Healing Archives - Rest Ministries - Chronic Illness and Pain Support

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

From Illness Comes Unique Card Ministry

January 17, 2012 By admin Leave a Comment

By Debbi Farmer This was a rough week for me. One of my close friends lost her battle with cancer. Shortly after this, I lost my beloved family pet after having her in my life for fourteen years. My business has been almost non-existent the past few weeks because of the bad economy, and my health has taken a serious turn for the worse lately. I had so much I needed to say to the family of my friend. I had so much I needed to say to my family for losing their sweet pet. I needed to do more in my business, but my health would not allow it. I felt absolutely lost even knowing in my heart that the Lord was holding me and carrying me through. When you find yourself needing to convey a message to a friend or family, but you need help … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Caregiver, Links, Ministry - Personal, Person w/ Illness, Support Group Leader, What's New?, Working Tagged With: Christ, Christian, Christianity, God, Healing, is having a ministry working, is ministry a job, Jesu, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Lord, Pennsylvania, Sunday School

Healing Words

August 22, 2011 By admin 6 Comments

Deanna Nichols "The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." -Proverbs 12:18 Yesterday I had a great conversation with a health and fitness coach with whom I recently started working. Not only did she give me some great ideas to work toward my personal goals, but I also found myself leaving the conversation with a lot more hope than I've felt in a long time. It's interesting I should be so hopeful because I'm really having a tough time physically right now. And we also spent a fair amount of time discussing my past history of chronic illness, a topic that usually drains me and makes me sad. Instead, she was able to focus on the accomplishments I've made in the past two years toward a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Joy, Reflection, What's New? Tagged With: Chronic, Conditions and Diseases, God, Healing, Health, Illness, Lord, Psalm

Devotion: Jesus Does Heal, But What Can We Gain While We Are Praying for Healing?

June 6, 2011 By admin 3 Comments

"Then he said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.'" (Luke 8:48) Like many others dealing with chronic illness, I am particularly fond of Luke's account of Jesus' life. As a physician, Luke took a special interest in chronicling Jesus' interactions with the sick--both in how He showed compassion and in how He healed. Many of us are familiar with the story in which Jesus is among a crushing crowd of people, and a woman who has been living with an untreatable chronic illness for twelve years has enough faith to know that merely touching her Savior's cloak will bring her healing. She is healed by her faith. I don't know about you, but I have prayed for the healing of my physical body. Others have gathered around … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Devotionals, What's New? Tagged With: Christianity, Faith, God, Gospel of Luke, Healing, Jesus, Luke, Savior

Breakfast on Your Body –Without the Calories

June 3, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

So this woman I know, who shall remain nameless to keep her dignity (hi, mom!) has always sworn on her mother's advice to wrap raw bacon around a toe that is starting to get an ingrown toe nail. Evidently the fat of the bacon will pull out the infection. I have to admit, I've seen it work. . . But for those of us with not-so-hot immune systems, I wouldn't recommend putting a piece of bacon on your toe. (Nor leaving it in your sock, where your dog can pull it out & eat it & have to go to the vet &. . . well, that's a whole other story). But look what we found as a humorous alternative? Bacon & egg b&ages! Yeah, we know this post likely won't help you grow in great depths spiritually, but we hope it brings a smile to your face. We can … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Joy, Links, Parent of Ill or Disabled Child, Person w/ Illness, Silly Stuff, What's New? Tagged With: Alternative medicine, Arts, chronic illness tips, Do it yourself, Healing, Hiking, Literature, Marker pen, Paper, Peter, Picture frame, Pinterest, prescriptions, Walmart, www.pfccreations.com

Founder of Christian Illness Ministry Appears on National Television Show

April 19, 2010 By admin 1 Comment

** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ** Lisa Copen,the founder of Rest Ministries, will appearing this week on the television show Peace in the Storm. The one-hour talk show style program, Peace in the Storm is hosted by Maureen Pratt .She shares, "Peace in the Storm" is a natural extension of the book "Peace in the Storm: Meditations on Chronic Pain & Illness," & focuses on ways that people with chronic pain & illness can find inspiration, strength, courage & joy with & in spite of their health challenges. With a strong emphasis on Christian faith & Scripture, "Peace in the Storm" blends inspiring guests, music, humor & fellowship in each episode." Copen talks about how she went from being a 24-year-old woman who just wanted a family & a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: What's New? Tagged With: accessories for crutches, Author, christian illness ministry, Christianity, chronically ill challenges, Conditions and Diseases, disappointed with god, Divine presence, frustrations with illness, gifts for the chronically ill, hard living with illness, Healing, Health, lisa copen, Loneliness, Polycystic ovary syndrome, Rest Ministries, speaker, Television, Television program, things that are hard to cope with when ill, tv, Video, worshiping god when ill

Lessons From the River

November 19, 2009 By admin 2 Comments

Less than a month ago I was waiting for test results to shed some light on the pain & numbness I had been feeling. When Jeff asked if I wanted to go canoeing with him & three guys from church, I started to decline; I was beginning to withdraw from friends. It was easier for me to stay home; canoeing & camping would make me dependent on them. But with their reassurances & encouragement from my wife, I decided to go along. By evening of the third day, I start to “get it.” As we paddled in two days ago, I felt strangely at peace, no longer worried about my limitations. With each stroke I was soon quietly singing each line from the Doxology: “Praise God from who all blessings flow (splash), Praise Him all creatures here below … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Coping Skills, Friend Has Illness, Joy, Person w/ Illness, Person w/ lll Spouse Tagged With: Christ, Christianity, Congregational church, God, Healing, Holy Spirit, Nebuchadnezzar II, Religion and Spirituality

Find the Joy of The Lord in the Winter Season

November 14, 2009 By admin 2 Comments

This morning, I walked outside as my husb& was leaving for work. I noticed the leaves blowing across the yard in blurs of gold, orange & brown. The morning sun felt warm on my shoulders & the sky was cloudless & blue. I stood for a moment in wonder at the beauty of God’s Creation. In my busy life of work & worry, I often forget to look up. The words of Jesus, “Each day has enough trouble of its own,” (Matthew 6:34) is the way I live. Today is all I can deal with. As I thought about that, it occurred to me that during autumn & winter things die & return to the earth to wait for spring’s renewal. The death that is occurring could devastate us if we didn’t know about the spring. I suddenly felt joyful, realizing that I am … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Caregiver, Joy, Person w/ Illness, Person w/ lll Spouse, What's New? Tagged With: autumn, Caregiver, Chronic, Chronic pain, Death, Disease, God, Gospel of Matthew, Healing, Health, Illness, Jesus, joy of the lord is my strength, Lord, Prayer