Life's adversities and frailties are a challenge. Rise above them to win!

The joys of MS. Sounds rather contradictory, doesn't it? Especially when considering how much pain we MSers live with daily. For me, it is compounded by Lupus, which results in a lot of internal organ dysfunction and pain as well as an immune system treating me as though I'm the problem. Add to these Degenerative Vascular Disease, Epilepsy, Fibromyalgia, Rheumatoid Arthritis, cerebral hemorrhage candidate, migraines and two previous heart attacks. To top it all off, I was told I never could have children.

The joys? Hear my laughter, for indeed it all is a joy. I was diagnosed with these disorders at age 23, each suspected to have manifested by the time I was 8: two years after experiencing a 30-foot fall followed by simultaneous double pneumonia/German Measles, followed by Chicken Pox, then a good case of the mumps—in the same year.

Recently, I attained the big 6-0h! and still kickin'— Well, we all know the word usually following kickin'. Children? I had six pregnancies resulting in two miscarriages and four live births: two daughters died at young ages. My daughter María blessed me with 4 grandchildren and my Son Lee still thinks about it. I suspect music is his baby!

But, joy? Indeed, for my faith in God and His Christ have shown me what all this and more means from a spiritual perspective: rather than mankind's flawed perception. I am as handicapped as I choose to think. Every day, I choose to believe I "can do all things in the Lord, who strengthens me;" and, if I "can think it, it can be done." Oh, and there are these: "Whatsoever a person thinks, so it is," and "I will never allow more upon you than you can bear." Now, this latter one tells me I can bear all things!

Also, there is the old adage of use it or lose it. Well, I don't intend to lose it. Adonai designed our bodies for movement and physical labor: not sedentary. He also built it to be nourished in a certain manner: all natural, live foods eaten in a raw state. And, He provided "herbs for our dis-ease." It's all there in Genesis. We also must feed our spirit. Lacking one or the other or both results in opening our door to Satan's wiles.

Jehovah is the great physician, thus who better to tell us what we need. Mankind's medicine only serves to poison these bodies El Elyon created, those drugs making us worse over time— read the first line of the Hippocratic Oath to learn who IS the father of modern medicine. It assuredly was not, and never will be, God Almighty.

The mentioned scriptures, along with that tried and true cliché, continually give me the push I need every morning, especially when my first thought is: I don't want to get up. After all, I HURT. Then, I remind myself that those negative words came from my mortal enemy: Lucifer. He would like nothing better than to see me in my grave at his hands; and, I like nothing better than kicking him in the teeth every time he rears his ugly head! The last laugh IS at his expense; and, in the end, I will be the victor. Not that old Devil.

Another joy, however— again, based on my absolute trust in God's Word— is understanding maladies, along with various other issues of day-to-day living, are nothing more than tests. Will I give in to the enemy, or will I rely on Adonai? I either can pass each with flying colors or fall flat on my face and, eventually, they will close the lid to my coffin. Well, the lid to my urn: I plan on being cremated— unless Jesus gets here very quickly; and, I believe He will do just that.

Oh, I might someday; for "it is appointed unto man to die once," and it doesn't matter by what manner we die. But, we don't have to die sick: thus, I choose to go for an A+ every time, storing up a wealth of treasures in heaven as well as receiving many blessing in the here and now. Yeshua always rewards His believers, both now and in the end.

Having chosen to do all things according to God's directions doesn't necessarily mean I've been cured; for healing of the flesh is not a given: only that of our spirit being within is guaranteed healing. It's the one giving this temporary flesh-garment life. What it does assure me of is that I will NOT continue to worsen until I can do nothing.

Ah, yes, I do have episodes and, sometimes, they are quite fearsome. At age 23, the doctors said I'd be in a wheelchair within a year. Thirty-seven years later I'm still walking and talking and feeding myself along with a host of other endeavors— some quite strenuous. I smile and laugh through it all, always giving God the glory and praise!

The greatest joy of MS, and these other diseases, is the fact it is just one of many confirmations implying I am God's child and Christ's follower: assuring me I DO bear the seal of the One True Living God. Like Paul, these merely are a thorn in my side to keep me humble and, like Job, to confirm my great faith coupled with patience. And, like Peter, it's a bit of discipline for not keeping my mouth shut when I should have!

We all were born into the midst of a great battle, one in which we must choose the army with whom we will align ourselves. Faith tells me to choose the winning side; and, that is to enter El Shaddai's camp: no riding the fence for this gal!

The side benefit of these diseases Satan put upon me— this is to say, how I deal with them— is their potential to be a great witness and testimony for God and His Christ: IF I so choose. Occasionally, I've been told I am a great inspiration, an example urging others to rise above maladies and trials. I pray I am, for it is my job here on this chaotic earth-about-to-die as well as to spread God's Truths in defiance of mankind's lies.

Why not think about the joys of suffering Multiple Sclerosis? In doing so, one might find ones-self improving instead of continually fighting an up-hill battle with no relief and no victory in sight. Never accept that there are different forms of MS. Multiple Sclerosis is Multiple Sclerosis: it's all the same. What differs are individual attitudes, approaches, and one's faith or lack thereof. Satan is bound: we need not be bound with him or by him.

If it can be thought, it can be done! It's all about choice: a power God gave us all. Remember: life's adversities and frailties are a challenge. Rise above them to win: just as Jesus did. He rose to the heavens and so can we!