Lupus and Work

I am nearing the end of what has felt like a very long week. This is my first week working three jobs--three very energetic jobs. I'm the piano accompanist for a local high school's choirs (all five of them), a private piano instructor, and an adjunct piano professor at a university. It's Friday morning, and I am completely exhausted, in the midst of a lupus flare, and feeling a cold coming on. A couple nights ago, my husband voiced his concern: "Are you going to be able to handle all of this?"

According to the Lupus Foundation of America, only 31% of adults with lupus work full time. I am blessed to be in the minority. I cherish my ability to work. But to be perfectly honest, I don't work because it is easy to. I work because I am passionate about what I do. And there is a high cost for my passion. My medical bills stay high, I live with constant pain and fatigue, and my social life is not very existent. My husband also pays a price. (One day, I will let him share his side of our lupus story on my blog, but here I will just say that it has not been easy for him to take care of his wife while working full time and being in grad school.)

I am not alone in the struggle to work while battling lupus. This thought encourages me and challenges me. It tells me that what I am doing is not impossible. It tells me that I can still live a full life in the midst of great difficulty.

So for those of you who live this struggle (whether you have lupus or take care of someone who does), this is my prayer:

May God give you strength for each day.

May He fill your soul with hope, joy, and peace.

May He fill your mind with creativity and focus.

May He make your work productive and efficient.

May He make your rest refreshing.

May God put people in your path who will encourage you, support you, and help you. 

May you know life and know it abundantly.

Amen.