Leah-Maarit Jeffery - Unjustified Joy: Faith, hope and chronic illness

Unjustified Joy

Leah Jeffery

Onwards and Upwards Publishers

3 Radfords Turf, Cranbrook, Exeter,

EX5 7DX, United Kingdom.

www.onwardsandupwards.org

Copyright Leah Jeffery 2019

The right of Leah Jeffery to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by the author in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author or publisher.

First edition, published in the United Kingdom by Onwards and Upwards Publishers (2018).

ISBN: 978-1-78815-644-8

Graphic design: LM Graphic Design

Unless otherwise specified, scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version Anglicized, NIV Copyright 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked TPT are from The Passion Translation. Copyright 2017, 2018 by Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ThePassionTranslation.com.

Leah Jeffery (now 32 years old) has written a short book detailing her own personal journey of faith and purpose through dealing with an unexpected chronic illness called Ankylosing Spondylitis. Unjustified Joy is honest, vulnerable and engaging. Her faith in Jesus through con-siderable trials at a young age encourages us all to be more purposeful, hopeful and joyful in the highs and lows of life.

Nicky Gumbel

Pioneer of the Alpha course

Vicar, Holy Trinity Brompton

Leah is always smiling. Her continuous radiant warmth conveys a picture that all is well but in reality her story has significant complexity and pain. This story oozes with her smile while honestly telling the backstory. The bridge between the seeming disparity of these two dynamics is hope hope that has been tested but found to be present. Her hope flows from the pages and inspires each of us that we can know its presence in our lives also.

Mark Pugh

Senior Pastor

Rediscover Church, Exeter

I couldnt stop reading when I first picked [this book] up. [It] took me on a journey with [Leah]. What a powerful account of trusting in God, waiting on Him, and resting in the hope He brings. I laughed and cried through [her] pain as [she] did, and rejoiced as [she] found joy when it felt lost.

Dr Ysanne Marville

Educational Psychologist

Born in Cornwall and raised in West Sussex, the youngest of six children, Leah grew up in a Christian family who always found opportunity to connect with people from different cultures and backgrounds. This fuelled her desire to explore beyond her surroundings, and also to encourage unity in the church. Leah loved to paint and draw from a young age, so with a love of creative things, she later gained a university degree in Graphic Design, before taking the leap to move to Cairns in Queensland, Australia.

Australia brought a special sense of home as she joined a church where family and unity were a main focus. Working in a sign and print company as a graphic designer eventually led to gaining Australian Citizenship.

After five years in Australia, some unexpected health issues led to Leah returning to the UK, where she now currently lives, in the county of Devon. Over those years, the difficult times were the moulding, shaping and testing of her faith.

To contact Leah, please write to:

Leah Jeffery

c/o Onwards and Upwards Publishers

3 Radfords Turf

Exeter

EX5 7DX

Or send an email to:

The book you hold in your hands is small but mighty, a lot like the author herself. As you read Leahs journey, her honesty and vulnerability will inspire you to trust in the authority of Gods word and to receive His kindness and His goodness as refreshment and nourishment through even the most difficult places in your journey.

Before this book is finished, you will understand that Leah-Maarit Jeffery is one courageous Sheila by the way, thats Aussie for chick. Leah arrived in our country via an email sent to our church, all ready to bravely embark upon a new adventure. One of the first things I learnt about Leah was that she was a dreamer, with many a morning spent over a coffee and peanut butter toast, listening as she shared with us the wild and incredible dreams shed had the night before. Needless to say, Leah fitted right in to our home, our hearts and the Rock Church, and we enjoyed some good, good times together over the years.

It was during this time with her Rock Church family that Leah first experienced the symptoms of AS.

We journeyed together during the pain in the neck times, the frustrating times of endless tests and unanswered questions, until it became obvious that she needed to return home to England to receive the treatment and care she needed. We were saddened to see Leah leave Australia, however I have learnt that destiny is often found in the relationships God brings into our lives to embrace in the season at hand, and the pleasures to enjoy in the fullness of that moment.

I was emotional reading Leah story, as you can never truly under-stand what others go through unless you walk in their shoes. Reading this book helped me to walk in her shoes for a little while and from that gain greater empathy and understanding for those who experience chronic pain and illness.

I am so glad Leah has written the story of her health and shared with us her heart. You will get to know Leah a little more as you read her story. She is kind, she is brave, she is incredibly talented, she is funny, but most of all she is a faith-filled daughter of the most wonderful Papa God, whom she continues to cling to throughout lifes journey. Our wonderful Papa has finished writing the story of Leahs life and her faith is not in vain. We are His word and our lives will not return to Him void, but will fulfil all He has written of us.

As an endorsement to this book and in expectation of what I believe our good Papa is going to do in and through Leah-Maarit Jefferys life, I would like to share a prophetic dream/encounter I had regarding Leah earlier this year.

I saw you, Leah, stretched out across two seats of an aeroplane. There were two cabin lights shining on you, and you had a blanket covering you as you slept. I knew you had experienced pain in your neck and hip in the past so I knew that lying across the seats of an aeroplane would be difficult, yet there you were completely comfortable, completely rested and at peace. I asked the Holy Spirit what you were doing and immediately I knew you were flying somewhere on assignment. I was then led to pray specifically in relation to His call upon your life to the nations. Yes, you are called to the nations!

Psalm 2:8 (TPT): Ask me to give you the nations and I will do it, and they shall become your legacy. Your domain will stretch to the ends of the earth.

Leah, Holy Spirit said you are being raised up as you go. Healing is not your inheritance your inheritance is the nations . In this vision I believe God was confirming His call upon your life. Regardless of what has tried to cripple you, the Father is working in you and as you remain in His peace He will take care of your physical body, as you go in