bible study Archives - Rest Ministries - Chronic Illness and Pain Support

Community Outreach Illness Scenarios Teaching Tool

May 11, 2012 By admin 1 Comment

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...]

Filed Under: Advocacy, Articles, Articles - Read, Caregiver, Church Leader, HopeKeepers Resources, Need to Know, Parent of Ill or Disabled Child, Person w/ Illness, Support Group Leader, What's New? Tagged With: bible study, Church Leadership, community outreach, Illness, John Quinones, pastoral care, teaching tool, what would you do, What Would Your Church Do? Illness Scenarios Teaching Tool

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

April 18, 2012 By admin 1 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

Devotion: God Cares About The Little Things in Our Life

January 2, 2012 By admin 4 Comments

"In all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight," (Proverbs 3:6) The week before New Years one of the ladies in my chronic pain Bible study suggested we do a jigsaw puzzle on New Year's Eve--actually, New Year's Eve Day--I mean, who would ever want to stay up until midnight? Four of us agreed; and we set time and place and who would bring what. Then the waiting began. And as it did, each of us became more and more excited. Emails and telephone calls flew as the hour approached. We were just so happy to be able to do something that felt like a party, where we could eat and drink junk food, and be well enough to do it! So we met at my house, giggling in our pajamas and slippers. We ate something healthy before … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Devotionals, What's New? Tagged With: Bible, bible study, God, holiday, Jigsaw puzzle, New Year, New Years Eve, Puzzle

Devotion: Speaking the Truth of Scripture to Ourselves

August 3, 2011 By admin 1 Comment

“It is written: ‘I believed; therefore I have spoken.’ With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak.” (2 Corinthians 4:13) Negative self-talk is real weakness in me. Whether it’s fear about my “pain of the day,” discouragement about my inabilities, battling with depression, or countless other things, many of my thoughts do not fit the description of victorious Christian living. I am currently working on the Beth Moore Bible study Believing God. She mentions the effectiveness of verbally speaking God’s Word. Of course God’s Word is active when we read or meditate on it silently, but there is something very powerful in verbally speaking His truths. Satan cannot read our minds but he can hear … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Devotionals, What's New? Tagged With: Believing God, Bible, bible study, Christianity, God, God the Father, Religious text, Satan

Devotion: Freedom to Trust God’s Decisions for Our Lives

July 4, 2011 By admin 2 Comments

"If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36). We live within a few hours of various military bases. I have often thought of the problems I would have experienced in that career because of my difficulty in following orders and directions without understanding their reasons. This attitude has created numerous problems in both my personal and spiritual life. Over the years it has been hard to accept the ongoing pain and physical problems that God has allowed in my life. I have felt that if I were given an explanation of why this was happening and understood it, I could accept it much more easily. Thankfully my faith and trust in God and His decisions is increasing, but many times I still struggle. As we celebrate … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Devotionals, What's New? Tagged With: bible study, Christianity, Evangelism, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Lord Jesus, Religion and Spirituality

Announcement Of This Week’s Goodie Bag Winner

June 16, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

"That is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each others face," (Romans 1:12). I have thoroughly enjoyed the comments that many of you are leaving for all of us here at Rest Ministries following the devotionals and other articles and such. As Romans 1:12 states, we here at Rest Ministries are all mutually encouraged by your faith. And here, among friends and people who understand, there are times we are even encouraged when you're not feeling cheerful. Why? Because even when you are pouring out your heartache, you entrust us to be gentle with your emotions and we know that we are not alone in our dark and isolated evenings when everyone else is asleep and seemingly comforted. This week I randomly chosen Margaret S. to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Announcements, Devotionals, What's New? Tagged With: bible study, Christ, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Prayer, Rest Ministries

Goodies Bags Each Week for Commenters! Why Do the Devotionals Now Have a Question at the End?

June 1, 2011 By admin 3 Comments

Have you noticed in the last week that now each devotional has a question following it? Why? Because we care about your opinion! There are a lot of places people share their thoughts through Rest Ministries such as Facebook or in the Sunroom, but we would love to hear your specific reflections on some of the ways that the devotionals make you think a bit more than usual. Over 5000 people receive the daily devotionals and we believe that we can learn a great deal ourselves (the Rest Ministries writers and volunteers) through hearing how you have grown. Some of you may receive these devotionals by email each day, some via the Amazon Kindle e-reader, others through a Facebook or Sunroom link, etc. But just click on the title and it will … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Announcements, Devotionals, What's New? Tagged With: bible study, DVD, Facebook, God, Lord, Religion and Spirituality, Rest Ministries, Rheumatoid arthritis

Rest Ministries Opens New Shop! $5 off $25 Coupon

April 4, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

I have opened a new Rest Ministries Shop! After 6 months of working on our shop, I am thrilled to announce it is now open! It is much easier to use and will have constant updates of new features to make shopping easier too. We've added a few new goodies and the more serious stuff (Bible studies) is coming soon! See the bottom of this flyer for links to the specific products listed. As always, thank you for you support of Rest Ministries. . . Lisa PRODUCT LINKS: Rest Ministries Calling Cards | Book: Being Sick Well | Hope Endures Small Tote/Purse … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Announcements, RM Shop E-flyers, What's New? Tagged With: Bible, bible study, Christ, Christian, Christianity, Chronic (medicine), God, Jesus, Lisa, Lord, Religion and Spirituality, Rest Ministries, Rheumatoid arthritis

Devotion – Is Your Cup Overflowing? Getting Rid of Unnecessary Distractions

January 19, 2011 By admin 2 Comments

“Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.” (Psalm 119:36-37) The television is on, Facebook beckons, housework calls, and to-do lists formulate – all while I’m trying to pray and talk to God! These days, it’s not hard to fill our schedules to the brim. As a result, there can be many distractions that get in the way of our time with God. And when God is left at the bottom of our cup we don’t always have the energy to focus on our relationship with Him. Prioritizing our daily activities is a must if we want God to be the center of our lives. This is even more crucial for those of us who are chronically ill, as we never … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Devotionals, What's New? Tagged With: Bible, bible study, Christian, Christian encouragement, Christianity, Chronic Illness, Chronic pain, daily devotion for women, daily scripture readings and meditations, encouraging scriptures, Facebook, finding bible scriptures, finding peace through trials scripture, free daily bread devotionals, free daily devotion, God, Health, illness ministry, inspirational bible scriptures, inspirational poems and scriptures, inspirational stories, invisible illness, Jesus, meditation, more daily devotionals via email, our daily bread devotion book, Psalms, Religion & Spirituality, Rest Ministries, short inspirational devotionals, suffering, West Michigan

Lisa’s Video “Before” Her Life Coach Session #3

November 13, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

I taped this on September 13. 2010. Looking at this video from a few weeks ago, I look pretty bad. . . and my heart was heavy. I just felt overwhelmed with it all in life! I do have to say that it is refreshing to hear that I made some goals just weeks ago and that God has sent me some great tools to make them happen. I’ve spent days where I have been able to work on Bible studies and grow closer to God’s Word, as well as work on writing some for the ministry. I’ve still had moments of exhaustion, but also moments of inspiration. I upload this hoping that you know this thing called life is a day-to-day choice to surrender it all over to He who gives us strength and how much I appreciate your prayers. Lisa … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Life Coaching, Videos, What's New? Tagged With: Bible, bible study, Christianity, God, life coach, Life Coaching, Lisa, lisa copen, Religion & Spirituality, Rest Ministries, what can a life coach do, working with christian life coach

Lisa Looks For Your Feedback – $20 Gift Certificate Drawing Too!

November 9, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Dear friends, How are you this season? Life in my home has been, well, interesting. I’ve been focusing on my family for a variety of reasons because, as I’ve learned from past years with Invisible Illness Week, the following week we are under what I would say is spiritual attack. My family is doing find, but I do ask for your continued prayer. If you have been following our web site (did you know you can get daily updates via email that also include our devotionals), you may have watched some of my videos about working with life coach, Mary Yerkes. Mary is a Christian woman I’ve known for some time and the fact that she even has rheumatoid arthritis has been an added benefit for myself in feeling like she truly understands my … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Announcements, Founder's Blog Tagged With: bible study, Coaching, God, Invisible Illness Week, Lisa, Lisa Simpson, Religion & Spirituality, Spiritual gift

Devotion: We Will Reap Rewards From Not Growing Weary of Doing Good

November 2, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9) Do you ever become weary of doing good? Last week I cleaned for company who then decided at the last minute to not come (but then came the next day). I made 36 pretzel/cracker/peanut butter “spiders” for a Halloween party my son was invited to. I worked on my 5 hours of homework for my Bible study and then worked on the Rest Ministries Bible studies I am writing. I tried to spend time to give myself to God, my husband, my son, my sister, my ministry. And I was weary! Exhausted! So, so tired. The irony is I am in the middle of working with a life coach to become more “balanced.” But how does one be a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Devotionals, Founder's Blog, What's New? Tagged With: bible study, Coaching, Epistle to the Galatians, God, New York's Village Halloween Parade, Proper time, Rest Ministries, Rheumatoid arthritis