Overwhelmed

52 Ways to Encourage a Chronically Ill Friend

May 2, 2012 By admin 3 Comments

By Lisa Copen Excerpt from Beyond Casseroles: 505 Ways to Encourage a Chronically Ill Friend Please do not reprint without permission "A good friend is a connection to life - a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world." ~Lois Wyse Ask, "What events in your life are changing and how are you coping with the changes?" Understand that she lives in a constant state of making decisions for which there is no guarantee that she is making the right choice. Put meals in disposable containers and attach a note saying "This doesn't need to be returned." Add stickers to envelopes for a cheerful touch. Arrange for your friend's kids to have a night with your children. Don't make a person into a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Articles - Read, Beyond Casseroles, Books, Caregiver, Coping Skills, Explaining Illness, Founder's Blog, Friend Has Illness, Friendships, Need to Know, Overwhelmed, Person w/ Illness, Person w/ lll Spouse, Support Group Leader, What's New? Tagged With: 50 ways to encourage a chronicall ill friend, 52 ways to help an ill friend, beyond casseroles, Catherine Marshall, Christian, Chronic, God, Health, how to help a sick friend, how to help an ill friend, Illness, lisa copen, ministering to a seriously ill friend, Rest Ministries

The Top Christian Books About Grief and Loss

April 27, 2012 By admin Leave a Comment

Grief. It is such a simple word yet it holds sooo-o-o much emotion, doesn't it? A few months ago someone at Rest Ministries asked me what books I would recommend for some different areas of grief, and in looking at my list from years past, I realized sadly that many of them had gone out of print. So I started compiling a new list. To add to the books I was aware of, I asked a group of Christian women authors of a group I am part of, AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association). They eagerly told me what books they recommend to people (many of them are also counselors), and what books they had written of specific areas of grief. Some of these books we have even carried in our Rest Ministries bookstore over the years such as, The … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Books, Church Leader, Depression, Friend Has Illness, HopeKeepers Resources, Loneliness, Overwhelmed, Person w/ Illness, Support Group Leader, What's New? Tagged With: A Grief Observed, advanced writers and speakers association, awsa, books on grief, God, grief, Grief Loss and Bereavement, husband, Illness, loss of child, loss of loved one, Pain, resources on grief, Rest Ministries, San Diego, Suicide, widowhood, wife

Devotion: Facing The Long Haul Of Chronic Illness

April 18, 2012 By admin 1 Comment

“And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.” (Colossians 1:10-12) Chronic illness is not a sprint--it’s a long haul. Hence the “chronic." Sometimes that seems so hard to face. The fact that we can look at the future knowing that we may not improve, can bring those feelings of depression as we struggle not to be overwhelmed. As Christians, we can look forward … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Devotionals, Overwhelmed, What's New? Tagged With: Christian, Chronic, daily chronic pain cope, daily-ness of illness, God, Health, how can i deal with this illness, how will i cope with this disease, illness is so daily, Kindle, Lord, Melbourne, Sunroom

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

What is the Purpose of Trials In Our Lives? Sermon Offers Encouragement

April 3, 2012 By admin Leave a Comment

"The promises of God are what give us hope in the midst of affliction. . ." Pastor Thorn As we approach Easter, I understand that many people are feeling it hard to rejoice. If God is love and cares about us, why are we going through such physical pain and other hardships? I recently came across a sermon at entitled "Trials (Part 1)" given by Pastor Joe Thorn at Redeemer Fellowship. It looked like a good one and I asked Debbi Farmer if she would listen and let me know her thoughts. Below is her review on this podcast sermon that you can listen to here on Trials. It is an MP3 file. If you hear a fantastic sermon on suffering, illness, pain, etc. that is available to listen to online, feel free to write up what it is about and why it … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Depression, Overwhelmed, Podcasts, Spiritually Struggling, What's New?, Worry Tagged With: Chronic pain, Easter, hardships, Illness, online sermon, Podcast, purpose in suffering, redeemer fellowship, Sermon, sufferers, trials, what is joy, why does god allow suffering

When We Suffer: A Biblical Perspective on Chronic Pain and Illness

March 20, 2012 By admin Leave a Comment

by Mary J. Yerkes Why we suffer may always remain a mystery on this side of eternity. We can, however, glean certain truths from God's Word. If God loves us, why do we suffer? Christian or not, it's a question that comes up repeatedly during times of grief and tragedy. In times of distress, we want to know that our suffering matters to God and that He cares about our pain. "Sometimes a fresh word may, in fact, be a very old one," write Joni Eareckson Tada and Steven Estes in When God Weeps: Why Our Sufferings Matter to the Almighty1 "Truths that are timeless often need only the 'time' brushed away in order to reveal the polished patina that has gleamed all along." Pastor Tim Hager, an associate minister in the Washington D.C. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Overwhelmed, Spiritually Struggling, What's New? Tagged With: Biblical Studies, Christ, Christianity, Essential Tremor, Evangelism, God, Isaiah, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Joni Eareckson Tada, military chaplain, Religion and Spirituality, Second Epistle to the Corinthians, suffering

Clever Idea! Make a Pill Box Out of a Crafty Bead Box

March 7, 2012 By admin 2 Comments

Are your medications and vitamins overwhelming you? I have 4 pillbox holders that I fill up 2 weeks at a time for morning and evening. But all the other bottles have been disorganized. And as much as I try to stay up on getting refills, some are last minute or I even miss a day. None of them seem to run out at the same time. We have a "drug drawer" in the kitchen with a lock. But as the rest of the family has added vitamins and medication over the years, my medications have suddenly become mixed in with everyone elses. So every time I spent 5 minutes going through 15 bottles looking for a particular one I think, "There has got to be a better way!" And. . . There is! Check this out! Can you guess what it is? It is a bead … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles - Read, Founder's Blog, Hobbies-Crafts, Organizing, Overwhelmed, Videos, What's New? Tagged With: Christian, Chronic Illness, chronic illness tips, guide to organizing your medicine, how to organize your medication, make a pill box out of bead holder organizer, medication, Medicine, organize, pill box, pillbox, prescriptions, Rest Ministries

Worship Artist, Matt Krueger, Shares His Story of Heart Condition on CBN

July 20, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

We shared the story of Matt Krueger previously on our web site in April 2011. His story was recently on Christian Broadcasting Network. Matt says, "They did a great job on the piece! We are blessed to share God's story with the World and are interested in sharing the music and message with more. . . I never thought I would be on the same program as John Tesh or Pat Robertson... LOL. God works in wonderful ways." At the age of 22, when Matt had a heart scan, he was told by his doctors he needed immediate surgery or he could have a heart attack. He married his girlfriend, and at the age of 27 had 6 stents inserted into his heart to open up the blocked arteries. This is a beautiful 5-minute video I encourage you to watch. You will be … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Overwhelmed, Person w/ Illness, Profiles, Videos, What's New? Tagged With: CBS, christan broadcasting network, Heart disease, heart scan, matt krueger, musical artist, musician, Singer, stents, stroke

Poem: The Gift of Pain

May 4, 2011 By admin 2 Comments

By Cindee Snider Re The Gift of Pain Physical, emotional, chronic – Consumes, swallows, saps, Drains. Connecting, responding, Reaching out Requires more Energy, Effort, Emotion, Than the pain sometimes allows, Leaving me separated, isolated, Alone. Words lie flat on printed pages – Unclear, Obscure, Perplexing. Thoughts drift, wander, Swirl out of reach, Refusing to make sense, Take shape, Opaque, Leaving me wordless, Isolated, Alone. Pain is difficult to define, Describe, color, Number, name, A formless image, A vapor, a mist, A mirage That dissolves, dissembles, disappears As I try to capture it in words, Wanting it to be … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Overwhelmed, Poems, Spiritually Struggling, What's New? Tagged With: Emotion, Father God, God, God the Father, Health, Lisa Saunders, Medical Specialties, Medicine, Pain, Pain Mgmt & Illnesses, Soul, Support Groups, Teachable

Depth in Relationships and Life, Part 3 of 3 with Mary Yerkes

April 29, 2011 By admin 2 Comments

Yesterday Mary Yerkes wrote about how simple living can be found when remove some of the clutter and truly make our surroundings less cluttered. Today she writes about how important our relationships are and how to keep them a priority. By Mark J. Yerkes, The Simple Life, Part 3 of 3 Depth in Relationships and Life Of course, no discussion of simple living would be complete without addressing relationships. Relationships matter. A lot. I met with my friend Robbie for lunch this week, and the issue of relationships came up. He made an observation that captivated me. He said many of us go through life like skipping stones. Do you remember skipping stones as a child? The pastime involves throwing a stone with a flattened surface … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Coping Skills, Organizing, Overwhelmed, Person w/ Illness, What's New? Tagged With: Christianity, God, Health, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Religion and Spirituality, Simple Life, Simple living

Removing the Clutter: Part 2 of 3 with Mary Yerkes

April 28, 2011 By admin 4 Comments

Yesterday Mary Yerkes wrote about how simple living can be found when we start moving all of the different parts of our life in the same direction. Today she writes about how to turn our home into a sanctuary. By Mark J. Yerkes, The Simple Life, Part 2 of 3 Removing the Clutter Personally, I've made several significant changes to my life over the past year, all of which fall under the category of moving toward a more simple, meaningful life that supports my life purpose and gives me the time and energy I need to focus of what I value most. I have not yet arrived, but I am headed in the right direction. Here is the first significant change I've made over the past year, along with the benefits this, and the change I share with you … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Coping Skills, Organizing, Overwhelmed, Person w/ Illness, What's New? Tagged With: Christ, clutter, declutter, Emory University, Frans de Waal, God, Health, mary yerkes, Simple Life

The Simple Life: Intentional Living for the Chronically Ill – Part 1 of 3

April 27, 2011 By admin 2 Comments

By Mary J. Yerkes, Part 1 of 3 Simple living can seem elusive. In a world focused on achieving and accumulating more and bumper stickers that read, "He who dies with the most toys wins," the reality of simple living seems like some pie-in-the sky ambition, a trend. Despite the proliferation of products, books, magazines, classes, and organizational systems guaranteed to simplify our lives, most of us continue to hurry through live, pursuing activities and making purchases that ultimately add to life's clutter. There has to be a better way. As my rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmune diseases have worsened over the years, my desire for simple living has grown. It has become a quality of life issue for me; and if you live with chronic … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Coping Skills, Organizing, Overwhelmed, Person w/ Illness, What's New? Tagged With: Arthritis, Chronic, Chronic Illness, Coaching, Conditions and Diseases, God, Health, Illness