You Called Me Out with L. A. Sprague (Half-Time Show)

What makes a day “good” when your body won’t cooperate? We open the door to your most honest questions and share the messy, hope-filled reality of living with chronic illness and active faith. From naming a POTS flare while recording to savoring a chef-made coffee treat and trading Marvel favorites, we explore how small joys, honest limits, and steady love can reshape expectations without denying pain.

We dig into the hardest faith tension many of us face: believing God heals while not being healed yet. Drawing from scripture and lived experience, we unpack why “just have more faith” can wound, how to unlearn harmful interpretations without abandoning Jesus, and what resilient trust looks like when answers are slow. You’ll hear candid reflections on doubt, comfort, and the difference between tidy slogans and a God who meets us in the long wait.

We also get practical about management and mindset. We admit the lifelong learning curve, the up-and-down seasons of electrolytes, pacing, movement, and boundaries, and the temptation to let illness own our identity. Instead, we choose discernment over judgment, grief with purpose over a victim script, and course correction over perfection. Community shows up here too: real check-ins, shared tips, and pop-culture joy that reminds us we’re people before patients. Press play for a grounded, compassionate conversation that holds both truth and tenderness—and leave with language for your own good day, even when symptoms won’t budge.

If this resonated, follow and rate the show, share it with a friend who needs encouragement, and drop an Orange Heart in the comments so we know you’re here. Subscribe for new episodes every Monday and send your story to cwcipodcast@gmail.com.

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Transcript

Welcome And Valentine’s Check‑In

SPEAKER_00 0:00

I'm your Jesus loving and pote host Elise Frag. Welcome to Christians with Chronic Illnesses. Hello everyone. Happy Valentine's Day of 2026. I hope you had fun on your Valentine's Day yesterday. Please leave a comment, let me know what you did, and if you had fun. Thanks for listening to Christians with Chronic Illnesses.

Chef Paul’s Coffee Treat

SPEAKER_00 0:32

I thought that it would be fun to show you guys some creations my husband makes. His name is Paul, and he's a chef, and sometimes he finds fun things to make online. And so I thought it'd be fun to show you. Today is this coffee drink. I don't know if he it's pretty neat. It's really yummy. He made it with like a decaf Nescafe, like coffee powder to make the foam with water and sugar. Very flavorful. So good. It has like cookies and cream, ice cream on the inside, and it's nice because then it creates that like it has no more. Personally, I know that probably just made some of you like want to hurl, but me personally, it's my vibe. I like

Why Q&A Today

SPEAKER_00 1:31

it. Anyway, so what we're gonna be doing on this episode today is I'm gonna be answering some of your questions. Haven't done that in a few weeks, and so I'm happy to hear from you guys and answer some of the things that you've been asking.

Naming The Flare And Pushing Through

SPEAKER_00 1:44

I'm gonna be honest with you guys, I am having a hard time recording this episode. It's been a very busy week, busier than I've had in a long time. And I'm taking lots of deep breaths, so there's some air hunger, my heart rate's probably going kind of high, and I'm very exhausted. And but I really do want to record this episode because I like answering your questions and I like talking about real things. So just bear with me if there's a lot of heavy breathing in this episode. But I'm super happy to be here with you guys. Wendy Flukeft. Oh Wendy, Mrs. P. I love you so much. You've always been a great supporter of me as a person. So thanks so much for being around to you. Um this woman I used to call my not mom. No, wait, she was my sword of mom because I had a different not mom. That was Christy. Sorry, Christy, not trying to like give your title to someone else, don't worry. But Mrs. P was my sword of mom. And you have had relentless support for me and all the different just opportunities that I've felt the Lord calling me to in my life, even though they look different now than I thought they would.

What Makes A Good Day?

SPEAKER_00 2:56

So thanks for being here. So you ask, how do you define a good day? Is an illness real life what you would what what would be an ideal day? Okay, that's a good one. That's a good question. Drink some coffee to store my my thoughts here. That's a good question. Like, okay, I guess my question back to this would be how does anyone define a good day? You know, like it doesn't mean it has to be perfect because no day is perfect. We never nobody's ever experienced a perfect day. Yeah, so I guess how I would personally define a good day, I've never been asked this question before, is I don't know. I feel like, yeah, how most people would, which is just you're loving others and being loved by others, you're loving God and being loved by God. And yeah, I think definitely not having a flair that day would be very helpful. I think that definitely would be great, a great day, even, you know. But for those of you out there who have more severe chronic illnesses than I do, maybe you are feeling pain all the time. Maybe you can help Mrs. P know what do you see as a good day? You know, if you're constantly, if you have a chronic migraine or if you have super severe pain in your body all the time, yeah. I'd love for you to answer her. I can't do this. I can't do this. Hold on. Not gonna lie to you guys, I could not talk very well sitting up today, so here I am laying down. Anyways, Mrs. P, how do we define a good day? I would say probably how anybody else defines a good day. You know, least amount of conflict and loving others, loving God, being loved by others and being loved by God are pretty baller. They're pretty great things, and yeah, it definitely helps if we're not having a flare-up, like today, for example. Can definitely be helpful if we're not experiencing that. But I don't think today is at all a bad day just because I'm having a flare right now. I think yeah, I mean it it's a little discouraging, and it's honestly kind of hard to get through this episode having an episode, but it doesn't make it a bad day. It just I think there is this trend going around right now, and it's a song of Noah Kahan, and some of the lyrics are pain's like cold water, your brain just gets used to it. And honestly, that's kind of how living with chronic illness is. Yeah, it's like pretty devastating and life-changing at first, and it still can be, but you learn to live with it and to find the good and gratitude throughout your days anyway. So Yeah, for me personally, I guess this would just be a good day is most days, and a good day is how even a healthy body person might define a good day. Thank you for your

Is It Hard To Embrace Faith?

SPEAKER_00 6:25

question. Gloria Weimer, my beautiful grandmother, asked, Is it sometimes difficult to embrace your faith? And this is a difficult question for me to answer, not because I don't know the answer, because I don't like it. Yes, it can be very, very difficult to embrace my faith having not just related to the chronic illness, actually, I'm not so sure that my chronic illness has affected my faith that much. But yeah, it just can be hard to embrace the faith. I think the hardest part of this question in this struggle with faith in chronic illness is there are scriptures, right, that talk about if you knock the door will be opened and how Christ is our great physician and our comforter. And so a lot of people have come to interpret this, meaning that if we just believe, we will be healed. You know, and there's plenty of times in scripture where Jesus does say that your faith has made you well, and so it's really complicated when even we've had faith as chronically ill believers and we're not well. You know, it makes us question am I not having enough faith? Is

Wrestling With Healing And Theology

SPEAKER_00 7:44

my relationship with Christ not where it should be? Am I even a true believer at all? And so I think it can be tricky, especially if you're not like, you know, like a theologian or you're not someone who knows how to like study or discern or disciple scripture or decipher scripture well. Like if you're just you know an average Joe who has a chronic illness and is a Christian, and you're being told, oh, well, you're just not believing enough, it might be hard to know how do I prove, which you can't, by the way, but how do I show these people that you know, like I am I'm trying? How can I show them that I do have faith in God and his healing power and I do ask him to heal me, and yet still I'm not healed. You know, that I think that's the trickiest part is it's like, okay, so and and thankfully there are scriptures I believe that do point towards that Christ doesn't heal everyone, at least not yet, and I won't get into that here. I've talked about it in several of our episodes, and so I don't want to get too repetitive. Maybe I'll do an episode in the future specifically on this topic, but I think that can be the hardest part when you come from a very charismatic background and sometimes extreme backgrounds, and then you have to unlearn those false teachings, in my opinion, that you were taught, and you have to discern that from okay, I'm not severing my relationship with Christ. I am deconstructing the harsh things, the the bad teachings that I was taught, and I'm replacing them with truths of scripture and what Christ meant it to mean in the first place. So, yeah, ironically, I think embracing faith with chronic illness is harder around some believers than it is around those who aren't Christians. So, this is a good question. Thank you for it. And I do want to give a disclaimer, if you're listening and you do believe in faith healing, you do believe in believe it, receive it, speaking into existence, all those things. I'm not at all discrediting you as a fellow believer. And I'm not even calling you a false teacher. I just think that there are probably some things that I disagree with personally in your interpretation of scripture that can be harmful to me and the chronic illness community, and so I do find them harmful teachings, but I used to believe them for a very long time. I believed them too, and so I'm not blaming you. I would just encourage you maybe do some research here both sides of the spectrum and do some interpretation of scripture

Vulnerability About Limits And Pace

SPEAKER_00 10:38

yourself. Guys, I'm not trying to complain, but because this is a podcast for Christians with chronic illnesses, I do want to be vulnerable in that it's honestly very hard to get through this episode. And I know that some of you are like, oh stop, you don't need to push through. Like, I understand that and I agree with that, but honestly, I'd rather have my weekend off, which are the next two days, and push through now and have this content out to you guys on time rather than rest now and potentially not get time off the next two days. So yeah, but I just I just want listeners listening to know this is what it's like sometimes to have a chronic illness. I have POTs personally, and it can just make it very difficult to breathe, to focus, and things of the sort. But I'm pushing through and I'm being vulnerable and putting this out there not to draw attention to me or to be like poor LA. No. But I am putting it out there just to show you a little bit of what it actually does look like. But I'm gonna keep pushing forward and hope that these responses are actually helpful for people. So wish me luck. Okay, I appreciate this comment so

Will I watch Marvel with you?

SPEAKER_00 11:57

much. Lenley3210 on YouTube said, If I know them, I'll start by asking, How are you? and then want to watch some Marvel. This was in response to my question of if you could ask Christians with chronic illnesses anything, what would it be? First of all, how am I doing? Good. Yeah, doing pretty good. It's been an awesome week. It's been an exhausting week, hence this, but it's been a really good week. So thanks for asking. Do I want to watch Marvel? Are you kidding me? Yes, absolutely. Okay, I think you guys should comment your favorite Marvel characters, whether it be a hero, anti-hero, villain, whatever, side character. You know, so I'm gonna tell you guys my two favorite. I love Spider-Man and Shang-Chi as superheroes in Loki, however, I love Loki. I love my husband more. I love my husband so much more. No one could compare for clarification, but Loki's really cool, and I knew he was a good guy all along, and then the Loki series series proved it. I just knew it, guys. I just I had a sense about him. I was like, it was giving like I didn't even know him, and I was like, I could change him vibes, which is not healthier good. I'm exposing myself so much on this episode. This is humiliating. Anyway, thanks for asking, Lindley. Yeah, I'll

Do you judge how others manage their illness?

SPEAKER_00 13:26

watch tomorrow with you. Hit me up, bro. Hit me up. No, come on, Maddie. Maddie Hearts or Maddie used to be hearts. That's funny. Maddie Page asked this question that calls me out. And to be fair, I guess I've kind of already exposed myself on this in a former episode, so it's not too bad. Have you ever judged someone for how they manage their chronic illness? Okay. Don't leave me hanging, guys. If you're listening, okay, and you've done this too, could you like just let me know I'm not alone? This is so humiliating. The answer is yes. The answer is absolutely yes. Especially when I was not chronically ill. I I don't know if it's as much as I judged for how they managed their chronic illness. It was more so I didn't understand the chronic illness, what it was, or if it was a thing. And so I think so. That's more where my judgment came in. I know it's not good. And I'm sorry if I judged you in the past. Hopefully you didn't know it. You're valid. I hope you know that now. Do I judge people how they manage their chronic illness now? Um, not really, because everybody's body is so different, and also like I'm still in my journey of management, and so I'd say no, I don't judge them for how they manage it. Unless they are like we all know those people that will complain about literally anything. And if God forbid they're given a chronic illness and something that they could actually validly complain about. There are other valid things other than chronic illnesses, obviously, but you know what I mean. A chronic complaint, they kind of become the embodiment of a chronic complaint. And listen, I understand how hard it is. I obviously said on this episode, like you're literally watching me have a kind of pots episode right now. And so I'll get at I hear you. But there's there's limits, there's an extent where like Yes, I think Is there a difference between judgment and discernment, or am I just a bad person? I'm just saying if your whole personality has become your chronic illness and how bad it is first of all, if you're listening, I love you, hear me out, okay? It is so valid that you feel pain.

Victim Mindset Versus Honest Grief

SPEAKER_00 16:05

So valid that you are scared for what's ahead. It is so valid that you have lost dreams and that your life is so different than you what you probably thought it would be. It is valid at times to complain, to be angry, to be sad, to be annoyed, to be frustrated, to feel just utterly defeated and hopeless and depressed and anxious. All those things. That is okay, that is natural, that is normal, and I think God would want you to cope with those emotions. I think He would want you to seriously feel them, look at them, assess them, bring them to Him, and take that time to mourn and grieve. And grieving is not linear, right? It's a process. However, it's a process. If you were stuck in the rut of oh, I'm just I am sick. Like that's all that I am, that's who I am, you know. If you are 24-7 obsessively thinking about your chronic illness and making it other people's problem, I think that you might need to do some heart to heart with Jesus and see where you're at with him. Because it's totally okay to get people involved. It's totally okay to ask for help and to need a caretaker. There's nothing wrong with that. In fact, you should do those things. Please do those things and do your part, right? Work on the management process. And I'm talking to myself in this, trust me. Management is so hard, especially if you have mental illness on top of the physical illness, or vice versa. It becomes so difficult to want to try. But you have to try for your sake and for the sake of those around you. You have to try. Don't get stuck, don't become a victim, don't have this victim mentality, don't blame it on anybody else and your body and God and all this. Just take some responsibility, not for your chronic illness per se, but for your body. Love your body, love your heart, love your mind, love your God, love others well where you can and find ways to be grateful. So yes, I judge still, I guess, but it's more so like a are you obsessively making everything about you and you're using your chronic illness as an excuse? Or are you genuinely suffering and trying to manage your symptoms well? And that doesn't have to be perfect, by the way. But just try, you know, and listen to your limits. Stop where you need to stop for sure. But you gotta move, you know, like that switch foot song, Dare You to Move. So good. Such a good song. You should listen to it if you don't know it. Anyways, great question, Maddie. Thanks for calling

Is there a learning curve in health management?

SPEAKER_00 19:09

me out. Gloria, my grandma also asks, was there a long learning curve on management? Bro, now you guys are calling this whole episode's calling me out, guys. Okay, that's fine. Vulnerability. Woo! I just did an episode on that. You should go listen to it, Loki. It's the one right before no, two episodes before this. It's the halftime show before this. It's really good. And I am being held to a standard here. God's like, all right, you spoke on it, so you need to do it. The answer is yes. Um, I am still on the long learning curve of management. And I, guys, I don't know why, but I go like like up and down with management. You know, I'll go on like streaks of like months on diet, on a diet, a year on a diet, exercising regularly, being protective, this, this, this, this. Like, and then I'll have streaks where I'm just eating whatever I want. I'm eating too unhealthy. I'm not doing anything regarding working out. And dude, like, or just like not caring, right? Like, I don't have any electrolytes in my house right now, other than maybe some pickle juice. And pickle juice is great. But yeah, they're or exam, for example, perhaps is this week. I've been pushing through and doing way too much, way too much. And I'm obviously laying in bed as a result of that. So, yes, it is a very long learning curve, and to be honest, I think it's gonna be lifelong. I'm inspired because I have seen some people like a woman I was with and in high school, she has pots and has has it like in remission right now, and that is so much work. I'm so proud of you. If you're listening, you know who you are. Pop off queen, and I hope to be like you someday. So, yeah, management is a super, super long curve. And there are so much mistakes that I personally have made, and so much room

Closing Gratitude And Support Options

SPEAKER_00 21:11

for improvement. And so pray for me, guys. Yeah, comment your thoughts on your chronic illness management journey. Tell me things that have helped you personally with what your chronic illness is and what's helping you manage your symptoms. Okay, friends, I think that's all the questions that we're gonna get through today. Thanks for listening to this super sketchy halftime show. Thanks for yeah. Thanks for being here. Thanks for asking questions. If you want to support the show, just comment in Orange Heart. Helps me know that you're here and maybe helps uh boost the algorithm a little bit. So if you wouldn't mind commenting where you are, giving us a rating and a follow, we'd love to have you along for the ride. And I hope you guys stay tuned for next Monday's episode. Love you. Happy Valentine's Day. Thank you so much for being a part of the Christians with Chronic Illnesses community. Please remember to follow Rate and subscribe to the show. You can also follow us on our socials at CWCI Podcast. And if you're interested in sharing your story, please email us at cwcipodcast at gmail.com. If you are interested in contributing to the production of Christians with chronic illnesses, please see the show notes below for subscriptions starting as low as $1 a month, or email us for a more direct way to give. This show is hosted and produced by Ellie Sprague, and our incredible logo, thumbnail, and overall CWCI artist is Brianna Middleton. This show is intended for entertainment and encouragement purposes only. Please talk to your doctor before trying anything you hear on this show. Until next Monday!