Joyful Refuge

  • Prayer to Rejoice in Suffering with Endurance, Character and Hope

    Today I am using Romans 5:3-5 as my prayer focus. Romans 5:3-5 [3] Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, [4] and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, [5] and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through…

  • Three Ways I Live with Chronic Illness

    I was wondering how faith helps others to deal with chronic disease. My counselor recently shared a letter with me from an older woman who has dealt with health issues all her life. While very encouraging, I realized many of my things that helped me are different than hers. My top three are: 1. Practicing…

  • Goodbyes, Hellos and Physical Limitations

    The last couple months has been a mix of MCAS, EDS and arthritis flares, loss of my faithful companion Dexter and getting a new companion. Spring is the season of weather always in flux, lots of rain showers and high pollen counts. In addition I began going into the world in late March after 13…

  • God’s Gifts in Waiting

    Waiting is a part of everyone’s life at some point or another. For those like myself who deal with chronic illnesses, we spend much time waiting. We are waiting for a diagnosis, waiting for test results, waiting for insurance to approve a procedure or treatment, waiting to get into a specialist and waiting to feel…

  • Wings of Hope

    Wings of Hope

    But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more. – Psalm 71:14 One thing that keeps us going even in the hardest seasons is hope. Who or what do your base your hope upon? Is it the circumstances and people around you which can quickly change or fail you? Or is…

  • The Clean Slate of a New Year

    The Clean Slate of a New Year

    A friend mentioned to me a couple of years ago how we have a whole new year ahead of us that is a clean slate of 365 days. He went on to say it is like a new snow before any footprints have made any paths. Yesterday, I was pondering this as we had over…

  • Gluten Free Almond Danish Puff Pastry

    Gluten Free Almond Danish Puff Pastry

    I always enjoyed the Danish Puff Pastry my mom when I was a girl as well as when I made it myself for many years after I married. Once my health tanked in November 2009, I suddenly developed severe gluten intolerance and many food and chemical sensitivities so I no longer made it. Last week,…

  • Morning Motivation

    Some days begin with my feeling more tired and in greater pain than when I went to bed. Pain has either completely stolen my sleep or made it broken or disrupted. Those are the days I need extra motivation to get up and going. If my schedule allows, and really in need of sleep will…

  • A Martha becoming a Mary

    38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him…

  • Pretending to be Normal

    My life in recent years has changed greatly due to multiple chronic illnesses taking up residence in my body. My brain and emotions still feel normal even though my body doesn’t always respond. I was recently asked in early December if I would like to host a dinner party in our home in appreciation of…

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