Homebound Saints Need the Body of Christ

Dr. Albert Mohler, President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, recently received a thought-provoking question on his podcast, The Briefing. A listener wrote in and said, "I’m a Christian who has been bed-bound for the last four years because of ALS. What do I do now that I can’t attend church physically? I feel myself drifting apart from the Word and my hunger for it. I know that I’m doing wrong, but I can’t bring myself to read it consistently. Besides praying and asking for the Lord to return my love for His Word again, what can I do?”

I greatly appreciated Dr. Mohler’s answer. He gave kind and gentle encouragement to the man who was homebound with ALS. There was no criticism in his response. He didn’t tell the man to simply read Scripture more and pray more. Instead, he rightly explained that the local church has the responsibility to serve and help this man in his spiritual walk with the Lord. Dr. Mohler gave a charge to churches to stand up and graciously, lovingly, and boldly come alongside homebound saints.

As a person who is primarily homebound, it was equal parts shocking and wonderful to hear someone make such a bold statement! Until I listened to this podcast episode, I do not believe I had ever heard a healthy person publicly state that the church has a responsibility to minister to its homebound members. It was a relief and an encouragement to hear Dr. Mohler’s charge to the church to come alongside those who are homebound. I hope and pray that God will use Dr. Mohler’s words in his podcast to spur churches on to change in this area.

Sadly, the homebound are often a neglected part of the body of Christ. Over the past twenty years, I have privately heard stories of deep pain and neglect from fellow chronically ill and homebound believers across the world. I also have my own stories of hurt that only those closest to me know. Based on my experience, and the stories I have heard, this seems to be a widespread problem in churches. It grieves me to say that spiritual and physical needs of homebound members are often neglected.

I do not believe the neglect is intentional. I think often it is a case of “out of sight, out of mind.” A local church congregation does not see its homebound members regularly, if at all, so they do not think about them. The church is happy to speak with homebound members if they are able to make it to a service on a rare occasion, but they do not think to befriend someone who cannot typically leave home. Perhaps churches think a homebound person needs rest, so they do not want to call or ask about visiting and “bother” them. Instead, their names are added to a prayer sheet, and the care stops at prayer.

I do not write this post for myself. I write this on behalf of those who cannot speak up themselves. I write this for those who are spiritually languishing in their homes, praying, hoping, and waiting for their church to understand the need. I write this for those who have reached out to their church, asking for encouragement and help, and have received little to no response. I write this for those who need someone to reach out to them with friendship and spiritual encouragement because they are too lonely and discouraged to try again.

Believers are not meant to live the Christian life alone, but homebound saints often do. The homebound and chronically ill are there in your church and in your neighborhood. They may be in their home, in an assisted living center, or in a nursing home. They may live alone, with a spouse, with a roommate, or with their family. Wherever they are, they need you! They need practical service, and they need spiritual encouragement. Please do not assume that someone else is already visiting them and encouraging them in the Lord. That may not be the case, and the homebound saints need the body of Christ.

Being homebound is lonely and hard. If you know someone who is homebound, will you please step into their lives? Will you befriend them in their homes? Will you minister to their physical and spiritual needs? Will you encourage them when their spirits grow weak?

I know that there are many churches who do minister to their homebound brothers and sisters in Christ. And I praise the Lord for churches such as these! There are also individual Christians who reach out with care and friendship to the homebound, and these friends are a treasure to those who are blessed to have them. Every homebound believer needs a church and Christian friends such as these.

Dear church, please do not neglect the homebound saints in your congregation. They may not be able to physically attend services, but they are part of your local body, and they need you. Not only that—you need them! You will suffer if just one part of the body is neglected. The church needs its chronically ill, disabled, and homebound members. They are indispensable. Embrace them, love them, and serve them. And in the process, you may find that you are blessed in return.

“But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you,’ nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable.” 1 Corinthians 12:18-22

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash.

The Wonder of Christmas

“She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21 

Jesus “emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:7-8

Every year as Christmas draws near, I marvel again that God chose to come to earth as a baby. The Lord Jesus Christ willingly took on human flesh and entered our world of suffering.

We live in a world that aches under the effects of sin and the curse. We suffer from illnesses and disabilities and the process of aging. All around the earth there are natural disasters, poverty, crime, broken relationships, and hurting people. Our biggest problem is that we are born separated from God, and we need salvation.

God did not leave us to suffer without hope in this life or in the life to come. In His great love and mercy, He sent His Son to earth to save us from our sins. We have a Savior who willingly entered into suffering on our behalf!

Jesus chose to come into our world and embrace the limitations of the human body. He became tired, hungry, and cold. He faced temptation. He was well acquainted with sorrow. He was mocked and scorned. He suffered the wrath of God on the cross so that we might never have to. He came to save us from our sins and to redeem us as His own. What marvelous truths to ponder at Christmastime!

It is easy to look at our own difficulties, or see the suffering around us, and lose hope. Christmas reminds us that Jesus knows our pain and weakness. He came to us in our suffering; He suffered with us and for us. Jesus endured more suffering than you or I ever will. We don’t have a Savior who is far-removed from suffering. We have a Savior who understands what we are going through.

It brings comfort to know that Jesus lived in a human body and faced suffering on this earth. It gives us courage and helps us to persevere. Let us look “to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted” (Hebrews 12:2-3).

In whatever suffering you face this Christmas season, remember that Jesus is acquainted with sorrows. You have a Savior who has willingly suffered for you. He understands what you are going through. This Christmas, look to your suffering Savior for courage and comfort. Rejoice and thank God for the good gift of His Son.

This article first appeared on The Irresistible Church.
Photo by Gareth Harper

Friendship through the Hard Days

Gloria and I met for the first time on a hot summer afternoon several years ago when I stepped outside my apartment to water my flowers. Gloria and her family were new to the community, and when she saw me outside she came over to introduce herself. We chatted about life and our families. We only had a few minutes to visit before I needed to go inside to rest, but a friendship had begun. Little did I know how incredible Gloria’s friendship would be in months to come.

We were only able to visit together one or two more times before my health took a severe turn for the worse. My chronic illness had slowly been growing worse that year, but by the time fall came, I was so weak and fatigued that I was confined to bed for 22 hours or more each day.

My husband had already been taking care of all of the shopping, cooking, and cleaning in our home. Suddenly I was no longer able to help out even a little, and the burden of keeping the household running fell to him completely. He had two young children and a primarily bed-ridden wife who needed his daily care, and he needed to manage all of this while also attending seminary. We were overwhelmed, and we were very grateful for our church and friends who stepped in to relieve some of our burden.

Even though we were new friends, Gloria came by to visit me when she heard I was so ill. Then she went above and beyond anything I ever expected from a brand new friend. She offered to help us by bringing a meal to our family every Wednesday evening, by taking our son to Awana on Sunday evenings, and by taking care of our two young children each Thursday afternoon.

I never expected a new friend to be so committed to a friendship with me! Gloria was intentional in loving my family and me well. After a few weeks I let her know that I was doing a little better and that she didn’t have to keep bringing meals each week. But she knew that it would be helpful for us, and she insisted on continuing to help. She brought a meal each week until we moved away nine months later. And she didn’t just bring a meal for one night; there were always leftovers that lasted for two more meals! It was a huge gift and a big help to my family.

Gloria also insisted on continuing to care for our children on Thursday afternoons. She was a busy mom with three children of her own, and a baby on the way, but she gladly gave of herself to help our family in our time of need. Those Thursday afternoons gave my husband much-needed time to study, and they gave me much-needed time to rest in a quiet apartment.

Gloria loved me and served me in a time when I had nothing to give in return except for my gratitude. I will always be thankful for her service and pursuit of friendship during my very hard days and months. Now that we live in different states, we don’t get to see each other very often, but we still keep in touch. I pray for her regularly, and I thank the Lord for the blessing of this kind, generous, and faithful friend.

Do you have a friend who has served you in a sacrificial way? How have you served a friend self-sacrificially?

This article originally appeared on The Irresistible Church.
Photo by Anete Lūsiņa.

Raised in Glory

So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power… Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.  

1 Corinthians 15:42-43, 49

My children never knew me when I was healthy and able-bodied. I have been chronically ill since before they were born, so all they have known is a mom who is tired, weak, and needs to rest in bed for most of the day. When they were young, this seemed normal to them. As they grew older, they began to see that other moms could go on walks with their children, take them to the playground, and spend more time working and playing at home.

It saddens my children to have to miss out on doing many things with me, and it grieves me as well. This struggle has provided wonderful opportunities to talk with my children about Heaven, the New Earth, and the life that awaits believers there (Revelation 21). My children and I grieve the things we cannot do together today, but we also dream about things we will one day be able to do together on the New Earth. We have plans for camping, hiking, climbing mountains, playing at the beach, and more!

A couple of weeks ago we celebrated the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. When Jesus died on the cross and rose again, He secured for us salvation from our sins, eternal life, and the redemption of our bodies. Christ rose from the dead, and one day we will be raised too. What great hope this gives to all who believe!

While on this earth, we groan and grieve as we experience suffering caused by disabilities, illnesses, and special needs. Maybe you have a child with special needs, and you hurt to see the struggles your child faces in life. Perhaps you are caring for aging parents, and you are saddened by the increasing weakness and frailty they endure. Maybe you live with a disability, and you dream of the day you will be able to walk or use your hands again in Heaven. Maybe you look forward to one day being able to speak or hear or see.

We currently live in bodies affected by the curse, and we await the redemption of our bodies. One day all who have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ will be raised in glory, just as Christ was raised from the dead on Easter Sunday. These bodies that are now filled with weakness will one day be raised in power (1 Corinthians 15:42-43).

The hope of resurrection is one of the things that encourages my family and me to persevere through the hard days of disability. This suffering in bodies affected by illness and disability will not last forever. The redemption of our bodies is coming (Romans 8:23)!

What encourages you on the hard days of disability? How does the resurrection give you hope? What is something you want to do someday in your resurrected body on the New Earth?

This article was originally posted on The Irresistible Church.

Oh My Soul

About a month ago I was having more bad days than good days. My body was exhausted, and each day was a fight to keep moving. I was growing weary of the constant battle with fatigue. During an especially challenging week, a friend sent this song to me. The video has a lovely depiction of beauty in the ashes. The song encouraged me, and I hope it encourages you today too.

Oh My Soul by Casting Crowns

If you are reading this in an email, please click over to the blog to see the video.

Oh, my soul
Oh, how you worry
Oh, how you're weary, from fearing you lost control
This was the one thing, you didn't see coming
And no one would blame you, though
If you cried in private
If you tried to hide it away, so no one knows
No one will see, if you stop believing

Oh, my soul
You are not alone
There's a place where fear has to face the God you know
One more day, He will make a way
Let Him show you how, you can lay this down
'Cause you're not alone

Here and now
You can be honest
I won't try to promise that someday it all works out
'Cause this is the valley
And even now, He is breathing on your dry bones
And there will be dancing
There will be beauty where beauty was ash and stone
This much I know 

Oh, my soul
You are not alone
There's a place where fear has to face the God you know
One more day, He will make a way
Let Him show you how, you can lay this down

I'm not strong enough, I can't take anymore
(You can lay it down, you can lay it down)
And my shipwrecked faith will never get me to shore
(You can lay it down, you can lay it down)
Can He find me here
Can He keep me from going under

Oh, my soul
You're not alone
There's a place where fear has to face the God you know
One more day, He will make a way
Let Him show you how, you can lay this down
'Cause you're not alone
Oh, my soul, you're not alone

The Gift of Time to Pray

December was a busy month for my family. It was filled with birthdays, work, and celebrations. When January arrived, we settled back into our regular routine. School started again for my children, and my husband went back to work. I wanted to get busy too. I was ready to start reading and writing again. I was ready to help out with small tasks around the home.

But my body was too worn out from the holiday season. I used up a lot of energy over Christmas break, and my body has had a hard time recovering from the exertion. The fatigue has made it difficult to type on my laptop, even while lying down in bed. Sometimes it has been too hard to read or even watch a movie. The extra tiredness has been discouraging for me. I have wanted to do more to serve my family, but the fatigue has kept me still and quiet.

I was feeling sad about all that I could not do, but then I decided to shift my focus and look for the gifts found in the mundane, quiet days at home. I started adding up the time that I spent in prayer on my tired days, and I soon realized that I was spending two hours or more in prayer on many of those days! Because I was too tired to do my normal tasks, I was able to spend much more time in prayer.

In the middle of these weak and tired days, I have been given a good gift: uninterrupted time to pray. Many Christians would be grateful for two hours of time alone with God each day to pray. The time I have to pray is a precious gift, and I am learning to accept it as such.

I live in a body of weakness. Maybe you do too. It is a comfort to know that God’s power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). God can work through our weak and tired bodies, and spending time in prayer is one way we can let Him work through us. It is also a comfort to know that the “Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26).

So this winter, as I rest and recover from the holidays, I am keeping my prayer cards nearby. When I am too tired to read a book or write a blog post, I will spend time in prayer. This extra time spent in prayer for friends, family, ministries, and missionaries is not time that is wasted. It is time that is spent on Kingdom work! It is a privilege to come before the Lord in my weakness and pray, and it is a comfort to know that the Holy Spirit intercedes on my behalf.

Is there a limitation you are facing that makes life difficult, but that opens up new opportunities? What gifts have come as a result of a disability or illness in your life?

This article was originally published on The Irresistible Church.

Marriage, Chronic Illness, Christ, and the Church

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. 

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. 

Ephesians 5:22-33

Last week my husband, Will, and I celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary. I look back with gratitude on the years we have shared together, and I thank the Lord for the blessings that we have experienced in our marriage affected by chronic illness.

I will never forget the wedding card given to us by a dear family that I babysat for as a teenager. In the card, they wrote, “We pray that God will bless your marriage such that it will be an example of Christ and His church.” Their prayer was a wonderful, biblical prayer. But, little did I know how God would so clearly answer that prayer!

When we married in 2002, I already had a chronic illness. At that time, I was still able to attend college, and after graduating I was able to work a part-time job for a while. However, less than two years after getting married, my health deteriorated to the point that I became disabled and homebound.

Suddenly, I needed my husband to do basic personal tasks and household chores that I previously could take care of on my own. I needed his help with cooking, cleaning, laundry, and shopping. I needed his help with transportation and maneuvering my wheelchair. There were even times when I needed help with personal care. And he was always faithful to help me.

Each day, Will sacrifices his comfort in order to care for my needs and perform the mundane household chores. As he faithfully serves me, he is an example of the sacrificial love of Christ. He shows me a small reflection of the great love that Christ showed me when He gave Himself on the cross for my sins. It is an incredible gift to be reminded day after day of the love of Christ through my husband’s service to me.

My husband has a high calling to display the love that Christ has for the church. I, too, have been given a high calling. As I respect and submit to my husband, I have the privilege of displaying the beauty of the church submitting to Christ. It is an honor to respect and submit to my husband as to the Lord.

Will and I are certainly not perfect, but I hope and pray that our marriage is a lovely picture of the gospel to those who see us. If our marriage can give a glimpse of the beauty of the gospel to a watching world, and if our marriage brings glory to the Lord, then all the difficulties of marriage with a chronic illness are more than worth it!

Marriage is a picture of Christ and the church. A godly marriage proclaims the gospel to the world. A chronic illness, or disability, in marriage does not mar that picture. A chronic illness or disability can, in fact, enhance the picture of the gospel!

How have you seen the gospel put on display through a marriage affected by a disability? If you are in a marriage affected by a disability, how does your marriage portray a picture of the gospel?

This article was originally posted on The Irresistible Church blog.

Invisible Illness Awareness Week

Photo by Ellie Kiser

I was 24 when it happened for the first time. I sat beside my husband in our church that met in a little log building in rural Alaska. The congregation stood to sing, but I remained seated. It was awkward to be the only one sitting, especially when I looked so healthy. My body appeared strong, but inside it was weak.

My health had been slowly deteriorating for several years, and my disability was invisible. Many in the church probably didn’t even know that I had an invisible illness. They could not see that each week it was becoming harder for me to attend church. No one could see that standing made my blood pressure drop too low. No one could see my heart racing to keep my blood circulating so that I didn’t faint. No one could see the energy draining from my muscles. But I could feel it, and I knew that if I wanted to make it through a whole church service, I could no longer stand while singing hymns.

Photo by Ellie Kiser

My church was very kind and accepting of my new limitations. They allowed me to remain seated without shame, and they brought meals to show their love and care. We have moved many times since then, but I will always be grateful for our little church in Alaska.

My family lives in Minnesota now, and I am grateful to have another loving and accepting church. My invisible illness has grown worse over the years, but my church accepts me just as I am. They even keep a recliner at the church for my personal use! I can no longer sit up through an entire church service, so lying down in a recliner enables me to attend a service occasionally.

There are many members in our churches who are fighting invisible illnesses, and although we cannot see it, their struggle may be profound. Their illnesses may be disabling even if they appear to be able-bodied.

This week is Invisible Illness Awareness Week, an annual online awareness event sponsored by Rest Ministries. According to Rest Ministries, nearly 1 in 2 Americans live with some kind of chronic condition, and the majority of their symptoms are invisible. An individual may be dealing with pain, fatigue, nausea, dizziness, weakness, cognitive difficulties, or any number of other debilitating symptoms.

People with invisible illnesses need our support and encouragement. They face challenges each day that no one can see and that many do not understand. They may feel lonely, discouraged, or misunderstood. They may be struggling to keep up with simple tasks of daily living. They may be facing a disability while those around them are unaware.

If you have an invisible illness, it can be embarrassing to let others know about your struggle. But sometimes we need help and encouragement from others, and if we do not share with them what we are going through, they cannot offer their support. Let’s humble ourselves enough to let our churches know that we are living with an invisible illness.

When we learn that someone has an invisible illness, let’s be ready to offer them our encouragement and support. Let’s be understanding when they need to sit, leave church early, or cancel plans at the last minute. Let us accept them, limitations and all, and welcome them in our churches.

If you have an invisible illness, what is one of your most disabling symptoms?

What are some ways we can offer support and encouragement to those who are suffering from an invisible illness?

{This article was originally posted on The Irresistible Church blog.}

Persevering and Choosing Joy on the Hard Days

The past few weeks have been filled with a lot of hard days. A "good day" is when I am able to be out of bed for four or five hours, but even on the good days, I often struggle to move. My body feels like it is on its last drop of energy, and everything I do is a physical challenge. Sometimes I wonder how my muscles are even moving because they are so tired it feels like it shouldn't be possible.

My body is tired, and my mind is tired, but I want to persevere. I want to keep on keeping on when life is hard. I want to choose joy not just on the good days, but on the bad days too. Here are some things I have intentionally been doing lately as I seek to persevere and choose joy:

Reading through Job and Psalms. I am working on reading through the Bible this year, and it "just so happens" that I recently finished the book of Job and am now reading in Psalms. It has been perfect timing, and the words of Scripture have encouraged and strengthened my heart.

Praying daily. I often ask God to help me be "joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer" (Romans 12:12).

Listening to music that encourages me to persevere. I have a playlist with some of my favorite songs that I like to listen to while resting in bed.

Putting on lotion that smells good. I have recently been wearing Peppermint Spice body butter on my hands. It smells like Christmas and the outdoors and happiness all rolled into one. And it was made by my friend, Dorina. I can't help but smile when I wear this!

Enjoying Dandelions. Wildflowers from my daughter are a sweet reminder to find love and beauty where there are weeds.

Sitting by the fire pit. This is homebound camping at its finest! I really miss camping, but being able to sit by a fire in my backyard was such a treat. It wore me out so much that after 2 hours I had to go inside and take a nap! But the picnic, fire, and time with my family was delightful.

Appreciating the extra time to crochet. After finishing my scarf, I made fingerless gloves with the leftover yarn. Now I am working on a baby sweater, bonnet, and booties to enter at the county fair this summer. If I wasn't struggling with brain fog I would have been spending a lot of my recent time writing instead. The brain fog has been a blessing because it has forced me to spend more time crocheting, which is something I love to do.


How about you? What are you struggling with currently? And how are you choosing joy and persevering? Let's share our ideas and encourage one another today!

Keep on keeping on, sweet friend! Or, as my friend Elizabeth often tells me, "KOKO!"

Five Minute Friday: Whole

Today I am joining the Five Minute Friday community. We write for five minutes on the same writing prompt, and then we gather together at Kate's blog to share our words.

I haven't participated in Five Minute Friday since last fall, but I am going to be making an effort to join in more often now. Five Minute Friday is good for me. It stretches me, challenges me, and gets me to write about topics I might not otherwise consider. Last fall Periscope helped to get me out of my comfort zone. Now that I am no longer doing Periscope, I want to join in Five Minute Friday often so that I can be stretched out of my comfort zone!

I have to say that I took about 10 minutes, instead of 5, to write this post. I am still a little extra tired from yesterday, and my brain is working slowly. Thank you for grace!

Five Minute Friday :: Whole

Yesterday was a low-energy, very tired day, and I had to spend the whole day in bed. It was one of those days when I woke up absolutely exhausted for no apparent reason. It always amazes me that I can eat good food, get a good night of sleep, and still not have energy to get out of bed.

I accomplished very little yesterday. I had planned to write emails, blog, and crochet. Instead I found myself too tired to do any of those things, and for most of the day I was too tired to even watch television. I didn’t do much more than look at Facebook and pray. Most of my time was spent just lying in bed, not doing anything but thinking and praying. I did manage to do my daily Bible reading, but I had to set it aside to rest a few times before I could finish.

When my children came home from school, I was unable to greet them at the door like I usually do. Instead they came back to find me in my room, still in bed. They said hello, and then quietly and happily played in their rooms and did homework. And then I fell asleep.

After Will came home from work, I got up to get a shower, and then I went right back to bed. It was a long, hard day, but I made it through.

This morning, as I was looking back on my slow, boring day yesterday, I felt like I had accomplished very little. But then I realized that I accomplished just what I needed to accomplish. I read my Bible. I spent time with the Lord in prayer. My prayers were short and simple, but I know that the Holy Spirit interceded on my behalf. And perhaps my simple, tired prayers accomplished something significant.

I may have spent the whole day in bed, but a whole day in bed, when lived for the glory of God, is not a wasted day.

Book Review: Start with Hello

As I was writing the article, Beyond the Prayer Sheet, I thought not only about the chronically ill, but about the many people in the church with various disabilities. In my article I focused on the chronically ill members of the body of Christ because that is where I have the most experience and understanding of specific needs. However, there are many in the church who have different types of disabilities and special needs who also need to be included as an indispensable part of the body.

There are members of the body of Christ who have autism, dystonia, ankylosing spondylitis, Multiple Sclerosis, and Down syndrome. There are members who suffer from paralysis. There are members who are blind and deaf. And there are members with numerous other types of disabilities within the body of Christ. They have a wide variety of special needs, but they are all a vital part of the body. Each one of these members is indispensable!

I am excited that Joni and Friends has recently released a booklet about ministering to those in the church who have special needs. The booklet is called Start with Hello, and it is available on their website as a free PDF or mobi file.

If you are interested in starting a special needs ministry at your church, or if you have church members with special needs, I highly recommend reading Start with Hello. I recently read this booklet, and it is filled with practical and helpful advice. This booklet will take you through five steps to help you start a ministry for those with special needs in your church.

One thing I learned while reading Start with Hello is that any church can begin a special needs ministry. The church does not need to have a large budget, a big facility, or numerous volunteers. A small church can begin a small ministry. A special needs ministry may begin with something as simple as providing a peer or adult buddy for a child who needs extra help during Sunday school. Special needs ministry starts with hello, and it can grow and blossom from there!

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if those with disabilities, special needs, and chronic illnesses were embraced as an indispensable part of the body of Christ? As this booklet says, “Such a church would be irresistible.”

From Start with Hello:

Instead of creating another program, let us examine what the church would look like if everyone, regardless of special needs or extraordinary abilities, were embraced as a fully functioning member of Christ’s body. Regardless of cognitive processing, verbal communication, behavioral struggles, or physical ability, each member would be valued as a person flawlessly created in the image of God, and the church family would receive each member’s God-given gifts with joy.  

Such a church would be irresistible, not just to the special needs family looking to be loved for who they are, but for anyone skeptical that the church holds a place for them. The unemployed, the addict, the chronically ill, the divorced, the widow, the young single, the orphan, the perfectionist, the insecure, the average Joe or Jane—each would recognize the unconditional love of such a church by seeing how those with disabilities belong unconditionally.

Visit Joni's radio page to listen as she shares Michelle's story, and download your copy of Start with Hello.

Let us embrace the disabled, the chronically ill, and those with special needs as an indispensable part of the body of Christ!

Beyond the Prayer Sheet

“But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you,’ nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable.” 1 Corinthians 12:18-22

The church needs its chronically ill members. God’s Word says that every believer is a vital part of the body of Christ. It is essential that each part contribute to, and receive nourishment from, the body. Even the seemingly weak parts are indispensable; they are absolutely necessary for the body to function properly. If they are disregarded or neglected, the body will suffer.

I have lived with a debilitating chronic illness for twenty years. During this time I have been blessed to get to know numerous Christians who also live with chronic illnesses. These people have various needs and spiritual gifts, and they desire to be part of a local church body. Yet, sadly, I hear again and again from Christians with chronic illnesses that they feel forgotten or neglected by their local church. This should grieve our hearts. We must learn to see, and include, the chronically ill as an indispensable part of the body of Christ.

In some churches, ministry to the chronically ill does not extend beyond the mention of their names in a weekly prayer sheet. Praying for the chronically ill in our churches is an important ministry, and one that we should not neglect. It is essential, however, that we go beyond the prayer sheet. The church needs to come alongside the chronically ill to suffer with them and to serve with them. The chronically ill are a vital part of the body of Christ. They have much to offer us, and we, the body of Christ, have much to offer them. 

I think that many churches desire to minister to the spiritual and physical needs of the chronically ill, but they struggle to know how. Here are a few examples of practical ways the church can serve its chronically ill members:

• Call or send a card when they are not able to make it to church. This simple gesture lets the chronically ill know that they are cared for. It reminds them that they are not forgotten even when they cannot be physically present with the church body. 
• Live stream church services on the church website. This is a wonderful way to include homebound members in the corporate worship service. Providing sermons on CD or mp3 is helpful if your church is not equipped with technology for live streaming.
• Visit them in their homes, especially if they are homebound. We all need fellowship with other believers, but those who are homebound may not have many opportunities for Christian fellowship. Before visiting, it is helpful to call ahead to make sure they are feeling well enough for a visit.
• Ask if there are ways the church building could be made more accessible for them. Some things that may be helpful are: more handicap parking spaces, bathroom modifications, ramps, or a recliner for someone who cannot sit up through a church service. 
• Ask if they need help with yard work, meals, housekeeping, childcare, or transportation. Once a church learns what the physical needs of their chronically ill members are, they can help to meet those needs and/or assist in organizing the necessary help.

The chronically ill are not simply members in our churches who need to receive prayer and help. There are also ways that the chronically ill can give to the church. They may not be able to contribute in an obvious way, but their contributions are not insignificant. Though they may be weaker, they are indispensable. Here are a few ways the chronically ill can minister to the church body:

• Pray for the needs of the church. Some members may be unable to make it to church regularly, but they can faithfully intercede for the saints. 
• Teach a class with assistance. Some of the chronically ill may not be able to teach a Sunday school class or Bible study all by themselves, but they might be able to help in a class or teach with the help of an assistant.
• Encourage and disciple others. Those who are not well enough to teach at church may be able to encourage and disciple believers who visit them in their homes. They may have a wealth of wisdom to share from lessons learned through years of suffering with an illness.
• Be a faithful example of perseverance. Living with a chronic illness takes perseverance. Those who live faithful lives despite daily physical trials will be an encouragement to other believers. By their example, they can teach the body of Christ to persevere and keep an eternal perspective in the midst of trials.
• Share their testimony. The chronically ill could share about what the Lord is doing in their lives during a prayer meeting or Bible study. If homebound, they could share through a written testimony that is placed in a bulletin or emailed to the church.

Through faith in Christ’s sacrifice, each of us has been made a vital part of the body of Christ. The seemingly weak are, in actuality, indispensable. We cannot neglect or disregard a part of the body without causing the body to cease to function properly. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary that we value the chronically ill members in our local churches. Let us look for ways to serve them, and let us accept service from them in return. Let us include the chronically ill as an indispensable part of the body of Christ. 

The Beautiful Truth

“God designed my disability not to make me ‘independent,’ but ‘interdependent.’”

- Joni Eareckson Tada

My life with dysautonomia places a burden on my husband, children, family, and friends. I'm not sure if I will ever completely get used to that. It is hard to be a burden. It is hard to see others have to sacrifice so much in order to care for me. It is especially hard to see the daily burden that my illness places on Will, William, and Adelaide.

And yet, at least for now, this is the way it is meant to be. God has designed me to need a lot of help from others. He has provided me with a husband and children to help me daily. He has provided others to help me occasionally. And God has given my family and friends the opportunity to serve Him by serving me.

I am learning the beautiful truth of being a burden. It is hard. It is a lesson I wish I didn’t have to learn. But this is the life God has given me for my good and His glory, and I thank Him for it. I am learning to accept being a burden and to pray for strength for those who help me.

I greatly appreciated this article by Joni Eareckson Tada: The Beautiful Truth About Being a Burden. If you are caring for a loved one, or if you are the one who is being cared for, Joni’s words will help and encourage you today. 

Eight Reasons I Am Thankful for Dysautonomia

God has given me a life that is much different than I dreamed it would be, but also better than I could have ever planned or imagined. I trust that life with dysautonomia is His good plan for my life. I do not understand all of God’s purposes in allowing me to be a disabled and homebound wife and mother. God’s ways are not my ways. His thoughts are higher than my thoughts. But even in my limited understanding, I can see ways that dysautonomia is beneficial for me. I am thankful for the many blessings that have come because I have dysautonomia.

Here are 8 reasons I am thankful for dysautonomia:

Dysautonomia reminds me each day that I need the Lord. Every day I wake up to a sick, weak, and miserable feeling in my body. I am keenly aware that I cannot control my health or my strength. I cannot make my body function properly. It is truly the Lord who sustains life, gives health, and gives weakness. I have learned to see the pain and weakness in my body as a grace and a mercy. It is a daily reminder of my need for, and my dependence upon, the Lord.

I have made many friends online whom I never would have met if I did not have dysautonomia. Through places like DINET, blogs, and Facebook groups, I have met so many people with dysautonomia, chronic illnesses, and other disabilities. These friendships are a treasure to me! I have learned a lot from my friends who live with various illnesses and disabilities. They have encouraged me through their examples, inspired me with their courage, and blessed me with their friendship.

Dysautonomia brought me to the point of starting a blog. I probably would not be blogging if I were not ill and homebound. Blogging has been a wonderful creative outlet and connection to the outside world. If I did not have dysautonomia I probably never would have started blogging. I would have been too busy to sit down behind a computer for hours each week. Dysautonomia has caused me to slow down and take time to write.

Through living with dysautonomia I am learning to persevere. Although trials are not pleasant, they are beneficial. They are so beneficial that we are to count it all joy when we face trials (James1:2-4). For this reason, I am grateful for dysautonomia. It gives me opportunity each day to persevere in hardship. Each day I push my body to keep going and not give up. I seek to be content and enjoy my life. I spend time with the Lord when my mind and my body are tired. I give of myself to my husband and my children. I am learning to persevere, and it is growing me to maturity. What a blessing!

My children learn compassion through having a disabled mother. Because of my needs, William and Adelaide had to learn from a very young age to be gentle and quiet. They learned to look out not just for their own comfort, but for mine as well. They have learned to serve me when I need help. These lessons in compassion and servanthood will be beneficial to them for the rest of their lives.

Dysautonomia provides challenges that cause our marriage to be strengthened when we persevere in love and faithfulness. Marriage affected by a disability is hard. But when Will and I determine to persevere in the challenges, to love and serve each other, and to cling to the Lord through it all, our marriage is strengthened. Dysautonomia makes marriage hard, but it brings us closer together, and that leads to much happiness in marriage!

Living with dysautonomia reminds me to keep an eternal perspective. My body is tired and weak. My health has been steadily declining for 16 years. My hope is not in good health in this life. My hope is in the life to come. My hope is in the One who paid the price for my sin, taking the punishment that I deserve, so that one day I can be free of this body of death and live forever on the New Earth. As I struggle to persevere in this weak and tired body, I am reminded that this body is not the only body I will ever have. This life is not my only chance at happiness. The best is yet to come!

I am gaining reward in Heaven when I suffer faithfully. This is such a reason to be happy in life with dysautonomia! I cling to these verses daily: “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

It always astounds me that suffering is incredibly beneficial to believers in the Lord Jesus Christ! A faithful response to suffering will result in a greater reward than we would receive if we did not suffer at all. And the reward awaiting us in Heaven is far out of proportion any suffering we could ever endure on earth. Suffering will one day be worth it all. Because there is reward for living faithfully in the midst of affliction, I am very grateful for dysautonomia!

I would love to hear from you! What hard things do you face in life? What reasons have you found to be thankful for suffering?

My Invisible Fight

Each day with an invisible illness is a fight against my body. I fight to wake up. I fight to make my body move. I fight to get out of bed. I fight to spend time with my family. I fight to think, communicate, read, and write. Through it all, I fight for joy.

My invisible fight begins in the morning when I start waking up around 10:00 or 11:00 am. Every morning I wake up with a miserable, sick, and weak feeling in my body. It overwhelms me, and I start praying right away. I can’t think clearly when I first wake up, so my prayer is usually something very simple like, “Please help me, God. I don’t feel well. Please give me strength. I need you.” Sometimes I go back and forth between sleep and prayer for an hour. Waking up is not easy. It is a fight every morning.

After waking up, I fight through morning brain fog. I read blogs and check Facebook to help my mind wake up. When enough of the brain fog has cleared, I read and study my Bible. This brings me joy, and it helps me to keep life in a proper perspective. After reading my Bible, if I am able to think clearly enough, I like to correspond with friends, write a blog post, or read a good book. I keep resting in bed until the afternoon so that my spoons for the day are not used up too quickly.

Around 2:00 in the afternoon I fight my body to get out of bed. Being out of bed is always hard because my body does not counteract gravity very well (I will tell you more about that fight tomorrow). I walk around the house as much as I can in the afternoon, and this is my daily exercise. It helps me to maintain as much muscle tone as possible, but it depletes my energy levels quickly.

William and Adelaide come home from school at 3:25. They bring such joy to my life, and I fight for time with them. I like to sit with them on the sofa and hear about their day. We do homework together. Sometimes we eat a snack. On the really tired days I lie down on the sofa, and Adelaide and I watch a movie together.

Between 4:00 and 5:00 each day I feel my spoons slipping away. They are almost gone, and I fight to stay up until Will gets home from work. By 6:00 my body is almost ready to give up the fight for the day. I push myself a little longer and a little harder, but by 6:30 or 7:00 I am in bed for the night. My spoons are gone, and it is time crash out and rest up for the fight that is coming the next day. I usually get to spend some time with Will at night before we fall asleep, and this makes me happy. It is the perfect ending to the day!

Each day with dysautonomia is a fight to move and do as much as I can. I thank the Lord for my family and for the help they give to me, and I thank Him for the friends who encourage me in my invisible fight.

The Lord provides grace and strength and joy each day as I face life with an invisible chronic illness. I am grateful to Him for never leaving me alone in my invisible fight. 

Read more Invisible Fight blog posts here.

Surviving Summer

This is a challenging summer for my family and me. My body is weak and tired, and I am struggling to take care of William and Adelaide while Will is at work. I stay in bed most of the weekend so that I can partially recover for the next week. My body is unable to completely recover in only two days, so each week is harder than the one before. I’m borrowing spoons from the fall to make it through the summer.

William and Adelaide haven’t complained about it at all, but the summer is wearing on them. They miss me being able to do things with them, and it is hard on them to see me so tired and weak. They also miss having our family of four together at one time. I have to go to bed almost as soon as Will gets home from work each day, and because I have to spend the majority of the weekend in bed, we have precious little time as a family. This is a hard summer for all of us, so we pray for strength, and we press on.

A couple of months ago I was planning on writing a blog post with tips for surviving summer as a mom with a chronic illness, but instead I find myself with very few tips. I can do so little that most days it feels like I’m barely holding on, so my tips are quite simple: Pray. Read your Bible. Rest. Be with your children when you can. Watch Movies. Teach your children to help out. Accept help from others. That is pretty much my formula for making it through this summer!

Pray.

Talk to the Lord every day, and ask Him to help you through your day. I start praying as soon as I wake up. My body feels so weak and tired that it overwhelms me every morning. I pray for grace and strength to make it through the day.

Read the Bible.

No matter how tired you are, don’t neglect God’s Word! Even if you can only read one verse, read it. Think about it. Ask God to teach you and encourage you through His Word. If you are able, read the Bible with your children also. I read my Bible each day. On some days I am able to do a 15 minute Bible study while lying down in bed. On other days I can only read a few verses, but I do what my energy levels allow. When I am doing well enough, I also like to have a devotion time with the children. William and Adelaide have really enjoyed reading through Matthew and this devotion book with me.

Rest.

Take time to rest each day. If your children don’t need naps, they can read or play quietly while you rest. I am not always able to get the rest I need every day, but I rest as much as I can. William and Adelaide play quietly in the house and watch movies when I have a particularly bad day and need to stay in bed all day long.

Be with your children.

Do what you can to be with your children in the summer. If you are a mom with a chronic illness, that may look a lot different for you than it does for your healthy friends, and that’s okay. You don’t have to take them to the park or the pool or on amazing summer trips. Just be with them. Read books, color, watch movies, or play board games. When you need a lot of rest, don’t feel guilty about watching movies with them. Which brings me to my next summer tip…

Watch movies.
This could go under the categories of rest or being with your children, but movies are so helpful that I am putting them in a category of their own. There have been many days this summer that the only thing I was physically capable of doing with my children was watching movies, so we gathered on the sofa and did just that. I wish we could have memories of going on walks and playing at the pool, but that is not an option. So we make fun memories with movie days!

Teach your children to help.

You can teach your children age appropriate chores so that they can help you in your home. William and Adelaide have been so helpful this summer. They help to clean up the living room and their bedrooms. They have learned to start the dishwasher. They pick vegetables from our garden. Adelaide likes to bring snacks to me. William fills up my water bottle when I can’t do it myself. William has also been vacuuming the house this summer.

Accept help from others.

If you have the option of accepting help, don’t be too proud to accept it. If a friend offers to help, and you need it, take it! We have had some full-time, in-home help this summer from family and a friend who have visited, and we are so grateful for that! I also have a local friend who has helped me out by taking care of William and Adelaide on some mornings so that I can get extra rest. 

That is how I am surviving summer. What about you? I know there are many other chronic illness moms who are struggling this summer too. Maybe you are one of them. What tips and advice do you have to share with us? Let’s learn from each other, and let’s encourage one another!

Saying Yes in My Weakness

One of my favorite books this year was Rhinestone Jesus by Kristen Welch. In this book she shares about her journey of faith and learning to say yes to God. Kristen learned that she didn't have to wait until her life was perfect before she could start following God. She learned to start saying yes right in the middle of her mess. Her small steps of obedience eventually led to founding Mercy House and helping pregnant teenage girls in Kenya.

Kristen encourages other Christians to follow the Lord and say yes to Him in whatever He calls them to do, no matter how “big” or “small” it is. She says, “Saying yes isn’t really about doing it all. It’s about saying yes right where you are. It may seem small or insignificant, but any time you love someone or care for another person’s needs, you’re changing their world, and yours, too. It’s about looking up from your everyday life and seeing opportunities around you to make a difference. It’s about loving others as we are loved.”

This year Kristen invited various bloggers share their "yes stories" each week on her blog. Her "Works for Me Wednesday" (WFMW) series has become a "Yes Works for Me" series! Today I am honored to be guest posting on her blog and sharing about saying yes in my weakness. Please come on over and join me! WFMW: Saying Yes in Your Weakness

Offering Practical Help to a Friend with Chronic Illness

Life with a chronic illness is physically challenging. The unrelenting fatigue, weakness, and/or pain can make everyday tasks challenging, and sometimes impossible. People with chronic illness need their friends to be understanding of their limitations, and many of them also need practical help. Needs can vary greatly among the chronically ill. One person might only need occasional help, while another might need daily assistance from family and friends.

If you have a friend with chronic illness, there is likely something you can do to help your friend in a practical way. Depending on your skills and availability, and your friend’s particular needs, here are some suggestions of things that might be helpful to offer to do:

• Take your friend shopping or run errands for her.
• Provide transportation to medical appointments or to church.
• Bring a meal over.
• Help with homeschooling.
• Take care of her children when she needs to rest or go to the doctor.
• Help with house cleaning.
• Help out with yearly deep cleaning projects.
• Help with decorating for holidays.
• Help out with yard work or house maintenance.
• Give free labor and/or materials for home-modification projects to make her home more accessible. Home modification projects may include things like adding ramps, widening doorways, lowering countertops, and making a bathroom handicap accessible.
• Take your friend’s laundry to your house, and bring it back the next day clean and folded.
• Go to the Post Office for her when she needs to mail packages.
• Give her a hair cut in her home.

If you would like, you can offer help beyond the tasks of daily living and house maintenance. You can help your friend to have some of the simple joys of life that she might otherwise miss out on.  Here are some ideas of practical ways to bring some joy into your friend’s life:

• Bring over a manicure kit and nail polish and treat her to a manicure in her home.
• Help her bake or cook something just for fun. Let her stay seated while you do all of the tasks that require walking around.
• Bring over supplies for a simple craft to do together. When you are finished making crafts, clean up the mess for her.
• If she isn’t able to go to church often, you could offer to do a simple Bible study with her once a week. If a Bible study is more than she is up for, you could simply read the Bible to her and then pray for her.
• Bring over her favorite drink from the coffee shop, or bring a meal from a restaurant. Sit and visit together.

Good to Know:

Your friend may need a lot of help when she first faces new limitations. In time she may learn ways to work around those limitations, but it can take a while. She will greatly appreciate your patience with her as she figures out her limitations and needs.

When I first became very sick in 2004 life became incredibly hard. Even though I didn’t have any children at the time, and only had to take care of myself, I struggled to figure out how to do that given my new limitations. I hadn’t yet learned the signals from my body indicating that I needed to lie down and rest. As a result, I would unintentionally push myself too hard physically, and then I would end up paying for it for days or weeks. In time I learned the signals my body gives me to let me know that I need to slow down and rest. I have also found tools and learned tricks that make life a bit easier. But for many months I really struggled and needed extra help. Your friend may face times when she needs extra help too.

Let’s hear from you!

What other ideas do you have for ways to help a friend in practical ways? If you have a chronic illness, what has been the most helpful thing someone has done for you?

Image of cleaning supplies from Chlot's Run. Adapted by Rachel Lundy.

This post is part of the Chronic Illness and Friendship series.