Unshaken: Finding Faith That Holds When Life Falls Apart {Guest Post}
If you had told me ten years ago that I’d be writing Bible studies, speaking to women across the country, and walking closely with a community of believers clinging to hope in hard seasons, I might’ve smiled politely and dismissed the idea. Not because I didn’t love Jesus—but because I didn’t see how my story could possibly be used for good. Chronic illness, devastating diagnoses, grief, and uncertainty have a way of doing that—clouding our vision and shaking our confidence.
But that’s exactly why I wrote Unshaken: Faith-Filled Responses to Health Challenges.
What Inspired Me to Write This Study
Unshaken was born out of a deep personal need for biblical comfort—and the realization that so many women were desperate for the same thing. After being diagnosed with Vascular Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (vEDS), a life-threatening genetic disorder, my world turned upside down. The prognosis was grim. My days were numbered. And in the wake of that news, I wrestled with fear, sadness, frustration, and confusion.
I searched Scripture not for answers to why this had happened, but for strength to face what was coming next. And what I found wasn’t just comfort—it was courage. Through the stories of biblical men and women who endured suffering with faith, I began to build a foundation that wouldn’t crumble when the storms hit. I knew I wasn’t alone—and I knew other women needed that same truth.
Most importantly, I knew women like me needed a safe space to faithfully navigate the many thoughts and feelings that accompany health challenges.
My Story and How It Shaped the Themes of Unshaken
Vascular Ehlers-Danlos is a genetic connective tissue disorder that makes my blood vessels, arteries, and organs prone to spontaneous rupture. Because of vEDS, so far I have experienced pre-term labor due to uterine rupture, a ruptured colon, a miscarriage, a ruptured carotid artery, and two partial kidney infarctions. I inherited vEDS from my mother, and we know now that this condition took her life at the age of thirty-seven. There is no cure or treatment for vEDS, only a shortened life-expectancy and a small number of doctors and medical experts currently researching a potential cure.
But there’s something sacred, and deeply humbling, about living with the gentle awareness that our time here is limited.
My journey with vEDS continues to teach me how to live each day with intention, gratitude, and dependency on God. But in those early days after my diagnosis, I was forced to confront some very raw emotions: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and eventually, acceptance. You might recognize those as the stages of grief—and yes, they apply not just to loss of life, but to the loss of what we thought our lives would look like.
Each week in Unshaken explores these responses through a biblical lens—inviting readers to process their own emotions alongside characters like Elijah, Job, David, and others who faced physical and emotional suffering. I didn’t want to create a study that sugarcoats hard things. I wanted to walk with women through them—offering truth, empathy, and a hand to hold.
Why Psalm 55:22 Means So Much to Me
The theme verse for Unshaken is Psalm 55:22:
“Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” (NIV)
This verse has been one of many Scriptural lifelines. I’ve clung to it in hospital waiting rooms, during sleepless nights, and in tear-filled prayers. It reminds me that while my body may be fragile, my faith doesn’t have to be. God is not asking us to be strong—He’s inviting us to trust Him with our weakness. He doesn’t promise a life free of hardship, but He does promise that we will not be moved—because He will carry us.
What I Hope Readers Will Take Away
If there’s one thing I pray Unshaken offers, it’s this: you are not alone, and your faith is not broken just because you’re hurting. God sees you, friend. He knows the weight you’re carrying. And He’s not waiting for you to “get it together” before He meets you in it.
Whether you're facing a chronic diagnosis, caregiving for someone you love, or simply feeling overwhelmed by the weight of life, this study is for you. It’s an invitation to process your pain in the presence of a faithful God, and to discover that your most uncertain season might just become the most faith-filled chapter of your life.
My hope is that by the end of Unshaken, you’ll not only feel seen—you’ll feel strengthened. Not because your circumstances changed, but because your trust in the One who holds you deepened. I believe God will hold us steady—because He has faithfully done that for me. My prayer is that everyone who walks through Unshaken will come to know this truth deep in their soul: He is steady, even when everything else is not.
Heather M. Dixon is an author, speaker, Bible teacher, women's ministry coach and founder of The Rescued Letters Collective. Diagnosed with an incurable and terminal genetic disorder that she inherited from her mother, she is passionate about helping women find hope for their hard story by making the Bible available, relatable, and understandable. Heather serves as the Women’s Ministry Director for her church in Raleigh and when she is not writing Bible studies or speaking at women’s conferences and events, she loves to make the most of everyday moments such as cooking for her husband and son, checking out way too many library books, or unashamedly indulging in her love for all things Disney. Heather is the author of four Bible studies, including Determined: Living Like Jesus in Every Moment and Renewed: Finding Hope When You Don’t Like Your Story.
Connect with Heather on her website at TheRescuedLetters.com and on social @rescuedletters.
Ready to discover a faith that won’t be moved—even when your world is?
Unshaken: Faith-Filled Responses to Health Challenges is a four-week Bible study designed to walk with you through the emotional and spiritual toll of chronic illness, caregiving, grief, or a hard health diagnosis. With biblical truth, journaling prompts, and practical encouragement, this study will help you anchor your hope in the One who holds you steady.
Unshaken was born out of a deep personal need for biblical comfort—and the realization that so many women were desperate for the same thing. I searched Scripture not for answers to why this had happened, but for strength to face what was coming next. And what I found wasn’t just comfort—it was courage. Through the stories of biblical men and women who endured suffering with faith, I began to build a foundation that wouldn’t crumble when the storms hit. I knew I wasn’t alone—and I knew other women needed that same truth.
Most importantly, I knew women like me needed a safe space to faithfully navigate the many thoughts and feelings that accompany health challenges. Whether you're facing a chronic diagnosis, caregiving for someone you love, or simply feeling overwhelmed by the weight of life, this study is for you.