When I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis a few years ago, I thought my life had come to a complete stop. At twenty-six years old, my mother was helping me dress every morning because my joints were so inflamed by the chronic illness that it hurt too much to move. Even putting socks on my feet and buttoning my shirt brought excruciating pain.
I felt like an infant, unable to care for myself and dependent on others to complete even the most basic of tasks.
Years ago when I was sixteen, I traveled overseas to Turkey for the first time. After a second trip to Turkey the following year then Switzerland, England, Scotland, and France, I knew I had been bitten by the travel bug! It became one of my greatest passions and still is today.
A diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis brought challenges and setbacks to my plans of world travel. Life as I knew it was changing and the future, in my eyes, began to look dim.
As a single Christian woman, I have watched so many of my friends get married and start families. There have been, and still are, days when I feel left behind, and my diagnosis of RA just seemed to triple that feeling.
But there was something I forgot. The power of God’s word.
Through excruciating pain, returning to college to finish my degree, and death in our immediate family, I was sustained by the power His Word gives in every moment.
God spoke to me through the in-depth study of His Word, and through the tender care, my family gave to me. There were moments I told God “I feel so broken,” but He continued to sustain me through it all.
Now that my RA is under control, I have learned the importance of taking the time to be healthy not only physically, but spiritually through Bible study and making sure those around me know I love and appreciate them.
I view this gift of singleness as a time to cultivate my relationships and make them grow into friendships that will last a lifetime.
Through the pain of chronic illness and loss, God brought me through with a new outlook on my singleness. I don’t lament my lack of a husband but rejoice in the fact that I am free right now to continue doing the things I love as a single young woman.
In 2016, I spent a month traveling England and Scotland and also spent an entire semester as a journalism intern on Capitol Hill.
God has truly worked a miracle in my life, and I cannot wait to see what He does next!
Maybe one day I will meet the one God has for me, but for now, I choose to give all praise to Him for my current situation and thank Him that every day is a new adventure, whether traveling or being at home with the ones I love.
About the Author
Amy is a writer from Texas who is a seasoned world traveler, lover of books, and a devoted follower of Christ. Find her blogging at From the Mouth of a Prophet.
