Nadia Ibrahim Mossburg on disability, compassion, and purpose.
What do you do when life doesn't turn out the way you hoped? When healing doesn't come, suffering continues, and God seems silent? How do you hold on to faith when you can't understand the why?
On this episode of The MercyCast, Raleigh Sadler sits down with Nadia Ibrahim Mossburg, disability advocate, ministry leader, and author of the forthcoming book Divinely Disabled, for an honest, moving conversation about disability, faith, suffering, unconditional love, grief, and hope in Jesus.
Born with cerebral palsy, Nadia spent years wondering why God had allowed her disability. As a teenager, the emotional weight became so overwhelming that she struggled with depression and nearly ended her life. But through the faithful example of a camp counselor, conversations about Scripture, and a growing relationship with Jesus, Nadia began to see her story differently.
One passage that deeply shaped her perspective was John 9, where Jesus rejects the assumption that a man's disability was caused by his sin or his parents' sin. This encounter with Scripture challenged Nadia's belief that her disability meant God was disappointed in her—and helped her discover a deeper understanding of God's character.
Nadia and Raleigh explore a powerful shift that can change how we navigate life's hardest seasons: moving from asking “Why?” to asking “Who?” We may never receive the explanations we want, but we can learn to trust who God is even when our circumstances remain painful and uncertain.
The conversation takes an especially personal turn as Raleigh shares about the recent loss of his mother, who lived with a disability for more than two decades. Reflecting on her life, he describes how suffering shaped their family, deepened his understanding of unconditional love, and taught him that love can reach people even when circumstances limit what we can do.
Together, Nadia and Raleigh discuss Christian disability advocacy, caregiving, depression, grief, marriage, sacrificial love, lament, and emotional healing. Nadia reminds us that people with disabilities are more than the inspiration their stories may provide others—and that God is working in ways we cannot always see.
Her message for anyone walking through a difficult season is simple but powerful: Don't believe the lie that today's circumstances are the end of your story. Jesus rose on the third day. The story isn't over.
Key Takeaways
1. Ask “Who?” when you can't answer “Why?”
Suffering naturally leads us to search for explanations. But we may never connect all the dots or understand why certain things happen. Nadia and Raleigh encourage listeners to turn their attention toward God's character and trust His love, goodness, and faithfulness even when answers remain elusive.
2. Disability does not diminish a person's worth or purpose.
Nadia's story challenges assumptions about disability and suffering. People with disabilities are not defined by their limitations or by how their experiences inspire others. They are whole people with relationships, gifts, struggles, faith, and purpose.
3. God can work through suffering in ways we cannot see.
Our hardships affect more than ourselves. Raleigh reflects on how his mother's experience with disability shaped his character and taught him about love. Even when we cannot see the full picture, God can use our lives and relationships to encourage, strengthen, and transform others.
4. Unconditional love is lived out in the messy moments.
Love isn't always easy or joyful. Sometimes it means showing up when you're tired, helping when you've had an argument, sacrificing for someone you love, and choosing humility when your feelings pull you in another direction. Nadia explains how caregiving and marriage have taught her that genuine love is often revealed in ordinary, difficult moments.
5. You don't have to rush through grief and difficult emotions.
Moving forward doesn't mean pretending you're okay or pushing painful feelings aside. Nadia points to the Psalms as a model for lament—bringing our questions, sadness, and struggles honestly before God. Sometimes growth comes not from escaping hardship quickly, but from allowing God to meet us in the middle of it.
6. Remember: it's still day two.
When life feels hopeless, it can seem as though your current circumstances will define your future. Nadia points listeners back to the resurrection of Jesus as the foundation of Christian hope. If you're struggling to imagine what comes next, focus on the next five minutes or the next hour. Your story isn't over, and you are not alone.
Take the Next Step
What if you stopped trying to solve every “why” and started remembering who God is?
If you're facing grief, disability, depression, caregiving challenges, or unanswered prayers, give yourself permission to be honest about what hurts. Bring your questions to God. Let yourself lament. Reach out to someone who can walk alongside you, and take the next small step in front of you.
And if someone you love is suffering, remember that you don't have to fix their circumstances to make a difference. Sometimes compassion means listening, showing up, offering practical help, and reminding them that they are loved.
Listen to the full episode of The MercyCast, and share it with someone who needs encouragement in a difficult season. Explore more conversations about faith, suffering, and learning the art of compassion through life's adversity at MercyCast.com.
You may not know why you're walking through this. But you can hold on to who God is—and trust that your story isn't over.
You are loved.
For a deeper dive.
Learn more about Nadia and how to get her new book, Divinely Disabled.
You can follow MercyCast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
You can follow Raleigh on Twitter and Instagram.
Thanks for listening. We want to hear from you!
Email us at info@mercycast.com.
Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-mercycast/exclusive-content
