Epilepsy, MCAS and Healing with Karlie Clee

What if healing doesn’t look like a cure, but like fewer seizures, gentler days, and a church that moves chairs so you can stay? Karlie joins us to share an unflinching story of misdiagnosis, an unexpected hysterectomy at 25, daily anaphylaxis risk, and the hard-won faith that carried her from Alberta to Texas and now Tennessee in search of care—and community that truly sees her.

We trace the turning points: a surgeon who later found no sign of endometriosis, a nurse who quietly urged a move to the U.S., and a son who said the Holy Spirit wanted them at a church down the road. Karlie explains how mast cell activation triggers (pollen, perfume, dust, even big emotions) and dysautonomia reshaped her life, why worship music became her prayer when pain stole words, and how practical accommodations—sitting near exits, sunglasses during worship, perfume-free spaces—open doors for people with chronic illness to belong. We also unpack her work with Broken and Mended, a ministry creating support groups and devotionals on accepting change, budgeting limited energy, navigating finances, and caring for strained relationships.

If you’ve been told to “just have more faith,” this conversation reframes healing as layered: spiritual steadiness, fewer medical crises, and the wisdom to honor limits before the body breaks. You’ll hear how Karlie found purpose in leading others, what church care can look like on the ground, and why being believed may be the most powerful medicine of all. Come for the story; leave with practical ideas, renewed hope, and language to ask for what you need.

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Transcript

Meet Carly: Life, Faith, Illness

L. A. Sprague 0:01

I'm your Jesus loving and party host, L. A. Sprague. Welcome to Christians with Chronic Illnesses. Okay, so I'm so excited because today we get to interview Karlie Clee. Thanks so much for being with us.

Karlie Clee 0:29

Thank you for having me. I'm excited. I've never been I've always been the host, never have been. Oh cool.

L. A. Sprague 0:39

Yeah, what was your do you still have a podcast or I don't anymore.

Karlie Clee 0:45

My me and my best friend did when I first moved. And then she has three kids since then, so Wow.

L. A. Sprague 0:54

Yeah, understandable. Well, what was your podcast? Is it still like discoverable on any platforms?

Karlie Clee 1:00

Yeah, it's called Finding the Light. So it should be on like Spotify and stuff? Spotify, I think Apple.

L. A. Sprague 1:11

Oh, cool. I think it's on there somewhere. Yeah. Nice. Okay. Well, shout out to Finding the Light then. That's awesome. Okay, Carly. So why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself? Who is Carly Clee?

Karlie Clee 1:26

Who am I? I am a born and raised Canadian.

L. A. Sprague 1:33

Alberta. I don't know why. That's not what I was expecting you to say.

Karlie Clee 1:39

I'm proud of that. Um, I am a mom of two boys who are 12 and 10. I have been married for 13 years. I'm 32. So I've got married young, had kids young. Part of my story. It's part, it's just part of my story, but and I'm chronically ill with a lot of things. But God is guiding uh my life right now, guided us to where we are. We now live in Tennessee.

L. A. Sprague 2:20

And so from Canada to Tennessee.

Karlie Clee 2:23

Yeah, I it was yeah, went from Canada to Texas to Tennessee. So yeah, I'm chronically ill with way too many things now. But I'm my mission, well not mission, I guess when I found you wanting to podcast with people. I do like sharing my story now because uh other people have said like it has helped them on their journey and going through like so much pain and all the things with doctors for so long. I'm like, hey, there's there has to be a purpose to this. Like my pain needs a purpose, if that makes sense to you.

L. A. Sprague 3:13

Yeah. Yeah. Try to make the the best out of the suffering and wondering, like, okay, God, are you gonna use this or is this just like fruitless pain? Yeah.

Karlie Clee 3:25

Yeah, yeah, for sure.

L. A. Sprague 3:27

Well, I'm really glad that you're like willing to share your story and that you're wanting to create something good out of it, because it can be easy, I think, just to be stuck in the pain, and so it's really bold of you to want to share your story. So thank you. Yes, thank you. Yeah, okay. Well, what would you say? So you had a podcast at one point. So, what would you say are some other passions of yours? Like, what are things that you like to do? Hobbies, passions.

Karlie Clee 3:59

I used to love to work at Fortunately I can't anymore.

L. A. Sprague 4:05

Um you said you love to work like period, like like any oh sorry, work workout, like exercise.

Karlie Clee 4:14

That was like my main go-to for stress relief. Yeah, and then that turned into walking my dog.

L. A. Sprague 4:22

Oh sad. Yeah.

Karlie Clee 4:25

Turn it into I I am slowly sometimes able to walk the dog. So small wins. Yeah. I love to read. I need to make more time to sit and just actually read a book instead of just doing not just doing reading the Bible and the results too, but sometimes I get I yeah, sometimes I'm like, what are my passions?

L. A. Sprague 4:57

Yeah, right. I mean, I mean, you had mentioned to me that you're a part of a ministry called what is it, broke broken amended?

Karlie Clee 5:07

Oh yeah, right.

L. A. Sprague 5:08

So you seem pretty passionate

From Canada To The U.S. For Care

L. A. Sprague 5:10

about that. Why don't you plug that? What's what's what's broken and mended?

Karlie Clee 5:14

Broken Amended, I found January of 2025. Last year was about like four months of God kept being like, okay, just wait. Like, I'll I'll reveal your what you're meant to do, but just wait. And that's really hard to do sometimes when you get that message and when you're in that prayer, and he's like, It's okay, like you're doing what you need to. You're you need to just rest and just wait. And I was like, Okay, I'm waiting. And then I shared my testimony, or my second part of my testimony, because it it's long, yeah. Um at church, right? It was, I think, on my birthday actually. Oh the beginning of January, and I am not kidding, that night I started like googling ministries like for Christians, like with chronic health and stuff, and I found broken and mended. So I messaged David, who is the founder of it, and I was like, Can I be on your podcast? And he's like, Well, how about you join one of my groups and can talk like a little bit, and then so I did that. I he does a support group on Zoom right now. It is kind of like a tricky time right now because a lot of people don't. It's hard to connect through Zoom, but as you know, like being chronically ill, it's hard to connect in person as well. Sometimes, yeah, it's just hard to work in through.

L. A. Sprague 7:01

Yeah, it's hard to commit in general because you never know what your health is gonna do from day to day.

Karlie Clee 7:05

So for sure, exactly. And but I went on his first call and I talked for probably more than my 10 minutes. And after that, I was just exploring his page, and I'm like, Do you think I could be one of your leaders? And he said, Absolutely, but so I did the training for that, which is some videos and stuff, and I opened my own Facebook page for it. So I have a very close group of they're all women right now, and that's my passion, probably. Yeah, like I talk to them daily. Sometimes it's like just a simple post. David did write, he has 30 different devotionals based on chronic, based on like the issues we deal with, like how it affects our families, how it affects like financially, how to budget our emotions, how to like budget our good times, I guess. Yeah, yeah. Because you know, sometimes you have to sacrifice those moments, and like you're like, okay, I know I'm not gonna feel great later, but it's worth it to do.

L. A. Sprague 8:32

Yeah, for sure.

Karlie Clee 8:33

You have to make those decisions, and so it's just so well-rounded, and he couldn't his story. If you go on the website, he does a little video, and he said he couldn't find anything like that. Like, even in the Bible, there's like a few instances of people being healed and things, but he said he couldn't find anything, so he is a was a pastor, he just became a full-time, I don't know, corporate proof broken committed, and God asked him or called upon him to, he's like, Well, why don't you write the books? Why don't you write the the help? Yeah,

Finding Broken And Mended

Karlie Clee 9:20

and I am so grateful that he did it because I'm not even I'm just on book two. I go through it with my we took summer off and now we just jump back in. So we're on week.

L. A. Sprague 9:33

So what's what's the what are the books?

Karlie Clee 9:37

So they're he just writes like a little well, they're kind of made for like a Zoom meeting, but what I do and what works best for my group is like I'll like this one, for example, is called Accepting Change, and then there'll be like a devotional what that he wrote, so I'll read it and then I'll just um type the questions like on Canva and post them in the group so we can discuss like their answers. Dude, that's so cool.

L. A. Sprague 10:14

So if someone if someone wants to get connected with this ministry with the support group, how do they do that? Like what do they look up?

Karlie Clee 10:26

So you can go if you just google broken and mended, we can well also put it in the notes. They have a website. If you go on Instagram, I actually recently just took over their Instagram account. So anything you see on there is things I've posted, a lot of it is David's words, and I just take my moment and and there's been a lot more engagement on there, and I know some people say like, oh, social media is bad or this or that, but I think it's what you make it, and I've found I've found a lot of people to connect with.

L. A. Sprague 11:13

Dude, that's awesome. That's awesome.

Karlie Clee 11:16

So, yeah, if you go on Instagram, I think it's at Broken and Mended Ministry.

L. A. Sprague 11:23

Okay. Okay, sweet.

Karlie Clee 11:27

I think we can yeah, and then uh on Facebook there's a page on there. And if you go on the easiest way to get plugged into my private group would be you can just email my personal email or go on Instagram and message me on there, and then I can set you up if that's something someone's interested in doing.

L. A. Sprague 11:52

Okay, sweet. Yeah, I think that's such a neat, like beautiful idea to have support groups specifically for us chronically ill friends. So it is. I love it.

Karlie Clee 12:04

Because it it there was a period of that waiting where I kind of knew like which direction I wanted to go, but I didn't really wanna. I'm not a business-y person. Like I don't, I don't know that part of it. I don't really want to start my own like company or that. But I was trying, I was like, what makes you what made me happy? I was that's really what it came down to when I was suffering the most. And I was like, it's when I'm in like a Bible study online or connecting with the the people I've met online, and then I was and I'm like, oh, why don't I make just chronic illness support group? Yeah, and it's like a private page just on Facebook, and I added my friends, and then they added some of theirs, yeah, it's it's been really good. And it has been at moments, and this is where the NME tries to get in your head, there wasn't much engagement because I tried to do one on Zoom and no one showed up a couple times. Yeah, and then it it's like, oh, maybe this isn't my calling, maybe I shouldn't do this. And I'm like, okay, wait a minute, like yeah, let's talk to someone with through this, yeah. And I'm like, maybe

Leading Support Groups Online

Karlie Clee 13:40

I'm maybe I need to pivot, and maybe people aren't comfortable on Zoom yet. And maybe so then I did a video, and I think I did a couple videos, and then again I got a little bit frustrated. But people started messaging me saying, I know like I don't comment much or share much because I'm really shy, or for whatever reason, they had their own personal reasons, which I I can totally relate to, but like your videos mean so much to me. I'm like, and that's that's all glory to God, right there. Yeah, that I'm like, because I said, even if it's helping one person, I actually love doing them. So I was like, oh, okay, perfect, I'll keep going. As long as there's someone watching them, yeah, or someone maybe in the future, because even if you go on there, you can go back and all my previous videos as well.

L. A. Sprague 14:50

On on the broken amended, like what like there on my personal page. Oh, okay, gotcha.

Karlie Clee 15:00

Yeah, so I do the broken amended videos on there with my group.

L. A. Sprague 15:05

Yeah. Yeah.

Karlie Clee 15:07

But yeah, I could put you anyone can join that.

L. A. Sprague 15:11

Yeah, that's awesome. Okay, that's beautiful. So if you're listening, join Broken Amended. I'm working on it too.

Karlie Clee 15:19

Exactly. It's great, it's a great resource to have.

L. A. Sprague 15:23

Yeah. Okay, so why don't you tell us a little bit about your story? Like, why don't you tell us you're a Christian, you've mentioned God moving in your life a few times and asking him to lead you. So who is God to you? Like, who who is Jesus to you? How does he move in your life day to day? What's what's your relationship like?

Karlie Clee 15:48

When I was younger, probably like pre-teen years, my best friend from I think we were in fifth grade when she moved across the road, and we are so best friends. So she's actually the one who did finding light with me. And we we would just start hanging out all the time and stuff, and then I saw that their family went to church, and then I just kind of started becoming part of their family. I loved going with them because I loved that community like aspect of it and that like family gathering of it. So oh, that's when I really started going regularly, and I think probably when I was around 14, I decided to get baptized, which in that church they did as babies, but they were like, sure, we'll figure it out. Yeah, I got baptized in like a just like a Tupperware bin, like a busted bin, and they poured water on me. It was like the biggest thing they could find. That's awesome. All right, that works, yeah. And then my favorite things were always going to Bible camp every summer. Like I'd go with my friends, and that's always when like I'd have such a like a fire in my soul for Jesus, and then I kind of you know fizzle out a little bit. Um then now knowing, now I know. Looking back, I'm like okay,

Early Faith And Marriage Story

Karlie Clee 17:45

that was clearly not all my decision-making skills at at that age, but I'm like, wow, the Holy Spirit definitely was very, very strong and insistent in me, which is amazing. Because if I didn't do things the way I did them, I would not have my kids today, I would not be where I am today, probably wouldn't be alive today. Wow. So when I met my husband when I was 17, and I think we talked about this, but jokingly, I was with my mom at the mall, and I was like, ooh, that ring's so beautiful, I like it. And I think I texted him that just totally jokingly. Well, I might we'll probably get married in like a lot of years from now.

L. A. Sprague 18:37

Yeah.

Karlie Clee 18:38

Oh, we ended up getting engaged a year after we met, and then we got married a year later. So I was only 19, and people most people thought I was crazy. Yeah, a lot of people thought it was fun because we went to Mexico to get married. So they're like, what an adventurous life. There were 72 of us who went to Mexico and I was What? Wow, I was not expecting that, but it wasn't until I hurt my leg on my wedding night. Oh, I tore my MCL again. Oh like the third time. And I put a damper on things.

L. A. Sprague 19:20

That's so unfortunate.

Karlie Clee 19:22

So I but there was such like a instinctual feeling, and now like I'm like, that was definitely the Holy Spirit speaking to me.

L. A. Sprague 19:35

Like Yeah. Was there any like characteristic of God that you felt like we was really like pressed upon you? Or like what about what about church? What about Church Camp? What about the Holy Spirit do you feel kept drawing you to him?

Karlie Clee 19:50

I don't know. I guess just that feeling you get when like you're in his presence. Just like a God moment, or like I don't know how else to explain it. I we mean people from church were we just like it's just a god thing or like by God then like there's something happens but then but then God comes in and this happens at like Bible camp it was definitely I loved like hearing the worship music and hearing people's testimonies and they would relate it back to the Bible which at that time kind of was over my head not over my head I did get a teenage Bible and that helped a lot. Oh good through it and then yeah I don't know I never at the time it's okay so I guess backtrack a little bit 17 is when I first started getting really ill as well and it I nothing compared to what I thought my life would be when but none of my life is what I thought it'd be and I wouldn't change any of it, so yeah it was we got married and then I kept having like such a strong feeling of like you you need to have kids now or never like this is your chance and and to me I was like like what like that's crazy like I'm 19 why now or never but I just I don't know it was just so strong of like this I thought it was my own instincts but now that I'm like very much in a relationship and plugged in with God and a church and everything I look back and I'm I laugh and I'm like you thought you made those decisions all on your own definitely not and so I'm I'm just grateful my husband was like sure wow easy going he's like yeah so we we we had we came home with a honeymoon baby and yeah we were very blessed and then we had um another boy two years later so we have our two boys I always wanted four kids my husband wanted none well he's he was joking mostly yeah but um then we did try for a third and I do I did miss Carrie the third and that was really really painful both emotionally and physically physically that's um I always said I'd know I was like okay like I can't go through that again like that pain is too much like so I'm probably all over the place here I think that's okay and during this process between having kids and not like I would I was felt really good when I was pregnant with first and then felt good in between the kids and then I was pretty sick at the end with my second pregnancy like I was had to go to the hospital

Misdiagnosis And Hysterectomy Regret

Karlie Clee 23:45

every second day to get monitored and fluids and stuff like that because I just couldn't keep enough down and and he sucked the whole life out of me but I was so grateful I'm like take whatever you need from me as long as he kept growing and he kept thriving so that was such a blessing too.

L. A. Sprague 24:09

Yeah so what are the what are the health issues that gave you complications with your pregnancy or I guess in general like what are the chronic illnesses that you struggle with well at that time because of all those things they they thought I had endometriosis and there's still a debate about this there's no records of it I this the second doctor who found it and did an ablation on it was doctor who a year later said well if you're still having problems you need to have hysterectomy so this was between this was after my two boys were born and I still was like maybe we should try for a third before I have a hysterectomy and keep in mind I was only 25 at the time before that they they just kept throwing that word around and then there was this moment in Hawaii it was like the month after I had a miscarriage and I just was like I can't do it I like I'm booking a hysterectomy I can't do this which I have a whole lot of things I still need to work through with the Canadian health system in general because making someone at 25 think a care for endometriosis is a hysterectomy please anyone who has endometriosis don't believe that do your research find the right doctors and so we did that I had the hysterectomy and maybe for a few months I felt okay but then I had new things start and more symptoms start and more and then I finally went to one last doctor who was supposedly a specialist in endometriosis and he did he's like okay I'll go do one more laparoscopy to see basic to see if there is any signs of it and he I knew my worst fear which sounds weird was that I would come out of surgery and he would say no everything's fine but I was like there's no way that's gonna happen like they've already seen it they took my iters out like but I remember waking up and looking at the clock and I'm like I that was not a very long surgery and then that's what he said he's he my husband had texted me because this was during COVID and he's like how are you feeling I'm like I'm okay I'm just a little sore but he had already talked to the doctor and when the doctor told me that I just like broke down.

Karlie Clee 27:44

What what did the doctor tell you he said he's like honestly I saw no signs of endometriosis I can't even say if you ever had it or not he's like if it was me based off your history and all the symptoms I would say that even if you did have that that was not even close to what is causing you all this pain. Oh wow and I just I went home and like cried for like two days straight and I'm like what is it like what is going on and at that point it was too late the surgery had already been done right yeah wow oh my gosh so I had already oh my goodness that would be heart wrenching and I went back to my family doctor and she said I'm like do you have the like the notes and she's like weirdly no the last surgeon never submitted anything. So to this day only God knows what I had or if I had it or if I even should have had that surgery but then I go from I don't like to stay in like the poor me mindset as like okay you're in the cell I'm figuring something out so me and my mom sat on my couch and went through like everything I had every symptom every time I had something go wrong and all these things and we came across mast cell activation syndrome and I like fit it to a T like all my things so I did see a very good allergist and this is the thing about Canada she said she's like you have every symptom of it every sign of it but because your one blood test isn't high for tryptase I can't diagnose you with it and I can't help I can't treat you for it.

Mast Cell Clues And Anaphylaxis

Karlie Clee 30:12

And I was like and it it's hard there's a reason I moved which so that at this point I don't know how old I was 27 I think and I still yeah because it was 10 years I'm like Kate this has been happening for 10 years like what is going on and I I kind of knew I had that and she kind of basically was like yeah like she couldn't say no but she couldn't confirm it and in Canada if there's not proof of it because it's socialized medicine they won't pay for any of your stuff or they they won't believe it. But again if any of you suspect you have mast cell do not believe that one triptase level will either rule it out or be the end all of your of your journey because it is not it is way more way more complicated than that I had the vaccine and I'm not gonna get into COVID vaccine things let's just say every doctor I've talked to said I believe you were predisposed to these illnesses and everything you went through like pregnancy your miscarriage all the surgeries it it all adds up and makes what you have worse so which does make sense now now that I think back and I had the vaccine and I had a really well I had a delayed allergic reaction to it until that night and then it was it was really bad. And then I think about for the next few weeks things went really downhill I started having seizures oh my I started like I couldn't be alone because during certain points of the day I knew I'd just have one so I feel babysit me today. Luckily it's people and then I how often were you having seizures I was having them every day until they got me into the emergency and all the just so this was like a few weeks after you had the vaccine yes I believe so and I and my like reactions allergic reactions to things were getting way worse like I like okay I'll just take a Benadryl but I would do that and I wouldn't really do anything. Yeah. Like what were you having alert what were your allergic reactions and what were you having them to was this like stuff you'd just always been allergic to well the crazy thing is the first time I went to into full anaphylaxis I I was outside and a guy was leaf blowing and all the dust came into my face. So I am like wow super allergic to outside at certain times of the year. Oh my goodness like last last year during this time of the year in Tennessee for two weeks I couldn't go outside because the first week I epped four times from just from walking outside for two minutes and coming back in. Oh my god it was insane so that is that is by far my biggest anaphylactic trigger wow so mat cells crazy and it has its own whole own you could be like do the same thing one day and then the next do the exact same thing and go into anaphylaxis. Wow so like I could be in a room and someone will smell like way too much perfume and also it'll smell like cigarette smoke and I'm like if I if you ever see me start running out of a room that's why I'm like uh oh no I'm not happy anymore yeah wow so smells for me are a huge trigger outside pollens dust anything especially when it's being blown right in my face are are my biggest triggers emotions can trigger me weirdly for me being excited is worse than me being wow and I'm like they'll trigger like like what what symptoms do they trigger it can range anywhere from like I'll get hives starting on my face and if they travel down my neck I'm like oh that's bad yeah the thing is they they call it a histamine bucket okay so anything you add to it eventually the last drop you'll it'll overflow when you'll have anaphylaxis basically so say I oh my goodness uh say I was really not not doing what I should for my body say a bunch of things

Seizures, Triggers, And Daily Risks

Karlie Clee 36:10

that I know my body's not gonna like and then I go out and weed the garden and then I start crying or something crazy. It could be like that kind of combination and then my throat could automatically render just swell wow yeah or a few weeks ago I was at a woman's Bible study at our church I mean I cried a little bit there but it was really good like it was amazing and on the way home like Kevin my throat's closing he's like it's okay just breathe and I'm like okay I'm trying and it kept getting worse and worse and I'm like let's go home and by the end he's like okay and I'm like like and I couldn't breathe at all so I I then had to epic and then give myself two needles of penetro is I guess mast cell is ultimately what led me to moving to the United States because it happened and this is where I believe this beautiful nurse came in and she talked to my mom and my mom kind of talked to her about what we thought it was and she said if you think that's what she has and you can she can move to the United States any which way like make it happen because here they don't know anything about it and they will not treat me for it. So that kind of opened our eyes and I was like okay and I hundred percent believe God sent that message through that amazing nurse who literally risked her job if we would have said something to help me. Like there there's no other explanation but by God really like who else would go out of their way and say that to someone's mom who just desperately wanted me to get the help I deserved that was the cert and that was the final kind of thing I needed to be like okay let's let's apply for jobs because that was the only way we could move and God opened so many doors then very quickly and at this point keep in mind I I wasn't I don't want to say a God person. I was not actively God was not actively in my life at this point. I never didn't believe I just kind of let it kind of go to the wayside so I just was like okay let's apply for jobs and we we did and I don't want to cry but he was he had an interview within a few days of this one job and they flew him there at the end of the next week and they're like when can you start and he's like what like wow can you like realistically we're like we'd have you tomorrow if we could and it has been by far the best company in the world for him to work for and I thank God every single day for that company. And even even him moving here with us because he was working in the oil field in Canada and Alberta, which is a very high demand. Either you work like 15 hour days, 14 days on, two days off, or you don't have any work if it's a recession. And they they really don't care about you, they say they do, but that's second, they don't need you. They're like, oh, sorry.

L. A. Sprague 40:23

Yeah, right.

Karlie Clee 40:25

And this job has been so amazing. And I just like now looking back, I'm like, thank you, Lord. Like, you not only got us here, you we they had amazing benefits, they're such a family first company, even though they they're like a huge company now, even since we've moved here, they've grown

A Nurse’s Warning And Big Move

Karlie Clee 40:50

to like I don't know, their Christmas party last year was insane. They truly care. Like last Friday I had fall, which was scary. I called Kevin, wasn't making much sense, and they're like, go, go, go to her. So he drove from work home and ended up coming to the hospital with me. Yeah. Yeah. So that was one of the moments. So we we moved to Texas, which was great. I I really did enjoy living there for the first two years. But now living in Tennessee, it's much more small town, much more slow pace. I I love the town we're in, the kids in their school, and it was the first time my kids so we moved into one house, and I started having seizures again. I had and that was March of 2024. I had a bunch of breakthrough seizures, and ultimately the last one left me wheelchair bound for like seven months.

L. A. Sprague 42:09

What's what's a breakthrough seizure?

Karlie Clee 42:12

So I hadn't had any for probably about a year.

L. A. Sprague 42:16

Okay.

Karlie Clee 42:17

So but then within like a week, I had like a bunch in a row.

L. A. Sprague 42:23

Oh, okay. And then it left you wheelchair bound. Was that because they were you were scared to have a seizure at any point, or was this because of other symptoms it caused?

Karlie Clee 42:33

I actually was hospitalized and then I stood up at home. And I also I have a condition called enclosing spondyleitis, which is an autoimmune condition that causes inflammation and it causes your bones to fuse themselves together. But because I was in a bed for a few days at the hospital, when I stood up to try to walk, I felt like this snapping sensation in my back, and I couldn't use my legs at all for like seven months.

L. A. Sprague 43:12

Wow, that must have been so scary.

Karlie Clee 43:15

It was, it was terrifying. And that house we were living in was not all wheelchair friendly. And my husband, this is the only time he was working away for this one job, and that was that was a really hard time. Yeah, and I we had only lived there a few months, and I felt so bad, and my kids were like, I'm like, we're gonna have to move, and they're like, Can we at least place stay in the same school? And I'm like, you know what, I'll do everything in my power to make that happen. And at this time, we had been going to a church for a while that we loved, and they were like our family, and it it's just an amazing place, and I'm so glad we found it. And I had texted one of my friends from church, and I was joking kind of, but God knows I wasn't joking. Um I I texted her and I was like, Hey, do you wanna pray that I find a house I can live in? Because we're gonna be homeless at the end of this month. She's like, Oh, absolutely. Can I give you my mom your your phone number? She's a realtor. And I'm like, Yeah, of course. And her mom was so sweet of her. She doesn't live here, so I've I think I met her once in person recently, and she's just the sweetest. But she contacted me, and by the end of that Saturday, she's like, I think I found the perfect

Texas To Tennessee And Setbacks

Karlie Clee 45:00

place, it's all one level. There are like two steps to get up, but I'm like, that's fine, and we didn't even see it, and she's like, it's not even posted yet, but I know the people are moving out, and yeah, that's another one of those moments, and it's like, okay, yeah, just felt like God really provided for you. And I said to her, I'm like, Thank you so much. She's like, Oh, it was all God, and I'm and I'm like, Well, thank you for taking your time, yeah, like letting letting God work through you, because you didn't have to do that, but I'm so grateful for God and for you. So it's just those things, those moments that's like, Yeah, when you need something from Him, you can ask for it, and it may not like when you pray for something you need, he will provide, and it might not look the way you thought it would look. I never thought it would look like me living in Tennessee with just me, my husband, and kids, but it will your answers will be or your prayers will be answered in some way, in the way that they're meant to, and in God's timing. And that's something I really had to learn. Yeah, they're not always overnight, they're not always even what you think the answer's gonna be, but they they do happen. Yeah, yeah. So I guess going back to my di well, yes, so that my diagnosis basically I have a connective tissue disorder. They think it's Ellers Download syndrome, and I have dysautonomia, which basically dysautonomia controls your whole autonomic nervous system. So your heart rate, your like breathing, your digestion, anything you don't most people don't have to think about, right? Like, yeah, it's autonomic, like automatically. You're probably just should do it. Mine is your blood pressure, right? And I think I know you have pots, I have a form of pots too. I just have all, yeah, like I don't even know. I have so many things, but they're all like comorbidities basically of having this connective tissue disorder. And added all those things added in kind of led me to being stuck in that wheelchair.

L. A. Sprague 47:51

And yeah. Oh sorry.

Karlie Clee 47:56

So I went, I guess one there was one day in Texas where my son, he I think he was like seven at the time, came up to me and he's like, Mom, can we go to that church right down the road? The Holy Spirit really wants me to go there. I was like, I was like, absolutely, if if that's what you want to do, and that's kind of my first step into fully emerging back into the church and building that community and finding that relationship with God and getting to where I am. It was through, and it was because he remembered one thing in grade one about his teacher talking about the Holy Spirit at Christmas, and it it's so amazing how God works, like through my little boy's eyes and asking me to go to church with him. That's so cute, it's just so I I love it, and his heart is just so special, and that's how I ended up fully going to God. Yeah, and I don't know honestly how I did any of it without him. Like looking back, I now am like beyond, beyond

Church Community Steps In

Karlie Clee 49:20

grateful for all my like for my past church who prayed for me this whole time and for all these all my support people who did believe for me and prayed for me. And I never really understood the power of that. Like I'd be like, yeah, sure, I mean you can pray for me, but I didn't like wholeheartedly like not believe. I I it was just it was just a thing. Yeah, but now I'm like, wow, like if someone asked me that, I'm like so honored and privileged and like that's that means so much to me when people because I b I truly believe that got me through when I wasn't actively praying or being there that other people were that for me until I found my way back, and and I don't think God ever left me or the Holy Spirit ever left me truly. I think other people were praying for me, and you know, he kind of chases after you, and like he's always there, you just have to reach out for him and get to that point. And when my son asked me for that, I was like, wow, and kind of never went back, and I would never go back because I could not survive all these illnesses without him. There is no way ever.

L. A. Sprague 50:57

Yeah, I'm so glad that God brought you back to him. And I love I think it's so pure that he did so through like the faith of a child, and specifically your child. That is so pure.

Karlie Clee 51:10

I know it is. It's it was and it was out of nowhere. I was just like, oh, like, sure.

L. A. Sprague 51:18

That's so sweet. God bless you for that.

Karlie Clee 51:22

Yes, it's it's been amazing for all of us, and my husband grew up not going to church or anything, and our kids didn't go until we started going when we moved to Tennessee. In Texas, it was kind of around the time we were debating if we had to move. So we did go to that one church for a little while, and then when we moved here, I was like, I know I need to find church community, like I need this, I need this to for myself or family to be the best version of me to get through the hardest times, the best times, all of it.

L. A. Sprague 52:02

So you found church to be really helpful for you as well.

Karlie Clee 52:06

Yes, it it is definitely the highlight of my week problem.

L. A. Sprague 52:13

So, what about the church did you find helpful for your experience?

Karlie Clee 52:22

Right away, they were like extremely friendly. Like they I knew Well, I walked in by myself. I went by myself for the first the first time and past my pastor, I was walking with my walker because I was about to have a surgery. And he's like, pull they all like were like, where do you want to sit? And they like moved chairs and they pulled up a seat. They're like, Do you want to sit right in the front? I'm like, sure.

Worship, Prayer, And Practical Accommodations

Karlie Clee 53:00

And when the first worship song came on was my favorite worship song from camp when I was a teenager. Oh cute. And it was crazy because they have never played that song again. It's the only time they've ever played it, and I've never heard that song in between church or Bible camp and church. And I was like, Okay, God, you're uh you're here, you're telling me this is where I meant to be. Like there was no clear answer than that. The people are just amazing there. We are such like a community of like we're like just a family. Like if someone needs help with something, someone will help. But there's always someone who knows how to do fix something. We all contribute in whatever way we can.

L. A. Sprague 53:58

What are some ways that people from the church have been able to help you? And what are some ways that you've been able to help them?

Karlie Clee 54:08

If I need a ride somewhere to an appointment, they've helped. Or a lot of times, if I'm just in so much pain, we have a ladies' Facebook page, and I'll just be like, Please pray, I'm not gonna have a pain seizure. Or just knowing that, and they're always like right on it, like, yeah, praying right now, like, do you need anything? And I become really good friends with a lot of people. I actually yesterday went to a couple's house, he's just like the sweetest man, and they live in a different town, but I had an appointment. I was like, Oh, can I come over and chat? And it I was there for way too long because my kids I'm like, oh, their bus is getting home, I gotta go home. And yeah, it just felt like home.

L. A. Sprague 55:06

And that's awesome.

Karlie Clee 55:08

Yeah, it's been really good.

L. A. Sprague 55:10

Have you had any trouble? Like you mentioned how you know, like you went to a woman's group once and then like by the end of it you started having, you know, a really bad like your throat was swelling up and a really bad allergic reaction. So a question I have to use is a lot of people in the chronic illness community have expressed having trouble getting to church or knowing, you know, when you get there, how do you know, you know, what to do? So something I've done, for example, is I've started sitting towards the back so that if I need to lay down, it draws less attention and I feel less awkward about it, or I can just like slip away through the back pretty easy. But have you had any of those experiences where it's been hard being in church? And then also how do you like how have you accommodated for yourself or how's the church accommodated for those needs?

Karlie Clee 56:05

Well one time I actually had a seizure in church. This was very early on in me going, so it was I guess a little bit my debut to church, if you didn't know me before. And I felt so bad. I remember texting my pastor because she was checking on me, and I was like, Did I ruin the baptisms that were supposed to happen after? She's like, Don't worry, we carried on after. We just care that you're okay. And I just remember like hearing them, like a bunch of people just praying over me, and there was actually a nurse sitting right by me who was like medically talking on the phone to the dispatch. Because when you have a seizure, the last thing to go is always your hearing, so it's really weird. You can't really do anything, but sometimes you can hear bits and pieces. But I remember just hearing her pastor, my pastor's voice saying, like, I'm right here, we got you. Like you'll it's gonna be okay, like throughout all the other voices. But yes, that is a hard one sometimes. For a while I noticed after going to like ladies' night events, like I I would feel really not good, and then I was like, then I pinpointed

Theology Of Healing And Perseverance

Karlie Clee 57:40

it was because a lot of them would wear perfume. So I very politely just said, like, I love all you ladies, and this was on our Facebook group, and I just said, if you wear a lot of perfume, just can you please just not come too close or do not like don't hug me? Like I I I I love hugs, but like I just I have to be careful because I did go into anaphylaxis too that one day at church. And I um they they're they're so amazing that honestly I think most of them don't even wear perfume if they know they're gonna be here.

L. A. Sprague 58:29

Yeah.

Karlie Clee 58:33

Sitting in the back is a good one. I've done the I I I love sitting in the front just because I've attention.

L. A. Sprague 58:41

Yeah.

Karlie Clee 58:42

Like if I have to look like turn my head a certain way for too long, I get like whatever, I don't know, issues start happening. So if I'm like straight on looking, it's easier. But I have gone to the back. Like the other day, actually, I was sitting in the front, and my back and my legs and everything were hurting so bad. So I just like snuck around the corner, sat in the very back on the floor. Yeah, and my I maybe my church is just used to me. I don't know. I was I was just sitting by one of the youth, and I was like, don't mind me. She's like, Oh, you're good. And I I I just sat on the floor and stretching, like, because I had to. I'm like, yeah, my body can't. And they're they're they are so accommodating, they're like doing that every time they do. Yeah. Maybe I just got lucky with that. There are churches out there that will accommodate and will yeah.

L. A. Sprague 59:47

I feel like most churches, I mean, maybe I'm bold to say this, but I feel like most churches don't actually like care if you do that. But there's such a like social pressure that we feel to be present. To be, or there's also a lot of, you know, like depending on the church that you go to, a lot of people can then react in, oh, like you're demon-possessed, or oh, you aren't believing enough because you're having, you know, seizures or because you have this chronic illness. And so those might be atmospheres that might not be as accepting to chronic illness conditions or as accommodating. But I think for a majority of the time, I I think people either they're just don't really care about it. Like it's like, well, okay, whatever you're your own person, you can do you. Or there are people that you know do care. So I know there's mixed experiences, but you probably have to look out for what denomination you maybe you're going to, or just like know, you know, generally what those people believe, but yeah.

Karlie Clee 1:00:53

And with the that's where I love broken and mended. A lot of people can't go to church or can't get to church for a lot of different reasons, and that's kind of why he wrote broken and mended is for those people who couldn't, and this is the only opportunity they get from that. But I agree with you. I think sometimes we just have to maybe maybe pray on it, and then if your church is not accepting of your illnesses and willing to accommodate, personally, I would say you're that's not the right place for you. Because there are so many, and if they want I just I believe that Jesus would be like he'd so what? Like they can sit in the back, why does it matter?

L. A. Sprague 1:01:59

Yeah, if anything, I feel like he'd go the extra mile, he'd probably go get you a glass of water, turn off the lights or whatever you need.

Karlie Clee 1:02:07

Yeah, like it even in the Bible, like when that woman touched the hem of his, and then all the other people were like, Who touched him? Like, you

Managing Limits With Wisdom

Karlie Clee 1:02:20

dirty, filthy woman, like don't go, and he's like, Whoa, like I know this is not big version, but he's kind of like, No, who are you? And then like her faith is what healed her. He didn't care, he didn't call her dirty or something was wrong with her, like, how dare you touch me. He he was the epitome of like I don't have faith in me, have faith in the world, like but yeah, because sometimes in the Bible you do read things it's like, oh you filthy like person, but uh today I I do think most or I would I would hope most churches would not feel that way, and but some do, and that is sad, and that is sometimes I I had to experience that, like, but sometimes we we think that's what they're saying, and it's maybe not, yeah, that's true. I think we sometimes as chronically ill people might get defensive. I know I do sometimes, like, oh, yeah, not praying enough, and there's a whole chapter in Broken Mended about that. Like, no, it's not we didn't do anything wrong, we didn't ask for this. It's not because Joe prays more than you or believes more than you, or it's that's not the thing. There's just there's we're dealt these genetics or whatever the case may be, yeah. And people pray for me, and well, like they're like, we believe in complete healing and stuff. And I I did have to clarify, and I'm like, I believe in that too, but healing can look so different in so many ways. God has healed me so much, but that doesn't mean He what a sore. It has cured every one of my illnesses, but I am healed in so many different ways.

L. A. Sprague 1:04:44

What ways what ways are that? Like, I think that would be really interesting to hear. Like, what ways do you feel that God has healed you even if he hasn't cured cured your illness?

Karlie Clee 1:04:56

Spiritually, I know I'm not alone. Like when I'm in the hardest depths of pain, put on worship music, and even if I can't pray like the words out loud, I know he's there and I know he's with me, and that it's only a moment in time, it's not forever, and that I will get through it because I've got through it before by myself. But knowing knowing you're not alone in that is huge, like when in an episode or in a period of pain or whatever you want to call it, in a flare. You're not alone, and you do it is sometimes as simple as like, God, I cannot do this. I and I've done this, like I have no strength left, I have nothing left. Please help me. Like, just

Not Crazy: God Knows Your Pain

Karlie Clee 1:06:00

I'm giving it all to you, and and that's what he's there for, and that's what I've learned. You're not made to do this on your own. If you don't have the strength to do it, he will give you the strength to do it. And I've learned he's and I spoke to my church about this too, and I'm like, I have prayed for healing, I have prayed for a lot of things, and I have healed in a lot of ways, but there's also been times when he's like, Do you trust in me? And I'm like, Yeah, he's like, Okay, like I feel like you can handle this, but I need you to use it to spread the word of it. If that makes any sense. Like, if I can get through this one illness and I can get it under control, and I can I can persevere through it, I need to show others that there is there is a way to get through it too. And that way is through God's grace and his mercy and his strength that he gives us. That's kind of I feel like a role that he kind of asks, not a role he asked me to play, but a role that I have been taken on.

L. A. Sprague 1:07:31

Yeah.

Karlie Clee 1:07:34

But he has taken so like if I had every every illness attack me at once, there's zero percent chance I could I could do anything at all. But like I know he'll like I have not had a seizure since that one breakthrough thing. That's awesome. And God honestly was kind of like okay. I was like, God, I can't handle these, I can't do this. I I I cannot have another seizure. My neurologists even were like, you can't lose any more brain activity, like like your temp or your frontal lobes now affected by it. And wow please, like please, like I can't, and he's like, Okay, but you need to listen to me. Like you need, like, I need to be very careful. And I obviously work with a neurologist about it. Yeah. I I take my meds and I have to make sure I take them at the right time, and I have to like I can't be somewhere where there's it's really loud and there's a lot of like strobe lights, or like I can never go to like a crazy concert or anything. Or devastating. Even at church, I've been there with sunglasses on. Yeah, dude, yeah, and my headphones, and just like like there's no music, but it's just so I can like stay there. Like you all ask me the craziest things, and luckily my church is just like, oh, there's Carly.

L. A. Sprague 1:09:24

That's awesome. Yeah. So so cool you have that, Carly.

Karlie Clee 1:09:34

Yeah, so like in some ways he has taken a lot of my illnesses and cure

Music, Mentors, And Honest Lament

Karlie Clee 1:09:41

the way my main doctor in Cleveland clinic when I went said it is we're trying to put as many like to bed as possible. We're like, hey, okay, let's try to calm as many down as we can. Yeah, and that and with my epilepsy, we have been able to do that. But I also know I have to be careful, yeah. Like I can't go and do all these things, but that's okay with me. That's something that's like another exchange I had with God, but yeah, it's all my all day. I don't need to be if I have to go to bed at nine o'clock at the latest, that's fine.

L. A. Sprague 1:10:27

It just matters. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. A lot of chronic illness is just which I'm sure if you're listening, you know this, but a lot of chronic chronic illness is like just managing the symptoms. It's like there's not yet, there's not many cures yet. And I think there's hope for us, but for now, it's just like okay.

Karlie Clee 1:10:51

How do we that's the part I had like yes, God like Jesus miraculously healed people, and I I'm not saying he does can't do that or doesn't do that, but my that Cleveland doctor who was the last doctor I went to, like they all collaborated, and he's like, he almost cried to me on the phone. He's like, I wish I could do more, but science is like a hundred years behind where it needs to be for you. But then that's where God comes in sometimes. He's like, but but wait, like, look what I can do, and I'm not saying he he can he can cure everything, and I am not dismissing anyone's pain or anyone's it is hard, it is so hard, and like there are moments still where I'm like, God, are you sure I'm gonna survive this? Like, how how am I gonna get through this? But you uh like you if you I guess that's the thing, like you have to kind of have that blind faith, and and you have to it's okay to just be like, I'm not okay, I'm not okay with this, I don't know how to do this on my own. Like, yeah, please help me, and you might not even notice it at first, you might not even realize how he's helping or what's going on, but then one day you might be like, oh wow, like I don't feel that anymore, or like it can be subtle, or it can be a big thing that you're like, wow, thank you for saving me from that. I guess the thing is like it is hard, it's extremely hard, but you're never alone, God's always with you. And like sometimes that means doing nothing, and God even guides me. Sometimes He's like, uh-uh, you're not going anywhere. Go lay in bed, do nothing. Like that has

Say Yes To Scary Callings

Karlie Clee 1:13:10

happened to me before. I'm like, I can get a I got a list of things to do.

L. A. Sprague 1:13:14

This oh my god.

Karlie Clee 1:13:15

Then I like get up and try to get my coat on, and I no, not today. Yeah, but all our online groceries.

L. A. Sprague 1:13:25

Yeah, oh my goodness. That's the hardest thing for me, I think, is I love like I love getting my to-do list done. I love like I love having a clean house and just being out and being active and doing things. And it's like when your chronic illness just forces you to stop. Like the thing I'm dealing with right now, like the last three days, is like just my like my body has been insistent on sleeping or laying down. It's like it's crazy, like you can push it so hard, and then you just get a bam, like brick wall, you're not doing anything. So I can totally relate with that, like to-do lists, and then you're like, wait, no, I had so much I was gonna do.

Karlie Clee 1:14:14

Yeah, and I think with that too, I I no longer make lists, I make like um what do I call them? Uh like uh a rough outline of what needs to be done and what will be done at some point because you don't know, and you can I can be fine in the next minute FTF, like who knows? I literally have uh an e noid beside me because I'm like sometimes during the day, yeah, so yeah, that's that's part of it too, and it's okay, it that's the thing, it's okay to not be okay, and God understands it, He doesn't expect anyone to be okay, and when you're in those in the valley, and you like you can't find a way out. I was someone sent me this video. It's like we we get we're here, and then we wanna hop to over to Jesus and read one verse and be good, and it's like no, you gotta invite him in the valley with you, go through everything you're going through, and then they will help he'll help take you out of it. And they want God wants to know all of us, like all of our emotions, not just oh, I'm great and happy today. If you're not happy and you're depressed, that's probably when you need to talk to him the most or pray the most or whatever the most. And there's nothing you can or can't say. Well, I mean, there's things you shouldn't say, probably, but I I guess I've learned that.

L. A. Sprague 1:16:04

Like here and he knows what you're thinking anyway.

Karlie Clee 1:16:08

Yeah, like exactly he knows it all. He so you might as well go go to him and give it to him. When I when I finally learned when I'm in a lot of pain, and I could sort I think someone sent me a song and it was about like just be still or something, something like that, and it like changed everything. I was like, you can just let go and just picture yourself in his arms and like he will catch you when you fall, he will be there when you're still, he will be there, like you don't always have to save yourself, and doctors don't know everything. And if you're in one of those seasons where you may not have a name for your condition yet, don't let that ever make you feel like you're crazy, and I know that's hard because it took like 10 years plus for me to finally figure out what was wrong with me.

Closing And Listener Invitation

Karlie Clee 1:17:20

And I did doctors make you feel so crazy, but you are not, and you might not know, but God knows, God knows what you have, God knows everything, and he will show you, and he will provide, and he and it it might not be in the time you want, but just I guess have faith in that and hold on to that if you can. And when you can't, it's okay to lean on others who have that faith and who have that like relationship who can you can ask for their guidance and their their prayers as well, because the more people who pray for you the better.

L. A. Sprague 1:18:11

Yeah. That's that's good. As the the kids say bars is that the thing. No, it's probably outdated now. No, that's beautiful. Yeah, I think something that's so important to remember, like you said, like about not feeling crazy, is that whether you have a diagnosis or not, like God knows your heart, God knows your intentions, and so whether you're gaslighting yourself or not, whether doctors are or not, whether church members are or not, parents or not, like like no matter like what you're scared of people thinking, like the reality is that God knows you and your intentions, he knows the reality of what you're feeling in your body, and also he's your defender. Like Jesus is your defender, and so even if yeah, you're just scared of you know being manipulated or gaslit or not trusted, like God knows, and he will stand up for you, and I believe he'll also send people to like in your situation, Carly, like I I believe that he will send people that will believe you.

Karlie Clee 1:19:35

Yeah, it might take a while, but he will.

L. A. Sprague 1:19:38

Yeah, absolutely. Well, what do you think is like in in your suffering when you're feeling pain and flare ups? How do you feel the Lord meets you? Because I know you said, like, you know, someone sent you a song that talked about being still, and that would change it a lot for you, where you feel like, oh, I can just like let go. Are there Any like passages you cling to when you're when you're kind of disabled and can't do very much? Is there any truth? Is there any whisperings of the Holy Spirit? Do you feel his presence? I don't know. Like, like what is that like? Or do you not? Is it actually like a fight with God?

Karlie Clee 1:20:19

No, I definitely feel him. I feel his presence when it's those times when when I'm truly like just done and like I can't like please just help me. Usually the way I connect most is like through worship music. It's just my brain doesn't I guess have to like process reading or that's what I I'll put on certain and my I have a really good friend who is also chronically ill and she's like my mentor, best friend, everything.

L. A. Sprague 1:21:10

I have a friend like that too.

Karlie Clee 1:21:12

She'll send me like a playlist, and I'm like, how did you know I needed that? She's like, I don't know, God just told me send a deal. Things like that. It's just it's amazing. And and it's always like exactly what I need to hear. So having a per first having like a prayer partner, whatever you want to call it, someone you can truly who can completely relate to you is amazing and changes everything. She's she brought me a lot closer to God and she showed me how you can be chronically ill and you can be a little bit mad or upset before. Like, why are you doing this to me? Why is this happening to me? But she showed me how you can do that, but then build that relationship with God. So if you don't have someone like that, and I so I completely recommend trying to find someone like that. Broken Amended. That's my goal in Broken Amended is to find to give people that place to go to, and to be completely honest, and and there's zero judgment.

L. A. Sprague 1:22:28

Yeah.

Karlie Clee 1:22:29

Like you can say, like it can be something really silly too. Like my friend said, she's like, Do you ever just get mad at at the most little ridiculous things? And I'm like, Yes, all the time. I I'm like, I think it's because we're used to dealing with the big hard but things that when something little goes wrong too, you're like, really? Yeah, it's like can't this simple thing go right? But when the big things you're anticipating might go wrong, you're like, oh yeah, surprise, surprise. But it's yeah, yeah, like oh, it's those little things that get it to me too. It's like, okay, it's not just me.

L. A. Sprague 1:23:09

It's like the straw that broke the camel's back, or it's like if you you know, don't process the bigger things, then it's like those little things that are actually setting off the emotion for the big things. But because you didn't process it, now you're letting it out.

Karlie Clee 1:23:25

Yeah. And and find a way to let it out, find a way to talk to someone, like a support group. The support group and this podcast is amazing. Like when I heard you're doing this, I'm like, this is exactly what needed needs to happen.

L. A. Sprague 1:23:44

Oh, thank you.

Karlie Clee 1:23:45

I guarantee I'm gonna listen to so many of them, and hearing other perspectives, you're gonna God's gonna like send that to you at the exact moment you need it. Yeah, like I guarantee I'll be in a moment of like pure pain, probably stick on one of your podcasts and someone will say something, I'll be like, wow, thanks, God. I really I really needed to hear that right now.

L. A. Sprague 1:24:10

Yeah, that's the prayer. That's the prayer, and for it to like use it be a space where people can just genuinely talk about their experience, you know.

Karlie Clee 1:24:18

Yeah, you're not I I think the biggest thing is you're not alone because you're God has you, but there's also people out there like me finding you. I don't know how we found each other on the internet, but yeah, I'm I'm so blessed that I got to even share my story with you, and I cannot wait to hear other stories as well. Absolutely, and I'm and say yes. If God is asking you to do something, even especially when it's uncomfortable, like when he first told me to talk and speak to people about my testimony, I was like, What like are you mean? No, thank you. I'm like, just say yes. Like, I'm sure when at first he's like, I think you should do a podcast, you're like, um, what?

L. A. Sprague 1:25:07

I'm still like that. I'm still like, oh, what am I doing?

Karlie Clee 1:25:10

But just say yes, and so many amazing things will come from that. Yeah, like saying yes to Broken Amended, just talking once was like terrifying, and then I was like, I'm all in, and now then now I'm running his groups and the page, and it it's amazing, it's amazing what and God knows what he's doing when he's asking these things of you, even if it's scary. I promise you it will lead to great things.

L. A. Sprague 1:25:39

Yeah, absolutely. Well, thank you so much, Carly. This has been beautiful. You have a beautiful testimony and such a sweet heart. So thank you for being willing to share your story. And I have no doubt that it has blessed people listening and that they felt very heard and encouraged and very hopeful, you know, to find people that will that will trust them and be there for them.

Karlie Clee 1:26:05

Thank you for having.

L. A. Sprague 1:26:08

Oh yeah, anytime. Okay, well, thanks so much, and I hope you feel well today. Thank you for being a part of the Christians with Chronic Illnesses community and for tuning in to our podcast. Please follow, rate, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Patreon. You can also follow our socials at CWCI Podcast. If you're interested in sharing your God given story, we'd love for you to email us at cwcipodcast at gmail.com. This podcast cannot substitute for medical help and is purely for encouragement and entertainment. Please see your doctor before trying anything mentioned on the show.