Sarah Forgrave - Prayers for Hope and Healing: Seeking Gods Strength as You Face Health Challenges

For the Ultimate PhysicianHealer, Sustainer, and Giver of Hope

Sarah Forgrave is a wellness coach and fitness instructor who finds great joy in encouraging others toward their full potential in Christ. As someone who has spent considerable time in doctors offices, Sarah knows the challenges and triumphs a health journey can bring. Her greatest passion is helping others connect the dots between body and spirit in her coaching sessions, fitness classes, and wellness seminars. Her writing credits include contributions to the webzine Ungrind , as well as several compilation books, including The Gift of Friendship and Guideposts A Cup of Christmas Cheer . Outside of writing and teaching, Sarah is the busy mom of two young children and the wife of an entrepreneurial husband, who whisks her off on adventures all over the world. When she has a moment to herself, she loves to shop the aisles at Trader Joes or curl up with a good book and a cup of tea.

Sarah blogs about health and faith at www.sarahforgrave.com.

She can also be found on:

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I ll never forget the morning my life changed forever. My baby boy had decided to make an early arrival into the world, and as I scrambled to contact my workplace and organize the other pieces of my life, one thought pulsed through my mind.

Life will never be the same again.

I had no idea how true those words would be, but in a far different way than I could have imagined.

The birth of any firstborn throws a parents life into a whirlwind, but my sons delivery left me with internal injuries my doctor couldnt repair. My symptoms were deeply personal, humiliating, and so rare that I couldnt find any friends who had heard of them, let alone experienced them.

As I transitioned home after the delivery, my maternity leave stretched into long-term disability. I spent a year and a half in doctors offices, endured multiple colorectal surgeries, and watched others care for my son because my procedures prevented me from lifting more than eight pounds. As a healthy, growing baby, my son had quickly surpassed that mark, so my husband took him to daycare on weekdays while I sat at home alone, dealing with the ugly realities of my condition and questioning if life was worth living.

I wasnt a complete stranger to the medical worldmy sister had survived cancer and a bone marrow transplant when we were kidsbut going through my own health crisis awakened me to the challenges, humiliation, and pain that come with a chronic condition.

By Gods grace, I made it through that time fully healed, but my journey hasnt remained easy since then. Ive had a Cesarean birth with complications and two partial hysterectomies, all while supporting my sister through a heart transplant and housing her in the month afterward.

If theres one thing Ive learned, its that nothing in life is guaranteed. Tomorrow may bring sickness, or it may bring healing. It may knock you down yet again, or it may reveal a sliver of hope. As Ive faced illness and pain, Ive doubted Gods faithfulness, yelled at Him for not healing me, and felt utterly alone.

But through it alleven in the isolation, fear, and despairIve sensed His presence. Ive felt it in passages of Scripture discovered in doctors waiting rooms, in faint whispers of hope heard in the dark of night, in the hands and feet of friends offering their help.

Even when God feels far away, His love is real.

Whether youre facing illness, injury, or disability right now, Im guessing youve picked up this book with the goal of finding solace and hope. Maybe your situation has left you so scarred that this is your last resort to numb the pain. As someone whos been there, I pray these pages will soothe your fears and minister to your spirit.

Using my own experiences and those of my sister, Ive written Prayers for Hope and Healing as a manual for navigating emotions you may face. Youre welcome to read it from front to back, or it can be used as a menu of sorts. When you face a particular situation, you can let the Contents page guide you to what you need.

As you read, remember this truth: You are not alone. Gods love for you is everlasting, and He will see you through.

I pray this book blesses you in these challenging days.

Sarah

For those facing a long-term health situation that feels endless.

A large crowd followed and pressed around him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around and asked, Who touched my clothes?

M ARK 5:24-28,30

N o end in sight. Does that describe how you feel right now? Whether youve been dealing with your condition for one week or many years, you may feel like the road youre on will never end.

My friend, let this passage in the Bible lift your gaze beyond your current situation to a God who not only sees your pain, but feels it. This woman was out of money and out of hope. Shed visited countless doctors with no cure to show for it. Scripture doesnt specify how she approached Jesusjust that she came up behind Himbut Ive often imagined her on her knees, squeezing between legs and feet, stretching until her arm ached to touch the edge of Jesuss cloak.

Immediately her touch was felt.

Immediately.

No matter how long the journey ahead of you, Jesus invites you to drop to your knees and reach out for Him. You might not receive physical healing like this woman did, but Hell provide what you need for today. He sees you and loves you.

Are you ready to come to Him?

Dear Lord,

Ill be honest. Stories in the Bible that tell of Your immediate healing frustrate me sometimes. Why would You choose to heal some who are sick, while others of us are left to deal with our conditions indefinitely? There are moments when I feel trapped in the middle of a dark tunnel. I try to take steps forwardto keep hope alivebut it seems as though Ill never see light again.

Even as my strength dwindles, will You renew my hope? Will You show me a ray of light to keep me going? I acknowledge that You have the power to heal, and I ask You to bring life to my body if its in Your will. But if its Your will to keep me on this road a while longer, help me to accept Your plan with grace and trust.

If theres something You want to develop within me, give me vision to see my weak spots and the humility to accept that I cant change on my own. Help me to come to You for all I need. As I wake up each day with no new healing, and frustration and despair wash over me yet again, remind me of Your faithfulness. Give me what I need to make it through each moment. I commit to seeking truth in Your Word and in prayer so I can be armed with all I need for this battle.

Thank You for not only seeing my condition but for feeling my pain. I reach out to You now for my comfort and strength.

In Jesuss name, amen.

For those who need rest but find themselves lying awake.

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, L ORD , make me dwell in safety.

P SALM 4:8