Illness Archives - Rest Ministries - Chronic Illness and Pain Support

Devotion: God’s Purpose In Our Life May Be Much Different Than We Expect

July 1, 2012 By admin 5 Comments

"What is my life purpose?" you may ask. You may even believe you have discovered it. But many of those with illness find it is different than they ever imagined. "The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 'Return home and tell how much God has done for you.' So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him." (Luke 8:38-39) I hear from so many of you here at Rest Ministries who tell me the many ways you long to minister to others. Some of you are still able to occasionally travel on mission trips, but there are also many who are no longer able to do so, due to the limitations of your illness, such as traveling, risk of infection, not being near medical … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Devotionals, Finding Purpose, Founder's Blog, Reflection, Self -Esteem, What's New? Tagged With: California, Chronic, God, god's calling, Illness, Jesu, Kindle, Lord, Ministry, mission trips, Rest Ministries

Devotion: The Night Watch: Sleepless Nights When Chronically Ill

June 20, 2012 By admin 8 Comments

“Send me Your light and your faithful care, let them lead me; let them bring me to Your holy mountain, to the place where You dwell” (Psalm 43:3). I have many family members who served as police officers. Their preference was working the night shift and to be a part of the night’s action. Although my physical afflictions are ever present, the night hours can bring more intensity and emotional upheaval. Sleep can be elusive or I can awaken from sleep in turmoil and pain. In the quiet of the night and in the earthly dark hours, fighting afflictions is harder. The daylight hours often offer distractions that take my mind to the duties of the day. Another dynamic involves that the enemy of my soul, the one who would want me to cave in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Devotionals, What's New? Tagged With: asleep, awake, Chronic pain, Illness, insomnia, nighttime

Devotion: What Does Reap What You Sow Mean When Chronically Ill?

June 14, 2012 By admin 4 Comments

"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows." (Galatians 6:7) I am a diabetic. I really wish I wasn't, because I like to eat, especially sweets. I have to continually discipline myself to stay out of trouble with my diabetes. If don't watch what I eat, how much I eat, and regularly monitor my blood sugar--I will pay a price for it. So many things in life are like this. We need to stick to what is good for us, and avoid the things that cause us and others problems. It is easy to give ourselves a pass when we live with chronic illnesses, to excuse our bad behavior, and blame our illnesses for everything. But how we behave, how we treat others, and the things we sow into our lives and the lives of others counts, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Devotionals, What's New? Tagged With: Chronic, Diabetes mellitus, God, Illness, Kindle, Lord, Ohio, Prayer

“You Are Too Young to Be That Sick!”

June 14, 2012 By admin 16 Comments

"You are too young to be that ill! Oh, you are too young to be dealing with that kind of pain." Why do simple, even well-intentioned words hurt so much? By Lisa Copen At the age of twenty-four, a thousand miles away from my family and living in a new city, I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Over a period of four weeks and about eight doctor’s visits, I finally found a physician of internal medicine who listened to me explain my symptoms; in less than two days I had a diagnosis. Despite the terms “chronic” and “forever” I felt relieved to know the label that described my chronic pain. Few of my friends, however, shared my enthusiasm for a diagnosis. The managers at my office were more concerned about the fact that I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Articles - Read, Coping Skills, Depression, Explaining Illness, Friend Has Illness, Friendships, Invisible Illnesses, Need to Know, Person w/ Illness, What's New? Tagged With: Arthritis, Chronic, Conditions and Diseases, Fibromyalgia, Health, hidden disabilities, Illness, invisible disabilities, invisible illness, Life Disrupted: Getting Real About Chronic Illness in Your Twenties and Thirties, lisa copen, Pain, Rest Ministries, Rheumatoid arthritis, San Diego, you are too young, you dont look sick, you look fine

Devotion: Are You a Rebel? When We Rebel Against Our illness

May 30, 2012 By admin 5 Comments

"Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy." (Proverbs 28:13) Have you ever done something--or not done something you should have--as a little power trip that you are playing with yourself and your illness? Let me explain. I confess, there have been times I have remembered that I needed to take a certain medication, and yet, I have just not gone and done it and then it has slipped my mind. Though I I have known that a certain action, like using a heating pad or an ice bag, may very well alleviate some of the pain and yet I have resisted. Sometimes I am in so much pain that the day seems like it is wasted already, so a part of me figures, "why bother?" I have procrastinated on … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Coping Skills, Devotionals, Founder's Blog, Person w/ Illness, What's New? Tagged With: Chronic, doctors orders, God, Illness, Kindle, lisa copen, Pain, preventative treatment, procrastinating medical tests, Rest Ministries, San Diego

Devotion: When You Cannot Meet Everyone’s Expectations of You

May 28, 2012 By admin 23 Comments

"When she saw her hope unfulfilled, her expectation gone, she took another of her cubs and made him a strong lion." (Ezekiel 19:5) In the expectations game everyone loses when it comes to living with an illness. We can become discouraged and depressed when we find our hopes dashed, when we have a few "good days" and expect them to last, only to be knocked flat again by affliction a short time later. Expectations can create all sorts of problems between spouses and friends and family. We say we will do something, or make plans ahead of time to go to some event, only to have our hopes dashed and the injury multiplied by disappointing those close to us. And the situation is not improved by those who have little understanding or … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Devotionals, Hurt Feelings, What's New? Tagged With: Anger, Chronic Illness, disappointment, expectations, Ezekiel, God, Hurt Feelings, Illness, karlton douglas, Lord, Ohio, Pain

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

Why Bother Living When I Am Facing a Serious Infection Without a Hand to Hold?

May 9, 2012 By admin 3 Comments

By Lisa Copen, this is a reprint from http://thinkingaboutsuicide.com where Lisa is a contributor. The web site is a good place to turn during those rough days to help you remember that God cares about you and is here beside you even when you don't feel like it. Have you ever wondered where God is when no one seems to hold your hand through those tough times? When you cope with health problems, you hold on and fight to stay positive, but there are days when you can easily wonder, "Why bother living when I am facing a serious infection without a hand to hold?" It was the seventh day of being hospitalized with the flesh eating bacteria and I felt so alone. The couple of people who had visited were friends my husband had emailed or … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Articles - Read, Depression, Loneliness, Person w/ Illness, Suicidal Thoughts, What's New? Tagged With: Arthritis, Chronic, dealing with a serious infection or illnes, debridiment, depression and illness, God, Illness, life is just not worth living anymore, Lisa, lisa copen, loneliness, Pain, Rest Ministries, Rheumatoid arthritis, Suicidal Thoughts, Why Bother Living When I Am Facing a Serious Infection Without a Hand to Hold

52 Ways to Encourage a Chronically Ill Friend

May 2, 2012 By admin 5 Comments

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...]

Filed Under: Articles, Articles - Read, Beyond Casseroles, Books, Caregiver, Coping Skills, Explaining Illness, Founder's Blog, Friend Has Illness, Friendships, Need to Know, Overwhelmed, Person w/ Illness, Person w/ lll Spouse, Support Group Leader, What's New? Tagged With: 50 ways to encourage a chronicall ill friend, 52 ways to help an ill friend, beyond casseroles, Catherine Marshall, Christian, Chronic, God, Health, how to help a sick friend, how to help an ill friend, Illness, lisa copen, ministering to a seriously ill friend, Rest Ministries

Loss, Grief and Mourning Books: Christian Resources

April 27, 2012 By admin 1 Comment

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...]

Filed Under: Books, Church Leader, Depression, Friend Has Illness, HopeKeepers Resources, Loneliness, Overwhelmed, Person w/ Illness, Support Group Leader, What's New? Tagged With: A Grief Observed, advanced writers and speakers association, awsa, books on grief, grief, Grief Loss and Bereavement, grief and mourning, husband, Illness, loss of child, loss of loved one, Pain, resources on grief, Suicide, widowhood, wife

Devotion: How God Can Use Your Affliction to Bring You Closer to Him

April 22, 2012 By admin 3 Comments

"It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold” (Psalm 119:71-72). From my journal during a recent health battle I wrote the following. . . The nausea and back pain are getting worse. All I want to do is sit by my fireplace, put some heat on my back and open the Word. I love how the Word instantly calms my anxiousness and restores my inner peace. Why is it then that I only seem to read my Bible and pray when I’m sick, tired, or frustrated? Dear God, I know how important it is for me to spend time with You daily, but yet I do not do it. I know that when I do make my quiet time with You a priority my day starts off … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Depression, Devotionals, What's New? Tagged With: afflication, Bible, Chronic, cronic, God, good to be afflicted, Health, Illness, Lord, management of pain, Ohio, Pain, pain diary., Psalm, West Michigan

Disappointment Can Be ‘His Appointment” Printable to Share

April 16, 2012 By admin 6 Comments

Disappointment when you have a chronic illness is part of the journey. Learning to cope with it, when to have a good cry, and when to just sigh and move on, are all part of the process. Who among us have not felt disappointment as we have missed out on an important event, had to stay home while our loved ones participated in something we wanted to share? Maybe you have felt significant grief of disappointment as you had to give up a dream--like having a career, or even a child. Does God really have it all in control? He says yes! The Word tells us, ”A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9) That should assure us--God directs our steps! But instead it can leave us with a big lump of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Articles, Free Printables, What's New? Tagged With: cancel plans, Chronic, Coupon, disappointment, Easter, Facebook, Faithful Provisions, God, Health, his appointment, Illness, lonely, Lord, sadness