Hardship with Health

This week, as we continue our Thankful for Hardship series, we get to hear from Sheila Steggall. Sheila and her husband, Chad, have been part of the Riverwood family for several years. They have four kids, three sons-in-law, and 11 grandkids.

I spent most of last winter homebound with a misdiagnosed illness. I had little use of my hands and could only walk with assistance. I tried to stay positive for my family’s sake, but I continued to get worse despite small rebounds.

I wish I could say my faith didn’t falter during that time and that I used my down time wisely for spiritual growth. The reality was that God was strong and faithful as always, and though I had learned how to say, “Yet I will praise Him,” during the storms of life, this was a long storm! I knew God could heal me, but whether here or in heaven, I did not know.  

Late February, I was finally sent for an MRI to check for lesions, tumors, or neck damage. The MRI was long and uncomfortable. I was dealing with severe hand cramping which made it hard to lay still. I was not able to hear any lyrics through the earbuds during the long MRI, so I had lots of time to pray uninterrupted. Just when I didn’t think I could stand it any longer, Weary Traveler by Jordan St. Cyr came through clearly...

Weary traveler, restless soul
You were never meant to walk this road alone
It'll all be worth it so just hold on
Weary traveler, you won't be weary long

I felt that God was speaking comforting words over me. And then just like that, the MRI was over.

Within a few days, I had a diagnosis of Guillain Barre Syndrome and was hospitalized.  The next step was a lumbar puncture to differentiate between the acute and chronic version of the disease. God had been working on me for a number of years on my fears, but this brought about a horrible fear. Honestly, I did not handle it well, and it was an ordeal to get it done. God is faithful to teach, but sometimes we don’t learn well. It's a good thing He doesn’t need us to learn perfectly before He blesses us. The doctors warned me not to expect any improvements while still in the hospital. I guess they didn't know what my God could do! I was able to put on my own shoes and tie them before I left! Only my family knows what an ordeal shoes had been since they had to put them on me. 

I have the chronic version and am looking at a life with a lot of unknowns. I prefer to always know what is going on, but God hasn’t granted us that. Isn’t that faith, though? Not knowing what is going to happen next, but trusting that God does? We can go through the storms and don’t even need to be able to walk, because we have a Savior who can calm the storms and even walk on water! 

Am I a completely new person? No. I still deal with fear, and don’t do all I should, but I am growing to trust Him more. I am so grateful for every day, for the family God has given me, and to be able to run and play with my grandkids. I’m grateful He gave me a husband who has shown so much care and patience. There was a time that I would not have wanted to let Jesus wash my feet because I was capable, but I would now! It's hard to let someone take care of you, but for someone to be more blessed in the giving, someone has to be on the receiving side. God is still working on me and will complete it in the day of Christ Jesus!