By Debbi Farmer

One of my favorite hobbies is scrapbooking. I have so many memories that I want to keepsake for others to enjoy down the years. I am often looking for new resources to add to my scrapbooking technique. Perhaps that is why I found this book and web-site to be so fascinating and wanted to share it with you.

Scrapbook Your Christian Faith: The Beginners Guide to Scrapbooking Your Spiritual Legacy by Donna Riner Weber is just one of those many treasures that you have to share with all of your friends. I recently interviewed Donna Riner Weber about her book and website and discovered for myself how to scrapbook my Christian faith.

What is Donna’s story?

One crisp, cool Friday afternoon in September, Donna flipped off the lights in her classroom. She thanked God for the week, her students, and for the upcoming weekend. She didn’t know that she had just taught her last class ever.

Donna had been living with chronic lung diseases which caused her to live a life of doctor’s appointments, medicines, and hospital visits. But with God’s help she had continued to teach.

This time this episode with her illness things were different. This time her life changed. She would never return to her teaching job again. You can read more here on her web site…

Donna, can you tell use about your book and what it is about?

Scrapbook Your Christian Faith: The Beginners Guide to Scrapbooking Your Spiritual Legacy by Donna Riner is presently an e-book (and soon to be in-print book) and was written to help newbies come to understand “how to Faithbook.”

I’m sure you’ve heard the old saying “everyone has a story to tell.” And then there is that old cliché “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Now if you put your words and your pictures together, what do you have? A precious heirloom for your loved ones.

Now, in addition to your words, add some verses from God’s Holy Bible. And now what do you have? A powerful, precious, priceless, love letter for your loved ones and those who will follow you—a keepsake that will last many years longer than you live here on planet earth.

For the Bible tells us “So will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed. They’ll do the work I sent them to do, they’ll complete the assignment I gave them.” Isaiah 55:11 (The Message)

When I was new to Faithbooking, I was totally overwhelmed. I tried and tried to find resources but at that time I could not find the right book that would provide me with the help I needed. I did not understand the scrapbook language, the tools, and supplies. I didn’t even know what an embellishment was. It was all confusing, and yes, overwhelming to me.

Yet I wanted to do this. . . I wanted to learn how to leave my spiritual message for my son and granddaughter and other future descendants.

You may be thinking, “instead of going to all this trouble couldn’t you just use a journal?” Yes, you can and perhaps that is the way God will lead you. However, if you take a photo of your grandchild, add some of your own words and then add a scripture beside it, he/she will likely take the time to look at it, read your comments and also read that verse.

Numerous Bible verses instruct us to pass on stories of God’s presence in our lives. Some include:

• “One generation shall praise your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.” Psalm 145:3-4 (NASB)
• “Write this down for the next generation so people not yet born will praise God…” Psalm 102:18 (MSG)
• “One generation makes known your faithfulness to the next.” Isaiah 38:19 (TLB)

Knowing this, I realized I wanted to help others learn how to leave their Spiritual Messages for their loved ones without having to go through all the searching and frustration I went through.

So, tell us what you did.

I wrote Scrapbook Your Christian Faith to help beginners to faithbooking learn how to:

• Express love for their family in a priceless keepsake
• Influence the Spiritual Future of their children/grandchildren
• Have a unique way of telling others about Jesus

Scrapbook Your Christian Faith helps the reader seize their opportunity to begin working on one of the greatest gifts they can ever leave their loved ones.

What kinds of stuff does the book teach?

It is about 98 pages and it teaches:

• Basic tools and supplies needed for beginners
• How to incorporate scriptures, prayers and stories into the Faithbook layouts
• Step-by-step lessons on matting and paper piecing
• Examples to jazz up titles
• Scrapbook language

I understand you have some freebie stuff too.

Yes! Readers who would like to learn more are invited to come over to http://www.ScrapbookYourChristianFaith.com. There they can sign up for Free Five Faithbook Lessons. They will also receive Free Faithbook Bits and Pieces approximately once a month.

Ms. Weber; besides a lack of resources, what else inspired you to write this book and start a Faithbook ministry?

“For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good. . . to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 (TLB)

Over the years Jeremiah 29:11 became “my verse.” I often wrote it on napkins for waitresses, scratch pads in hotel rooms, and on mini-cards, shared it with students and preached it to my son. I really believe that as long as we are here on planet earth that God has a plan for us.

This became very confusing to me as my chronic illness and pain caused me to stop teaching. I felt so frustrated, depressed, and non-productive. I would lie on the sofa and cry day after day and ask God but “What is your Plan for me?”

I knew it wasn’t to lie around on the sofa and wait to die. I kept praying that questioning prayer. “What is Your plan for Me?” What is it that a person like me with a chronic illness and daily pain can do?

God did not immediately answer my question—like I wanted Him to. Rather He began to give me little steps and as I took one step He revealed another one to me.

• First, I began to feel God wanted me to write down stories of how He had been faithful to me and my family.
• When my cousin, Nora, from Chicago came to visit our family, she brought her scrapbook. As I flipped through the beautiful pages, I thought it was so wonderful but I’m not able to do that. I’m not an artist. (I didn’t realize it at the time, but God had planted a seed in my heart.)
• I didn’t know what to do with the stack of stories I had been writing. After praying about it, I became interested in going to Christian Writers Conferences.
• That scrapbooking seed God had planted earlier started to sprout. I had never been interested in creating a scrapbook—but I had this notion that I wanted to go to a class and check it out.

These steps happened over several years. And I still did not realize God was going to call me to combine these new interests. As I learned to create scrapbook layouts I discovered a very vital part of my life was not included in the album. They did not show my relationship with God.

How could I solve that problem? I had written some stories, but how can I put them into my layouts?
I attended Christian Writer’s Conferences and Scrapbook classes and conventions. I learned from each one—but nothing taught me how to mesh these two concepts. And I began to search for books to help me combine these new interests. At that time, I could find only 5-6 that were even slightly related to what I wanted to do and none of them solved my problem.

At that point I felt called to write the guide book that I had needed— one that explained how to include our Christian faith in scrapbooking. The result was Scrapbook Your Christian Faith—The Beginners Guide to Scrapbooking Your Spiritual Legacy.

When did the web site come to be?

I learned that in order to market this book I needed a web-site. This was yet another new learning experience for me. But God has continued to lead me step by step through this exciting journey. It is one that I travel at my own pace—a rather slow and at times tumultuous one because of my chronic illness and daily pain.

It amazes me because I did not realize where God was leading me and I still don’t. Even though chronic illness and daily pain keeps me from being what I consider a “normal person” on the work force, I still know that God has a special plan for me—and I anxiously await the next step!

This sounds like a totally fascinating way to scrapbook your family memories! What do you think our readers from Rest Ministries can gain from learning about faith-booking?

I pray that others—especially those like me who are in a different season of their life now because of chronic illness and chronic pain—will be inspired to create their Spiritual Legacy. I pray that their Faithbook will touch the hearts of their loved ones and others who will follow them and that ultimately their scrapbooks about their Christian faith will make a difference on earth and in eternity.

Thank you. And how can our readers get the faithbook lessons?

I would like to invite the readers of Rest Ministries to visit http://www.ScrapbookYourChristianFaith.com and sign up for the “Free Five Faithbook Lessons”. In addition they will receive approximately once a month Faithbook Bits and Pieces which will cover tips, techniques and various related topics on Faithbooking. This is also free. My book is scheduled to also be published in print book form by early fall.

You had mentioned to me you would love to hear from our readers at RestMinistries.com. How can they reach you?

When they contact me, please ask them to identify themselves from Rest Ministries and let me know that they also have chronic illness/pain. I would love to pray for them. They can write to me at donna@ScrapbookYourChristianFaith.com.

I also would appreciate their prayers as I continue to learn and expand this ministry—that it will always be one that honors Our Lord.

Thank you so much for sharing with us Ms. Weber! Your book and web-site sounds exciting and I personally look forward to learning more about Faithbooking my Christian life through your great resources.

You can follow Donna on Twitter @FaithScrapper . Did you catch her article last week here at Rest Ministries You Are God’s Messenger Today For Someone Who is Hurting?

Debbi Farmer, a part-time writer in North Carolina, loves art and finding great resources. She shares her life with her family more creatively now thanks to the Lord’s wonderful and sufficient grace. She suffers from several illnesses including Fibromyalgia. She wishes she could give you all a cheerful hug today and share with you a tiny morsel of hope.

I have a friend who is having a fun Saturday morning get together right now. 10 AM. A morning with the gals. A “retiring from 9-5″ party for someone starting her own business.

I should be there.

Rheumatoid arthritis keeps getting in the way. Everything within me is sitting beneath the surface, ready to erupt grief, frustration, anger, sorrow.

My husband has been snoring for years, worse all the time. Gasping for breath. He finally fills out the paperwork for a sleep study. A rep drops off the gadget he should wear at night. “I will be back tomorrow morning to pick it up,” he says. But that night I tell my husband it’s not a good night. My neck is flaring up. I can’t sleep on the couch. I can’t stay awake all night. I can’t not tell my husband to “Roll over!” He literally needs the bed. I want these results to be accurate.

The next morning I text the rep. “Can we keep it until Monday?” “Yes,” he texts back. “But have him do it 2 nights.” Two nights? Well, we’ll see.

Friday night. My husband gets the gadget all ready. He says, “I’m sorry.” He sleeps. He snores.

I read . . . and read.

Finally I move to the couch and prop myself up. 1 AM. . . 2 AM . . . I can hear him gasping for breath from the other room–which is good. The machine is recording it.

I can’t lay down on the couch to sleep. I try. It’s going to destroy my shoulders. So I do a puzzle on my ipad.
3 AM. 3:15. . . 3:30. I finally go to the bed. I lay there as he snores. I want to slug him. I love him, but I still want to slug him.

3:40 “Honey, I am sorry but I have to sleep. Can you go to the couch?” He gets up and leaves with a pillow. He is immediately asleep, snoring. I lay there. 4 AM, 4:15. I ache everywhere. Finally I drift off. . . I hear my son. My husband had gotten up to get him something and come back to the bed. “What time is it?” I ask. “7:45.”

7:45. And I can’t even lift my arm to scratch an itch on my head. Can I do it? Can I go? I think to myself. Oh, Lord, I really want to go. It will be so. . . fun! I just want to have fun! If I sleep till 8, shower, leave by 9ish to be there at 10? Can I drive? The shower alone will exhaust me. What can I wear that would look nice? Everything I have is for the 15-pound less me. I can’t deal. . . I go back to a half-sleep–grieving that I have to make a decision. And yet, if I face reality, the decision has already been made.

8:10. Last week I got up. By 10 AM I was at my son’s karate graduation. I just wanted to do something for me! I cry out internally. God, why do the things I want to do for me never seem to work?

I had no choice about last night. The rep said two nights. I have to sleep Sunday night. I have to be at the infusion center Monday morning at 8:30 AM. I have to sleep Sunday night.

I have to prioritize the things I do. But why does my illness always have to be the first priority? I have to get the infusion. It has to be 2 weeks after the previous one. My husband has taken the day off work because I have to have someone else drive me. The insurance has paid out $12,000 for it. Other options didn’t exist. I have to be there.

My life is a series of “have to.” I have to sleep, or at least commit to trying to sleep. I have to get my medication. I have to. What about me? What about my joy? Don’t I have to embrace joy? Should not I only be compelled to have joy, but insist on it?

I am sad. So sad. I email my friend at 8:30 to tell her I can’t come. Last night I was nearly throwing up from a medicine reaction again and yet I was at a store trying to find a little gift. All pointless. Why does God allow my illness to eclipse the joy I grasp for?

I hardly have any friends. Truly. People would think I am kidding, but I somehow missed out on connecting with other women in my thirties. I was busy with ministry. . .and survival. And now, at 43, I am trying to start over. Turn women I know and admire into actual friends. They get together frequently. I keep missing them. Book release parties, girl’s night out, birthday parties. . . How does one deepen the relationships when she is too sick to participate in lunches and get togethers?

My son is demanding this morning. I explain to him mommy is moody because I didn’t get to go to my friend’s party. My husband gets up. He says he will take Joshua to karate. He even says he will take him to Legoland later for the “Brick-or-treat” event. He doesn’t remember I had plans. He doesn’t know I am grieving. I am too sore to go back to bed. Too sad to do anything else.

And I am lonely, because no one knows I am grieving. No one realizes mommy had something today that she was really looking forward to. That she sacrificed. That she was forced to surrender. That she is sick of being sick. That the tears are right under the surface waiting to break through.

The guys get ready to leave. My husband says goodbye at the door. “I really . . . I’m really disappointed I didn’t get to go this morning,” I blurt out. For some reason I need him to know I am sad.

“Oh, that’s right!” he says coming back in. “Did you just not feel you slept enough?”

“I didn’t sleep, my body is flaring, I couldn’t drive,” I say, the tears form on my lashes. What I want to say is, “I gave up my joy so you could do your sleep test. Every time I have plans something gets in the way!”

But he gives up plenty for me. . . all the time. And I don’t always even know. And I was the one who insisted he do the sleep test. Long term, it could help us both sleep better. And even if he hadn’t been doing it my body still could have easily turned against me like it has done thousands of mornings in these 18 years of disease.

“What time did it start?” he asks, likely wondering if there was any way he could take me.

“A half hour ago.”

I see his expression of Oh. “You aren’t mad at me are you?” he asks.

“No, you had to do that last night. I have to sleep Sunday night, there weren’t enough nights.”

“I’m sorry,” he says and kisses me goodbye.

The tears come, my son is waiting and watching. My husband knows I need a hug. He hesitates.

“Go,” I say, “Just go, I’m fine, go. . .”

“I love you,” he says. My son has to get to class. He goes.

And I write.

I can write. Or I can cry. . .

Actually, I can write while I cry. Feel it, release it, surrender it. Sometimes I deplore the emotions the illness brings to light. Pity, dependency, neediness, validation. I don’t want to need these things.

I have to choose whether this sadness will suffocate me or simply be a pale blemish on life.

Joy must come through the passageway of grief, but I will not be engulfed by it, even if my disease tries to botch my plans. I will find joy. Somehow. Somewhere.

I will choose defiant joy.

Lisa Copen is the founder of Rest Ministries and she lives in San Diego with her husband and son. She is gradually learning how to balance motherhood, family, illness, and ministry, but she still knows it will be a lifetime lesson. You can see the books she has written, including, Why Can’t I Make People Understand? at the Rest Ministries shop.

“The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” -Proverbs 12:18

Yesterday I had a great conversation with a health and fitness coach with whom I recently started working. Not only did she give me some great ideas to work toward my personal goals, but I also found myself leaving the conversation with a lot more hope than I’ve felt in a long time. It’s interesting I should be so hopeful because I’m really having a tough time physically right now. And we also spent a fair amount of time discussing my past history of chronic illness, a topic that usually drains me and makes me sad.

Instead, she was able to focus on the accomplishments I’ve made in the past two years toward a healthier me.

I later realized my coach did a simple yet powerful thing: she used her words to bring healing–healing to my spirit and even to my body. After we spoke I was more inspired to remain on the path of a healthy lifestyle, and I was so energized by hope that I went ahead and started my new exercise program that I’ve been putting off for months because I didn’t feel well enough to try. Which, in turn, inspired me to eat healthy and work out again today. And maybe I’m imagining things, but my current flaring health symptoms seem to be better too.

Recently I’ve had a lot of reckless words spoken into my life and my health situation. Well-meaning family members, friends, and doctors have said things that to some degree, robbed me of hope, faith, and joy. It’s been a fierce battle in my heart to fight off the constant barrage of negativity their words created. What a contrast with my experience yesterday!

This is a great lesson for all of us. Before we share that “helpful” idea or something “the Lord laid on our heart” that our loved one “needs” to hear, let’s ask ourselves if we are planting seeds of hope and healing or if we are truly piercing them with the sword of our reckless words.

“Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.” (Psalm 141:3)

About the Author: Deanna Nichols is a woman of faith searching for purpose in the midst of a lifetime of physical illness and pain. She has been diagnosed with narcolepsy with cataplexy, polycystic ovarian disease, Hashimoto’s thyroid disease, and many others. Her chronic illnesses make it impossible for her to work or even drive, so she is mostly home-bound. She is on the Board of Directors for her family’s commercial lawn maintenance business, is an avid reader and book reviewer, and uses social networking to encourage people with chronic illness, educate those without illness, as well as to share what she’s learned regarding natural health. She lives in Northeast Florida with her husband of 12 years and their 5 furry children. Read Deanna’s blog A Fragile Faith.

“There is a time for everything. . . a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1a, 4)

My sweet mama was one of the funniest people I’ve ever known. Her battle with rheumatoid arthritis began suddenly at the young age of thirty, when I was just four years old. I don’t remember a time in my life when she was without pain.

Within just a few years of diagnosis, she began to have surgeries. First, to replace her right hip, then her left knee, then her toes. She knew what it meant to suffer physically. Yet, one of the things I most admired about my mom was her determination to thrive, to be happy in spite of her circumstances, her determination to truly live.

Tim Hansel wrote one of her favorite books, published in 1985. “You Gotta Keep Dancin’” became her motto, and she began purchasing the book of the same name for anyone she knew who might be struggling physically. She loved the subtitle: “In the midst of life’s hurts, you can choose joy!”

Now, mom didn’t actually know how to dance, but she certainly chose to love the Lord with all her heart, to love life, and she certainly chose to live it joyfully. She got a pretty big kick out of herself. I guess that was how she coped.

Long after my excruciating decision to leave home and start a life of my own, I’d receive daily phone calls. “You are not going to believe what your brilliant mother has done this time,” she’d declare in her most serious, sarcastic voice. Then she’d go on to elaborate upon whatever silliness she’d gotten herself into that day.

How in the world could someone so racked with pain learn to live life with such joy. . . with such laughter?

Let’s be honest, life is tough. Few people know it better than those of us who suffer with chronic illness. Without even realizing it, the seriousness of life can so take hold of our hearts and minds that we forget what it feels like to experience gut-wrenching laughter–whether at ourselves, or something else that would have previously left us in stitches.

When was the last time you allowed yourself to experience that kind of laughter?

Did you know that it’s even physically beneficial to laugh? Studies show that laughter boosts the immune system, gives the body increased energy, releases endorphins in the brain (those natural “feel-good” chemicals which actually help to relieve pain), and improves blood flow through the veins. This, in turn, protects the heart. The best thing about it is laughter is absolutely 100% free of charge–ours for the taking. So, what’s stopping us?

God gives us lots of reasons to laugh with joy

Our Great Physician allowed much to be said in scripture about the subject of a happy heart:

• Proverbs 15:13 “A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.”
• Proverbs 15:15 “All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.”
• Proverbs 17:22 “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
• Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
• Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.”

Jesus wants us to have a joyful heart, my friend, and nothing quite boosts the spirit like laughter. Regardless of our circumstances in life, it’s possible to find something worthy of praise.

You have a song to sing, whatever your circumstances

Author and storyteller Joan Walsh Anglund (A Cup of Sun, 1967) put it so beautifully:

“A bird doesn’t sing because he has an answer. He sings because he has a song.”

Sweet one, if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, you possess within you the most precious treasure the world has ever known. You have a song to sing!

That song will manifest itself in our lives in all sorts of ways-and for the Christian, a joyful heart ought to be at the top of the list. Let us not get so wrapped up in our circumstances that we forget what it’s like to laugh and enjoy life. It’s contagious, after all.

Like my mom, we often need to look no further than our own lives for a little inspiration. “Blessed is he who has learned to laugh at himself, for he shall never cease to be entertained.” -John Powell

Tami Nantz lives with celiac disease. You can find her at Life Outside The Breadbox, a site she recently started to help others who are struggling with this disease learn to live the gluten-free lifestyle in a gluten-filled world.

“LemonAid Crutches”(TM) is the first company to create lovely designer crutches in rich, vivid colors and gorgeous, expressive fabrics. Being on crutches can be a sad, depressing experience, but this store makes it a bit more enjoyable and a whole lot more cheerful.

On the LemonAid Crutches (TM) web site it shares, “No one wants to be on crutches. They hurt your hands, they hurt your arms and they certainly hurt your sense of style.

Many have tried to tackle the challenge of adding comfort to an uncomfortable item, but duct tape and washcloths look…well…tacky. That’s why we created designer crutch-wear that’s not only comfortable, but fun and fabulous looking.”

Founder Laurie Johnson’s personal testimony to this fact makes one realize that a little bit of encouragement can go a long way in the face of a major crisis. In August of 2002, Laurie was in a small plain crash that took the lives of her husband and small son. Laurie survived, but she found herself with broken legs and was confined to using crutches.

After the first year on crutches, Laurie and her sister decided that a little cheering-up was in order, and they began by painting Laurie’s crutches a bright color! By her second year on crutches, Laurie had mastered her technique of covering the crutches’ pads with vivid colored materials and thus the beginning of “LemonAid Crutches (TM)” was born.

One cannot imagine the devastation another one goes through when losing family members in tragic circumstances. Laurie says that she had much support to help her pick up the pieces of her life even when her life was absolutely shattered beyond repair!

Though living in devastation, Laurie started a “non-profit” foundation called “Step with Hope.” This foundation offers assistance to others who are coping with profound loss in their lives.

What a wonderful place to go to discover that something as “sad” as being on crutches for a prolong period of time can actually be turned into a fashion-statement. Why not check this place out if you know someone on crutches?

A little encouragement and cheering up can go a long way in helping someone recover from pain. And . . . if you personally are one of those who have to endure crutches for awhile, perhaps this is the web-site for you. You might find your ideal look and sense of style, making your crutches fashionable and not nearly as depressing while supporting a fantastic cause in the process.

Have you ever decorated, embellished, or painted an assistive device? Tell us about it in the comments section! How does it make you feel? What is the response of others who see it?

Debbi Farmer is a part-time writer and small business owner who loves to find wonderful sites that encourage the broken-heart. She shares, “My heart goes out to those who are suffering from profound loss such as Laurie went through. I cannot even imagine that kind of pain, but I realize even through the familiar pain of illness, the Lord is so good and I have so much to Thank Him for!”

I recently had the blessed experience of chatting briefly with book author Cindy Tuttle, who has written “Joining in the Dance of Life” and recently released “Finding the Light of Jesus” both available at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.

I feel privileged to share this interview with you about her new book.

Cindy, please tell us a little about yourself and what inspired you to write “Finding the Light of Jesus.”

Thank you, Debbi, for letting me share “The Light of Jesus” with you. I have been honored to have worked with people with severe mental illness for over twenty-five years. I’ve also worked with adults and children who were profoundly retarded and people who are elderly living in long term care hospitals. They taught me so much about how to live our faith.

As a child I was sexually abused and almost killed by two teenagers. Because of that and other abuse I went through some very rough times. Getting counseling and my faith brought me through and I am SO grateful!!

I have been involved in many ministries in my church including lecturer, choir, home visits, prayer leader, religious education, Eucharistic minister, etc. I completed four years of lay ministry classes.

I have been fortunate to have been published in thirteen periodicals and have a book recently published called Finding the Light of Jesus by Crosslink Publishing.

As I mentioned I am so grateful for what Jesus has done for me.

I would be constantly yearning for love from others. That is why I wrote Finding the Light of Jesus. To share what I have been given with people who might be hurting and/or want to grow in Christian faith.

What is the key message in your book that you would like your readers to grasp?

The key message is – no matter how we feel or what situation we are in, Jesus calls us to be His beloved child. Once we experience this love we then have a strong desire to live the love we have been given.

Has your background in human services, as well as your lay-work in Spiritual retreats influenced your thoughts in your writing? If so can you share a little with us “How you feel this to be the case and why”?

They have had a strong influence in my writing. The spiritual wisdom I have learned from people with severe disabilities is incredible. They have taught me what is really important. What we need is not necessarily what we want. What culture says is important at times is not the truth. When people have severe pain as the people have in your ministry, they find the true gifts that give life and love.

In facilitating my spiritual retreats one person was at the beginning stages of dementia yet the care and respect given her by the other people at the retreat and the spiritual wisdom she shared I will never forget. She seemed so grateful that she was being heard and the love given her. Her smile during the retreat still warms my heart every time I think of it. She wasn’t seen as a patient but as our brother and sister in Christ. What a wonderful day that was! Experiences like this helps shape my writing.

What made you chose the title: “Finding the Light of Jesus”?

I chose the title because the light of Jesus is everywhere and sometimes we may forget how close His light is. To me His light is compassion, strength, faith, and the eternal light of our soul. Experiencing or finding that light is joy beyond words. I never tire of hearing people tell of these experiences. In fact that might be my next book.

Finally to round up, Can you let our readers know “why” you feel they should purchase your book and what they might expect to gain as a result?

We all feel lonely at times and have challenges in our faith and trying to live out our faith. Finding the Light of Jesus offers a variety of ways to help us in our faith. The prayers settle our hearts and souls so we are open to read the reflections in a prayerful mindset. I give suggestions on how we can live our faith and also provide pages for journalism. I have prayers towards the middle of the book for times when we are lonely.

I also have a part called “Conversations With Jesus.” I provide a dialog of some of the feelings we have and how Jesus might respond. If you want a book that includes spiritual reflections, prayers that touch the soul, clear suggestions for living our faith, and a book that is ideal for prayer groups, support groups, churches, religious education, and Christian social service programs, this is the book for you!You can find the link on www.cindytuttletheauthor.com. If you are a group leader this is a very helpful book for a lesson plan and reflection questions and prayers that will generate a prayerful environment and spiritual insight.

To discover more about this Cindy and her new book please visit her web-site and click here to view the promo from her book: “Joining in the Dance of Life”

Debbi Farmer is a retired homeschool teaching mom, who presently has opened her fun-dream “small business” even while facing many health challenges in her life. Debbi has worked many years with Rest Ministries in both the “Beyond Surviving Homeschool” forums as well as writing devotionals for the “Chronic Illness” forum. She has had many short stories, devotionals, as well as poems and gospel songs published over the years, and is now presently enjoying life with her husband of almost 30 years, walking where the Lord leads us.

By Carol Gray

I have hated nursing homes ever since I toured one as a girl scout in 1978. It was difficult being an eight-year-old girl walking the hallways, passing rooms of the dying. I wondered, did I actually sign up for this? Did I really bring home a permission slip for this field trip? What was the sales-pitch by the scout master, oh yeah, I would get a patch…those darn patches!

The “Service and Citizenship” patch would be the reward for entertaining the elderly for the day. I remember thinking that most of them did not look at us with sentiment, only desperation; as if they wanted us to help them escape the inevitable.

How depressing.

I took that patch and hid it away in my drawer hoping to forget about the entire experience.

In 2008, some 30 years later, I had to step back into a nursing home for the first time since that terrifying event. My grandmother-in-law was dying. Realizing I may never get to say one last goodbye, I had to enter this place.

I sat in the parking lot breathing deeply with flashes of those Girl Scout memories. It is funny what memories do to the brain because I swear the smell came back to me before I even opened the door to the building.

When my hand reached onto the corroded brass door handle, a miraculous feeling came over me. I had a sense of power. It was as if the anxiety seeped out of me and onto the welcome mat.

I knew this was God, but why?

As I strolled down the hallways, those same hallways showing the dying in just about each room, I felt love. As I saw a man with one leg in a wheel chair in the hallway scooting down the hall with that leg, I felt love.

As I heard a woman screaming because she was in too much pain to move just a centimeter on her side in order to get her shot, I felt love. Not fear, not anxiety and definitely not thinking about getting a patch. I knew this was God. . . again I thought, why?

I found grandma. She looked emaciated and tired. Cancer was devouring her, yet she was aware of who I was. I sat down by her side, held her hand, massaging her paper thin skin. With the power that came over me at the front door of the nursing home, I blurted out to her “Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior?”

Now I know why. God’s power is such a beautiful thing.

To my surprise she replied, “I can’t, I can’t. . . I have done too many bad things in my life.”

I told her God knows everything you have done, yet He loves you anyway.

I asked again, “Will you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior?”

She said YES, vigorously!

We then prayed together.

I left there with an enormous amount of peace, never wanting to forget this experience. I plan to volunteer my time at nursing homes now.

Only God can take away fears and anxieties turning them into triumph. Wow, what a patch my Scout Master has given me. Except it is not hidden away in some drawer, it is embroidered on my heart.

Grandma died the next day, no doubt hanging out with her personal Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen!

Carol Gray resides in Fishers Indiana, a suburb of Indianapolis. She is a recent graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University where she went back to get her degree, 20 years after entering the work force. Carol loves to write, is an avid blogger, and is currently working on a Christian children’s book with her 12-year old son.

I recently had the blessed experience of chatting briefly with book author Cindy Tuttle, who has written “Joining in the Dance of Life” and recently released “Finding the Light of Jesus” both available at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble. I feel privileged to share this interview with you about her new book.

Meet Cindy Tuttle, Author

Cindy, please tell us a little about yourself and what inspired you to write “Finding the Light of Jesus”.

Thank you Debbi for letting me share “The Light of Jesus” with you. I have been honored to have worked with people with severe mental illness for over twenty-five years. I’ve also worked with adults and children who were profoundly retarded and people who are elderly living in long term care hospitals. They taught me so much about how to live our faith.

As a child I was sexually abused and almost killed by two teenagers. Because of that and other abuse I went through some very rough times. Getting counseling and my faith brought me through and I am so grateful!

I have been involved in many ministries in my church including lecturer, choir, home visits, prayer leader, religious education, Eucharistic minister, etc. I completed four years of lay ministry classes.

I have been fortunate to have been published in thirteen periodicals and have a book recently published called Finding the Light of Jesus by Crosslink Publishing.

As I mentioned I am so grateful for what Jesus has done for me. I know of no other way to thank him than sharing the compassion and encouragement He has given me with others. Any gift he has given me I feel is to be given away. In one of my prayers I mention how when I come to him when I die, my heart will be empty because all my love will have been given away. Of course some of it to me, because without taking care of myself there would be nothing to give away. I would be constantly yearning for love from others. That is why I wrote Finding the Light of Jesus. To share what I have been given with people who might be hurting and/or want to grow in Christian faith.

What is the key message in your book that you would like your readers to grasp?

The key message is – no matter how we feel or what situation we are in, Jesus calls us to be His beloved child. Once we experience this love we then have a strong desire to live the love we have been given.

Has your background in human services, as well as your lay-work in spiritual retreats influenced your thoughts in your writing? If so can you share a little with us “How you feel this to be the case and why”?

They have had a strong influence in my writing. The spiritual wisdom I have learned from people with severe disabilities is incredible. They have taught me what is really important. What we need is not necessarily what we want. What culture says is important at times is not the truth. When people have severe pain as the people have in your ministry, they find the true gifts that give life and love. In facilitating my spiritual retreats one person was at the beginning stages of dementia yet the care and respect given her by the other people at the retreat and the spiritual wisdom she shared I will never forget.

She seemed so grateful that she was being heard and the love given her. Her smile during the retreat still warms my heart every time I think of it. She wasn’t seen as a patient but as our brother and sister in Christ. What a wonderful day that was!!! Experiences like this helps shape my writing.

What made you chose the title: “Finding the Light of Jesus”?

I chose the title because the light of Jesus is everywhere and sometimes we may forget how close His light is. To me His light is compassion, strength, faith, and the eternal light of our soul. Experiencing or finding that light is joy beyond words. I never tire of hearing people tell of these experiences. In fact that might be my next book.

Finally to round up, Can you let our readers know “why” you feel they should purchase your book and what they might expect to gain as a result?

We all feel lonely at times and have challenges in our faith and trying to live out our faith. Finding the Light of Jesus offers a variety of ways to help us in our faith. The prayers settle our hearts and souls so we are open to read the reflections in a prayerful mindset. I give suggestions on how we can live our faith and also provide pages for journalism.

I have prayers towards the middle of the book for times when we are lonely. I also have a part called “Conversations With Jesus”. I provide a dialog of some of the feelings we have and how Jesus might respond. If you want a book that includes spiritual reflections , prayers that touch the soul, clear suggestions for living our faith, and a book that is ideal for prayer groups, support groups, churches, religious education, and Christian social service programs, this is the book for you!

You can find the link on www.cindytuttletheauthor.com. If you are a group leader this is a very helpful book for a lesson plan and reflection questions and prayers that will generate a prayerful environment and spiritual insight.

To discover more about this Cindy and her new book please visit her web-site and to view the promo from her book: “Joining in the Dance of Life”

Debbi Farmer is a retired homeschool teaching mom, who presently has opened her fun-dream “small business” even while facing many health challenges in her life. Debbi has worked many years with Rest Ministries in both the “Beyond Surviving Homeschool” forums as well as writing devotionals for the “Chronic Illness” forum. She has had many short stories, devotionals, as well as poems and gospel songs published over the years, and is now presently enjoying life with her husband of almost 30 years, walking where the Lord leads us.

I did something today that is weird for me to do. I’ve never done it before and likely never will again.

I called a local radio show. He’s a local pastor who does a two hour call in show where you can ask questions about the bible, religion, or anything like that. I called in to ask him “how should Christians respond to chronic illness?”

He asked me in what context and I told him that I had many people telling me that I’m not healed because of unbelief and so on. He got fired up over that. Really, he was mad that people professing to be Christians would ever say such a thing, let alone believe it.

In part I knew the answer to the question, I know how I believe Christ would want us to act, but I called in mostly for those who might say such a thing to someone. Hopefully hearing our little five minute converstation on the air will stop them from hurting another one of our brothers or sisters.

I was so thankful for his very biblical response. He made it clear that faith had nothing to do with whether we are healed or not. He used several examples in the bible. They were ones that I hadn’t thought of before and very helpful.

I especially liked that for those who don’t catch on very well he used the example of someone with glasses (poor eye sight can’t be healed?) telling me to “have faith.”

He also started out by saying that “Everyone of us has a chronic illness. It’s called age”. He explained that age eventually kills all of us, so ths chronic illness has a 100% mortality rate. Why aren’t we asking to be healed of that? Makes you think a little. (smile)

Jessica has a web site for her church’s HopeKeepers group, Highlands Ranch HopeKeepers

Evidently the fat of the bacon will pull out the infection. I have to admit, I’ve seen it work. . . But for those of us with not-so-hot immune systems, I wouldn’t recommend putting a piece of bacon on your toe. (Nor leaving it in your sock, where your dog can pull it out & eat it & have to go to the vet &. . . well, that’s a whole other story).

But look what we found as a humorous alternative? Bacon & egg b&ages! Yeah, we know this post likely won’t help you grow in great depths spiritually, but we hope it brings a smile to your face. We can all use a few more giggles, right? We know scripture tells us “Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh” (Luke 6:21),. But go ahead & laugh TODAY! I guarantee you’ll feel a little bit lighter inside!

• Do I put my keys in this section or that?
• Where would my sunglasses best fit?
• My lip gloss?
• My wallet?
• My pain meds?

Suddenly, I am overwhelmed by the project & push it aside. What happened to the anticipation of having a new purse? It has fallen victim to fibro-fog.

There are other times when my illness steals my joy before I ever have a chance to experience it. I decline an invitation to an art exhibit because I do not know the way. (MapQuest is not helpful if I have never driven the streets before.) I reschedule or cancel a dinner date because I cannot drive in the dark. Many restaurants are off limits simply because they are too noisy. I could continue my litany of complaints against this chronic disease & never come to the end.

But my life consists, not about what I can or cannot do trapped in this life sentence, but rather about what God can do in my life in spite of this chronic illness. For how does one identify God’s presence if all tasks are seamless, all relationships happy, all journeys simple? God cannot be found amongst the banners decrying my accomplishments, but in the frustrations of enduring the fragmentation of my day. And living with chronic illness is nothing if not surviving moment-to-moment living!

So the new purse sits in the pile of other projects beyond my reach at the moment. As long as I remember that. . .the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4b) these frustrations will pass.

The next time I find myself in tears because I must give up yet another simple pleasure, I will remember to not lose heart: “For our light & momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Cor 4:16-17). And, my fellow sufferer, the reward for living our circumstances with our loving God will certainly outweigh our temporary trials.

Jonnie Wright, is the author of The Silver Bullet: God’s Rx for Chronic Pain & Choices: Managing Chronic Pain which are both available in the Rest Ministries store, The Comfort Zone.

“She was recently diagnosed with MS, but she is doing really well. She has a really great attitude.”
“Well, she must be in remission then if she has a good attitude.”
“No, I don’t think she’s in remission. She has just decided to take whatever life throws at her & try to have best attitude possible.”
“Well, most people go into remission when they have MS. It probably can’t be that bad.”

It took everything in me to walk by & not jump in & share exactly what I thought of the one woman’s perception of chronic illness. One of the more difficult parts of illness is learning to live with chronic pain when no one believes you. The medical statistics on people living with chronic pain continue to skyrocket to 26% of the American population.*

When people train for particular events, like athletes who prepare for the Olympics, they may learn to live with a new set of challenges & daily struggles, such as striving for goals that are currently just out of their reach. Eventually, the event does take place, they perform to the best of their ability, & then they’re able to get on & redesign their life in the way they desire. They no longer have to force themselves into places of daily physical pain in training.

For those of us who live with the constant struggles of chronic illness, that are often accompanied by chronic pain, we come to underst& that despite our amazing attitude, our body may still not get better. In some cases the chronic pain may in fact get worse! Chronic illnesses are oftentimes degenerative. Once our body has started to break down, we are more susceptible to additional illnesses, infections, or health challenges.

Speaking with a friend this week who had a terrible loss that she will never completely recover from, I told her that you can get to a place in life where you feel that God is good & that God is in control. You believe that God will never leave you or forsake you. BUT. . . The same time you have a parallel feeling that life is simply miserable!

One would say that if you are a Christian, you should never feel that life can be that terrible because we have the promise that there is a God who cares about us. But we also believe that there is a heaven. No amount of wishing will make this life we live here on earth become a heaven.

Having a positive attitude will make your chronic illness experience considerably easier. Not only on yourself, but also on your family & those around you. It can be very difficult living with someone with chronic severe pain. But it is a cliché to tell someone to just cheer up or think happy thoughts & they will feel all better. “Going to your happy place” in your mind will not necessarily heal your body. But having a sense of humor about it will indeed lighten you load.

I recently spoke at my church about how to find hope when you’re feeling hopeless. There is an excerpt from the presentation in video form below about the humorous parts of living with a chronic illness & the side effects of medications such as prednisone, which I am currently taking. (Please don’t e-mail me & tell me I shouldn’t be taking it. I know. I have been trying to get off of it for years & there is much involved in the process [smile]).

My presentation does have a great deal of encouragement of the spiritual nature, but you’ll find in the video below, that this excerpt is simply to help people laugh.

We already know that chronic illness can be miserable. So can we squeeze a few moments of giggles in there too? Yes!

When speaking to people who live a chronic illness, I don’t ever want to get up in front of the room & watch everyone’s faces fall as I describe how to difficult living with illness is. Instead, a few laughs can quickly make them feel a connection with me & the people beside them as I describe the funny parts of illness. It lightens our heart so we can listen better, feeling we are among peers, & not at a college course we have to “get through.”

Is living with chronic pain fun? No.

Can living with chronic pain be funny? Absolutely!

In my presentation below I mentioned a T-shirt I saw that said “I used to be nice to. Now I am just fun to watch.”

Chronic pain may take away many things in our lives such as our activities, our ability to commit to doing things with friends, or even sleep. But it can’t take away our sense of humor, & laughter may be the best form of chronic pain therapy. People who are daily coping with chronic illness in a child already realize this. Sometimes as adults we forget. And if we are a parent with children still in our home, humor is a wonderful tool in helping children cope with a parent with chronic illness.

So the next time you feel like laughing about something, go ahead & do it. Many people are single & living alone with chronic pain. Don’t feel as though your pain should prevent you from having enjoying your life or laughing alone without someone to laugh with you.

There may likely be days where the only thing you really smile about are your new b&ages that say “crime scene” or that you are stuck in a chair until your knee goes back into place (my life this week.) Go ahead & laugh!

“Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God— soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God.” (Psalm 43:5 The Message)

* According to the National Centers for Health Statistics, more than one-quarter of Americans (26%) age 20 years & over – or, an estimated 76.5 million Americans – report that they have had a problem with pain of any sort that persisted for more than 24 hours in duration. [NOTE: this number does not account for acute pain] . Statistic provided by the American Pain Foundation.