February 24, 2026
This week on the podcast, Natasha said something that stayed with me.
She talked about looking fine.
- Functioning.
- Showing up.
- Having the husband, the kids, the career.
And still texting 988 because she needed someone to talk to.
She said, “You don’t see me behind closed doors. You don’t see me on the floor crying.”
That line sits heavy.
So many of us live there.
- We carry diagnoses that took years to name.
- We carry pain that never made sense.
- We carry mental health struggles that don’t show up in a cast or a wheelchair.
And when we finally get answers, sometimes it’s relief.
Sometimes it’s heartbreak.
Sometimes it’s both.
Natasha talked about getting her bipolar diagnosis at 21. It gave her clarity. It also put a label on her that felt heavy.
Then years later, when she was diagnosed with lupus, it felt different. Answers. Hope. Something to work with.
Same word — diagnosis.
Two completely different emotional experiences.
She also said something that churches need to hear more clearly:
- You can have a depressed day and still love God.
- You can have a chronic illness and still love God.
- You can be healing and still be in pain.
Healing doesn’t always mean the disease disappears. Sometimes it looks like fewer flares. More wisdom. Better boundaries. Choosing grace over shame.
And the sentence I wish more women heard earlier in life:
"God has not forgotten you.”
Not in the flare.
Not in the depressive episode.
Not in the grief.
Not in the confusion.
Not behind closed doors.
Gentle Challenge
This week, ask one person how they’re really doing.
Then don’t rush them.
And if someone asks you?
Practice answering honestly at least once.
Even if the answer is, “I’m not okay today.”
If you missed this week’s conversation with Natasha, it’s one worth sitting with. We talked about bipolar disorder, lupus, grief, food, stigma, faith, creativity, and what surrender actually looks like in real life.
You can listen here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-invisible-illness-club-chronic-illness-auto-immune/id1796891851
I’m grateful for women who tell the truth out loud.
And I’m grateful you’re here.
With all love,
