There's not a lot of content out there about Health Anxiety, so we're hoping these episodes land in the laps of the people (or loved ones!) who need it. Here, Val opens up about her own journey through Health Anxiety, chats with a friend who's endured some of the same difficulties and no matter what your struggle, settle in with our prayer for when you can't sleep.
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Ep. 58: Health Anxiety with Jaime Hampton
Jaime lives in Southcentral Alaska with her husband, three children, one black lab and two lizards.
She is an award-winning Christian author as well as the content producer and co-host of the Praying Christian Women podcast. You’ll often find her camping with family and friends during the fleeting Alaskan summer, while winters are spent as a full-time hockey mom of three.
Jaime enjoys roasting and drinking coffee, and is attempting to become an expert at latte art (it’s not as easy as it looks!). She enjoys listening to audio books or podcasts while doing housework, but otherwise cannot multi-task to save her life.
Highlights from today’s episode:
- 2:30 Jaime’s current prayer routine
- 5:15 How Jaime prays
- 8:30 What is health anxiety?
- 16:15 How prayer impacted her health anxiety
- 23:20 Where Jaime is at now with her journey
- 29:00 A starting place when anxious about health
- 38:00 The biggest obstacles in Jaime’s prayer life
- 44:00 How Jaime longs to grow in her prayer life
Things mentioned in today’s episode:
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Ep. 59: How to Pray Through Health Anxiety
Health anxiety can feel as common as breathing. Underneath every new sensation in the body is the question, “Could that be serious?” There’s no twitch, sharp pain or symptom that doesn’t cause a bit of uneasiness if only under the surface. It’s hard to be naturally joyful when that headache feels “different” today like it could be a brain aneurysm or something else serious. It’s hard to be optimistic when you feel like a magnetic charge is pulling you to every disease or disorder.
The Lord has taken me on an incredible journey through health anxiety. I’ve conquered many of the things that used to stress me out, like that side pain that lasts a few days, or the blurry vision that’s just a result of a dry contact. I’ve graduated to a new level of learning to trust God through longer term health issues that seem to have no concrete explanation.
Today, I wanted to share how I pray for health anxiety in hopes it will help you too, but I also hope what I share will help those who know someone with it so I can maybe put into words this struggle.
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A prayer for healing
Find yourself tossing and turning lately? Pop your earbuds in and rest in His presence.
- Share with the Lord everything that is swirling in your mind.
- Delight in God’s presence.
- Pray for someone that the Lord brings to mind.
- Trust that the Lord can redeem bad sleep.
Scripture:
- Psalm 46:10 - Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!
- Psalm 23:2-3a (NIV) - He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.
- Psalm 4:8 - In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.
This prayer has been adapted from my book Springboard Prayers. If you were encouraged by it and would like 124 other prayers to read when you don’t have the words, grab a copy at valmariepaper.com as well as our other resources mentioned.
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