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Does your life look nothing like you ever imagined? Are you battling with chronic struggles that are physical, mental, emotional, or relational? Are you feeling abandoned by God and doubting your faith? In our authentic conversation, special guest Sydney Bennett shares her “Fearfully and Wonderfully Broken” God Story about becoming disabled just two weeks into her honeymoon with a later diagnosis of FND (Functional Neurological Disorder), a condition that disrupts the brain’s ability to send correct signals to the body. She is the author of “Fearfully and Wonderfully Broken,” her recently released book, disability advocate and speaker who helps people struggling with chronic illness and pain find hope through Jesus. She lives in Idaho with her husband and two daughters and deals daily with seizures, chronic pain, mobility loss, and often uses a wheelchair. Enjoy listening to Sydney’s inspiring and faith-building God story!
In this Episode:
Bio:
- Sydney is the author of “Fearfully and Wonderfully Broken,” her recently released book, disability advocate and speaker who helps people struggling with chronic illness and pain find hope through Jesus.
- She deals daily with seizures, chronic pain, mobility loss, and often uses a wheelchair.
- Sydney shares her “Beautifully and Wonderfully Broken” God story.
- She grew up in a Christian home and doesn’t remember a time when she did not know and trust in Jesus. Her dad is actually a pastor.
- She had never personally experienced God’s faithfulness through suffering until she was in her late teens. She walked through a long season of depression, grief, and loss.
- She didn’t have to fix her emotions before she went to God. She could bring up all the emotions she was feeling and be honest with Him. That was really a turning point where she stopped relying on her own strength and started welcoming the strength of the Lord.
- If we understand the grace of God and you are in Christ, then that means that punishment for sin has already been taken. Christ has already borne it for us.
- Christians are allowed to experience suffering. Our faith doesn’t dull us to suffering. It actually gives us a profound capacity for suffering. Our Savior suffered deeper than anyone. He did that so He could redeem and glorify the pain that we are going through in this life.
- By being vulnerable with other believers about our own struggles, we open avenues to come to the Lord together in shared sorrow and suffering.
- When we are hit with suffering, it is so easy to feel the fearful part, but God promises the wonderful, too.
- Unless your hope is deeper than this life, there is no hope. That future redemption is a sure thing. It has been promised to us, and it is closer than it feels. One day, we will understand why God wrote the story that we are in the way that He did.
Sydney Anne Bennett is a writer, disability advocate, and speaker who helps people struggling with chronic illness and pain find confidence and hope again—while pointing them to Jesus.
Two weeks after her honeymoon, Sydney became disabled and was later diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), a condition that disrupts the brain’s ability to send correct signals to the body. She experiences daily seizures, chronic pain, and mobility loss—and often uses a wheelchair.
In 2022, Sydney began sharing her story on Instagram as a way of processing grief, faith, and the strange in-between of being both young and disabled. Today, she encourages a global audience of over 300,000 people with honesty, humor, and hope that leans hard on Jesus.
She lives in Idaho with her husband, Colton, their daughters, Hadassah and Felicity.
Links
Quote
- “If we understand the grace of God and you are in Christ, then that means that punishment for sin has already been taken. Christ has already borne it for us.” - Sydney Bennett
- “By being vulnerable with other believers about our own struggles, we open avenues to come to the Lord together in shared sorrow and suffering.” - Sydney Bennett
- “When we are hit with suffering, it is so easy to feel the fearful part, but God promises the wonderful, too.” - Sydney Bennett
- “Unless your hope is deeper than this life, there is no hope. That future redemption is a sure thing. It has been promised to us, and it is closer than it feels. One day, we will understand why God wrote the story that we are in the way that He did.” - Sydney Bennett
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