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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

I Forgot. . . My Life is Not My Own. When You Attempt Suicide Due to Chronic Pain

March 12, 2012 By admin 3 Comments

By Claudette Palatsky It’s not a pretty story all wrapped up neatly, bow nestled nicely on top. Well, maybe it looked like that on the outside—we chronic pain sufferers understand that, “Oh, you look so good.” Looks, though, can be deceiving; appearances misleading, right? Who knows what it took just for you to get out of bed, let alone out the door, so that someone could comment on how wonderful you look behind that grimace of pain they think is a smile. You would think after more than 20 years of a right relationship with God, in service to Him, seeking Jesus, and loving His Word, that my testimony would be beautiful. So, what a shock to the friend who found me passed out, a bit of vomit on my chest, pasty, and barely … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Articles - Read, Depression, Loneliness, Share Your Story, Spiritually Struggling, Suicidal Thoughts Tagged With: can't bear the pain, Christ, chronic illness and suicide, Chronic pain, chronic pain and suicide, coma-state, considering suicide, do you go to heaven if you commit suicide, God, Good news (Christianity), grace, HolySpirit, Jesus, mental ward, Rest Ministries, suicidal, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide, thinking about suicide, You Attempt Suicide Due to Chronic Pain

Pastor Begins Web Site for Those with Arthritis

February 1, 2012 By admin Leave a Comment

Living with Arthritis is unique in that it is developed by a pastor who has Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. Chad Fisher says, “My site was developed and started out of my desire to help people living with arthritis. Having lived with this disease for over 30 years, I understand the difficulties, limitations, and pain associated with chronic illness. He truly wants to help and share his experiences to help others. He had not found in the typical arthritis web sites the attitude he was searching for. “I wanted to share from a different perspective. Most of the blogs or websites I read seemed to have a negative mood and mindset to them. I understand why, but I also know when facing an illness this kind of mindset is less than helpful. I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Links, Person w/ Illness, Share Your Story, What's New? Tagged With: Arthritis, Chad, Chronic (medicine), Conditions and Diseases, God, Health, Juvenile idiopathic arthritis, Musculoskeletal Disorders

When You Are Ill and Part of Our Military Family

November 28, 2011 By admin 1 Comment

November is National Military Family Appreciation Month and where do we even begin? Not only do these families sacrifice their time together, but they but they put their lives on the line, move their families all over the world continuously, and live on a very limited income. This life can be hard for many of us to imagine if we are healthy, but consider those moms and dads who are chronically ill; those who face the daily pain and physical limitations at we face living with illness, yet they also have a spouse who may not even be home for months at a time. Wednesday Jocelyn Green, author of Faith Deployed will share a story with us from her book about a chronically ill mom and wife who is in a military family. The article, "Worn Out … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Person w/ Illness, Profiles, Share Your Story, What's New? Tagged With: Chronic, Essential Tremor, God, Health, Japan, sensory processing disorder, Support group, United States

What She Learned Lying Down, Angela Dugi Shares Her Reflections

August 4, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Bridget Gazlay Through my conversations with Angela Dugi, author of What I Learned Lying Down: Hope for the Chronically Ill, I saw that God did indeed meet her needs during her times of devastation. She struggles with chronic fatigue, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis, and asthma, and yet God has provided for her in miraculous ways. God has used her illnesses to teach her five life lessons: First, we must gain an eternal perspective "God used my weekly trips to the cancer center to teach me that, and much more." Because she is chronically ill, she could empathize with others who were hurting. She knows firsthand (after fourteen years) how encouraging words helped her to survive when she thought she could not … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Coping Skills, Person w/ Illness, Share Your Story, Spiritually Struggling, What's New? Tagged With: Christ, Chronic (medicine), God, Gospel of Matthew, Holy Spirit, New International Version, Second Epistle to the Corinthians, West Michigan

Moments That Take My Breath Away:

June 21, 2011 By admin 1 Comment

Darlene Palermo Fatigue was taking over my body. I barely had enough energy to dress myself or prepare a simple meal. Earlier that year I had noticed other changes in my physical health. My feet shuffled along, feeling as if they were too heavy to lift, and a slight tremor moved my left hand involuntarily. I dismissed these symptoms as part of the aging process and tried to get more sleep, assuming I was just overtired. Having been out of work for six months, beginning a new job was a challenge. I suspected the symptoms were evidence of a serious disease. One month after being hired, I went to a chiropractor who suggested I see a neurologist. This doctor visit launched my battle with a condition with which I was unfamiliar. The … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Attitude, Depression, Share Your Story, What's New? Tagged With: California, God, parkinsons disease, Prayer, Psalm, Psalm 27, Southern California, The Lord Is My Light

Carrying Super Rachel – The Logistics of When Your Wife Is Chronically Ill

May 30, 2011 By admin 3 Comments

By Matt Horne Caring for a chronically ill wife is not what I had envisioned when I was working up the nerve to ask out "that hot girl" who would later become my wife. We were in college and she was on the cross country team. She let me know very early on in the relationship that she had a chronic illness. Nowadays, it's just part of life. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't know what to do with myself if she were well. There's a reason I call her "Super Rachel." On her good days, she can run circles around me--cleaning, getting things checked off her to-do list, and having tons of fun. She's amazing. On top of that, she has the greatest attitude and rarely lets her condition get her down. As her dad says, she's an "overcomer." Instead … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Cooking, Coping Skills, Love, Marriage, Organizing, Person w/ Illness, Person w/ lll Spouse, Share Your Story Tagged With: Chronic (medicine), chronically ill spouse, Dysautonomia, Exercise Physiology, Health, husband care-giver, husband caregiver, ill wife, in sickness and in health, marriage and illness, Once A Month Cooking, Person w/ lll Spouse, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome

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

Volunteer Profile: Marney Finds Encouraging Others Encourages Her Too!

April 13, 2011 By admin 3 Comments

If you are a part of our Rest Ministries Sunroom social network, odds are you have seen the name "Marney" pop up a lot! Marney is our number one "commenter" and "encourager" with the most posts of over 2500 people. I recently asked her to share a bit more about herself that I could share with the Rest Ministries family. My ministry verse is 2 Corinthians 1:3,4: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of sympathy (pity and mercy) and the God (Who is the Source) of every comfort (consolation and encouragement) Who comforts (consoles and encourages) us in every trouble (calamity and affliction) so that we may also be able to comfort (console and encourage) those who are in any kind of trouble or distress, with … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Announcements, Articles, Profiles, RM Volunteer, Share Your Story, Sunroom, What's New? Tagged With: Chronic pain, God, Jesus, Lord Jesus Christ, Marne, Prayer, Rest Ministries, Second Epistle to the Corinthians

Our Pain And Transparency Can Be a Gift to Others

February 11, 2011 By admin 1 Comment

Last year I wrote the message below in a newsletter article. I am going through some of my files from last season and as I read through the comments many of you made, my heart swelled with appreciation and joy.Together, you each encourage me so much, but you also encourage each other and so I wanted to share your comments here so others can relate and be comforted. I don't share this to glorify myself with your kind compliments, bur rather to encourage you to allow yourself to admit when you are struggling. Because see what happens? I am no different than each of you. Our story of faith and illness together is an amazing testimony. Carefully choose who to reveal your challenges with, but be willing to take of the mask off, the one … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Depression, Founder's Blog, Share Your Story, Spiritually Struggling, What's New? Tagged With: Christianity, Chronic Illness, Chronic pain, encourage, Gift, God, Jesus, Lisa, Lord, Pain, Relationships, Religion & Spirituality, Rest Ministries, share, testimony, understanding

How Do We Find the Light of Jesus When We Are Suffering? Interview with Cindy Tuttle

November 10, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

By Debbie Farmer 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 … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Books, Joy, Person w/ Illness, Share Your Story Tagged With: Christ, Christianity, Evangelism, God, Gospel of Matthew, Jesus, Religion & Spirituality, Rest Ministries

One Woman Shares About Invisible Illness – How Far Will Her Story Go?

September 21, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

When Vicki was told she could speak at her church last Sunday, she was eager to share her story, but also a bit nervous. She says, “I am not one to speak in front of a group of people but I felt led to write this and read this at church to bring awareness to our congregation of around 300.” So often we think that our story is not dramatic enough to really be a “testimony” or that the dailyness of our life with illness is not entertaining enough to share in the church setting. But more than anything people crave authenticity and Vicki stepped forward to share her story. Be sure to read the end of this to hear the response the church had. Most of you know me. My name is Vicki Glover . What some of you do not know is … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Caregiver, Church Leader, Friend Has Illness, Share Your Story, What's New? Tagged With: Chronic, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, Disease, God, Health, Illness, Invisibility, Pain

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