Living with Chronic Illness

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At age 14 Sarah Willoughby’s world turned upside down when she fell seriously ill. Quickly she went from trail running and adventuring to spending her days sick in bed, sometimes too weak to roll over. 

As Sarah says:
“I was always the adventurous one, keeping up with my teenage brother, engaging in activities like paintball, fishing, and trail running. I was incredibly active.

For many people, chronic conditions gradually develop over time, almost unnoticed. However, in my case, the transition was quite sudden. It happened overnight due to a trigger… my body never fully bounced back.”

Doctors struggled to diagnose her condition until they finally discovered the culprit: toxic mold, compounded with Lyme disease and multiple chemical sensitivity. As Sarah got her diagnosis, her family discovered toxic mold growing in the walls of their home.

“So, the first step was to remove ourselves from the exposure to this toxic environment. From there, I explored detoxing treatments and alternative health approaches, as environmental illnesses like mine are less common in Western medicine. These measures helped for a while, but we soon realized that I needed substantial organ support. Nutrition became a key focus in rebuilding my body.”

Seeking God in Chronic Illness

Sarah says living with chronic illness has been a rollercoaster—seasons of wellness followed by plunges back into dire sickness. She has even had a near-death experience. Through the ups and downs of her physical health, she has clung to God for hope and stability.

As Sarah says: “For me, chronic illness has really strengthened my relationship with God. And there’s a specific reason for this. I think there were various times where I felt like, where on earth was he and why was he allowing this?… But I think that the biggest thing that helped me in those moments was asking him those questions:

• ‘God, why?’
• ‘God, where are you and why are you allowing this? And why are you allowing it now? And to me and to my family?’
• ‘How on earth do I make it through this?’

Instead of turning away from God in her pain, Sarah turned toward him. And she found herself closer to Jesus than ever before.

“When we ignore the questions, it puts up this wall between us and God, but when we bring them to him, he can meet us in them,” she says.

God’s Making Diamonds

When she first got diagnosed, Sarah had many questions and didn’t know what to do. Feeling like “the only chronically ill teenager there was,” she searched for blogs, books—anything to feel connected and understood. Disappointed by the resources she found, Sarah decided to start sharing her own story with others.

Drawing from her experiences, and God’s work in her life, Sarah wrote a book, He’s Making Diamonds: A Teen’s Thoughts on Faith Through Chronic Illness. She also founded a free online conference for Christians with chronic illnesses. 

She says, “Our goal was to help care for the spiritual, mental, emotional needs of people who were experiencing the same thing because those who have chronic illnesses or, or just long-term health challenges, spend so much time caring for their physical health.”

Sarah has chosen a key Scripture to anchor her message:

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

Romans 5:3–5

Staying Connected While Living with Illness

Through her suffering Sarah has experienced God’s power in her own life and discovered a calling to minister to others—even during seasons when she’s bedridden. Still, Sarah knows how hard it can be to stay connected.

“With the lifestyle change of chronic illness, out of sight, out of mind, can be a reality,” Sarah says.

If you have an illness that leaves you isolated, take actions of your own. Sarah gives some helpful tips:

• Educate people about your condition
• Be courageous in sharing your needs
• Let people show up for you
• Find a way to serve others and use your spiritual gifts

And if you know someone living with chronic illness or pain, Sarah has tips for you too:

• Reach out intentionally over time
• Ask follow-up questions about medical appointments
• Ask about a person’s sickness or condition
• Show people they are not alone

“The most important thing that I can tell someone who has a chronic illness is that they are not alone. And if you are experiencing that, that means you can also, with great authority, be able to tell someone they are not alone.”

Sarah

Learn more about Sarah at sgwilloughby.com.