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
Nicole O'Meara
"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...
Nicole O'Meara
"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...
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?
Nicole O'Meara
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...
Nicole O'Meara
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...
Nicole O'Meara
"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...
Nicole O'Meara
"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...
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
Nicole O'Meara
"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...
Nicole O'Meara
"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...
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.
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
Nicole O'Meara
"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...
Nicole O'Meara
"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...
Nicole O'MearaWe 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
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
Nicole O'Meara
"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...
Nicole O'Meara
"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...
Nicole O'Meara
"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....
Nicole O'Meara
"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...
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
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
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
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.
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
Nicole O'MearaPerhaps 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
Nicole O'MearaFriend, 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.
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.
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.
Nicole O'MearaSuffering 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
Nicole O'MearaWe 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
Nicole O'MearaOften, 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
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
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
Nicole O'MearaThe 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
Nicole O'MearaGod 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
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
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
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
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
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).
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
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
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,
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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
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.