Anchored in Hope - February 2026 Edition

Finding God’s faithfulness in the midst of chronic illness, mental health battles, and an uncertain future.

Feb 26, 2026

I’m in such a difficult yet beautiful season of life.

In 2019, God told me to get ready for a storm. He said, “A storm is coming, get ready.” I had no idea what that meant at the time. A year later, I developed bipolar 1 disorder and landed myself in a psychiatric hospital for the first time in 10 years. That was the beginning of my 10+ hospitalizations for bipolar disorder in a short span of time. My bipolar disorder was so bad that I had to move back in with my parents after just 4 months of moving out. And during those 4 months of moving out, I was hospitalized three times. Surely this was the storm God had spoken about, right? Well, that’s what I thought. But then in 2023, I became severely physically disabled and riddled with multiple moderate-severe chronic illnesses. The last 3 years have been some of the hardest years in terms of physical illness that I’ve ever experienced while still dealing with my bipolar disorder.

Clearly, the storm God spoke of isn’t over. It seems as if I’m right in the middle of it. But I take great comfort in knowing that there’s a beginning and an end to every storm. So while I’m still struggling and I don’t know how much longer I’ll be here, there will eventually come an end.

While this has been an incredibly difficult season, it’s also been a beautiful season. And that’s somewhat hard to say, but it deserves to be said. I’ve met so many beautiful souls who are also struggling mentally and physically, and made some lifelong friends. I’ve learned and grown in areas I never would have had I never gotten sick. I’ve also grown drastically in my faith and relationship with God, and I know He is using me in this season to prepare me for what He has next for me. That’s where I place a lot of my hope - in that future. I know He has good things planned for me, even if it’s 1, 3, 5, or 10 years down the line. Or even if it’s not on this side of heaven. I still have an eternity with God to look forward to, and that’s enough for me.

Have you ever found yourself in a similar season? Maybe you’re there right now. Where have you placed your hope?

Here are some verses for comfort when you’re going through a storm:

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33
“I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you” - Isaiah 42:6
“I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.” - Psalms 16:8
“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” - James 1:12
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” - Romans 8:18

A prayer for someone in the middle of a storm

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for who you are and for all you have done, are doing, and will do. Lord, we know we are in a storm. But we know there is a beginning and an end to every storm, and we find our comfort in knowing that you see us right where we are and that you calm the wind and the waves. You are our healer and our protector. We come to you first for guidance and truth. We love you. Thank you for loving us, even when we don’t deserve it.

Amen.

Faith Favorites

Here are some of my favorites this month! These may change month to month, or they may stay the same, depending on how my preferences change each month, but I’ll change them for you from time to time.

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But before you go… Have you heard the good news?

At the end of every newsletter from now on I want to share just a paragraph or two on what the Gospel is in easy terms so that if you haven’t heard the Good News, you can and if you haven’t been given the opportunity to give your life to Jesus, you’re able to.

Essentially, in the beginning, God created a perfect world and made humans to live in it according to His good design. But when Satan deceived the first humans, sin entered the world and has affected every person ever since. Because of this, we all fall short of God’s perfect will for our lives. That’s why God sent Jesus—fully God and fully man—who lived a perfect, sinless life. Out of His great love for us, God gave His Son to take the punishment we could never pay ourselves. Now, anyone who turns from sin and trusts in Jesus is forgiven, made right with God, and promised eternal life with Him. This isn’t something we can earn by being “good enough”—it’s a gift of grace that God freely offers to everyone.

If you’d like to receive the good news today and receive Jesus into your heart, repent of your sins (this means to turn away from your sins), believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He died for your sins and rose again, and then invite Him into your life as your Lord and Savior, often through a personal prayer, to become a new creation in Christ. This act of faith and surrender is a personal decision and commitment between you and God.

An example of a prayer you could pray to invite Jesus into your life is as follows, but I invite you to make it personal:

“Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. Amen

Discussion about this post

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