Sue Ana Riley

It’s been a while since I've posted something on this blog. Life has been passing by and even though most moments seem mundane, they are actually far from it. Each day is a new opportunity for the sun to stand naked in a blue sky or hide in the gray of a rainy day. As sick as it may seem,everyday, there’s a new pile of dog poop next to the previous one (for those who dread dealing with the same “crap”).  Writing about something uplifting is quite difficult, but it depends on how one filters their point of view.

There’s a Facebook friend of mine that goes by the name of Sue Ana Riley. I’ve never met her personally, but I’m enlightened by her daily posts that constantly appear on my social network feed.  95% of her comments are constant praises to the one person responsible for allowing her to experience her chronic sicknesses—God. Any other individual would have bashed Him; quote scriptures and hold him accountable for not sticking to His biblical truth. It’s always easy to direct the blame, especially in a negative way, but to give positive accolades despite the circumstances is remarkable. We hear about people who defeat all odds—cancer, death of spouse, family member, or close friend, physical abnormalities and losing limbs, and being financially crippled—, but how often do you get a chance to communicate with them in the mist of their battles. Let me introduce you to a fellow Christian who chooses to thank God for allowing her to experience such pain while blessing her with the ability to see another day, whether dark or light.

Sue Ana Riley’s sickness is a mixture of several conditions—a list that she stated verbatim, consisting of “ Fibromyalgia, chronic pain, chronic sinus infections, allergies, acid reflux, insomnia, chronic lower back pain, and interstitial cystitis”. Reading these symptoms alone causes my body to retract, unable to fully understand what it feels like to experience at least one of them. She takes medication to subside the pain, but the human body is only capable of handling so much. As an observer, it’s easy to acquire sympathy, wishing she didn't have to go through this. The problem is that we are unaware of its necessity. Think about it: If Michael Jordan’s father wouldn't have died, do you think he would have still played baseball for two years and return to the NBA, solidifying his role as the best basketball player that has ever played? Take my mother for instance. My grandmother, her mom, had about eleven kids (two dying at early ages). My grandmother passed away, leaving nine kids behind. They had to split up and move to different parts of the country as children. If my mother would have never experienced such lost, she wouldn't have ended up in Arkansas where she met my father. What about the ultimate sacrifice—Jesus. We can only imagine how doomed we would be if God hadn't sent his only son—a metaphoric check written in the amount of every sin we will ever commit—to hang, nearly naked, bleeding from his impaled body to die for us.

One person that comes to mind when I think of Sara is Job.  Talking about a hard life. He lost his family, his livestock, currency, and immunity towards diseases.   I recently finished reading the story of Job, sitting there wondering how can a human being undergo such degradation and speak truth of God’s promises. Finding fault in our Creator would be our first instinct, since he did assure that He would never leave nor forsake us, right? Why would a parent watch his or her child go through so much agony without supplying any source of reprieve? Then again, why wouldn't He if He was willing to do it to his only son? The only difference now is that when He allows harm to his children, it’s not because He wants to exercise punishment, but offer strength to grow and manifest. We have to keep in mind that during such trials, God was existing outside of man’s time. Job couldn't pinpoint the moment God’s tolerance would cease. He had no choice but to endure.

I jot down scriptures in my journal that carry the heaviest load of contemplation. One in particular was Job 32:8 that reads “But [there is] a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty give them understanding.” The ladder end of Job teaches us that because of the biblical knowledge our spirits are capable of obtaining, nothing we experience can penetrate our will to prosper unless we allow them.  Job 42:10 states that God “restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.”

One of Sue’s most influential human beings is Nick Vujicic. He leads a motivational speaking tour entitled “No Arms, No Legs, No Worries!” (seeing that most people in his condition don’t have anything but). She sees God in him (for I see God in her as well as Mom who refuses to believe that God never has a hand in every aspect of her life).  I love to run and I complain when I have to stop due to leg pains. There are many who don’t have legs at all and would go beyond any means to walk or even try on shoes.  Nick allows God to work through him because Nick is aware that as long as he’s living, he can be a vessel. Sue has the same mentality. Like all of us that are alive, God could have killed us off at any moment, but He hasn't. He’s waiting for us to submit and allow Him to pilot this flight we call life. It’s His job to do so. It’s similar to our purpose as well. We seem to forget that we were specifically made to praise Him. Many people would believe that God is selfish, but He isn't. He wants what’s best for his children.  I was reminded of this after talking with Sue. She has reanimated my spirit to “do” and not allow the devil to steal my joy.

What also bothers me is that I’m starting to see this fire in more women than I do men. I admire God-fearing-men such as Dr. Tony Evans, Pastor David Braxton, Lecrae and Mali Music for representing the one person they can’t live without, but what about the rest of us? The purpose of this blog is to remind men that even though we lack perfection and moral consistency that we’re still able to change. Remember that God isn't waiting for us TO change. He’s waiting for us to WANT to change. As soon as we make that conscious decision, He’ll handle the rest. Going back to the plane metaphor: buying the ticket is our part, flying the aircraft is His.

Thank you, Sue, for reminding me of my purpose. I look at my financial setbacks and my current state post-undergrad, feeling a bit disappointed. I think of all the places I can’t go and people I can’t see at my leisure. Then, I think of your condition and how positive you choose to remain because you know that God didn't make us to worry or second guess our ability.  Just simply being crafted by His hands should be enough to want us to roll out of bed and start living. You are an inspiration to me and I’m sure many others who can relate to your state of being. You are in my prayers and I’m certain that one day, you’ll be granted a sick-free life, whether it’s here or in eternity. The only consistent factor is that God’s presence will still remain.