“…The Lord is my portion.”
On Sunday, May 31, 2026, I woke up and my left ankle was throbbing. I couldn’t go to church that morning, so I watched the service from the comfort of my bed. (I’m truly thankful for the online ministry team). After church, I walked downstairs, but it was challenging to say the least. To be honest, the entire day felt like an uphill battle.
Early the next morning, between 3:00 AM-4:00 AM, I was in excruciating pain. I touched my ankle in despair, and I prayed for God to heal me. I also asked Him to tell me what was wrong with my ankle. This was my first time experiencing pain like this. A few moments later, I heard these words, “It’s your Achilles heel, but this is about your Achilles heel.” I was stunned; I heard this male audible voice. I looked at the television. It didn’t come from there. I looked at my husband. He was asleep. I thought, “Is that you, God?” Convinced that I was somewhere between awake and asleep, I closed my eyes and fell back to sleep.
Later that morning, I woke up to go to the bathroom, and I could not walk on my left ankle. My husband had to walk me to the bathroom. He wanted to take me to the doctor immediately. However, I did not want to go. I just wanted to spend one more day in bed. I planned to use the P.R.I.C.E. method (pray, rest, ice, compression, and elevate). I’m stubborn. What can I say? I went back to bed and prayed to the Father.
Dear Heavenly Father,
6/1/2026
Thank you for waking me up this morning. Last night, did I hear the words, “It’s your Achilles heel, but this is about your Achilles heel?” What does that mean? An Achilles heel is a metaphor that represents a fatal weakness that a strong person has. Surely, I didn’t hear this right. Besides, I’ve never had an issue with my Achilles and I don’t think you’ve ever mentioned anything like this in the Bible.
After that, I had to go back to the bathroom, and I asked our youngest daughter to help me. I leaned heavily on her and struggled to put one foot in front of the other. She looked at me and asked, “Are you going to the doctor today?” When I saw that worried look in her eyes, I knew I had to go to the doctor. I did not want to be a burden on anyone.
When we made it to the doctor’s office, my husband asked me if I needed to use one of the wheelchairs in the lobby. I thought about it for a quick second, but I hobbled toward the registration desk as fast as I could. I was determined to walk independently, even though it hurt every step of the way. After we completed an overwhelming amount of paperwork, the nurse called us to the back. She asked me if I needed a wheelchair. I said, “No.” About halfway down the hallway, my ankle said, “Yes, we need a wheelchair.” That hallway was a lot longer than I thought. Nevertheless, I still wanted to do it myself, but my husband asked her to get me a wheelchair.
After the Xray, we went to the exam room. When the doctor entered the room, she asked me to explain my symptoms as she examined my ankle. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes as she pressed the back of my ankle. I wanted to scream, but I couldn’t let her know that she’d hurt me that badly. I took a deep breath and explained my exercise regimen, which included time on the treadmill each week.
A few minutes later, she said, “Overall the Xray looks good, but you have Achilles tendinitis. The pain you’re experiencing is from the inflammation. I’m going to prescribe medication, a medical boot, a set of crutches, and physical therapy.” As she rattled off this information, I could feel my heart beating fast. A medical boot? Crutches? I don’t want that. I want to go home and rest. I’ll be fine. Then it hit me!
“…It’s your Achilles heel, but this is about your Achilles heel.”
I pride myself on being strong and independent. I do not like to ask people for help. I want to do things myself. I don’t even want people to know that I need help. It’s none of their business. I will smile through the pain. I will walk when I should sit. I will call out to the Lord, but the world won’t hear my cries. Oh! I get it. Metaphorically, my “Achilles heel” is pride. God is using this situation to break pride off of me this month. (This is not lost on me). Pride has no place in the kingdom. We need each other as sisters and brothers in Christ. We can’t walk this journey alone and expect to experience the fullness of God. So! Here I am. I can barely put one foot in front of the other sometimes, so I have to rely on my family and friends for support. Support can feel like a hand on my back as I walk down the stairs or a text message notification from a dear friend who has been praying for me. I could have waited until this storm was over to share my testimony, but I want you to come with me on this soul- searching journey. We can heal together.
What is your Achilles heel?
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