Reflection

What Do You Want Your Faith-Legacy To Be? Donna Has an Idea with Scrapbooking!

May 1, 2012 By admin 1 Comment

Scrapbooking Your Faith 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 … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Articles - Read, Hobbies-Crafts, Joy, Loneliness, Ministry - Personal, Profiles, Reflection, Statistics, What's New? Tagged With: chronic illness. scrapbooker, faith-based scrapbooking, faithbook, keepsake, memories, purpose in illness, scrapbook legacy, Scrapbook Your Christian Faith: The Beginners Guide to Scrapbooking Your Spiritual Legacy, scrapbooking christian faith, Scrapbooking Your Faith: Layouts That Celebrate Your Spiritual Beliefs

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

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

Healing Words

August 22, 2011 By admin 6 Comments

Deanna Nichols "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 … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Joy, Reflection, What's New? Tagged With: Chronic, Conditions and Diseases, God, Healing, Health, Illness, Lord, Psalm

Finding Calmness in the Lack of Chaos

August 4, 2011 By admin 5 Comments

I can't seem to find my voice. I usually have so much to say, thoughts that must get down on paper. But I cannot think in complete sentences. Nothing seems worth saying. A ten-day trip rejuvenated me. . . and exhausted me. I want to cocoon into my own world for a few days. Oddly, I can. My son is at day camp. I have nothing I must do. My husband works late. No need for dinners. Mac and cheese. Peanut butter. Popcorn. I know. Not the best meals. But sometimes every mother just says, "Why not? What harm will it do to have popcorn for dinner?" My email program is broken. I am running a "restore feature." It's been running two days. I can't go through the normal routine of "back to work." It's seems foreign to not have … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Founder's Blog, Reflection, This is Me, What's New? Tagged With: Bible, California, Facebook, God, Jeremiah, Rest Ministries, San Diego, United States

RM Founder Shares How Her Health Advocate Passion Stems from Rheumatoid Arthritis Onset

June 21, 2011 By admin 1 Comment

I recently posted this blog but somehow the video code was eaten up! I've added the video I spoke of below, and if you cannot see it you can view it here, "Illness Advocate's Passion Stems From Onset of Rheumatoid Arthritis." Last fall a popular health activist organization had a video contest asking us to share our journey about being a health advocate. I didn't win, but taking the time to share about my story of how I went from a stirring for illness ministry to where Rest Ministries is today was a winning experience! Here I share about how I originally thought I would work for a non profit organization, but after my diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 24, I began my own "health promotion activities," by starting Rest … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Advocacy, Founder's Blog, Reflection, Videos, What's New?, Working Tagged With: activist websites, advocate medical, American College of Rheumatology, Arthritis, Conditions and Diseases, Health, health advocate, health mission, Musculoskeletal Disorders, Rest Ministries, Rheumatoid, Rheumatoid arthritis, Rheumatology, Treatment

Cherish And Records Your Life’s Memories This Summer

June 8, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Denton Harris I spent yesterday at the hospital bedside of a very close friend who had a stroke that left him completely blind. We spent hours reminiscing about our many years together, and I learned a lesson which I am passing on to you. My friend had just celebrated his 85th birthday. He was in the D-day invasion in World War II, wounded and later taken prisoner by the Germans. He has a wonderful wife and family. As he lay there, staring sightlessly at the ceiling, he said, "So many things I'd planned that I'll never get done." Tears flowed as he talked (I had a few also but he couldn't see them). "I can never see my children and grandchildren and all the things they are doing. I can't watch them become adults." "I have a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Hobbies-Crafts, Person w/ Illness, Reflection, What's New? Tagged With: Corregidor, Corregidor Island, Friendship, Germans, God, Marines, United States Marine Corps, World War II

Testimony: Why Do Churches Need HopeKeepers Small Group Ministries?

May 27, 2011 By admin 1 Comment

In coming months I will be sharing more of your testimonies about your involvement in small groups, the Sunroom, on Facebook, daily devotionals--wherever Rest Ministries has touched your life. Print, audio, or videos are all welcome if you're interested in sharing. Lisa From a woman we will call Samantha, who has been a part of a HopeKeepers in Southern California that has met for over 10 years. I was a young Christian woman, just starting my career, newly in love, and full of hopes for the future. Then, one day, chronic pain entered my life and set up a long-term stay. Now, over 20 years later, I live in constant severe pain. Do I have many moments of questioning, tears and frustration? If I said I didn't, I'd be giving false … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church Leader, Need to Know, Reflection, Share Your Story, Support Group Leader, Testimonies, What's New? Tagged With: Christ, Chronic pain, DVD, Facebook, God, Pain, Rest Ministries, Southern California

What Adventures Has Your Illness Brought To You? (Other Than Familiarity With Medical Stuff!)

March 30, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Bridget Gazlay recently started writing a monthly column for her community newspaper and she is able and eager to share it with us too. So often we only see the losses that can accompany our diagnosis of a disease, but just as Bridget shares, you never know the possibilities God has in store for you, even within the illness itself. Lisa By Bridget Gazlay According to Gallup's daily poll of 1500 Americans, 54% felt our economic outlook is getting worse (February 2, 2011). There is no doubt about it; these days are hard. And being that I am a young single person it's even tougher - especially since I am also chronically ill. My life has many ups and many downs, but my life is never dull, that's for sure. I am also an Administrative … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Reflection Tagged With: Administrative Assistant, Chronic (medicine), Endometriosis, Fibromyalgia, God, Irritable bowel syndrome, Michigan, West Michigan

A Different Kind of Mom: Making a Difference at Home and in the World for Christ

March 24, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

I remember sitting at my first MOPS meeting for Mother's with Preschoolers. After years of waiting to have a child, my husband and I had been blessed with a newborn through adoption. The irony is, all of the moms at the table had new babies. We needed support way before our children reached preschool age! Our of about 10 of us however, I found is disheartening to hear all but myself and another mom say, "Don't you just hate being a parent some days?" Gasp! And these were Christian women. "All I feel like is the maid and the cook" they shared. Looking back, now I realize that I was still in some of the "bliss" of motherhood." Yet, ironically, the only two of us who were content at the moment were both working at home--in the middle of the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Adoption, Advocacy, Articles, Founder's Blog, Hobbies-Crafts, Ministry - Personal, Parenting, Reflection, What's New? Tagged With: Child, Christ, Christian, christian faith, Family, God, lisa copen, Ministry, mission, moms on a mission, moms with missions, moms with purpose, MOPS, Mother, mothers of preschoolers, Parenting, Rest Ministries

Poem: Coping with My Pain

March 20, 2011 By admin 1 Comment

By Debra Kay Micetich Coping with my Pain The pain most times I am able to bare; Yet there are times, I fail to share. I try to be strong, til it goes away; In tears with faith, I kneel to pray. As I set my mind on the Lord above, My heart is filled with so much love. Knowing He is always caring for me, Safe with Him I know I'll always be. As my thoughts turn from pain to Him, I forget the pain I once felt within. Thank you, Lord, for helping me once more, On the wings of your love, I freely soar. By Debra Kay Micetich, 12/05/2010. Debra has suffered with chronic pain and clinical depression due to scoliosis. She shared the following with us here at Rest Ministries: I have been receiving your e-mails for some time. I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Poems, Reflection, What's New? Tagged With: Chronic pain, God, Health, Jesus, Lord, Pain, Pain Mgmt & Illnesses, Rest Ministries

What Has Chronic Illness Taught You? Here Are a Few Things I’ve Learned

June 18, 2010 By admin 3 Comments

Duncan Cross of the Patients For a Moment Blog Carnival recently asked us to answer this question "What have you learned about yourself, your illness, & other sick people?" Well... this could be not only an entire book, but a volume of books. So where does one start? Rather than going deeper with this question I'm going to simply answer it off the top of my head & will see what I come up with. I have learned that people often ask "Is it hereditary?" not out of ignorance but because there is some part of them that wishes to rule out the possibility that they could get the illness themselves. I have learned that people who are ill are just like everyone else. We still have dreams, we still have moments when we are grumpy, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Founder's Blog, Person w/ Illness, Reflection, What's New? Tagged With: Blog carnival, Child, Chronic (medicine), Chronic Illness, Conditions and Diseases, Duncan Cross, God, Health, Illness, Learning, lisa copen, Rheumatoid arthritis, Shopping, Wheelchair