When Toria was 14, she started having pain so agonizing that it would send her to the ER. After months of doctors, tests, and surgery, the doctors finally figured out what it was, but informed Toria that there was no known treatment. So, she just had to live with the pain. The pain was excruciating at every level: physically, mentally, and emotionally. Toria began thinking that she would never have a life: never go to college, never have a boyfriend, and only be seen as a worthless piece of trash.
Toria grew up going to church, but after being diagnosed with an un-treatable illness, she wanted nothing to do with God. When Toria turned 16, she hit her lowest point. She was in so much pain that all she could do was lay in bed and cry, unable to move so the pain would not get worse. Mentally, she couldn’t take it anymore and had thoughts about dying, because at least through death, the pain would end. But even through her pain and darkest moments, Toria felt God drawing her closer to Him and she kept remembering in the back of her mind God is the only one who can help you.
Toria and her family eventually started going to a new church and Toria surrendered her life and pain to Christ. Now, when she’s in pain, she cries out, “Jesus help” and feels his presence around her like a hug and hears Him tell her that He will never leave her. Toria realizes that Jesus knows how much she is hurting and all she can do is lean on His everlasting arms. Toria says, “I started seeing this condition that I hated as something good because it was making me lean on God and rely on His strength to do everything, sometimes even just getting out of bed in the morning. While I would love to not have this condition, I am now thankful for it because it makes me rely on God and feel Him. God has used this awful condition for His good. He has even helped me to go to college where I am one semester away from graduating. Because of Him, I have a life for Him to live. Only because of His strength.”
