Blog Posts Across Illness-Disability-Healthcare-Caregiver Ministry Network

Struggling with chronic illness for many years, it has been a tough road, as I have often wanted to do it all " My way" It was the way I knew, I was the server, the caregiver! Now all at once things changed, and now I am not able to do as much in the way I used to know how to take care of other people all my life, or most my life, anyway.

It was not supposed to be like this. As activities director and so many other things , it was hard after back surgery when I found I was not going to…

it's the little things that count when living with pain or illness

With the holidays nearing once again we are urged by everyone from Hallmark commercials to…

We're very happy to announce that Joni Eareckson Tada has a new television show that began on October 19th and airing on Direct TV (They are working on having it held on other televsion broadcasting options.) It's a wonderful half hour program that will leave you rivetted to your seat. (Trust me, I saw one of the pre-produced programs and it was fabulous!)

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I post this every year and it still makes me smile. Feel free to reprint it anywhere you want to give people with chronic illness a few giggles.

Lisa Copen

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FEELING GRINCHY?

"When Your Heart Says Merry Christmas. . .
But Your Body Feels Like the Grinch!"

"Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God," (Psalm 43:5)

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If you've had a chance to visit the site of one of our member of our illness ministry, writer Mary Yerkes, you'll see that she was writing articles for Focus on the Family ab

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I'm a rookie at anything computer-based, so you'll have to forgive me for not having a jazzy site. Welcome, and I hope that we can talk about, well...I guess about anything! I am excited for the opportunity to share your joys, sorrows, challenges, or even your boredom. Hugs and Blessings, Sandra

Driving south on Thursday from our home just north of Vancouver, WA, over the Columbia River from Portland, OR, we traveled down to Redding, CA to visit a daughter. What a beautiful drive, with colors ablaze! I simply love fall! But as much as I padded myself in the van seat to keep from weaving this way and that, the curvey road had me in literal pain due to weakened trunk and neck muscles. At least the drive farther south to Napa to visit another daughter and granddaughter was straight! (Ye…

Well, I'm finally back to sleeping 7-8 hours a day instead of 10-15 and I'm thrilled! Life is good and God is great! My father is recovering nicely from his bypass surgery and he and I are closer than we've ever been.

Not only i…

I'm sleeping 10 - 18 hours a day this week. It's easy to go to being hard on myself and feeling crappy about all the things I'm not getting around to doing. But when I pause a moment and focus on what's good for me I back off and embrace that this is what my body needs right now. Self-nurturing is hard to do instinctively. It's taken me years to finally get to where I can be that gentle with myself. I don't always take that tact at first instinct but I'm grateful that God has shared with me t…

For quite some time now, I've been doing an extensive amount of research on the topic of "love". And, more specifically, God's love. My quest has taken me to places I would never have dared to venture before. And, I must say, my heart and my life have been touched in ways I can not even begin to describe. One of our recent newsletter messages made reference to the life of Helen Keller and included a quotation in which she summed up her understanding of the word "character". While I have been…

I am glad I found this web.

As a mental health therapist, I am also an avid mental health advocate.

For over a year, I have suffered from chronic pain, so am broadening my scope of education and coping skills.

Thanks for welcoming me to this site.

I would enjoy your posts and comments.

The heading may have caught your attention. I just heard on the news $275 billion dollars are spent on prescription drugs each year and patents are running out on some of the major drugs used by people. More generic drugs are coming down the pike. This is a major money making business and it seems many want in on the action.

I do not sell anything. I could have gotten into this at so many times on my path, but I decided I did not want to earn money…

My stepdaughter is coming to visit in a few weeks. She's been such a joy and inspiration in my life but because she lives so far away and we both lead very busy lives, it's been 5 years since we've seen each other. I'm so excited to be able to have her with us for the week. We talk on the phone and share instant messaging but I'm looking forward to wrapping my arms around her.

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God was responsible for the depth of our relationship. He mended the pain and conflict between us man…

Well, this is my first blog post. Four weeks ago I didn't even really know what a BLOG was but I knew that everybody was "doing it"! Not to be left out, I decided that it was high time that I joined in! So, here goes...

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When I went home from work Tuesday afternoon, there was a police car blocking my street entrance and two fire trucks that appeared to be near my house. I drove around the block, and a police car was blocking the other end of the street. I parked my car on the side of the road, took a deep breath, and told the policeman I live at 1021 Maplewood.

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During Times of Sorrow ~ Note from Living Fountains ~ As we have begun to minister to the brokenhearted we have found many of our guests at Living Fountains to be in full time ministry or in leadership, active in their home body churches. Even in the midst of their own sorrows they continue to serve, unselfishsly, giving often beyond what they humanly can bear, where it not for God. Gos is indeed our strength.....

YOU ARE ANOINTED EVEN IN TIMES OF SORROW

by Mary Lindlow…

The Wounded Heart
Rise To The Top
~ Shake It Off ~

Do you begin your day with a shout of, “This is the day the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it?” Or do the words of your mouth sound less than hopeful for a good day?

Perhaps you are on a spinning wheel going from one awful thought to the next. Even at night, your mind is troubled with negatives thoughts.

How we see the day when we arise in the morning has a lot to do with how it will look all day…

How To Talk To Your Family and Friends About Depression

Your friends and loved ones can play an important part in your recovery because their emotional support can encourage you to stick with your treatment. To get the most from the support those close to you want to offer, talk to them about your depression and social anxiety disorder.

You can use the following suggestions to begin the discussion.

Realize that your friends and loved ones may need education about depressi…

Finally i will go to a pain clinic..will there be help for me there?

My pain levels are all over the place and some days,my pain med.'s won't work or last long.My doctor is afraid(i believe) to give stronger.Feeling helpless..

How do i answer the questions,that will come at me?I 'm told i will see a nurse first,than the doctor..for one hour.I'am stressed with so much other things in my life,i'am afraid i won't say the right thing. I need…

Uncovering the Truth About Depression
and Social Anxiety Disorder

While living with depression and social anxiety disorder can be hard on you, it may also take a toll on your friends and family, especially if they don’t know much about depression and social anxiety disorder as medical conditions. You may want to share this story with your friends and family to help them better understand your condition.

Living with someone with severe depression and social anxiety disorder c…

The Wounded Heart
Fear, Stress, and Health

It's everywhere online, in the news, on the television. Research is linking our thoughts and emotions to disease. How we react to our environment and the boundaries we do or do not set on ourselves affect the outcome of our health. In many ways, we are a sum total of what we think because every action is preceded by a thought.

Many of us have based our belief systems on what we learned in childhood. Some of that is good since many g…

Our Comforter

"As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem."

Isaiah 66:13
King James Version

There are times when our hearts our heavy and our loved ones and friends attempts to comfort us doesn’t help. It is then that we need to go to Jesus and allow Him to comfort us with His comfort. He…

Victory is in Your Suitcase

I write to you, dear friend, who has known the tormenting grasp of depression. I speak to you, brave child of God, who at this moment is caught in its enclosure, waiting for sharp claws to unclasp and release you into the world of chirping birds and smiling Pansies from which you were plucked and held captive. I am a comrade who desires to tell you of my journey through depression and of the suitcase God packed for me.

I have battled with the distress…

Permission to Grieve
By Cherie Brown

There is a feeling that rises from your heart and pushes upwards until it reaches your throat. Then with a familiar tight squeeze, your physical distress takes the shape of the emotional cry of the human spirit. Your eyes begin to twitch, and suddenly hurt rolls down your face in the form of tears. While this pain grips your heart, fear seizes your mind.

The emotion that forced me to depend completely on God’s strength has many names,…

Restoration ~ The Beauty Within

"I have come to give you life...."
Why do we often settle for less, ending up not being set free or experiencing the fullness that God has designed for us and intends for us?

We settle by the worlds standards or the devils lies that this is just the way it is to be and accept it without challenging these thought patterns and beliefs with the Word of God.

If God truly said, then why don't we believe it.?

It is for the lack of know…

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My Story About Depression
Written December, 2006 by Living Fountain

May God's peace be with you. His Love embrace you
and His comfort abound to you. For He cares for You.
---Matthew 6: 25 - 34

Many of you have not heard from me in a very, very long time. The past few years have been very difficult for myself. And I'm sure for my husband too.

2005 was a bitter, sweet year.

For our family, we endured many hardships. My husbands Father had been diagnosed…