Anchored in Hope - August 2025 Edition
Finding God’s Nearness in Seasons of Struggle and Renewal
A quick note!
Surprise! After much prayer and leading from the Holy Spirit, I’ve decided to make the monthly newsletters available to everyone. Previously, they were only available for my paid subscribers but I’ve felt it on my heart that God wanted the words in these newsletters to reach more people so from here on out they’re available for all to read! I hope you enjoy.
Can you believe it, August has come and gone just like that.
Someone please tell the year to stop going by so darn quickly, I can barely keep up. This month has been crazy! I feel like i may have said that last month but I promise you this month takes the cake.
I struggle deeply with a handful of chronic illnesses that have rendered me disabled and one of the illnesses I have is called cyclic vomiting syndrome. It’s where your body basically doesn’t stop vomiting unless something intervenes. So for whatever reason, I tend to have these vomiting episodes every august for the last 2-3 years and this year was no different. So like clockwork, the same date as last year rolled around and the vomiting episode started for me and I quickly found myself in the ER not once but twice. Then I was admitted for a few days to get the vomiting under control.
Thankfully, the whole episode lasted around 5 days this year rather than three weeks last year and I am now doing much better. But now, however, i’m dealing with complications from a few of my other chronic illnesses. It just seems like an uphill battle and a never ending cycle when you live with multiple moderate-severe chronic illnesses.
But let me tell you, God has used this month for some mighty good. Through all of my suffering He has brought me nearer to Him and I have felt His presence so strongly in ways that I haven’t in ages. When I’ve been feeling well enough, i’ve been going down into my office and just worshipping and praying and spending undivided time with God and it has reignited my faith which has been such an answered prayer. I wrote a post on feeling like I was in a dry season. I may post it so you may see it probably sometime after this but to have a renewed faith is such an answered prayer.
I want to encourage you today, maybe you’re like me dealing with chronic illness or maybe you’re in a dry season with your faith, know God is near. He has His ears turned toward you and He is waiting eagerly to hear you speak to Him. I’ll share some verses below that have been an encouragement to me. I hope they can be an encouragement to you also.
Verses of encouragement
“I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain. I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.” - Psalms 3:4-5
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. The Lord is the strength of his people a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.” - Psalms 28: 7-8
“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry” - Psalms 34:15
A Prayer over your month of September
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you so much for the person on the other side of this screen. Thank you for leading them to read this newsletter today. I pray that it’s blessed them in some way. Lord, thank you for their willing heart to learn and grow in the ways of you. I pray that you would give a renewed faith and a hunger to learn and grow in your presence to those who feel like they are in a dry season. Lord, I pray that you bless their coming ins and going outs this month in any and every place they may find themselves. Put your hedge of protection around them and keep them and their families safe. Help them to put on their full armor of God and to stay in your word so they can withstand the fiery darts of the evil one. Keep them strong and sustain them always. We love you, thank you for loving us.
Amen.
Faith favorites
Before you go, I wanted to share some of my favorites of the month! These may change month to month or they may stay the same depending on how my preferences change each month but i’ll try to change it up for you from time to time!
Here’s what i’m currently listening to!
Here’s what i’m reading for fun
Authentic Happiness by Sarah Rowan
The E.A.S.Y Bible Study Method by Ellen Krause, Taylor Krause, Ashley Armijo
Thank you for allowing your illness to become a stepping stone to reach out to others!
I battled chronic nausea for most of my life. It became worse and worse until it only felt safe to eat celery and yogurt.
Praise God, He healed me! I pray He heals you too. :-)