Offering Up a Cold and Finding Grace in the Sniffles

It finally happened. I caught a cold.

Since moving to the U.S. in September 2022, I’ve been pretty healthy (thank God!). 

But this week, my body decided it needed a break. A near-but-not-quite sore throat, sniffles, sneezing, the whole thing. 

Nothing dramatic, but enough to make me curl up with tea and a blanket... and think.

What surprised me most wasn't the cold itself but how I responded to it. 

In the past, the moment I’d feel even slightly unwell, I’d ask my mama to pray for healing. “Please pray I feel better soon,” My mama would text her friends (prayer warriors) or I'd whisper in prayer.

But something’s shifted.

Now, instead of asking for the discomfort to go away, I found myself offering it. 

In my morning prayer, I always say, “I offer You my joys, works, and sufferings…” And this time, the sore throat joined the list. 

It’s a new rhythm of faith I’m settling into where even the small aches can be lifted up.

I’m learning that being sick can be more than just waiting to feel better. It can be a quiet gift—an invitation to slow down and say, “Lord, use this, too.” 

Through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer this little suffering for whatever You want to do with it.

That feels so different from before. It’s not just about me anymore.

And somehow, knowing that even my sniffles can be part of something bigger? That makes the tissue pile beside my bed feel… holy in a weird, wonderful way.

So today, I’m resting. 

Drinking more water than I thought possible. And offering it all up with love, not just for my own healing, but maybe for someone else’s, too.

With a grateful heart (and a stuffy nose),
Marissa 💛