Lupus cannot be easily detected yet it can be devastating, affecting various organs and tissues. When Jessica Anbu was diagnosed in 2008 with the autoimmune disease Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), it turned her life upside down. She had endured five months of unrelenting pain and illness that left doctors puzzled prior to the diagnosis.
“I fell very ill and had symptoms of joint pain, fever, flu, and cough continuously and every day. My heart beat reached 140-150 each time it was recorded. No doctor could tell me what was wrong with me,” she remembered. It was a difficult reality for Jessica to accept but she chose to trust that God had a plan for her. Indeed, in time, God would turn the bleak circumstance around and carry her on a powerful journey of faith, healing, and miracles.
In October 2018, ten years after the diagnosis, Jessica married her loving husband, Ravi. Despite the challenges that lay ahead, their faith grew. Her husband knew about her situation and they made the collective decision that due to her fragile health, having children would be too risky. “Despite this, we clung to our faith, trusting that God had a plan for us.
“Shortly after our wedding, I faced another trial as lupus nephritis affected my kidneys, requiring intense treatments and a multitude of medications. This forced me to let go of my career, as I had to attend numerous follow-up appointments and undergo treatments regularly. It was a period filled with uncertainty, but I remained hopeful.”
In 2019, Jessica’s health stabilized. “I had no lupus flare-ups throughout that year and things started to look up. However, 2020 was a year of challenges. Just before the Movement Control Order (MCO) began, I was admitted to the ICU for 40 days. I was discharged after Easter Sunday and spent another 5 days under observation in the normal ward before I was discharged in April.” God had delivered her out of a life-treatening situation
However, as 2020 progressed, more challenges were to come. “From November to December 2020, my kidney function was failing, leading to water retention. I underwent kidney dialysis to drain out the excess water which amounted to 12 kg in total from my body.”
Despite these challenges, Jessica continued to fight. “I continued my treatments until I got a breakthrough with a job as a customer service representative in March 2021. The job was attached to a UK-based company, which was a blessing in disguise as it allowed me to work from home. Furthermore, this role allowed me to rebuild my career without having to compromise my health.
“When God blesses you, He does it multiple-fold. He did not just reward my faith but also multiplied it. By August 2022, I was promoted to a care coordinator analyst by God’s grace. This new role enabled me to assist the sick people with critical illnesses and to obtain treatment outside of their own country due to lack of equipment, doctors, specialists, etc..
“My rheumatologist once said to me that I had the best occupation in my life right now, as my own experiences with illness allowed me to understand and empathize with others in ways that no degree could ever teach. This realization was a testament to how God can use our pain and experiences to bless others.
“My husband and I had prayed earlier that God would bless me with a job that doesn’t require me to go to the office. Basically similar to a WFH advantage, as I was just recovering from lupus nephritis. I had pledged that when God blessed me with the job, I would give God back my first salary as a whole. And it happened!”
Jessica’s husband also received a promotion that same year, and they continued to thank God for His abundant blessings. Though 2020 was a year of immense challenges, God had blessed them tremendously in the two year-span of 2021 and 2022. “I was finally able to live a life that was no longer defined by my illness but by my faith and resilience,” Jessica reflected gratefully.
“From October 2021 up to 2023, when I was under remission, my husband and I continued to pray for complete healing and that my specialist (rheumatologist or nephrologist) would declare that I am totally out of lupus. Back when we first got married, we had even made a deal with God: if I were to become pregnant, it would only happen when I was entirely healed from lupus. I couldn’t even fathom how this would be possible with the amount of medication I was taking and the timing I was taking them.
“All throughout this period, it seemed impossible. I was still taking multiple medications and regularly visiting the hospital and the specialist always informed us that I was still under remission, that they couldn’t explain my blood/urine test results and that we just had to be patient. But something shifted in my heart – I began to believe in the impossible. Our faith in God grew stronger, and we began to trust that He would make a way where there seemed to be none.”
By June 2023, Jessica made a conscious decision to take her health seriously. She started working out regularly, taking up weight lifting, strength training, and cardio into her routine. She also ate healthier and stopped snacking (not an easy challenge as all Malaysians know when it comes to food. It was the greatest challenge for Jessica as well!). On top of this, she remembered how God had been with her and spent more of her time in prayer.
“I trained five to six days a week, and the energy was amazing! I felt more energetic and alive than ever before. I trained myself to follow strictly on calorie counting and lost tremendous weight. I shared all this testimony on my social media, hoping to inspire others facing similar battles.”
Throughout this whole period, Jessica and her husband prayed that she would be able to stop taking the medication she had been consuming throughout the years. Despite the hope that her specialists would declare that she was totally out of lupus, every time their reply was that she was still under remission, and that though there were no flare ups, all the blood/urine tests were favourable, and she didn’t show the symptoms of lupus anymore, they couldn’t explain the test results and told her that her lupus was likely dormant.
In September 2023, something remarkable happened. Jessica’s discipline paid off through God’s grace; she experienced a remarkable change. Without realising it, she stopped taking her lupus medication for two days – and found to her surprise that she felt perfectly fine throughout the entire two days. She informed her husband about it, and with her husband’s support, stopped taking the medicine altogether. It was the start of the turning point in her life.
Two months later, in November 2023, though she had stopped taking her medication, the results from her follow up check still showed no flare-ups, and her blood and urine tests remained normal! “I praised God for this miraculous healing, even though my specialists were hesitant to declare that I was fully cured.” Yet bigger miracles were to come.
On January 8th, 2024, Jessica visited a clinic because she suspected she had a urinary tract infection (UTI). “I had all the symptoms, and after the urine test, the doctor confirmed that indeed I had urine infection. The doctor asked if I had any other concerns and I told her that I had been having breast pain for the previous 2-3 weeks and an abnormal feeling. The doctor asked if I could be pregnant and I was convinced it was impossible due to my history with lupus and the high doses of medication I had taken for years. But then I remembered I had stopped taking my medication and it could be that I was pregnant. The doctor did the test and confirmed that I was expecting. A week later, a confirmation scan confirmed that I was already at least seven weeks pregnant by that point!”
This news was a miracle in every sense of the word. “Despite years of believing I would never conceive, God had blessed us with the gift of life. Even more incredible, I had been actively working out, lifting heavy weights, and doing intense exercises without realizing I was carrying a baby. Yet, my child stayed strong and thrived in my womb. This journey has been nothing short of miraculous.
“Here I was, a woman who was told that lupus would prevent her from ever becoming a mother, now experiencing the joy of pregnancy. Our beautiful baby was born prematurely at 32 weeks but arrived healthy and strong, with no complications except for needing to gain weight. This was the final confirmation of my complete healing — a sign from God that He had heard our prayers and answered them in His perfect timing.”
“My journey has taught me that nothing is impossible with faith, perseverance, and unwavering trust in God’s plan,” Jessica reflected. “Today, I am grateful for my experiences, my healing, and the gift of motherhood that I once thought was out of reach.
“To anyone facing a seemingly insurmountable challenge, I want you to know that there is hope. God’s love and power are beyond human understanding, and He can turn your trials into testimonies, just as He has done for me.”
Christianity Malaysia would like to thank Jessica and Ravi for their hospitality and their generosity in sharing their story, and also for lending valuable assistance and vetting of the article throughout its production. May Jessica’s story go on to bless and encourage many others! All photos in the article (except for the two used for illustration) were kindly contributed by Jessica and Ravi.
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