By: Carissa Lovvorn
I’m amazed at the amount of attention one receives when hobbling around on crutches and wearing a boot that seems to make up its own zip code. “What happened?” “You poor thing!” and “I’ve been there and know how frustrating it is!” are typical comments I hear when I leave the house these days.
At first, I was completely embarrassed about my situation. I’ve fallen on curbs, struggled to open doors, held up a ceremony because I was so slow, and had my crutches clatter on the floor during the most inopportune time. My gaze tended to be more downcast when in public and not just for the sake of watching my footing. However, over the last several weeks, my mindset slowly started to change. While not ideal, this situation is providing me with an opportunity to minister to others and allowing others the opportunity to do the same for me.
I’ve listened to and prayed over countless injury stories, talked about recovery in online support groups, and bonded with my physical therapy team and fellow 8:00am PT patients. I’ve had friends, family, and strangers bless me through prayers, meals, and words of encouragement. I even had a lady, whom I’ve never met before kneel, lay both of her hands on my boot, and pray for complete healing.
If not for this injury, would we have taken the time to acknowledge and uplift each other? I would like to think so, but it probably would have been superficial at best. The pain created an avenue for a much deeper connection.
Authors of the Bible highlight the benefits of these types of connections. For example, in the Old Testament King Solomon stated, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17 NIV). Later in Ecclesiastes, he explained “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor; if either of them falls down one can help the other up” (Ecclesiastes 4:9). Paul also urged the churches in the region of Galatia to, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).
Read that again. We are called to carry each other’s burdens. God wants us to have connections and support those going through difficult times. We’re not meant to “do” life alone. However, in our efforts to reach out to others, we must remember that not everyone deals with strictly visible physical ailments or injuries. Some hurts are internal and hidden from the world. I often think, “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if others could see the things we hold deep inside? Not for judgment, but as an opportunity to relate to one another.”
Thank you to those who have reached out regarding my injury. My surgery recovery period is far from complete, so you may catch me stumbling around town over the next few months. In the meantime, I encourage you to share your pain story with someone. It might just be the encouragement you both need to make it through the day.
Blessings,
Carissa Lovvorn
April 18, 2025
