About the Author

Jen encourages women to embrace both the beauty and bedlam of their everyday lives at BeautyandBedlam.com. A popular speaker, worship leader, and author of Just Open the Door: How One Invitation Can Change a Generation, Jen lives in North Carolina with her husband, five children, and a sofa for anyone...

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
Find more at DaySpring.com
(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
Recent Posts

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. To wake up this morning and to read this article. It is as if I had written it word for word. Funny thing is I know I’m doing it and can’t seem to find the will to do it. I pray and pray. I have hidden myself from my friends. My church . I pray one morning I have the strength and the to do what must be done.

    • Oh Ruth –
      I do understand that feeling. Many women do so know you are not alone, but this may be the time to let someone know specifically how you are feeling. Call someone or ask someone to link arms with you through this challenging time. Let someone at church know but in the mean time, you have an army of women here behind the scenes that are praying for you right now.

  2. Jen we all have things that go on in our lives. Sickness like a serious illness. Or problems like your Friend maybe no quite the same. But they are problems you have that you wonder are you ever going to get out. You worry why me. The worry of them makes you feel sick. That all you want to is cry hide and tell no one. As you feel you can’t tell them. If was because of silly mistake you made especially. They might laugh at you say how did you that you silly so and so. You don’t want them to say that to you. That could make you worse feel even more sick than you all ready are. But then here someone say you look a bit down and not yourself. What is wrong you still do not want to tell them. Then that voice you know is from God says tell them get it of your chest. Don’t bottle it up as you will only make yourself worse. So you tell them even if not saved you immediately feel a wight of your shoulders as the saying goes. As you open up they feel for you. Give you a big hug. Tell you if they no how you can get the help you need to help yourself and get it resolved if needed. You then are glad you shared it with them. If saved they give you a hug saying it will be all right we will pray to Jesus to see what he tells you to do. You do that let them pray for you to see what Jesus says. You are already a happier person. Glad you shared it with someone. I had to that once years and years ago if had not I made myself very ill. I did what Jesus told me. I got the help I needed. Amen thank you Jen for sharing today’s reading love it. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little Enniskillen Co.Fermanagh N.Ireland xx

    • I love what you said at the end of your comment that you did what
      Jesus told you to do and got the needed help. Sometimes loving Jesus goes hand in hand with getting help from someone and love that’s what you did.

      Thank you, DAwn, for sharing.

  3. Thank you, Jen! This is very powerful! I am not in a pit right now. But I have been before. And I will be again. I will ask.myself then: “Do I want to get well?”.

    • So glad that it resonated with you, Irene. It’s a question I ask myself for all different reasons and seasons. 🙂

  4. Wow! Your message to us today is so on point! With your words God spoke to me this very day. I’ve had many health problems this year and my energy level physically and mentally is low. I give God thanks for your message today it has fed me and I receive it!
    Thank you for your wisdom and guidance.

    • Marcella – You are so welcome. I’m honored to have shared how the Lord uses His own question to speak to me and now to you. Praying for your energy level as you step forward. xoxox

  5. Thank you for this! (I was up most of the night with ye olde chronic illness plus maybe a stomach bug on top of it, and I am *TIRED* but also I want to be well.)

    • KF I don’t know you but I am praying for you. I meet you in Glory one day. Feel for you. It not nice not being well. No matter what wrong with you. God gave me Psalm 103:3 for you.
      Love Dawn Ferguson-Little Enniskillen Co.Fermanagh N.Irelans xx ❤️

    • Oh KC – a sleepless night is bad enough but putting sickness on top of it is so hard and exhausting. Praying for you as you walk forward and that He places someone in your life to be an encouragement because chronic illness is long and hard. Much love as you heal.

  6. I think I needed this reminder today. I have a disability called Cerebral Palsy. I have had it as long as I can remember. I feel like I can relate to the man on the mat in some ways because CP does hinder my mobility (Thank God I’m able to walk independently) and causes me to move slow, so I can kind of feel left out sometimes or just like I can’t do things that other people can do. Sometimes I feel in the pit. My identity can sometimes feel linked to my disability. However, I know that I am more than my disability. I know I’m blessed even in the struggles. I’m thankful to be walking and getting around pretty good and so many other things and hey anything else that puts me in a can’t mood or less than feeling I can remember that I can adapt and overcome with God on my side.

    • Courtney –

      I’m encouraged by you as you share, so thank you for being so vulnerable. I understand how your identity can feel linked to CP but the fact that you spoke the truth that you are more than your disability is powerful. Yet know that I hear your heart. And I don’t want to diminish the very real truth that life with CP is harder physically than people realize and I’m sure it can feel lonely and discouraging. I know you are probably an inspiration to many even if you don’t realize it. Hope you are having a wonderful weekend.

  7. This happened to me the year before last. Except the invitation was from Jesus himself. I had IBS and struggled to leave the house for long. Bursts of energy would leave me exhausted and trying to function after lunch was nearly impossible, if I took a nap I would wake up 3 hours later. I felt like I was sleeping my life away. I’d restricted my diet so much in an attempt to help, it stopped the attacks but left me with hardly any energy.
    Do you want to get well did not have an easy answer for me, I wrestled with it for a couple of weeks. I struggled with bulimia in my late teens and restricting my diet pandered to this mind set. Did I want to get well and be able to eat anything if it made me fat? I know ridiculous really. I decided to say yes I did want to get well. It took me another couple of weeks to try foods I’d been avoiding. My energy returned, I was able to apply for a job I love. It’s quite a physical job and I’ve been able to do all that is required. Thanks for the reminder of the goodness of God Jen and for anyone wrestling with that question. right now, put your hand in his hand and take that step. Jehovah Rapha (the God who heals)

    • Anna – Thank you for sharing such an amazing answer to prayer. Look what He’s done in your life this past year and I’m sure you had so many moments when you couldn’t even imagine you would be here writing this kind of comment. Thank you for sharing this with me. It’s encouraged my heart so much today. Hope you can enjoy a wonderful Sabbath day tomorrow. 🙂

  8. i love this and it’s such a simple question and yet, so impactful. this is a good question to start asking myself. thank you for sharing this!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *