Can You Think of Others To Relieve Pain?

DOES THINKING ABOUT OTHERS HELP YOU COPE WITH CHRONIC PAIN? This #devotional writer shares that despite her skepticism it did just that. When you think about those around you does your pain lessen?

When we take the time to think of others can our pain really be relieved? Vicki shares how this can be possible. “When Jesus saw His mother there, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to her, ‘Woman, where is your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ From that time on, this disciple took her into his home" (John 19:26-27). “Just think of others.” Did your doctor ever prescribe that for pain relief? Who can even think of others when in pain? Recently, I had dental work done. Some of you might wince just at the thought--for good reason. The pain is merely the beginning of what elicits such fright. Financial fear hits when the work is done. You leave with a numb face and an empty wallet. … [Read more...]

Small Groups Provide Support Through Illness Journey

HAVE YOU STARTED A CHRONIC ILLNESS SUPPORT GROUP? One woman shares how it has blessed to her have taken this plunge and how she loves seeing how God provides for the members of her group, sometimes just through the friendships of one another. #supportgroup #illness

Leading a support group for the chronically ill may be the last thing you have considered taking on. But if you feel the nudge from God, don't ignore it. Laura explains. “Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be.” (Job 8:7) It’s the group no one wants to join but we are all happy to have met. It is comprised of 11 women and two men, ranging in age from mid-30’s to 60’s. We talk, share, nod, listen, pray, eat, and cry. We have one main thing in common--chronic illness. We are a HopeKeepers group which I began recently with a friend at church. I would never have dreamt of started such a small group, but my path has taken this turn and I am excited. I had worked nearly half my life as an elementary … [Read more...]

Remembering To Give Comfort Even When We Are in Pain

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While coping with chronic pain the last thing we may feel like doing is to give comfort to someone else. But that is often when the Lord uses us the most. "But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in Your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for He has been good to me." (Psalm 13:5-6) Summer is a time when my husband and I are very busy with volunteer work at a Christian Conference Center. We really enjoy our helping and feel so fulfilled as we feel we are doing the Lord's work as we watch so many young people grow in their faith. I start out the morning feeling so alive and full of joy. As the day goes on and I have been on my feet for a long time, the pain from neuropathy gets severe and the constant burning and … [Read more...]

How to Handle Hurt Feelings In Health Social Networks

HOW TO HANDLE HURT FEELINGS IN HEALTH SOCIAL NETWORKS: Health social networks can be a tremendous support for the chronically ill, but they can also be a source of many hurt feelings. How do we prevent this? If you have ever been on a health social network, chances are you have had your feeling hurt. It comes with the territory of people being in pain, on and off new meds, lacking sleep and short fuses. Great article if you have a #invisibleillness

Health social networks can be a tremendous support for the chronically ill, but they can also be a source of many hurt feelings. How do we prevent this? By Lisa Copen The Internet has provided us with a support community environment of online health social networks that are unique and always available. In the illness community, it is no surprise how helpful it can be when you are awake at 3 AM and there is someone online who is also awake due to pain. However, with this easily accessible health social networks of people also comes the frustrations that typically occur with our in-person relationships. Add to this, the fact that many people are not feeling well and may be moody, in addition to the likelihood that people are much more … [Read more...]

Community Outreach Illness Scenarios Teaching Tool

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Community outreach is more than just vacation bible school and Christmas programs. Read through these illness scenarios to see how your church can improve their community outreach and pastoral support for people in the church. By Lisa Copen Community outreach seems to be a common goal of many churches, but it often gets stuck on Christmas programs or vacation bible school. But community outreach, as well as support within our church body, is vital to the lives of so many people. Have you seen the T.V. show, "What Would You Do? With John Quinones"? In it, they have actors set up a situation and then wait to see if anyone gets involved. Do people stand up for the "underdog"? Will adults buy teens beer? Will people stop a drunk parent … [Read more...]

Bring a Meal and Make is Special With Free Printable Labels

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When one is chronically ill, and a friend wishes to help her, the first thing that comes to mind is to bring a meal. In fact, since the most popular gift to bring is a meal, I wrote the book, Beyond Casseroles: 505 Ways to Encourage a Chronically Ill Friend to get people to think beyond food. Sometimes all we can think of is to bring a meal! Why is that? Well, a meal is a gift of comfort. And even though we --who are chronically ill--may be physically able to cook, it takes a burden off of us so that we can use the energy we would have spent cooking doing something else. I have discovered that many people who cook for the chronically ill and offer to bring a meal to them, are actually ill themselves. Though it is easy to understand new … [Read more...]

52 Ways to Encourage a Chronically Ill Friend

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If you are looking for ways to encourage a friend who is living with a chronic illness, dealing with a lot of pain, or even fighting cancer, this article is a great starting point to think creatively! Get the "Beyond Casseroles" book for 505 ways! By Lisa Copen Excerpt from Beyond Casseroles: 505 Ways to Encourage a Chronically Ill Friend - Please do not reprint without permission or reword a few of the ideas and post as your own article. We've seen quite a few out there and appreciate you linking back to the source here. Thanks! "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 … [Read more...]

Loss, Grief and Mourning Books: Christian Resources

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Are you in a season of grief and mourning? Have you suffered a loss? Here are a list of top Christian books that address these emotions. Grief and mourning, loss. They are such a simple words yet holds sooo-o-o much emotion, don't they? To compile this list of grief and mourning books, 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 Gift of Mourning Glories by Georgia Shaffer about her journey with cancer and … [Read more...]

Have You Ever Made a “Mentoring Mistake”? VIDEO

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This is a great video of Jennifer Rothschild, founder of womensministry.net (who happens to be a former "cover girl" of our own HopeKeepers magazine that we once had. She is blind and shared some great encouragement with us). Here, with her friend Alicia, they discuss three mentoring mistakes many of us make. There is one tip about choosing to be"Clark Kent" -- not Superman? What is this about? It is a great reminder about not having to show the people we are mentoring us without the scars. Have you ever made a mentoring mistake? Have you delegated too much, or maybe not enough? Have you committed to mentor someone and then were not able to follow through? If you are able to confide in us, we promise not to judge because we have all … [Read more...]

New Book In Store: Stronger Still: A Woman’s Guide to Turning Your Hurt into Healing for Others

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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...]

Thinking About Suicide Website Offers Hope Through Depression

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When you feel like the world is closing in you can actually start thinking about suicide. Lisa shares why she thinks a new Christian web site that addresses suicide is needed. I recently have had the honor of joining a group of Christian women who are writing for a blog ThinkingAboutSuidicide.com. Started by Christian author and speaker, Linda Evans Shepherd, this blog features a daily post on topics related to people who may be thinking about suicide. It is for anyone, those who have recently lost a job, a loved one, health, whatever and offers hope through depression. I recently wrote about this new blog on 3/30/12, New Thinking About Suicide Blog Offers Eternal Hope. Some of you, however, missed this post and then wondered why I was … [Read more...]

What I’d Like to Tell The Pastor About Living with Illness

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If you had the opportunity to sit down and really share about your pain, what would you tell the pastor of your church about your chronic illness and daily pain? Lisa Copen 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 … [Read more...]