Grief 03: Chronic Pain and Disability in Motherhood—An Interview with Vaneetha Risner

Grief (Mini-Series)
Written By Risen Motherhood

Motherhood has a way of revealing our limits, be it physical, mental, or emotional. When we find ourselves at the end of our abilities, it can be easy to wonder if God has equipped us with everything we need to be a good and faithful mom. In this episode, Emily and Laura sit down with Vaneetha Risner to discuss the topic of chronic pain in motherhood. Whether you suffer from chronic pain or disability, or simply find yourself wondering if you have what it takes to make it through another day of mothering, Vaneetha provides gospel encouragement and perspective for the mom who wonders if she’s ‘enough’ for her children. When we trust that our sufficiency is in Christ, our hearts are freed to steward the gift of motherhood faithfully with what God has given us today.

Vaneetha Risner is the author of Walking Through Fire: A Memoir of Loss and Redemption in which she chronicles both her bewildering suffering and the breathtaking way Christ met her in it. Some of her greatest joys are being a wife to Joel and a mother to Katie and Kristi and you can find her embarrassing them in North Carolina or online at her website.

Risen Motherhood x Every Moment Holy:
Liturgies for Grieving Moms

We’ve partnered with our friends at Every Moment Holy to create an exclusive download filled with liturgies for different types of grief we experience as moms. This download is completely free when you sign up for the Risen Motherhood email list—fill out the form below to get this free download straight to your inbox!

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R|M Apply Questions:

  • Consider some of your own limitations in motherhood. Even if you don’t experience chronic pain or disability, are there moments when you feel like you can’t give your children everything they need?

  • Vaneetha shares how her disability kept her from being able to clean up her children’s rooms or pick up after them as frequently. Have you ever been tempted to think, “If I do ____, I’ll be a good mom.”? (Psst—we have too!) What if you couldn’t do the things you think make you a ‘good mom’? How does trusting that your worth is wholly in Christ change your perspective?

  • Read John 13:7. Pray that the Lord would open your eyes to see how he might use your limitations to glorify him in your life and your children’s lives.

  • Is someone in your life battling chronic pain or disability, or coping with life-altering news? Consider what limitations she might be grappling with right now, and ask how you can best serve and love her—maybe it’s offering to watch her kids for an afternoon, making her a meal, or helping with a few errands.

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Grief 04: Miscarriage—An Interview with Abbey Wedgeworth
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Grief 02: The Science Behind Processing Grief—An Interview with Matthew LaPine