I’ve written before that my theme for this year is reclaim. There is so much the true defeated one has stolen from us, and I feel the season is now to go into his camp and take it back. The fear and lack of peace I’ve struggled with for the last couple years—that’s not how I want to live.

Of course, it doesn’t surprise me when such a challenge is tested. One thing the last two years actually brought in a good way is the best health our daughter has ever seen. My guess is remote learning and quarantine kept her from the weather changes that trigger her asthma.

This season change has hit her hard. When we have a big swing in temperature followed by precipitation and temps dropping back down, she gets a sinus headache. Congestion. Often that turns to a sinus infection. Sometimes ear infection. This year it was ear and upper respiratory.

Usually an antibiotic, allergy meds, nose spray and steam bring her back to health.

Not this year. The antibiotic didn’t work, so another was prescribed. That one is usually the one I wish he’d prescribe because it’s so effective. Not this time. Instead, it really messed with her gut health. I suspect the prior antibiotic didn’t help. He switched medicines, but that only added to her pain and complications.

It’s during these times I tend to fall back on the I-can’t-get-comfortable-because-the-other-shoe-will-drop thinking. We’ve experienced a lot with her health, including near death, doctor error, therapies, hospital stays, breathing treatments, missed school, and more. There were times that was a daily issue, and then there were seasons I relaxed only to find us rushing back to caregiving. I grew to live on edge, expecting problems.

—Julie Arduini

As you can imagine, it’s not a healthy way to live. I honestly think that stress brought on early menopause, and last year, between grief and anxiety, I messed my own gut health up. Through prayer, counsel, and renewing my mind, I’ve worked hard to avoid thinking about what’s coming. To let go of the mentality that when things are bad they will get worse, and when things are good, bad is coming.

This year I’m reclaiming the other shoe. Yes, our daughter isn’t feeling her best. I refuse to let her symptoms consume either of us. I don’t want to think about what bad thing is next. My prayer is to be Kingdom minded, filled with His wisdom and discernment. To praise Him for creating her and knowing exactly what she needs and when.

The reclaiming journey is definitely not a straight-line experience, but it’s interesting and growing my faith.

Can you relate?