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10 Tips to Avoid Your Illness Support Group Becoming Depressing

February 3, 2012 By 2 Comments
smileb

If you live with a chronic illness or chronic pain, the odds are that you have at least tried a support group once since your diagnosis. Did the situation go something like this? You felt awful the entire day but you decided to get in the car and go to the support group anyway. You thought it would be good for you. It took forever to find the building at the hospital and then you ended up parking what seemed like a mile from the suite number. You found a chair that smelled like old sweat and smoke and hoped somehow you would find some encouragement. But an hour later you're ready to make dash for the door. Everyone seems to be so depressed! And too many people want to either sell you a juicer that is sure to cure your problems, or … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Church Leader, Need to Know, Our Best Tips, Support Group Leader Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Q&A: How Can I Let People Know Their Perfume is Making Me Sick?

January 5, 2012 By 7 Comments
fragrance

I have Multiple Chemical Sensitivities and when people who are wearing perfume want to hug me they transfer their scent to my clothing! How can we let people know that their perfume is having the opposite intended effect on some people? That to someone with MCS, their perfume is about 20 times more intense and nauseating! I'm not comfortable saying, "Hi there! No offense, but your perfume makes me gag! No, I can't sit next to you!" If I were king, I'd lump perfume with cigarette smoke and ban it in public places! Sorry you perfume lovers-- nothing personal. I am just trying to breathe and be healthy. --Semi-silent sufferer, attending church on-line Dear Semi-silent sufferer, You are definitely not alone! Although many assume this … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church Leader, Coping Skills, Help! Q/A, Invisible Illnesses, Links, Person w/ Illness Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Find a Church That Understands Disabilities

January 4, 2012 By 1 Comment
churchfriends

If you are looking for a church that is more likely to understand your physical limitations, including illness, cancer, or disabilities, Joni and Friends is an excellent resource. This international Christian ministry has an updated list of churches around the USA who have shared their desire to create an environment that welcomes those who may be "differently-abled." To enter your zipcode into the search engine click here. You may also want to visit our HopeKeepers map to see if there is a church near you who has a HopeKeepers group that serves the chronically ill. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church Leader, Links, Need to Know, Parent of Ill or Disabled Child, Person w/ Illness, What's New? Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

What To Do For Those Who Are Hurting When You Don’t Know What To Do

November 17, 2011 By 2 Comments
laundry-do

As the holidays approach more people than usual are looking for ways to reach out to help a hurting friend. Sadly, this shouldn't be a seasonal event, but something we do all year round. But most people just don't know how to do that reaching out! Well, thanks to a wonderful book we don't have that excuse any longer! One of my all-time favorite books is The Art of Helping: What to Say and Do When Someone is Hurting by Lauren Littauer Briggs. In fact, I am very honored to have a section in it for those with chronic illness. But the whole book is helpful for those of us who, well, care. And it is one of the few books I believe should be on the desk of every pastor and church secretary! So much so that when it was first published we … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Books, Caregiver, Caregiving, Church Leader, Friend Has Illness, Holidays, Medical Professional, Need to Know, Person w/ lll Spouse, Support Group Leader, What's New? Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

In Response to Pat Robertsons Statment on Alzheimer’s and Divorce

September 16, 2011 By 16 Comments
woman-on-beach

I was shocked to hear such a bold statement from Mr. Pat Robertson, 700 club host, who, on Tuesday's broadcast, justified that a person should not be held accountable for leaving his spouse and seeking divorce if his spouse has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. In this scenario Mr. Robertson has shown the world that one's personal comfort, especially in the case of having a spouse with a chronic illness, is more important than the marriage vows of "for better or for worse, until death do us part." The religious broadcaster Pat Robertson and chairman of the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) told his "700 Club" viewers that divorcing a spouse with Alzheimer's is justifiable because the disease is "a kind of death." During … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Caregiver, Caregiving, Church Leader, Founder's Blog, Marriage, Person w/ lll Spouse, Videos, What's New? Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

How Do You Explain Living With Illness to Your Church?

June 28, 2011 By 3 Comments
06-28-beyond-casseroles

"I want to be able to share the ups and downs but not sound like I am complaining. . ." "I've read about people who are presenting to their church staff about chronic illness, but that makes me too nervous. . ." "A deacon came by to visit me last week and she told me I looked fabulous and that the tests I had to have later that day were 'no big deal.' I wish I could gracefully give her some tips, but I don't want to hurt her feelings." We have a wonderful new tool! A DVD with 24 tips of 2-3 minutes each that are perfect for a church staff to watch. You could give a copy of this DVD to the women's ministry director, perhaps the pastor's wife who you heard is chronically ill. Encourage your congregational care team to watch a couple of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Beyond Casseroles, Church Leader, RM Shop E-flyers, What's New? Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
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