Devotion: When God Passes You a Note of His Love, It Weakens Illness in Our Life

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"You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts." (2 Corinthians 3:3) Do you remember passing notes in school? Us girls always seemed to have a need to put the most basic of thoughts or questions down on paper, fold them up in little shapes and maybe write the recipient's name on it; it likely even included a few doodled stars or hearts. Occasionally, we even passed a note along to a boy. Like the country song George Strait sings, "Yes or No", we would write "Do you wanna be my friend? / Check yes or no" and include the little boxes beside the yes or no. A yes. . . or a no. . . could determine … [Read more...]

Dear Fear: A Letter To My Fears When Living with Chronic Illness

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Have you ever considered writing a letter to your fears? Dear Fear. . .  it can help you understand what is really important and what you will let go of and give to God so your fears no longer control you. By Melissa Svensen Dear Fear, We have known one another for a while now. You tell me lies all the time, yet I keep letting you back in my life. You overwhelm me with what ifs. What if you don’t ever get well. . . What if God does not want to heal you. . . What if you never accomplish your dreams. . . What if you never get to eat food that tastes good again. . . What if you have to live in chronic pain for the rest of your life. . . What if you can’t stick to the diet you need to follow to get well. . . What if your kids … [Read more...]

Devotion: Do You Sit at a Wishing Well When You Are Ill? Or Living Well?

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"Jesus answered her, 'If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water,'" (John 4:10) Bold added. Walking through the malls used to be a joy for me before the pain of illness settled in. I especially enjoyed the water fountains spraying the water into the rays of colored lights. I often found myself looking for a penny or two for my children to wish on and then toss into the water. My fascination with wishing wells inspired me several years ago, when I was still strong enough to work outside, to collect many rocks over the summer. I then constructed my very own rock wishing well in my front yard; it was a monument I was quite proud of. I have done … [Read more...]

Devotion: Leftovers

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". . . Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted. (John 6:12b) What a title! Perhaps it leads you to think of food that has been set aside when enough has been consumed to satisfy one’s hunger. You might think of those who work with fabric and have cut out what they need but remnant pieces remain. With some resourcefulness leftover food can be used for a new meal. Extra fabric can be stitched into a different creation. I have known times when I have felt like a leftover and wondered where I belonged. When the challenges in my body became too intense for me to continue my teaching career, an early retirement was necessary. I hoped to volunteer occasionally at my former work site. That planned involvement failed. My … [Read more...]

Devotion: Who Would Prefer Blindness? Walking in the Dark

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“The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” (Isaiah 9:2, Matthew 4:16) Who would prefer blindness? Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? When we are suddenly thrust into darkness by a storm, an uneasy feeling overtakes us. We stumble and grope our way to a flashlight. The light guides and calms us. Years ago I taught students with visual impairments. I taught the students to use their senses which were not limited. Their visual sense was viewed as a weakness, not useful at all. But then the thinking changed. Since most individuals who are blind are not in complete darkness, any small amount of vision could provide useful information. For thirteen years of … [Read more...]

Devotion: When Well-Meaning People Hurt Us, God Gets It

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"As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples ask Him, 'Rabbi who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' 'Neither this man nor his parents sinned,' said Jesus, 'but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.'" (John 9: 1-3) One dear-lady on one of the prayer forums I visit requested prayer for her church and a member of this church. This church-member suffers from Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, one of the illnesses we refer to as an “invisible illness” because we can not actually see the results of the damage this illness can cause. Since there is little known about this disorder, the church members took it upon themselves to intervene and try to heal this member in … [Read more...]

Lisa Shares About Joint Replacement Surgery Logistics

May is Arthritis Awareness Month & the Arthritis Foundation will be celebrating their 60th Anniversary. Many of you know I had joint replacement surgery on four fingers on my left h& in November of 2009. In the middle of my recovery I recorded five videos about the surgery. The recovery, the splints, & physical therapy. If you do not have a rheumatoid arthritis these videos may not be particularly "helpful" for you, but as a patient, I found very few resources for actual patients that were formative about what to expect. You can watch them at our YouTube channel. Feel free to share them! Lisa Copen Founder of Rest Ministries … [Read more...]