When God Says No: Finding Joy after Chronic Illness & Loss | Lara Silverman

Laura Silverman's life changed overnight. At 30, she landed her dream job as a federal prosecutor—only to fall mysteriously ill her second week. What followed was 8 years (and counting) of being mostly bedridden with a rare neurological disorder that makes the world constantly spin around her.But that's not where her story ends.In this powerful conversation, Laura shares how she found a theology of suffering that actually works, fell in love with a dying man who taught her about grace, and discovered that sometimes God's greatest gifts come wrapped in our deepest pain.In This Episode:-The moment Laura had to resign from her dream job without ever working it-Why acceptance isn't giving up—it's a form of faith-How suffering changes the entire church community, not just the sufferer-Laura's unexpected love story with Matt, her youth pastor with terminal cancer-Wrestling with bitterness after losing her husband one year into marriage-The discipline that comes when we cross a line with God-Why "dying to self" became the doctrine that set her free-Genesis 50:20 vision: How God means for good what others mean for evilKey Moments:-Being honest with God vs. staying offended-The "Holy Spirit texts" that kept coming at the right time-Why suffering is never a private matter-Filling up what is left of Christ's sufferings-When God called her to write a memoir (now a #1 Amazon bestseller) Laura's book "Singing Through Fire" is available now on Amazon. https://books2read.com/singingthroughfireResources Mentioned:-The Chosen (scene: "Lord, why haven't you healed me?")-Joni Eareckson Tada-Genesis 50:20-2 Corinthians 4:17-Lamentations 3If you're walking through chronic illness, grief, or wondering where God is in your suffering, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom from someone still in the fire.#ChronicIllness #Suffering #Faith #Grief #ChristianTestimony #Theology #HopeThanks for joining us for this podcast! If you benefited from this video, please like, subscribe, and send it to a friend who might enjoy it. For more information on counseling, resources, workshops, newsletters, and more, go to samaritanswell.com​. You can also email us questions to cover on the podcast at [email protected]. What part of this episode hit home for you? Comment below or email us: we would love to hear from you!Stay connected:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samaritanswell/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samaritanswelldallasLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/samaritan%E2%80%99s-well/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@samaritanswellcounseling?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pcNever miss an episode of our podcast! Subscribe now and stay updated with our latest teachings. We also value your feedback, so please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Free Relationship "Talk Time" Guide: https://samaritanswell.thinkific.com/products/digital_downloads/talk-time-guideMusic from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/sky-toes/featherlightLicense code: GAUXTZHWAYJROEFLMusic from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/all-i-needLicense code: LQFV9XYEQIWRJLNT