My Savior is an acrylic painting I created a few years ago when I went through a year of several health issues. When faced with sickness, pain and surgeries that I never saw coming, my faith was certainly put to the test. During that difficult season, I knew that Jesus was with me, even though I didn’t necessarily feel His presence in those hardest days. But He gave me little glimpses of Himself through the friend who brought me a gift basket of goodies, or the one who came to sit and pray with me. He made His presence known through so many who provided encouragement, meals, gifts, cards, prayer and love. I saw Jesus in my husband who tirelessly served me and took care of our family and household while I was unable to. I knew that His hand was upon me when I received the news that I wouldn’t need to undergo a certain intense medical treatment. But I also knew His hand was upon me during six weeks of daily treatments of another type. I felt His divine provision through the amazing doctors, nurses, and health professionals who showed me such care and helped me through it all.

That was an extremely difficult year, but as I look back on it, I am thankful for all the ways that God provided for me through it. And I am even more grateful for the ways He changed me through the experience. I have greater peace and joy in my spirit than before. I have more compassion for people who go through challenges. My confidence in Jesus has grown through those hard times. Fear has lost its grip on me, and I am growing in the freedom that Jesus died to give me.

During that season, this passage from Isaiah became very real to me: