The Hope Christ's Resurrection Provides

Hi everyone, my name is Andrea Stahl, and I have the joy of being on staff here at CityBridge as the Connecting Assistant. I am married to my wonderful husband, Will, and we'll celebrate four years of marriage this summer. Today I'm going to share my story of grace with you specifically, how the resurrection of Christ impacts my daily life.

I was born in the smallest country in Central America, El Salvador, and when I was six years old, we moved to Costa Rica, where I grew up. My younger brother, Gabriel, and I grew up with parents who loved the Lord and showed us what it meant to follow Christ. When I was little, I remember wanting to have a deep relationship with Christ like my dad did and be a prayer warrior like my mom.

Even though I grew up in a Christian household and had heard the gospel my whole life, it wasn't until I was 13 years old at a Youth Retreat that it clicked for me. I knew that God had sent His son Jesus to die on the cross for my sins and that three days later, He rose again, but by God's grace that weekend, I truly understood the weight of my sin and need for a Savior. I understood that I was no longer a slave to sin, that Jesus is alive, is coming back, and that one day I'd get to spend eternity with Him.

In 2012, during my junior year of high school, we moved to the sunshine state, Florida, and it was around this time that I started noticing something going on in my body. Something didn't feel right. This was the start of a long journey. I went to see my primary doctor, an ENT, but nothing improved. It got worse as the months went by, and I continued to experience more symptoms, more pain, and more questions.

In 2017, we moved to the best state in the US, Texas! and things started to decline even more. I went to see a gastroenterologist and was once again left with more questions than answers.

At this point, I was 25 years old & trying to be steadfast in my faith while dealing with chronic fatigue, joint pain, constant sore throat, food sensitivities, a compromised immune system, losing weight uncontrollably, and low energy. This stripped me away from so many things I loved & forced me to make big lifestyle changes.

Some included completely switching the way I ate, stepping down from ministry & activities I loved doing like singing & leading worship (which I went to school for and wasn't getting to do in the way I dreamed of), serving in student ministry, saying no to travel trips we had planned, and resting & slowing down even when I didn't want to. I had so many questions and wrestled a ton with the Lord. There were so many days I found myself feeling so defeated and discouraged, wondering how long, Lord? How long? Why don't you just heal me like I know you can? What's the purpose? Why are You allowing this? Why would You take away things I enjoy doing and that I feel called to? Or the latest one, haven't I suffered enough?

It's now been eight years since this journey started, and I wish I could stand here and tell you that I've been healed, that all is well, that I can eat whatever I want; especially chocolate cake (full of gluten, dairy, and sugary goodness) but I'm still deep in it. Still trying different treatments, researching new doctors, having a very strict diet, getting sick often, fighting insecurity and FOMO (fear of missing out) when I can't join in activities, and waking up after a full night's sleep feeling like I didn't sleep at all.

However, over the past eight years, I've learned sweet truths about Christ and gone back to 13-year-old Andrea and what she believed in when the gospel clicked for her for the first time. Through suffering, moving, living in different places, and dealing with many health challenges, I've remembered, this isn't my home. I've learned that my comfort, joy, and hope don't come from where I live or how I feel physically because those things have constantly changed, uncertain, and declined. Instead, my comfort, joy & hope comes from God, the One who never changes.

I know God so much more now because He has shown me what dependence on Him looks like and how to trust His plan even when it's not what I would have chosen. He has sweetly changed the narrative in my head from I want, I need, I wish, I miss, to all I need is YOU. God has also been gracious to place people in my life: family, community, and friends that encourage me, counsel me, point me back to truth, bear the burden with me and pray for me.

You see, this is only possible because of Jesus. I have hope that goes beyond my current circumstances because I know that one day, all the pain, tears, sickness, and hardships will be wiped away and resolved in eternity. Because of Jesus' resurrection, I know that one day I will be given a new body that isn't limited by sickness, weakness, or pain, but that is glorified, sustained, and whole. I won't be like this forever!

Now, I still have hard days where I forget this and have to remind myself of truth. That He sees the whole picture, His will is good & perfect, and He has a purpose in all of it. That I may not have health, I may not have fill in the blank, but I still have Jesus, and that's enough for me. I love Psalm 23, it has been my favorite Psalm since I was little and verse 6 says,

“Surely goodness & mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

This life on earth isn't it, it is only but a vapor. One day, I will be risen with Christ and will be in His presence forever. If you believe in Christ, you too will one day dwell in His house forever. I don't know what you are walking through today if it is something similar or not, but I want to tell you there is a hope, and it's found in Jesus. In His death, burial & resurrection.