"When I Fall, I Will Rise Again!"

When I Fall, I Will Rise

There are truths in Scripture that echo through every generation, and one of them is this: life happens—to the righteous and the rebellious, the faithful and the wandering, the strong and the fragile. In the book of Micah, Israel faced judgment because some had turned to Canaanite idols, but the consequences touched everyone, even those who remained faithful to God.

It has always been this way. We like to believe that good behavior exempts us from hardship, but it doesn’t. Yet what we do with hardship is what matters.

Israel was in a national crisis, but the prophet Micah told the enemy nation not to rejoice over their troubles. Why? Because even in the darkness, God would shine for those who waited for Him.

And that’s the message for us: in personal crisis, in societal collapse, in confusion, in grief—God is still with us.

Not Everyone Has Rebelled—Then or Now

Micah’s world mirrors ours. Some were faithful. Some were not. But everyone had to walk through the consequences of the nation’s choices.

And that is still true today. Challenges do not automatically mean sin. Many of us were taught that suffering must be punishment, but the truth is simpler: sometimes life just happens. Good people get sick. Faithful people fall. Devoted people face heartbreak.

But God does not abandon His people in the darkness.

My Story: Falling, Rising, and Finding God in Every Place

I’ve lived long enough to have walked through more than a few dark valleys—some physical, some emotional, some spiritual. And every time, I have learned the truth of Micah 7:8:

“Therefore, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; My God will hear me. When I fall, I will arise; When I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me.”

Life has knocked me down—literally and figuratively.

A motorcycle accident six months into marriage.

My husband Tom suffered a traumatic brain injury and nearly lost his leg. We were newlyweds learning how to hold our marriage together through pain and uncertainty.

A shattered hip from a fall in 2021.

Knocked down by a dog while protecting my own little dog, I hit the concrete and crushed my right hip. Recovery was long and painful, but God was present in every step.

Losing my husband in 2022.

And nothing—not even broken bones—hurt as much as that. Grief is a river that never stops flowing; it only changes its shape. Without God’s presence, I would have drowned in it.

Degenerative disc disease and osteoporosis.

Conditions that changed my physical abilities and my independence. I had to relearn not only what my body could do, but how to keep my spirit steady.

Basal cell carcinoma in 2024, and losing part of my nose.

Surgeries, reconstruction, setbacks, stem cell procedures—the whole journey was humbling, painful, and at times humiliating. I didn’t want anyone to see me. But God was working even in the medical details.

Another fall—this time shattering my shoulder.

One misstep, a folding chair, and suddenly another long season of pain and recovery. And just when I was standing again, sickness swept in and laid me out for weeks.

But Here Is the Truth: Every Time I Fell, I Got Back Up

Not because I’m strong. Not because I’m stubborn. Not because I’m lucky.

But because God’s light still shines in the dark places.

I tell my story because many of you know exactly what it feels like to fall—physically, emotionally, spiritually. You know what it feels like to be discouraged, overlooked, exhausted, or confused.

And you also know what it feels like when people assume your suffering is somehow your fault. I grew up in churches where sickness demanded confession. If you weren’t healed, people wanted to find the sin. But I’m here to tell you:

Life happens. Suffering happens. And God does not abandon us in any of it.

Falling Doesn’t Have to Be Fatal

When life knocks you down:

• Get up. Don’t stay down in defeat or self-pity.

• Get up with a plan. Don’t get up impulsively or blindly let God guide your next step.

• Get up with understanding. Ignorance is darkness, but God’s Word is light.

Psalm 119:105 says:

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

I once had a vision of standing in utter darkness. God told me to take one slow step at a time. Each step lit only the tip of my toe. And when I finally turned around, I realized I had walked along the edge of a high mountain.

Without obeying the voice of God, I would have fallen into the abyss. But with every tiny step, His light guided me through the darkness.

This is how God leads us—one step at a time. Not with a spotlight. Not with a map. But with enough light to keep going.

Faith Is Not Blind

Many say faith is blind, but that is not true. Faith sees what the natural eye cannot. Faith follows the light of God’s Word even when the path looks impossible.

So if you’re in a season of hardship, health battles, financial strain, family issues, grief, uncertainty, remember this:

• You are not being punished.

• You are not alone.

• You do not have to figure everything out at once.

• You only need enough light for the next step.

And when you fall—because all of us do—you can rise again.

A Blessing for You

May God give you wisdom to care for yourself, strength to endure hardship, light to guide your steps, courage to rise when you fall, and grace to help others from the overflow of His presence in your life.

You are blessed. You are loved. You are not forgotten. And you are never walking through darkness alone.

Amen.