Tag Archives: mixed connective tissue disorder
Get out of the boat.
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If there is one thing that I have learned from my life and walk with God, it’s that sometimes we are brought to our weakest point so that we can gain total dependency on God.
I have lost everything many times in my lifetime but God has rebuilt my life from scratch every time. I had many situations in my childhood that I do not know how I made it out alive, many unknowns, and close calls with my health now and I have had unknowns but God has always seen me through.
In those moments, I may have felt alone, but now I can recount times when I have no doubt that God was there, saving my life and intervening.
The most frequently repeated phrase in the Bible is “Do not be afraid!”
God is not speaking to our emotions, and since we can’t command emotions, however he is speaking to our will.
When Peter asked to get out of the boat, Jesus granted his request and said, “come to me,” however, the interesting thing is Jesus didn’t stop the waves or the storm. The further away Peter got from the boat, which was his safety, Peter started to get afraid and he began to sink.
Peter cried out, “Lord save me!!” And then, Jesus saved him and he rebuked him. “How little faith of you?”
Did Peter really trust Jesus? Sure, he did, after all, he got out of the boat but the fear of the storm paralyzed him.
When you step out of the boat you have to make a conscious decision not to allow fear to paralyze you.
Peter sank because he stopped walking towards Jesus and he allowed his emotions of fear to take over.
Faith is not knowing that God can but it is knowing that he will. Faith requires us to keep walking even when we are faced with fear, even if it’s the unknown.
I find that sometimes fear of the unknown gets the best of us at times. We walk in this life and everything is going great until one day something happens that we are unfamiliar with and we panic. It’s then that we have a choice, are we going to keep our eyes on Jesus and trust that no matter the road that we are led, he is in control or will we take our eyes off Jesus and let our emotions of fear take over.
I trust God with my life. And sometimes it is hard to keep focused on him when things feel like they are beyond my control but I know that God is my sufficiency, and when I am at my weakest, he is made strong.
No matter what you may be facing today, I encourage you to keep your eyes on Jesus. #keepyoureyesonJesus
Rise!
Rise!
What if God wants to use you and what you are going through to reach someone else? What if He wants to heal you so that your story can heal someone else? I know that I often see myself as insignificant but God does not see me that way! He sees me and you differently than how we see ourselves. He sees us stronger than we give ourselves credit for, he sees us as victorious, significant, and he wants for us to live the abundant life that he prepared for us before we were even born.
We were made to RISE above! Whatever you are facing today, it does not define who you are. Maybe you have an illness, depression, addiction, abuse, anxiety, or past regrets, whatever it is God has a plan. Be still and you will find it.
Surrounded ( Fight my battles) Michael W.Smith
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This song seemed appropriate for my mood today. Enjoy.
Suffering doesn’t always have to mean hopeless.
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When you are suffering it’s easy to slip into a state of hopelessness.
I live with chronic illness, my major organs are being attacked one of them is my heart, that means unless God heals me, I am not going to get any better. That also means, each day I have to be at peace with where I am at today, at this very moment. You can be angry about the past or your present right now, that’s entirely up to you. I tend not to give the power back over to the people or my illness that have already ruined things once.
The way I see it is; that I can live life one of two ways;
One; I was born into an unfair world, I suffered and I didn’t deserve how I got treated. I get knocked down too much and I don’t think life is fair so I am not going to even try. Life just sucks…
Two; I can use my circumstances and become stronger because of them. Every time life knocks me down, I get back up again using it as a spring-board. I focus on the good things in life and enjoy every moment in life that I do have.
I choose to live my life exactly like the second choice. I have no time for negativity in my mind because my time is so precious and limited.
I refuse to allow myself to think about how unfair my illness is. I know the consequences in the end, but I do not dwell on them. I am making my life worthwhile anyway though, no matter the trials.
Make your life count for something no matter what is going on in your life. If you are sick, count your blessings still.
I would rather live out the rest of my days being grateful for all the things I do have, rather than be upset, live in regret, waste precious time, for the things I didn’t do or don’t have.
Day 3…How does Auto immune affect our family.
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This is my best friend and her perspective. When you have chronic illness, it’s hard to keep friends close because you constantly have to cancel plans and she does get that from me. I have tried my best to educate everyone in my life what Lupus is. I believe that has helped my relationships.
the little sleep I have had, working over 12 hours a day, going out 10 days straight. I Love you Tabitha.
Living with many Autoimmune Diseases is difficult enough. I have to keep on living a life, being a mother and a wife. I have to deal with my pain and I have to keep a handle on my emotions.
Over the next few days I will share some of my closest family and friends writings on how my illness affects them. I asked each of them to write how my illness affects them. The first one will be from my Father, the second one will be from my 14 year old daughter and I will continue for a few days with a few more people.
The reason I am doing this is because I want to bring awareness that our families and friends are deeply affected.
When we are physically hurting, they are emotionally hurting for us. Sometimes it’s hard to express that you love someone when it hurts so bad.
See previous post for letters from other family.
Let me let you in on the seriousness of my Autoimmune Disease story. Let’s get real for a minute.
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Let’s get real for a minute.
I think at times I downplay the seriousness of my autoimmune diseases and I don’t allow others in on the reality of my story.
My major organs are being attacked. I have heart blockages in my right bundle branch and I have the beginnings of kidney issues due to lupus. My digestive system doesn’t work as at it should, for my digestive system to break down foods it takes three times as long as a normal system.
I have over ten autoimmune diseases all of them have symptoms of their own. Lupus, Mixed Connective Tissue Disease, Lupus Nuephritis, Gastroparesis Nuerocardiogenic syncope,Sjogens, Autonomic dysfuction, Esophageal dysfuction, Arthritis, Antiphospholipid Syndrome, Autoimmune dysautonomia, Raynaud’s phenomenon, Myositis, chronic pain syndrome, and fibromyalgia. I am sure I have forgotten to list something because I also suffer from short term memory loss.
Day 2…How does Autoimmune Disease affect our family? A note from my 14 year old daughter.
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In case you missed it……
Living with many Autoimmune Diseases is difficult enough. I have to keep on living a life, being a mother and a wife. I have to deal with my pain and I have to keep a handle on my emotions.
Over the next few days I will share some of my closest family and friends writings on how my illness affects them. I asked each of them to write how my illness affects them. The first one will be from my Father, the second one will be from my 14 year old daughter and I will continue for a few days with a few more people.
The reason I am doing this is because I want to bring awareness that our families and friends are deeply affected.
When we are physically hurting, they are emotionally hurting for us. Sometimes it’s hard to express that you love someone when it hurts so bad.
How does living with Autoimmune Disease affect our families?
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Living with many Autoimmune Diseases is difficult enough. I have to keep on living a life, being a mother and a wife. I have to deal with my pain and I have to keep a handle on my emotions.
Over the next few days I will share some of my closest family and friends writings on how my illness affects them. I asked each of them to write how my illness affects them. The first one will be from my Father, the second one will be from my 14 year old daughter and I will continue for a few days with a few more people.
The reason I am doing this is because I want to bring awareness that our families and friends are deeply affected.
When we are physically hurting, they are emotionally hurting for us. Sometimes it’s hard to express that you love someone when it hurts so bad.
My first letter will be from the man that I call my Spiritual Father but by all rights and purposes he is my Dad.
My daughter playing At the Cross by Chris Tomlin.
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I am so proud of this girl right here. Not only does she play her flute beautifully but she is a great daughter.
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