Nicole O'Meara
Best AFO-friendly Shoes in 2025 — Nicole O'Meara
2025 has been the best year for finding AFO-friendly shoes since my injury. These shoes make me feel a little more confident when I leave the house. Cute + Confidence = Win!
4 min read
Nicole O'Meara
- Nicole O'Meara
- Nicole O'Meara
With God as My Walking Stick — Nicole O'Meara
Tactile paving is my nemesis. The yellow plates of bumps at the edge of a crosswalk or sidewalk were created to alert visually impaired people of an upcoming hazard. I’m so glad someone invented bumps that help, but for me, those bumps are a hazard! With God’s words to Jeremiah echoing in my mind,
8 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Unshaken: Finding Faith That Holds When Life Falls Apart {Guest Post} — Nicole O'Meara
Unshaken was born out of a deep personal need for biblical comfort. I searched Scripture not for answers to why this had happened, but for strength to face what was coming next. And what I found wasn’t just comfort—it was courage. Whether you're facing a chronic diagnosis, caregiving for someone you
7 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Dad Gifts
“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” — Matthew 7:11-12 (ESV)As a teenager, my brother became obsessed with skateboarding. It didn’t matter that he...
3 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Dad Gifts - A Nighttime Prayer
“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” — Matthew 7:11-12 (ESV)Please Pray:Heavenly Father, thank you for making me your child. I want to know...
1 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Sehnsucht in the Blue Ridge Mountains — Nicole O'Meara
Sehnsucht is hard to put into words, as can be seen in my painfully limited ability to describe what I felt at a vista in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Some call it joy. Some called it wistful longing for something you can’t explain. It has been called melancholy and nostalgia. It is all of that, and mo
10 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Book Review: This Homeward Ache — Nicole O'Meara
"This Homeward Ache" is a series of memoir-like essays on the author’s experience of Sehnsucht—a sense of separation from and the ceaseless longing for a place one has never been. C.S. Lewis, the author points out, calls it Joy. I give "This Homeward Ache" 4 stars because it felt
5 min read - Nicole O'Meara
FOMO & The Trumpet Call of the Lamb — Nicole O'Meara
In my study of Revelation this year, I came across repeated instances of trumpets. It got me thinking about trumpets, where they appear in scripture, and why. This list of trumpet uses in scripture will relieve your FOMO of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
6 min read - Nicole O'Meara
How to Save Your Shoes from AFO Damage — Nicole O'Meara
Over time, my fancy carbon fiber Ankle Foot Orthotic (AFO) cut through the tongue and side of my shoe and the laces. I’ve thrown away more than one pair of shoes due to AFO damage. Until I started using these three hacks.
2 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Nature's Illustrations of Spiritual Truths — Nicole O'Meara
The Alaskan Wood Frog helps me understand the resurrection better. Nature is God’s artwork. In this article, find a few illustrations from nature that help us understand spiritual truths.
5 min read - Nicole O'Meara
The Dignity and Deity of Easter - A Nighttime Prayer
"Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid....
1 min read - Nicole O'Meara
The Dignity and Deity of Easter
"Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid....
3 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Trust God With What You Don't Understand: Lessons from a Narnian Adventure — Nicole O'Meara
C.S. Lewis's book The Horse and His Boy is more than just an adventure story. It is a lesson in our humanity. There are limits to how much we can understand of our infinite God and his ways. This is a good thing! When I run into those limits, I know I am being challenged to be content with what God
4 min read - Nicole O'Meara
The Joy of Obedience - A Nighttime Prayer
"Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord." -- Proverbs 16:20 (ESV)Please Pray:Father in Heaven, thank you for being trustworthy, always and forever. Thank you for walking with me through every trial. Help me desire the blessing of joy in obeying you...
1 min read - Nicole O'Meara
The Joy of Obedience
"Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord." -- Proverbs 16:20 (ESV)Our son was in first grade when my husband Chris and I first felt God call us to adopt. It came out of nowhere. We had never talked about adoption. We...
3 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Book Review: The God of the Garden — Nicole O'Meara
Andrew Peterson’s The God of the Garden is part memoir, part essay on the challenges and beauty to be found in the gardens of life. Peterson reminds us that the entire Creation story centers around gardens. So, how does your story fit into the narrative of time?
9 min read - Nicole O'Meara
A Love Without Caution - A Nighttime Prayer
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died...
1 min read - Nicole O'Meara
A Love Without Caution
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died...
3 min read - Nicole O'Meara
God's Grace Meets Your Needs - A Nighttime Prayer
"May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word." --2 Thessalonians 2:15-17Please Pray:Father in Heaven, you know me and what I need. Thank...
1 min read - Nicole O'Meara
God's Grace Meets Your Need
"May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word." --2 Thessalonians 2:15-17 My daughter, who was two years old when we brought her...
3 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Stop Imagining a Grace-less Future — Nicole O'Meara
Fear and uncertainty were nothing new, they are part of life for people, like me, living with a chronic and undiagnosed disease. It’s easy to imagine future needs (even if unfounded), but we cannot know how God will meet those needs. Don’t lose sight of this, God will give us his grace when we need
8 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Wrap Your Focus Around Christ this Christmas
"When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying...
3 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Wrap Your Focus Around Christ This Christmas - A Nighttime Prayer
"When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying...
1 min read - Nicole O'Meara
My Top 5 Books from 2024 — Nicole O'Meara
Here are my favorite books read in 2024 (not necessarily published in 2024) in five categories: Nonfiction, Fiction, Biography, Christian Living, and Cozy Mysteries.
7 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Book Review: Losing Music — Nicole O'Meara
Mr. Cotter shares his emotions, thoughts, dreams, frustrations, and new understandings as he loses his hearing to Meniere’s Disease. I love that he didn’t hold back. It helped me to know all the little things he suffered and processed, things my father may have also felt and thought. This book is n
7 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Courageous Gratitude
"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." -- 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV)Amy Carmichael, missionary to India, faced horrible circumstances on her journey to India. Bunked in a ship’s cabin infested with cockroaches and rats, she had a choice: complain or...
3 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Courageous Gratitude - A Nighttime Prayer
"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." -- 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV)Please Pray:Father in Heaven, you are good and you bring good to me. Help me be grateful for all that you give, no matter the circumstances. Thank you. In...
1 min read - Nicole O'Meara
God is Able . . . Verses — Nicole O'Meara
We do not have a hands-off God. He is not one to tell us, "Go and do XYZ, on your own." Far from it! Our God wants to be in the trenches of life with us. Not only does he want to be with us and help us, but is able to. He is able to act on our behalf and he does! We have a living, lovin
6 min read - Nicole O'Meara
5 Lessons the Gym Teaches About Bible Study — Nicole O'Meara
In the same way exercise strengthens my body, Bible reading strengthens my faith. Both are necessary for physical and spiritual health. If we hold tightly to a "read your Bible every day" rule, what does it mean when there are days when we can’t or don’t want to? What can we do? Here are
10 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Encourage with the Words of Life - A Nighttime Prayer
"Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.’" -- John 6:68Please Pray:Father in Heaven, thank you for giving me all that I need to be encouraged and to be an encourager. Help me to remember your words of life and share...
1 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Encourage with the Words of Life
"Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.’" -- John 6:68 I placed the cardboard box on my hospital bed and rolled my wheelchair closer to unpack it. I was two weeks into a five-week stay at a spinal cord injury...
3 min read - Nicole O'Meara
The Peace of Being Spiritually Aware of God's Presence - A Nighttime Prayer
"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." - 2 Corinthians 4:18 Father in Heaven, I want to be aware of you in every moment and every circumstance of my day....
1 min read - Nicole O'Meara
The Peace of Being Spiritually Aware of God's Presence
"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." - 2 Corinthians 4:18 The gift of sight is powerful. I was born partially blind, a condition which leaves me in a perpetual...
3 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Navigating an Identity Crisis after Medical Trauma — Nicole O'Meara
With every major medical crisis, I’ve had an identity crisis. Each time, the same question returns: Who am I now? My spinal cord injury, the latest medical crisis in a stream of crises, created a new slew of questions. The questions may have changed but the answer is the same. I am a beloved child
14 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Three Ways to Read Scripture — Nicole O'Meara
In his episode "On Ultra-processed Content," Cal Newport made an analogy between ultra-processed foods and ultra-processed media content. A similar connection can be made between how scripture and theological texts are processed and consumed. We should fill our spiritual plates in proport
8 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Review: RadTrike by a Person with Mobility Issues (SCI) — Nicole O'Meara
I was a walker before my spinal cord injury. I miss walking the most when spring comes around. Enter, the RadTrike. The RadTrike is an electric tricycle with full-size bike wheels for stability. Being outdoors and moving at a quick pace gave me independence. I had the same feeling as walking—effort
8 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Book Review: The Gift of Pain — Nicole O'Meara
In Dr. Paul Brand’s book The Gift of Pain Brand says pain is the body's built-in warning system that something is wrong and needs to be fixed. Time and again, he found that lack of pain was his patient’s worst enemy. I nodded, understanding and wishing I didn’t.
9 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Book Review: Gentle and Lowly + Ragamuffin Gospel — Nicole O'Meara
A full review of Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund—Why you should read it and how it will change you. Plus, a short review of Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning.
12 min read - Nicole O'Meara
5 Cute Shoes to Wear with an Ankle Foot Orthotic (AFO) — Nicole O'Meara
Wearing an AFO takes up space in a shoe. AFOs require wearing shoes bigger than your foot and often require a removable insole. A person wearing an orthotic needs a shoe with ample support, a backstrap or heel cup, and a sole that makes firm contact with the ground but without too much tread. Those
5 min read - Nicole O'Meara
5 Anxiety Calming Strategies That Work — Nicole O'Meara
Here are 5 methods you can use in the moment, as your anxiety rises. They are designed to align your emotions with your body. You are an embodied being [ Aundi Kolber and Try Softer ]—focusing only on your emotions, and not on your body, will hinder your ability to calm your body’s physical response
8 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Goodbye, Anniversary Anxiety — Nicole O'Meara
My anxiety has been replaced with comfort—comfort from knowing, experientially, that God was with me. He was with me then, he is with me now, and he will be with me in the future. He gave me a CHOICE. I chose to believe God’s Word, that he is who he says he is and will do what he says he will do. It
4 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Your Christmas Tree, a Tower of Remembrance Stones — Nicole O'Meara
A Christmas tree can be a tower of remembrance stones. Each ornament has the ability to remind us of the moments and people connected to them—moments and people God providentially placed in our lives for our good. Who has God used to grow you, teach you, and love you? How many moments in your life h
4 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Bible Study Methods: Homiletics — Nicole O'Meara
Homiletics is a fancy word that means “the art of preaching.” To study the Bible using Homiletics means to break down a passage to learn the specific facts, themes, truths, and applications such that, by the time you finish you could teach it. In this article, I will outline the specific steps to
13 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Book Review: Songs of Suffering — Nicole O'Meara
The first devotional made me cry. My pulse raced and tears leaked out my eyes. Something of the fear of that memory returned but this time, it was accompanied by a feeling of knowing. Joni knew what it was like for me because she had felt it too. Joni shares many of the same feelings I have experi
4 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Why Your Name Matters — Nicole O'Meara
Your name wasn’t chosen randomly, at least I hope not. But even if it was, God is sovereign and in his will, your name matters. Isaiah 49:16 tells us you are of such value that God tattoos your name on his hands, a part of his body that he and anyone near him will see over and over, every day. He i
8 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Storms of Suffering Reveal the Strength of Your Foundation — Nicole O'Meara
It wasn’t until the storm came and beat against the man’s house that he could see for himself that his foundation was secure. How will we know if our foundation is solid as a rock? By seeing how well it holds up during a storm.
6 min read - Nicole O'Meara
We Need to be Known — Nicole O'Meara
Chronic illness, especially rare, invisible, or undiagnosed illness, can bring on feelings of being misunderstood like nothing else. You might feel loved and known and at the same time, feel misunderstood because what you live with is beyond the understanding of those who love you best. But God kn
7 min read - Nicole O'Meara
When God's Ways are Higher Than Our Ways — Nicole O'Meara
Sometimes, what feels like a defeat is merely a detour on the path. Trust the God who guides you. “My ways are higher than your ways,” He said. I may have broken my foot but I was still on the road to recovery. I hadn’t taken a wrong turn, or ignored the GPS and gotten lost. God’s way, his path f
4 min read - Nicole O'Meara
The Breath of God - 13 Worship Songs {playlist included} — Nicole O'Meara
Perhaps it is my lifelong battle with breathing that draws me to music about breath. Perhaps it is the connection between breathing and communicating. Perhaps it is that the breath of God on believers represents the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Consider these songs of worship, old and new, abo
6 min read - Nicole O'Meara
5 Purposes for Your Suffering — Nicole O'Meara
Friend, look for God’s purpose in your suffering. It will always end in a closer relationship with Him and that’s worth it all — the tears, the pain, the loss — everything.
6 min read - Nicole O'Meara
The Strength You Need -- Just In Time — Nicole O'Meara
Do you wonder what God has in store for you next year, and how will you find His strength—just in time? Look to His Word. He will enable you to do all that He asks.
3 min read - Nicole O'Meara
What Matters Most This Christmas — Nicole O'Meara
I love traditions, but I never want my traditions to cause me to miss what matters most. The presence of God and His love for people will always trump wrapping paper, bows, and even my presence on a special day.
2 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Suffering is Perplexing — Nicole O'Meara
Suffering is perplexing. It sets us in circumstances that are difficult to comprehend. In our disorientation, it becomes difficult to accept our new circumstances. We may be tempted to believe that no one can understand. It’s not true. Each new facet of suffering helps deepens our understanding of
4 min read - Nicole O'Meara
We are the Blind Man — Nicole O'Meara
We have an innate desire to connect cause with effect. In John 9 we learn causation is not as important as purpose. Jesus teaches that neither the parents nor the blind man sinned—the blindness exists so that the wondrous signs of God can be displayed. If I put aside the question, What or who is to
5 min read - Nicole O'Meara
DEVOTIONAL: Write it Down & Remember — Nicole O'Meara
Often, real change happens in small increments that we may not notice. This is true for physical healing as well as spiritual healing. Becoming more like Christ happens in one moment (salvation) and in a lifetime of moments (sanctification). It is the work of the Holy Spirit who is constantly healin
2 min read - Nicole O'Meara
I Just Need Possible — Nicole O'Meara
“I don’t need easy, I just need possible,” she said. For Bethany Hamilton, world-class surfer and shark-attack survivor, those hope-filled words are empowering. Her words echo the words of Jesus: “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). When we remember t
3 min read - Nicole O'Meara
The Lord is My Portion — Nicole O'Meara
How do we find hope when we feel hopeless? Lamentations teaches us to find hope by remembering (“call to mind”) that the Lord is our “portion.” As our portion, God has promised to take care of us. We can put all our hope in him, secure that he will provide as promised. This is t
3 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Blessings in the Ashes of Our Mars Hill Experience — Nicole O'Meara
The Rise & Fall of Mars Hill, a podcast by CT Magazine, took the evangelical world by storm last year. It took 17 episodes to recount the losses at Mars Hill. Yet one story recounted losses and blessings. Chad’s story caused me to stop and consider the blessings, silver linings, of chronic il
8 min read - Nicole O'Meara
What’s so Mysterious About Irrational Love? — Nicole O'Meara
God gives us the grace to love him, then he gives us his unfailing love in return. Sounds like he’s doing all the work, right? It is embarrassing to be loved like that. Brennan Manning calls this, “irrational love.” It makes no sense. He gives his love and we don’t have to do anything for it. Wh
4 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Loving Your Neighbor: the Story of Shelley — Nicole O'Meara
Shelley was an exceptional example of what it looks like to obey the second greatest commandment: love your neighbor as yourself. (Matt 22:39). We all need to be loved and cheered on, especially when we are suffering and feeling alone. We need to be reminded that we are unique and worthy of friends
5 min read - Nicole O'Meara
It Takes Time For Hearts to Heal — Nicole O'Meara
“It’s ok if your heart needs more time to accept what your head already knows.” – anonymous Not all suffering is physical. If it feels like something in you is breaking, no matter what the reason, you are not alone. Even though this is hard and it feels like it will never get better, it will get
8 min read - Nicole O'Meara
DEVOTIONAL: Come to Me -- and rest — Nicole O'Meara
We need the kind of rest that renews and restores. Rest when our feet ache at the end of a long day, and rest when our heart breaks for a dear friend. We need rest that heals. This is the rest Jesus offers when He said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt
2 min read - Nicole O'Meara
DEVOTIONAL: A Gift to Treasure — Nicole O'Meara
I am the keeper of a set of 100-year-old wedding rings. They are the oldest possessions in my care, and I feel the weight of their history. Yet, I possess a truth much older and more valuable. The truth of the gospel is priceless. Matthew 13:46 tells me the Kingdom of Heaven is like a priceless pe
2 min read - Nicole O'Meara
DEVOTIONAL: Find Victory in God — Nicole O'Meara
A compassionate doctor goes a long way in helping a suffering person endure the unimaginable but what we want more is answers. Stop looking for the perfect doctor and find victory in the wisdom of God (Psalm 20:7).
5 min read - Nicole O'Meara
20 Best Christian Biographies (and Memoirs) plus more — Nicole O'Meara
Biographies (and memoirs) are beautiful because, through words on a page, they let us journey with a person as they follow Jesus on their own bumpy path. Biographies remind us that we don’t need to be rich or famous to have an impact. Biographies are great testimonies to the sovereignty of God. T
5 min read - Nicole O'Meara
DEVOTIONAL: Finding Identity in Christ (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome) — Nicole O'Meara
Vascular Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Say that three times fast. It’s the name of the condition I carry deep in my genetic code. Maybe you carry the weight of a hard-to-say, even-harder-to-explain rare disease. Maybe your diagnosis isn’t even named yet. In your weakness, sister, you can magnify God’s
4 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Days of Hope: Recalling God's Faithfulness in the Playgroup Years — Nicole O'Meara
Moms need to be reminded that they are doing good work and doing it well. While moms are busy loving others, we can also lose hope for ourselves. This is what community is for. When you have lost the ability to hope all things, you need friends to remind you that God still sees you, still loves you,
6 min read - Nicole O'Meara
DEVOTIONAL: Worth the Effort — Nicole O'Meara
Reading God’s word is like climbing a big hill with broken lungs… it’s good for me but it takes a lot of effort. Choose the challenge of focusing, reading, and listening to God. Your reward is the feeling of intimacy with God. It’s effort you’ll never regret.
3 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Who is Disabled? The Paralympics and the Question of Identity — Nicole O'Meara
Were these Paralympians born with their disability? What qualifies them to compete in the Paralympics? Who defines “disabled?” And who defines our identity? Love is the tool by which God shapes your identity. Lock eyes with his loving gaze. You are his beloved.
7 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Book Review: The Scars that have Shaped Me — Nicole O'Meara
In The Scars That Have Shaped Me, Vaneetha Rendall Risner shares her story of life-long illness (Polio & Post-Polio Syndrome) and trials (death of a child & loss of her marriage) with simple writing and honesty. Chapters are written like journal entries and share good theology. She touches o
4 min read - Nicole O'Meara
How to Live an Anchored Life when Rare Disease Untethers & Overwhelms You — Nicole O'Meara
We are not promised answers and in my experience with rare disease, we rarely get them. The same word, “anchor,” used for firmly securing a ship to land is also the same word for pointing a ship into the wind during a storm. The omniscient character of God grounds us. The sovereignty and faithfuln
6 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Devotional: Why, O Lord? — Nicole O'Meara
I struggle with asking why. It feels like a form of complaining or faithlessness. Are my whys a lack of trust in God who I know to be Sovereign over all, always good, never changing, loving, compassionate, and faithful? My friend’s death taught me I had more to learn about my God.
3 min read - Nicole O'Meara
Bible Study Methods: Scripture Writing — Nicole O'Meara
"... Martin Luther's friend, Philip Melanchthon, copied the book of Romans twice in his own handwriting because he wanted to make it more perfectly his own." Copying words directly from the Spirit of God makes them more personal. Seeing them in your messy handwriting makes more real. Copy
6 min read
Nicole O'Meara
Nicole O’Meara encourages Christian women living with chronic illness to believe that hope is never inappropriate. As a survivor of an undiagnosed disease and a spinal cord injury, hope is the anthem in her home. Her writing has been featured at (in)courage, The Mighty, The Joyful Life Magazine, and The Devoted Collective. Nicole and her family enjoy life with their fluffy Aussiedoodle in the Sierra foothills of Northern California.