Hypermobility and Our Foundation in Christ

Several months after I delivered the boys, I realized I was in quite a bit of pain in my lower back and hips. You figure fifty extra pounds, a whole lot of that relaxin hormone released into my body, 16+ hours of unmedicated labor, and five months of nursing twin boys with a great appetite, my body was a little out of whack. I finally managed to get to a physical therapist. (Therese Griffin rocks!) Over the course of my treatment, I learned that I am what they call "hypermobile", which basically means that I'm incredibly flexible. This worked for me as a cheerleader throughout highschool, but I'm not sportin' a highschooler's body or lifestyle any longer. I'm luggin' around twins, and hypermobility doesn't really work for me anymore!

The therapist explained my hypermobility to me in terms of what is "normal". He said normally, people's joints can take a bit of a jolt and remain in place. Then, there's me. The slightest beating on my joints and they're out of alignment. The focus of my therapy, therefore, was to strengthen the muscles and ligaments around my joints in order to keep them in place. Made sense to me. Since I've been doing the various exercises the therapists suggested, I have felt a lot better. It has required discipline to do the exercises, but when I don't do them, I feel its affect on my back and hips.

I thought of my hypermobility recently as I read through a passage in Luke 6.
I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.

Much like my physical body needs strengthening during times that I am not injured in order to help my joints respond to the beatings of everyday life, my heart needs strengthening during the times when life is a bit more "trial-free" so that it can endure and stand firm through the stormy seasons life brings my way. Luke 6 tells me the type of strength training I need: to be a doer of the Word and not a hearer only. I have recently been convicted by the pool of spiritual knowledge I can draw from but often don't when the rubber meets the road. Often my actions don't match what I claim to know and believe the truth to be.

But, I do have those around me whose lives match their claims. One such friend just recently found out she has a chronic medical condition. This would be overwhelming news at best for most of us. And, while I'm sure she has had her moments, she has overwhelmingly proclaimed the faithfulness and goodness of God to her and her family throughout this time in her life. And, she affirms her trust in God who has promised to never leave her or forsake her. Her foundation is well built, for the storm has come and she remains steady.

A favorite verse of mine for the hope of being described in such a way rather than reflecting it currently is Proverbs 31:25
She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.

One day, I trust that I WILL laugh at the days to come, and by God's grace, as I build my foundation through applying His truth rather than simply knowing His truth, I will see my house stand firm through the trials of life. I pray for you, reader, that you are building a firm foundation that will stand when the storms of life rage against your home.