"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds & praise your Father in heaven."(Matthew 5:16) In having "silent" chronic illnesses, such as fibromyalgia & epilepsy, I have found some people do not underst& the symptoms & feelings I experiencing, such as the deep muscle pain, fatigue or the fear constantly inside of me over when the next seizure would come. I wouldn't tell anyone. I felt all alone in the world. However, when I made the choice to change my attitude toward the illness, everything changed for the better. I prayed & lifted up my symptoms & paralyzing feelings to God. I was no longer embarrassed by not being able to do as much as other friends of mine could do. If a friend asked if … [Read more...]
The Power of Friendship
I am blessed with amazing friends & I am even luckier that they come from a wide range of backgrounds & they have a variety of interests. I have my friends from the gym who will listen to me explain why eating half of the bag of Doritos seemed like a good idea last night & who commiserate with me about the fact that the older I am, the more exercise it seems to take to maintain my body. My teaching buddies share stories & laughter about the adventures that are inevitable when dealing with children. They are there to support me on those days when I wonder out loud if Barnes & Noble is hiring because that would be so much quieter than the chaos that was my day. They listen knowingly when I tell them about the student who finally got it & … [Read more...]
Living with Chronic Pain Isn’t Fun . . . But it Can Be Funny!
I was walking through a store yesterday & overheard two women who were clerks at the gift shop speaking. The conversation went something like this: "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 … [Read more...]
Ever Feel Like Your Body is a Crime Scene?
Ever get sick of being poked or having to take your medications via a needle? When I was in the hospital for a week I was given shots every few hours & my stomach looked like a crime scene. Boy do I wish I'd had these fun little b&ages. I could have stuck a couple of these "Crime Scene: Do Not Enter" b&ages on the biggest bruises & it would have given all of the nurses a good giggle. In Genesis 21:6 it says, 'Sarah said, "God has brought me laughter, & everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.'" Go ahead & be a bit silly. Let God bring you some laughter & while you are laughing, spread it around! Do you have a favorite item like this you want to share with us? Let us know or comment below. We want to spread the laughter … [Read more...]
Don Piper Ministries Has “Hope Summit” in Texas in May
We love HOPE around here at Rest Ministries & we also love Don Piper, so we wanted to pass along this information in case you live in the Pasadena, Texas area. Don Piper Ministries is holding it's first ever "Hope Summit," May 21-22, 2010 at First Baptist Church Pasadena, Texas. Many have asked if there would ever be an event held where they could come, bring family & friends, & hear Don's messages of hope & healing in person. Don & Eva Piper, Nash 3, Anita Onarecker Wood, Pray Guillory & Nicole Flenniken! You'll receive tremendous encouragement for eternity & for this present life. Register or find additional information at the web site. … [Read more...]
Television Show w/ Lisa Airs this Week
In February I had the honor of meeting Maureen Pratt, author of Peace in the Storm, & getting to be a guest on her new television program, also called Peace in the Storm. It airs this week April 18-April 24th, & if you don't happen to get the channel (I don't either!) you can watch it online live when it airs. And even better news? It's on at least one time a day each week! Even if you do not live in North America, you can still watch too "streaming" as they call it LIVE at www.llbn.tv A little bit about the program: The first episodes of 'Peace in the Storm' began airing on LLBN TV Sunday, February 7. On Sunday of each week, a new episode airs & then re-airs Monday-Friday at a different time each day. The following is further … [Read more...]
Tools for Family Caregivers is New Program of Partners Against Pain
The National Family Caregivers Association has partnered up with Partners Against Pain, the national pain management education program, to create "Caregiver Cornerstones." Caregiver Cornerstones is a new program that offers information, encouragement, & "tools to family caregivers who are caring for loved ones suffering from chronic pain." The 4 Caregiver Cornerstones are: 1. Learning about pain management. Taking an active role in helping to manage a loved one's pain may help you feel more useful & worry less. 2. Caring for a person with pain. This includes making sure that patients receive proper assessment & follow their treatment plans. 3. Caring for yourself. Being a family caregiver can be a dem&ing job. Allow others to … [Read more...]
Inspirational Thought from Joni Eareckson Tada
We love this encouraging quote from Disability Ministry Advocate, author, speaker & amazing woman, Joni Eareckson Tada. "The fact that disabled people hang in there does something for Christians. It's not about being an inspiration for others, it more than that. . . it's a mystery. God somehow strengthens others by their faithfulness. They may feel like a burden to others, but God thinks the opposite. He thinks its necessary for others to take care of the disabled. . . they do more for one's spiritual well being than can be imagined. What's more is that it's all being credited to the disabled person's account, per Phillipians 1:25-26. If the disabled person is alone & does not meet others, they must endure for the purpose of teaching … [Read more...]
For Chronically Ill “Not By Sight” Book Offers Validation & Underst&ing
Not By Sight is a wonderful little booklet that can help friends & family to see the courage & faith that abounds in those with debilitating conditions. It gives them simple, pragmatic examples of "What to say" & "What not to say" in order to truly be a source of encouragement. This book is written by Sherri O'Connell, co-founder of Invisible Disabilities Advocate. It is full of Scripture & quotes from physicians who specialize in chronic conditions & many would say it should be a "must have" for all believers, church staff & ministry leaders. Read more here at our bookstore chronicillnessbooks.com … [Read more...]
Audio Bible is Exceptional When You Don’t Feel Well
Can't concentrate to read? Missing reading The Word? Lisa saw the promotional video for The Bible Experience at a Christian retail show & was blown away! She bought it for herself for Christmas a couple of years ago. Now YOU can watch this video below, thanks to Zondervan & YouTube. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_OCovT8Y68 It truly brings the story to life & features voices from Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett, Cuba Gooding Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Bishop T.D. Jakes, Blair Underwood, Yol&a Adams, Shirley Ceasar, Faith Evans, Kirk Franklin, & more. Do yourself a favor watch the video. It was originally priced at $50 so this is a great deal & you can listen to it in bed! Get it here. … [Read more...]
Is Your Loved One Depressed?
By Dena Dyer Is your loved one or friend depressed? If you're fairly certain they are, you are in the position to help. You're also in the uncomfortable place of trying to help someone who may not be able to (or want to) help themselves. I'm not a medical professional, & I'm not a counselor. But I am a layperson who has experienced both short-term & long-term depression, & I've been able (with God's help) to live for several years now in a mostly-sustained place of good mental health. Life isn't perfect, of course, & neither am I. Some days are better than others, & I'm not "cured," but my life is so much better--& my faith is so much stronger--than it was just a few years ago. Lately, I've been feeling that God is doing a new … [Read more...]
Carved Dove is Perfect Comfort Gift
This beautiful hand-carved dove is one of the newest items we have added to our Comfort Zone Bookstore. It is the design of Kathy Myers Nave who has lived with multiple sclerosis. The dove is similar to the much-loved Clinging Cross. One holds it in his or her hand; even for those who have hands that are somewhat deformed (like our director Lisa Copen) it still works with ease. It's a wonderful way to feel God's peace when praying or for those times one does not know when to pray. It comes packaged in a sheer lavender gift bag & then that is in a clear plastic triangle-shaped box, ready to give as a gift. It would be a great item for those who are support group leaders, elders, parish nurses, etc. to have on hand. It would be … [Read more...]
