Christian blogger continues to inspire people long after she's gone through her words on enduring pain

Sara Gitz Frankl cuddles her pet dog in this undated photo from her blog. (www.gitzengirl.blogspot.com)

Even after Christian blogger Sara "Gitz" Frankl succumbed to a rare, terminal autoimmune disease, her words still continue to inspire people, giving them hope and joyful courage to face life's trials

Frankl, 38, who wrote the blog called Gitzen Girl, passed away recently. She suffered from ankylosing spondylitis, leukopenia and Cushing's syndrome. These diseases caused her chronic and terrible pain, but her inspiring posts gave no indication at all that she was suffering from her condition.

"The reason I am happy is that I choose to look at my blessings more than my burdens," she wrote. "I am here to live the best life I can with what I have been given. I am here to live out this human existence as a spiritual being... a servant to God and His people... before I head back home to Him."

In one of her blog posts, Frankl said she hoped to be remembered as a "living prayer." This inspired her family and friends to establish the Choose Joy Foundation in her honour. The foundation supports Christian ministries and organisations, Christian-based education, as well as different charities and churches.

Her good friend Mary Carver even compiled some of her best blog posts and published the book called "Choose Joy: Finding Hope and Purpose When Life Hurts." The book provides huge comfort to people who are now going through a similar ordeal that Frankl faced, helping them anchor their faith.

"When people say they can't see the good coming from the pain, my answer is that it's not our job to know. It's God's. It's just our job to trust, whether we see it or not, that He brings beauty from the ashes," Frankl wrote.

News
Russia and Ukraine agree to temporary Orthodox Easter truce
Russia and Ukraine agree to temporary Orthodox Easter truce

In the Orthodox calendar, Easter falls one week after the date celebrated in western Europe.

Bishop urges people of Britain to stand up for Christian truth
Bishop urges people of Britain to stand up for Christian truth

It follows an earlier open letter addressed to King Charles, calling upon him to defend Christianity in line with his titles of Supreme Governor of the Church of England and "Defender of the Faith".

Fundraising Regulator reminds churches that collections are subject to code of practice
Fundraising Regulator reminds churches that collections are subject to code of practice

Churches can breach the code even when acting in good faith.

Religion is often left unspoken in the workplace despite widespread faith identity, research finds
Religion is often left unspoken in the workplace despite widespread faith identity, research finds

Fifteen per cent of UK employees with a faith say they have experienced religious discrimination in the workplace.