes has a big weakness, the most famous of which is Superman and his aversion to kryptonite. When he’s exposed, he becomes weak and sickly. Yet he always manages to push through his weakness and do great things. If I’m honest, I see truth in the stories of superheroes. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think people can fly, turn themselves into an iron machine, or have magical hammers that give supernatural strength, although admittedly, I think that would be amazing to see. Yet I think all people, especially those who are sick, have the ability to rise above the limitations of their weaknesses with the help of God.

The Chinese symbol for crisis is made up of two symbols - danger and opportunity. Although it seems unlikely that a chronic illness could ever come with an opportunity, I've found it to be true. Many sick people have to quit their jobs because their body isn't able to work a 9-5 job, but because of this, they have time to pursue their dreams. I know people who have become photographers, decorators, bakers, and even blanket makers. I became a writer and started this nonprofit ministry. Whether or not it feels like it, you have unique talents and gifts to offer the world. Instead of focusing on the danger/problems of living with a chronic illness, focus on the opportunities. If you don't see it, ask God to help you see what you CAN do. He sees beauty and potential when He looks at you, and He wants to help you become what He created you to be.

God is the greatest superhero of them all. He has supernatural strength and power. He is all-knowing. He is everywhere, all the time. Nothing is greater or more powerful than Him, and the wonderful thing about God is He has no weakness. Nothing can weaken or destroy Him, and this amazing, all-powerful God loves each of us. Scripture tells us that when we are God's children and we cry out to Him, He will fill us with His strength and power through His indwelling Holy Spirit. What destroys us is when we try to live by our own abilities. We become like Superman after he’s been exposed to kryptonite – weak, exhausted, and powerless. Yet when we remember that we need God to help us live each day, He will help us rise above the limitations of our sickness and do the amazing things He created us to do.  

Will you still have days when you’re sick and unable to do things? Most likely, yes. I still have days when I'm too sick to do anything. Yet having a dream and knowing what my purpose in life is what motivates me each day to get out of bed and try. Sometimes, having small goals is just what it takes to push through and rise above the problems that come with a chronic illness.

In my opinion, every person reading this is a superhero. Either you live with a chronic illness or you’re the caregiver of someone who’s sick, and that makes you special. So you have a weakness; you’re not alone. Everyone does. Your worth isn't found in what you can’t do. Your value comes from how you respond to your weakness and what you do with the gifts God has given you. He has given each of us the ability to rise above our problems and bless and change the world around us, but if all you do is focus on your kryptonite, you will become the victim of your weakness and never fulfill the purpose for which God created you.

It’s time to answer God’s call to action. The world needs to see some real-life superheroes – people who rise above their circumstances and make a difference. Are you in?

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” ~ Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

© September 12, 2013                                                              

By Erin Elizabeth Austin

Picture it: A baby giraffe is born. Because the mother giraffe is so tall, he is born by falling ten feet to the ground and landing on his back. He manages to roll over and tucks his feet underneath his body. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have long to rest. After a minute passes, the mother giraffe positions herself behind him, and gives him a swift kick. Not surprisingly, her kick sends him rolling head over heels. But once is not enough. She proceeds to continually kick her newborn until he manages to stand in order to get away from her advances, but she’s not done yet. After the baby stands for the first time with his wobbly legs, the mother then kicks his feet out from under him sending him crashing down to the ground. She then repeats the process of kicking him until he is able to get up quickly and efficiently.

Dean Martin once sang a song about love entitled “Ain’t that a Kick in the Head.” If ever there was a theme song for an animal, I think the baby giraffe can claim this song as his. I can’t imagine ever kicking anyone, let alone an infant. It seems cruel for the mother giraffe to kick her baby repeatedly. Yet zoologists say the relationship between mother giraffes and their offspring are one of the more beautiful relationships in all of the wild. Giraffes are quite affectionate, not to mention protective of their children. They even go into mourning when a member of their family dies. So why in the world would such loving creatures choose to use their newborns as punching bags? In a word – love.

I know what you’re thinking. “If that’s love, count me out!” And while I wholeheartedly agree that I would prefer to not be dropkicked in order to feel loved, I have learned that there actually is a good reason for the giraffes’ behavior. When a giraffe is born, he weighs between 100-150 pounds and is six feet tall. Needless to say, it is very difficult for him to learn how to walk. In fact, even as an adult, giraffes have a difficult life because of their great height. If a giraffe can’t learn to walk quickly after he is born, he will die, especially if he lives in the wild. A number of animals would love to eat a baby giraffe. The initial kicking of the baby (also known as a calf) is to protect him and keep him from dying. But why does the mother make him fall and then repeat the process once he’s learned to stand? She wants him to remember how he got up and to teach him that when he falls in life, he should immediately get back up and try again. 

Lately, I’ve been thinking about persevering when it seems pointless or not worth the effort to continue trying. For people living with a chronic illness, nothing is easy. We have to work hard and it almost always takes longer for us to accomplish something than it would if we were healthy. The things most people take for granted are difficult for those of us with an illness. Things like washing a load of laundry, getting the mail, and cleaning the house are often difficult, not to mention more challenging things such as graduating from college, pursuing a dream, going to work, and attending church. These all require a great deal of effort. Life is hard. Every day we wake up, we make a choice whether or not we will push through the pain, exhaustion, and mental fog we are feeling and try to accomplish something. Because of that, there are times when we wonder, “What’s the point in trying?” We question if we’re making any progress. We begin to doubt we’ll ever see our dreams become a reality. I can’t help but wonder if that’s one of the reasons why God made giraffes so tall. He knew we would need a visual reminder to not give up.

Sometimes you may feel like you've been dropped on your head and then sent rolling head over heels by a kick to the backside. Maybe you’re going through one of those times now. For those of you who are, I want to encourage you to not give up. Don’t quit! Persevere through the pain and frustrations. Stand back up and try again. It’s okay if your legs are a bit wobbly like the baby giraffe’s. If you get tired and feel like you've run out of strength to keep trying, ask God to help you. The Bible tells us God will give us His strength; all we have to do is ask. One of these days you will accomplish what you’re trying so hard to do, and when that day comes, it will be even sweeter because you persevered and didn't give up.

“Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how He did it. Because He never lost sight of where He was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—He could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now He’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility He plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!” ~ Hebrews 12:1-3 (The Message)

© September 5, 2013

By Erin Elizabeth Austin

For over a year, I have had the privilege of studying the fruits of the Spirit. I admit that when I first began, I didn't think there was too much to learn. In my mind, I knew what love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control were and how they relate to God. How complicated could it possibly be to write a book about these things? Yet the more I have studied these character traits of God, the more I have realized just how naive I have been when it comes to the things of God.

I began studying the fruits of the Spirit in conjunction with a book I am currently writing. The idea is that for those living with a chronic illness, it's much harder to be filled with the fruit of the Spirit because often, we don't feel like God loves us. We don't feel like He's been faithful or good to us, so why should we be faithful and loving to Him?

These are questions often asked by believers who are suffering. They are questions which need to be answered because if we don't believe God cares about us, then it's incredibly difficult to have a good relationship with Him.

As I began my research, I was shocked at how little I really knew about the fruits of the Spirit. The English translation is greatly lacking when it comes to describing what God said in the original text. God has a lot to say when it comes to trials and suffering, and those of us suffering with a chronic illness need to hear what He has to say.

There have been many surprises for me along this journey, and one of the first came when I discovered the original Greek word for trials. The word is peirasmois and it comes from the Greek word peirates. Look familiar? If it doesn't, cross out the first e in the word peirates. See it now? It's where we get the word pirates.

I have to admit, I found this fascinating. Anyone dealing with a chronic illness knows that it has stolen a lot from them. Illnesses steal our health, our independence, our money, and our peace of mind. I've met some who have allowed their illness to steal their dreams, their families, and their happiness.

I think we can all agree that the word pirate is a pretty accurate description for a chronic illness, and for a person who doesn't have a personal relationship with Christ, there is little hope. But I've discovered verse after verse which says if we have a relationship with God, then we don't have to allow the pirate in our lives steal our treasure. Because of God, we can actually steal from the pirate. We can get joy and peace, despite having the presence of a pirate in our lives. We can know God's love, faithfulness, and goodness in a way we didn't know was possible. We can be so close in our relationship with God that the presence of a pirate no longer scares us. But it's our choice.

We determine if we allow our sickness to rob us blind. Every day we are alive, we have the choice to decide if we will become bitter, angry people or if we will live every day rejoicing because we serve an amazing God.

I don't know about you, but I want to be the one with the treasure at the end of the day. What about you?

"Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way...Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life." ~ James 1:2-4, 12 (The Message)

© May 2, 2012

By Kathy Sebright

The truth is I don’t know what it is like to be sick.  I am 30 years old and have been in good health most of my life. I am a distance runner who regularly puts more mileage on her shoes in a week than on her car. I don’t take any medications, I don’t have any specialists, I don’t undergo surgeries or procedures, and I don’t have a medical history.  So why am I even talking to you? What on earth can we possibly have in common? 

I have been down in the pit, you know the one. Down so deep, I couldn’t be reached, reasoned with, or comforted. The pit is empty and hopeless, full of only fear and uncertainty. There is only lateral movement allowed in the pit, never up and never forward. You are stuck there in this dark limbo until you choose to climb out. When I hit the bottom of that pit, in true Kathy Sebright fashion, I crossed my arms and refused to let anyone help me out.  To call me stubborn is a laughable understatement. It is true ten thousand times over. Why shouldn’t I just stay in the pit?

By Josie Siler

As a single person, I tend to skip over sections of Scripture about marriage. Oh sure, I’ve read them, but they just don’t seem to apply to me yet. If I really think about what I just wrote, it doesn’t make much sense. All of God’s Word should be applicable to me. There is always something that I should be able to learn, always. The passage I want to talk about today fits into that category. It is about how husbands and wives should treat each other. Some of you are married and will benefit greatly from these verses. However, if you’re single, don’t stop reading. Don’t just skip over this portion of Scripture; there is something for us to learn here as well. It’s not something that we should learn now and remember for later. It is something that we should learn now and apply now!

Let’s jump right in. I love how The Message translates Ephesians 5:21-28; it lays it all out there.

By Josie Siler

Have you ever watched siblings imitate each other? Undoubtedly, the sibling being imitated will either love it and start a game of follow the leader, or he will become upset and hear “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” from his mom when he tattles on his brother or sister. Often children imitate their sibling just to annoy them. Sometimes though, it is out of genuine love and awe of their big brother or sister. Children will also imitate the things their parents say and do, sometimes to the embarrassment of the parents!

In Ephesians 5:1-2 Paul tells us to, “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered Himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.” Like a child imitating his earthly father, we are to imitate our Heavenly Father, not just sometimes, but in everything we do. When it comes to loving others, we are to love them the same way that Jesus loves us. He left us an incredible example to follow; He loved us so much that He was willing to suffer a horrible death, sacrificing Himself so that we can have eternal life. Wow!

By Josie Siler

What is it about chronic illness that makes the holidays feel, let’s just say, less than holy? From the time I was a child, it seems like every year I would get sick over Christmas break. I would miss parties and family get-togethers and candlelight services at church. Now that I’m an adult I still dread the holidays from a physical standpoint. I wonder if I’m going to get sick again this year and how bad it’s going to be. I wonder what things I’m going to have to miss and who’s going to be disappointed in me.  (Yes, you read that right, I said“disappointed in me” not “disappointed that I couldn’t be there” which makes all the difference.) 

If I feel this way, I’m sure many of you do as well, so let’s address it; let’s talk about the oversized, not so adorable elephant in the room. There are things that happen over the holidays that can cause incredibly strong emotions in those of us who are chronically ill. Sometimes there is an outburst, other times we just stuff the feelings deeper because it’s too difficult to express them. We come to the point in life where we need to prioritize and take calculated risks. Chronic illnesses don’t behave properly with the stress of the holidays and extra gatherings to attend. For many of us, every time we leave our home we are taking a risk. We risk crossing paths with that person who has the flu or a nasty cold that is an inconvenience to them but could do serious damage to our less than healthy body. Every time we think about going out we have to ask ourselves, “Is it worth it?”