I’m writing to you on a Saturday evening, and you’ve been on my heart tonight. 

Wherever you are, whatever symptoms you’re feeling, I’ve been thinking about you. I’ve been exactly where you are—unanswered questions. Uncertain lab results. All in what feels like an unfamiliar body. 

It’s unsettling to experience a slew of unpleasant symptoms day after day without any idea what’s going on. This chronic fatigue, brain fog, hair loss, fainting spell, shortness of breath, digestive issue, heavy period, no period, acne, weight gain, weight loss can’t be normal, right?

It’s unsettling to have a doctor tell you “nothing’s wrong” when you most definitely know something isn’t right. Are they kidding? 

It’s unsettling to feel like a stranger in your own body. Why can’t I figure this out? What’s going on? 

It’s unsettling to feel like you’re falling behind in school, work, and relationships. How will I be able to get through this? There’s no way I can do everything I need to get done… 

It’s unsettling to sit at the bottom of the stairs and sob because you’re too exhausted to walk up them. Will it always be like this? Will I ever have energy again?

It’s unsettling to struggle so desperately when you can’t name what’s going on. Will they believe me?

It’s unsettling when life seems manageable for everyone else and you’re crawling just to get through. Is there just something wrong with me? Can I just not handle stress, pressure, or hard work?

But perhaps the most unsettling thing of all is feeling like you’re going through it alone. Like no one else understands or believes that you feel this way. 

The very reason I’m writing today is to let you know you are not, indeed, alone. You aren’t the only one. You aren’t making this up. You aren’t dramatic, weak, or lazy. 

There are so many women working through physical trials, autoimmune diseases, and unanswered symptoms. The number of us working through “unexplainable symptoms” is growing every year (which is no accident—the food, pharmaceutical, and beauty industries play a major role in why so many Americans are getting so sick). I know reading about the large number of women working through this doesn’t help much. The stats won’t necessarily make you feel better—they don’t show you anyone close to home you can point to and say, “they get it. They’re in this with me.”

You can get information anywhere and everywhere. What probably feels like too much of it—it’s overwhelming to sort through so many different perspectives, opinions, and studies. And then to figure out who and what you trust, and most importantly, what will actually help your body? Exhausting. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution here, which makes it so complex. Even since I started walking through my health journey nearly ten years ago, there’s so much more information and so many more resources available today. 

What I want to offer you today isn’t information or resources or answers. 

It’s friendship. 

Hope. 

A little flicker of light in what might be the darkest part of your journey, the darkest hours of your fatigue and brain fog. 

If there’s anything I want you to know, it’s this: 

It won’t be like this forever. You will make it out of these alarming, all-consuming symptoms. The heavy, paralyzing fatigue won’t last forever. The murky, isolating brain fog will lift. This is not how you will live the rest of your days. 

There are steps you can take and choices you can make that will help you steward your body to the best of your ability. But today, I just want you to know you’re not alone. Your symptoms and feelings are valid. This is very real. And you aren’t the only one who feels this way. 

Over time, I’ll be sharing more about my health journey, how I’ve experienced Jesus’ healing (physically, spiritually, emotionally), what’s practically helped, a collection of game-changing resources, and things I’ve learned along the way. No matter how deep in it you are or how hopeless you may feel, know that I’m in this with you. And know that we need you. We need your gifts, your story, your life. You’re going to make it through, and I can’t wait to hear how God moves in your life.