Articles

Dear Fear: A Letter To My Fears When Living with Chronic Illness

April 26, 2012 By admin 3 Comments

By Melissa Svensen Dear Fear, We have known one another for a while now. You tell me lies all the time, yet I keep letting you back in my life. You overwhelm me with what ifs. What if you don’t ever get well… What if God does not want to heal you. . . What if you never accomplish your dreams. . . What if you never get to eat food that tastes good again. . . What if you have to live in chronic pain for the rest of your life. . . What if you can’t stick to the diet you need to follow to get well. . . What if your kids get the same illness as you, or something much worse. . . What if you can never feel intimacy with others because of your past abuse. . . What if people do not recognize your worth. . . What if your life … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Articles - Read, Fear, Suicidal Thoughts, What's New? Tagged With: Chicago, Christ, Christianity, First Epistle of John, God, Interstitial cystitis, Jesus, John

You Are God’s Messenger Today For Someone Who is Hurting

April 24, 2012 By admin Leave a Comment

By Donna Riner Weber Numerous items fell onto the bed as I dumped the contents of my purse. One especially drew my attention--a post card of 4 adorable white fuzzy, fluffy puppies. It reminded me of the mini-type postcards that I like to share. I purchase the little 15 cent variety from the Christian Book Stores. Adorable baby animals create the backdrop for a Bible verse on one side. On the opposite side I usually write a Bible verse or some type of message I feel God leads me to write. I place these in restaurants, hotel rooms, restrooms etc.--wherever, God leads. Then I pray for the person whom God will lead to the little card. It brings pleasure to me as I sprinkle these in various places as we travel. Although I love to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Articles - Read, Attitude, Reflection, Spiritually Struggling, What's New? Tagged With: Chronic pain, purpose in the pain, Scrapbook Your Christian Faith, tracts, you are god's messenger

‘God Did Not Give Us Fear’ Printable to Share

April 23, 2012 By admin Leave a Comment

Chronic illness is full of so many fears, isn't it? If we allow the worries to go through our mind over and over it can just eat us up and rule our lives, influencing our decisions. God did give us power, love, and self-discipline. And, oh, what a difference this can make! Below is our latest free printable of the scripture, "For God did not give us a spirit of fear but one of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:7, New Living Translation) I hope you enjoy it! This free printable is 300 dpi resolution (which means it will look good, not all blurry, when you print it out.) It is optimized for a 5×7 frame or can be printed smaller too. Click here or on the image below. Then right click on your mouse and choose “save as” and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Free Printables, What's New? Tagged With: 2 timothy 1:7, assurance, frame, free printable, god did not give fear, god did not give timidity, hope, print, printable, scripture, scriptures when confused, verse, verses

New Book In Store: Stronger Still: A Woman’s Guide to Turning Your Hurt into Healing for Others

April 18, 2012 By admin Leave a Comment

This book, Stronger Still: A Woman's Guide to Turning Your Hurt into Healing for Others (Deeper Still), by Edna Ellison is an amazing workbook to hold in your hand and work your way through if you are trying to figure out how to use the pain in your life to encourage other people. We have it available now at the Rest Ministries shop. I am happy to be able to call Edna a friend through a Christian women writers organization, but even I didn't know all that she had experienced in her life until I read this book. This woman has every right to write about her journey with suffering and how to use it for God's plans. This is an interactive 6-week Bible study that helps guide the reader through her pain and to a point where she can see how … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Books, Caregiver, Church Leader, Coping Skills, HopeKeepers Resources, Links, Ministry - Personal, Need to Know, Person w/ Illness, Reflection, RM Volunteer, Support Group Leader, What's New? Tagged With: bible study, book, Christian, Chronic, chronic pain support group, God, Healing, Health, illness support group, lead a group, Leadership, Ministry, Pain, personal, Religion and Spirituality, Rest Ministries, small group leader, start a small group, support group resources, women's ministry, women's ministry resources, workbook

Walls and Boundaries: Understanding Their Differences In Your Relationships

April 17, 2012 By admin 3 Comments

By Cecil Murphey "I've learned that building walls isn't the same as setting boundaries." I heard those words last month from a woman in my seminar audience. I've thought about that statement almost every day. Both walls and boundaries are important. I need to be aware of their difference and appreciate their value. Have you built walls to protect yourself from more emotional pain? I'm learning to build walls to protect myself from people who demand my time and constantly ask me to do things for them. Walls provide safety. I need to close myself off from some individuals. Once they get inside the walls, it's difficult to push them out. Walls remind me of the old story of the Arab and his camel during a sandstorm. The camel … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Articles - Read, Friendships, Overwhelmed, Person w/ Illness, Relationships, What's New? Tagged With: 90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN, Arab, Arab people, Books of the Bible, cecil murphey, Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story, Learning, The New York Times Best Seller list

Disappointment Can Be ‘His Appointment” Printable to Share

April 16, 2012 By admin 6 Comments

Disappointment when you have a chronic illness is part of the journey. Learning to cope with it, when to have a good cry, and when to just sigh and move on, are all part of the process. Who among us have not felt disappointment as we have missed out on an important event, had to stay home while our loved ones participated in something we wanted to share? Maybe you have felt significant grief of disappointment as you had to give up a dream--like having a career, or even a child. Does God really have it all in control? He says yes! The Word tells us, ”A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9) That should assure us--God directs our steps! But instead it can leave us with a big lump of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Free Printables, What's New? Tagged With: cancel plans, Chronic, Coupon, disappointment, Easter, Facebook, Faithful Provisions, God, Health, his appointment, Illness, lonely, Lord, sadness

What I’d Like to Tell My Pastor About Living with Illness

April 13, 2012 By admin 10 Comments

Living with chronic illness is lonely. Everyone around us seems to be enjoying health, happiness, and the ability to at least pursue their dreams. But many of us feel lonely, scared, and disappointed. We are faced with so many insecurities and we are living with an illness that we have not been able to pray away, cry away, or confess away. So we turn to our church for guidance, for acceptance, for unconditional support during the most difficult time in our life. But churches are made up of people—all of us imperfect. And our church does not always give us what we need; in fact, sometimes, the people say things that hurt us even more. "Everything will work out fine. Just keep praying." "If you just came to Bible study I am sure … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Articles - Read, Caregiver, Church Leader, Depression, Explaining Illness, Friend Has Illness, HopeKeepers Resources, Hurt Feelings, Loneliness, Medical Professional, Need to Know, Parent of Ill or Disabled Child, Person w/ Illness, Person w/ lll Spouse, Share Your Story, Spiritually Struggling, Support Group Leader, Teen w/ Illness, What's New? Tagged With: care pastor, Christianity, Chronic, Chronic pain, Church, church disabilities ministry, Conditions and Diseases, Congregational, congregational care, Denominations, disability ministry, Disabled, disabled ministry, disablity, God, Health, Illness, Jesus, Joni Eareckson Tada, joni erickson tada, joni tada, Lord, Online Communities, parish, parish nurse, pastor, pastoral care, pastors, Prayer, Religion and Spirituality, Rest Ministries, small groups, Stephen Ministries, stephen ministry

Link Party! Submit or Read About ‘Parenting with a Chronic Illness’

April 12, 2012 By admin 5 Comments

To submit your own link, put the code to our "Link Party button" (opens in a new window) on your own site. Then click the little blue button below that says "add your link" to submit your link! … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Link Parties, Links, Parent of Ill or Disabled Child, Parenting, Parents of Adult Children, Person w/ Illness, What's New? Tagged With: Children, Chronic, Chronic fatigue syndrome, Chronic pain, chronically ill mom, coping skills with illness, dad, explaining illness to kids, God, Illness, Links, Pain, parenting with illness, parents, parents with illness, Rest Ministries, teens

4 Steps to Take to Get Rid of Resentment You May Hold Against Others

April 11, 2012 By admin Leave a Comment

By Leslie Vernick When someone hurts us, is foolish, or sins against us, the consequences of their behaviors often impact us more than the other person. Anger, bitterness and resentment can be the result. Even when someone hasn't intentionally inflicted harm, these negative emotions creep into our spirits and are hard to get rid of. Here are 4 things you can do if you find yourself stuck in resentment. 1. Ask yourself what purpose do these negative emotions serve? Is it payback? Is it an attitude of I get to be right? Or, is it that you haven't been able or willing to forgive Or, perhaps it is an indicator that you're angry and need to have a conversation with someone who has sinned against you in order to bring healing … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Anger, Articles, Articles - Read, Explaining Illness, Hurt Feelings, Loneliness, What's New? Tagged With: Anger, Apostle Paul, Emotion, God, leslie vernick, Paul, relationship, Resentment

Comfort in Suffering? Lisa’s Life Verse as a Printable

April 9, 2012 By admin Leave a Comment

How I love this scripture, Psalm 119:50. "My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life." Whenever I sign my books this is the scripture you will find below my name. It just covers so much ground to me. There is comfort in suffering God acknowledges and knows of my suffering I can choose to find comfort in that suffering God's promises (all of them!) are what preserve my life My body (and all of its weaknesses) do not preserve my life It is God alone and the promises He gives me that refresh me, preserve me, keep me going. I hope you will share my joy over this precious scripture and make it one of your favorites too. This free printable is 300 dpi resolution (which means it will look good, not all … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Free Printables, What's New? Tagged With: comfort in my suffering, comfort in suffering, god's promises, god's promises n trials, god's word, printable, save my life, scripture, verse

Easy Ways to Save Money When Shopping on the Internet or Even Locally

March 30, 2012 By admin Leave a Comment

By Lisa Copen Illness is expensive! Have you noticed? Those doctor bills, medications, rehabs, equipment. . . even when you have insurance it can quickly add up to the thousands of dollars. There are a variety of steps you can put into practice when shopping on the Internet and locally. Oftentimes we get so busy buying the item we need we simply forget one of the steps and we miss out on additional savings. Here are some of the ways I have been saving extra money recently. Feel free to print this out and sit it beside your desktop to refer to before type in that credit card for anything. Ebates. You really do get a check. Like "rebates" that you have received when you have bought items in the past, you sign up at this web site … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Articles - Read, Links, Save $, What's New? Tagged With: Chronic Illness, coupons, Disability, ebates, finances, groupon, money saving tips, rebates, save money, savings

How I Use Writing as a Tool in My Counseling Sessions With God

March 27, 2012 By admin Leave a Comment

By Linda Newton I have stumbled onto a tool that has been very helpful when I get stuck and I can’t let go and let God. I have named this tool my “Counseling Sessions With God,” and here’s why. As a counselor for the past twenty-five years, I have a lot of experience with how counseling sessions flow. The client comes in, shares his/or her presenting issue, talks for a while, then expects the counselor to sum things up, and offer clarity regarding what was presented. With this pattern in mind, I idle down in my Divine Counselor’s office, under a tree, beside a rock, at my desk, anywhere in the universe will do since He owns it all. Then I put my pen to the paper and write out what is consuming my thoughts. I slow down … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Articles - Read, Coping Skills, Spiritually Struggling, What's New? Tagged With: Book of Proverbs, Books of Kings, Christ, God, linda newton, Lord, Psalms, Thought