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Q&A with Katerina: “Even if you feel alone, God will always be by your side.”
Today I get to introduce you to Katerina, who is a dancer and teacher, as well as a college student working towards a bachelors degree in psychology.
Last year she started a blog called Beauty in the Pain to share her journey with the neuromuscular disease CMT and encourage those who struggle with chronic pain.
I’m so glad she reached out for an interview because I’ve been so blessed to read how she is adapting her passion for dance and seeing God’s faithfulness in the midst of chronic illness.
I hope you’re encouraged by this conversation with Katerina on chronic illness, faith, and perseverance.
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Q&A with Lauren Watt: “I’ve had to learn to find contentment in my difficult circumstances.”
I’m thrilled I get to introduce you to Lauren Watt, an artist and blogger who is going to share some of her story and how she finds contentment in chronic illness.
Lauren is the youngest interviewee I’ve featured on the blog so far, and she writes with wisdom and clarity about her chronic illness journey, which began when she was just 14.
I’ve really enjoyed reading her blog after we connected online, and I hope you’ll check out her artwork and blog on her website, Lauren’s Easel.
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Q&A with Leah: “It’s okay to feel different and talk about it.”
I’m excited to introduce you all to my friend Leah in this invisible illness Q&A. We’ve been friends as well as pen pals for over half my life.
Leah and I quickly bonded over our love for animals and books as kids, and we’ve encouraged each other in our faith, especially when we’ve both faced health challenges. Leah is one of the most kind-hearted people you will ever meet, and my hope is that you will take encouragement from her story.
I love getting to do this interview project—it’s wonderful to connect with other bloggers and it’s also such a privilege to provide a platform for people like Leah who do not have a blog. I’m passionate about helping people with chronic illness share their insights and hard-earned wisdom, both so they feel heard and also so they can make a difference by sharing what they know. You can find out more about being interviewed here.
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Flexibility is Key—Creating with Chronic Illness
Happy New Year friends! I’ve been thinking about the importance of flexibility with chronic illness, especially when it comes to taking care of my health and making time for my creative pursuits.
January seems like the perfect month to share some updates, as well as what I’ve found helpful on my health journey recently. I hope these reflections are helpful for you too!
I’m thrilled to be participating in A Chronic Voice’s link up again this month. This link up is a way for chronically ill bloggers to connect by writing posts based on the same prompts. I love the creative challenge offered by the prompts and seeing what others write!
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Q&A with Carole Griffitts: “Our passion is to help people know they can thrive” with invisible disability
I’m excited to introduce you to author and blogger Carole Griffitts, who just coauthored a book about chronic illness and invisible disability with her husband Joe. Their book Sunbreaks in Unending Storms, based on their story and the stories of three other families, shares encouragement and information about living with invisible disabilities.
I so appreciate when sisters in Christ with more life experience than me are willing to share their hard-earned wisdom. Carole has lived with chronic health conditions for more than 40 years, and she and her husband have been married for (almost!) 55 years. “Connected Carole” also runs the blog Navigating the Storms for people living with invisible disability, their families, and their caregivers.
I hope you’re encouraged by this conversation with Carole on chronic illness, faith, and perseverance.
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Rooted and Established in Love Printables + Mini Devotional
I’m excited to share my new Rooted and Established in Love printables with you right in time for Valentine’s Day! I had a lot of fun creating these whimsical tree designs (they make me think of something Suessical) inspired by Ephesians 3.
I hope you enjoy these printables all year round too—after all, we can use the reminder that we are loved every day of the year, not just on certain holidays! These verses from Ephesians are so powerful, and my hope is these printables will help us aspire to love well and remember that the strength to do so comes directly from our mighty God!
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December Wrap Up: Preparing For the New Year
Happy New Year! I’m sharing a wrap up post with highlights from my December, including what I made, what I found challenging, and festive photos. Looking back can help us move forward. So I’m reviewing the last month of 2020 before next year’s fresh start.
This post is inspired by A Chronic Voice’s linkup party, which is a way for bloggers to connect and write about similar themes. I’ve decided to write on three of the linkup themes: Beginning, Enduring, and Revealing. I’ve also decided to add two themes of my own: Creating and Celebrating.
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Fruits of the Spirit Printables + Mini Devotional
I’m excited to share my free Fruits of the Spirit printables with you today! This subway art based on Galatians 5:22-23 is a great tool for Bible verse memorization and meditation on God’s Word. I’m also sharing a mini devotional on spiritual growth and ways to further study this wonderful verse:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23 NASB)
I love the phrase “fruits of the Spirit” from scripture, and as someone who loves to garden, I always look forward to harvest time. As we continue into harvest season this year, there is so much rich truth in this verse to unpack! Here’s what I think this verse has to teach us.