I am in the process of making some changes in my blog that will eventually lead to a new website. As I’ve prayed and sought God’s direction concerning my blog, I believe He is directing me to narrow the focus – and with this, the name. 

I began my blog several years ago as a means of encouraging others who are struggling in their Christian walk. But as God has shifted my emphasis in ministry to meeting the specific needs of Christian women within the chronic illness community, my blog has also begun to change. Most  of my recent writing has been related to walking victoriously as a Christian with chronic illness, and this is the path I believe I’m to continue down. Because of this, my previous tag line will now be the title of my blog: Living with Chronic Illness: Count It All Joy. This is the first of several changes to come.

About Chronic Illness

Chronic illness is a term used to describe any illness that lasts of more than a few months. Arthritis, cancer, diabetes, fibromyalgia, heart disease, and lupus are all considered chronic illnesses, and these are just a few of the better know diseases that fit into this grouping. Many chronic illnesses are invisible to the general public, but if you suffer with one or more of these you know that looks are deceiving. Chronic illness is life altering!

According to the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) statistics I could find, as of 2012 about half of all adults in the United States have one or more chronic illnesses. I am a part of this statistic. Seven of the top ten causes of death are chronic diseases, and arthritis – one of several chronic illnesses of which I’m well acquainted – is the most common cause of disability in our nation. 

Eighty-six percent of healthcare spending in our nation is the result of chronic illness in its many forms. This final statistic isn’t a surprise to anyone who personally deals with chronic illness, since medical costs are usually one of our largest budget areas, and that’s for those who are blessed to have adequate medical insurance.

As a born-again, Bible believing Christian, I believe healing is a part of God’s ultimate plan. For some, that comes on earth,  either miraculously of through the medical system, for others when we see the Lord face-to-face. I continue to pray for healing, both for myself and for others who live with chronic pain and illness. But the focus of this blog is on how  we can live victoriously in the here and now. How do we deal with the current, day-to-day struggles of life with chronic illness and pain? This has recently been and will continue to be the focus of my weekly blog posts.

In addition to personally written inspirational articles to encourage you in your walk with Christ, I will occasionally be writing reviews of books that have helped me grow in my knowledge of how to live a life pleasing to the Lord while facing chronic illness or other trials. Sometimes, I will feature guest posts to give a different point of view than my own. I hope to include some practical posts, giving ideas for coping with specific problems or limitations caused by chronic illness.

 This is not a medical blog – I have no medical training, so I’ll leave that to those who are qualified. Its purpose is simply to help my readers navigate the often perplexing path of living victoriously as a Christian with chronic illness. My desire is not to compete with any other Christian blogs that share this purpose.  I personally subscribe to several, and I benefit from what I read. My desire is that my insights on living wisely as a Christian with ongoing illness will present another resource to turn to for help. My hope is that you will join me on this new path, whether you are personally affected by chronic disease or simply want to be better prepared to minister to friends and/or family members who need help in this area.