Healthy Faith Recognizes the Proper Place for Politics

This has been an unusual election cycle filled with vicious rhetoric, hyperbole, and fearful predictions of apocalyptic doom. Scrolling through my Facebook and Twitter feeds this morning, I found this Election Eve announcement everywhere.

BREAKING NEWS!!!!!!!

It's over. (HRC, DJT) has just been caught (lying, latest scandal).This shocking revelation totally ends the political hopes of (HRC, DJT) and assures that (HRC, DJT) will triumph. And if (HRC, DJT) doesn't win, it's because the election was (tampered with, influenced by outside sources) so that (HRC, DJT) couldn't win. We are in big trouble because now (HRC, DJT) will be elected instead of (HRC, DJT).So all you Christians out there better go out and vote for (HRC, DJT) because if you vote for (HRC, DJT) instead of (HRC, DJT) Satan wins!

Here's the thing. If Christians believe that the outcome of an election has more power than God our Father and Creator, Jesus our Redeemer and Hope, the Holy Spirit our Guide and Strength, then Satan has already won. 

I understand that folks have strong feelings about the candidates. But we have lost our way if we place politics above our faith in God. When we wake up on Wednesday morning one of the candidates will be our new president. Some people will be thrilled with the result and others will be devastated. Whatever happens, the Kingdom of God cannot by shaken by the kingdoms of this world. 

"What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Christ Jesus is at the right hand of God and is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution of famine or danger? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:31-39

So let's get up tomorrow and go vote for the candidate of our choice. And when we wake up on Wednesday morning, let's remember who we are in Christ Jesus and what a mighty God we serve. 

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Healthy Faith Recognizes the Proper Place for Politics

This has been an unusual election cycle filled with vicious rhetoric, hyperbole, and fearful predictions of apocalyptic doom. Scrolling through my Facebook and Twitter feeds this morning, I found this Election Eve announcement everywhere.

BREAKING NEWS!!!!!!!

It's over. (HRC, DJT) has just been caught (lying, latest scandal).This shocking revelation totally ends the political hopes of (HRC, DJT) and assures that (HRC, DJT) will triumph. And if (HRC, DJT) doesn't win, it's because the election was (tampered with, influenced by outside sources) so that (HRC, DJT) couldn't win. We are in big trouble because now (HRC, DJT) will be elected instead of (HRC, DJT).So all you Christians out there better go out and vote for (HRC, DJT) because if you vote for (HRC, DJT) instead of (HRC, DJT) Satan wins!

Here's the thing. If Christians believe that the outcome of an election has more power than God our Father and Creator, Jesus our Redeemer and Hope, the Holy Spirit our Guide and Strength, then Satan has already won. 

I understand that folks have strong feelings about the candidates. But we have lost our way if we place politics above our faith in God. When we wake up on Wednesday morning one of the candidates will be our new president. Some people will be thrilled with the result and others will be devastated. Whatever happens, the Kingdom of God cannot by shaken by the kingdoms of this world. 

"What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Christ Jesus is at the right hand of God and is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution of famine or danger? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:31-39

So let's get up tomorrow and go vote for the candidate of our choice. And when we wake up on Wednesday morning, let's remember who we are in Christ Jesus and what a mighty God we serve. 

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Healthy Faith Trusts The God Who Provides

Jehovah Jireh - God Provides

Forty-four years ago my husband, Vic, and I got married and moved into our very first apartment. It was tiny, located in an area headed toward urban decay, had a leaking gas hot water heater, and was furnished in an eclectic mix of cast offs from relatives and things we made ourselves. Burglars broke into it three different times but never took anything because we didn't own a single thing valuable enough to steal. We were young, madly in love, and finally on our own;so naturally we thought it was the most awesome apartment in the world. 

Vic was in medical school and I taught first grade at a small Christian school.We had a very limited income that called for a strict budget that included only $10 per week for groceries.I made a lot of "rice and" dishes:rice and a smidgen of meat, rice and beans, rice and a can of soup.One drawer of our desk was reserved for incoming bills which I kept carefully stacked with the ones due the soonest on the top.We payed the bills until the money ran out each month.There were always a few bills at the bottom of the pile that had to wait until the next month to rotate to the top.The system worked.Our utilities were never turned off and no angry bill collectors came banging on our door.  

The first year we were married, we heard a sermon at our church one Sunday on the different names for God.Our favorite was Jehovah Jireh - The God Who Provides.It was the name Abraham gave to the place by the altar when God provided a ram caught in a thicket so that he did not have to offer his son Isaac up as a sacrifice.(Genesis 22:14) I've always thought that's a strange story but it has a happy ending and is a wonderful reminder that God always provides everything we need.

Those two words became our secret faith code to each other. Every time we got backed into a financial corner (which was a frequent occurrence in those early years) we would smile and say:Jehovah Jireh. Vic made a plaque to hang on our apartment wall inscribed with that precious name for God.We learned daily to entrust our lives together to The God Who Provides.

That little hand carved plaque has traveled with us everywhere we have lived.Since we moved 16 times in the first 14 years of our marriage, it has been with us on quite a few adventures.It hung on walls in the homes we lived in during medical school and residency and a stint at seminary. It traveled with us to Bogota and Barranquilla, Colombia where we served as missionaries.Today it hangs on a wall by the back entryway of our home so we see it every day as we go in and out of the house .

Forty-four years ago we thought of the Lord's provision only in the limited terms of our financial needs.Over the course of four decades God has taught us that his provision goes far beyond simply meeting our financial needs.When we felt called to be missionaries, God gave us direction. When my Daddy died at age fifty in a terrible work related accident, God provided comfort. When our car was stolen at gunpoint in Colombia with my children in the backseat,God protected them and provided a way to get them safely out of the car.When I developed chronic health issues,God helped me discover healthy living strategies that led to my recovery.When fellow Christians were unkind God helped me move beyond personal hurt toward forgiveness.In times of great darkness he always gives me his great light to find my way. 

But above all, God provides me with his own presence.He fills my life with his grace,mercy, peace,and love.He opens my eyes to see that adventure, joy, and possibilities are everywhere.He cultivates in me a sense of gratitude and thanksgiving that come from him alone.

Jehovah Jireh. Yes indeed. 



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Healthy Faith Focuses on Unity

Can we put aside our differences and focus on how we are connected to one another?

Our lives are intertwined like branches on a tree.

My husband graduated from Ensley High School in Birmingham, Alabama decades ago. Over the years we have run into numerous people who also graduated from Ensley. This might not seem so strange if we still lived in Birmingham. But we have lived in numerous places since then and we keep running into people who went to Vic's high school.They are everywhere: repairmen, deliverymen, patients at our office, visitors passing through town, the people sitting next to us at the theater, the Sunday School teacher in a class we visited - all graduates of the same high school located in a city we haven't lived in since 1975.

My favorite story about this connection happened when we were missionaries in Colombia, South America. We were studying Spanish in the capital city of Bogotá. We attended a church that shared its facilities with two congregations: the local Spanish-speaking residents and English expats that worked in international companies throughout the city. One group had a worship service while the other went to Bible study and then they swapped locations. During the half hour break for the changeover, both groups met in a central area for coffee and fellowship. During the break one Sunday Vic and I walked over from the Spanish service and introduced ourselves to an American couple attending the English service for the first time.They had moved to Colombia due to a job transfer and had been in Bogotá just a few weeks.The husband said they were enjoying the experience of living in a different culture.Then he said, "One of the main reasons I'm glad to be here is because everywhere we go we meet people who went to the same high school as my wife. We are finally living in a place so far away that she won't run into any fellow graduates " Vic said, "That happens to us all the time, too." The wife put down her coffee cup and said, "Yes, I doubt I'll run into anyone in Bogotá,Colombia who went to Ensley High School in Birmingham, Alabama."

It is amazing how many ways our lives are intertwined with the lives of other people. We graduate from the same school, discover we have friends in common, work in the same field, or share similar interests.If we are Christians, we have a common faith that ought to be a powerful force for unity.

We should feel connected instantly to others who belong to the family of God. Unfortunately, in recent years, we have focused more on what separates us than on what unites us. God's family includes people from different countries, ethnic backgrounds, political parties, denominations, cultural views, languages, and traditions. We have the awesome potential to work together to bless each other and to bless unbelievers. But that will never happen as long as we spend our time drawing lines in the sand, arguing, and demanding that everyone think exactly like we do on every single issue.

To practice healthy faith, we need to put aside our differences and focus on how we are connected to one another.There are so many ways our lives are intertwined with our brothers and sisters in Christ. If we would concentrate our energies on the great truths we hold in common, it would be a lot easier to find ways to work together to impact our communities and our world with the gospel. We could help and encourage one another. We could feed the hungry, clothe the poor, heal the sick, and welcome the stranger in the name of the one who said, "In as much as you have done something for one of the least of these, you have done it for me."  Matthew 25:40 NIV

I long for reconciliation among believers that will bring light to darkness and speak love to hate. So today, I intentionally chose to cherish each and every person who belongs to the family of God. I chose to look for the things that unite us. I chose to respect wherever you are in your faith journey. I will not require you to be in the same place on the path as me. I will not focus on divisive ploys. I will not argue. I will not belittle. I will not condemn or condone. I will simply pray:

"May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." 2 Corinthians 13:14 NIV


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Label Makers or Peacemakers?

What does this rainbow mug mean?

There is a rainbow on that mug. Hmm. I wonder what the owner of the mug thinks about DOMA, gay rights, politics, the church, faith, hope, and love? Is she conservative or liberal? Is she voting for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton?  

No matter how any of those questions are answered, someone from the other side will label the person with an opposite point of view as stupid, moron, heathen, radical, socialist, idiot, unpatriotic, clueless, or some other hateful adjective hurled in rage toward another human being created in the image of God. We seem to have lost our ability for civil discourse, thoughtful discussion, exchanging ideas, and giving one another space to have diverse opinions about politics, culture, and the church.

The destructive art of label making has reached new highs during the current election season.We constantly divide ourselves into groups of "Us" and "Them." This tendency has been reinforced by partisan 24/7 television news broadcasts and a thousand social media platforms incessantly demanding that we click, like, copy, paste, repost, favorite, comment, and repin. And if we dare to refuse, we will be unfriended, deleted, and tossed away like worthless trash.

We don't have to agree with one another on anything to be kind to one another. Those who call themselves Christians are commanded by Jesus himself to love one another. It is sad that the name calling comes from inside the church as often as it comes from outside it.The label makers on any side of an issue take the name of the Lord in vain each time they use his name as an excuse to hate, judge, or exclude those they consider "The Others." People with healthy faith recognize that God has not called us to be label makers.He has called us to be peacemakers.He has not called us to label our brothers and sisters by any other name than His.

What about that rainbow mug? That is my mug on a table in my sunroom. I suppose that makes me the most qualified person around to tell you what the rainbow cup represents. Have you already labeled me, decided who I am based on a photograph of a mug?  

The mug is not very valuable.It belonged to my mother.I don't remember where she got it but I know that it hung on a cuphook in her kitchen for decades. When she moved into a senior living facility, her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren were honored to look through the treasures she had collected over a lifetime and take whatever they wanted. I chose the mug because I like rainbows and I love my mother. It makes me happy to think of her when I sip my morning ginger tea. Ginger Tea Recipe

Maybe it's time for all who say they believe in Jesus, the Prince of Peace, to try to make the world a little more beautiful and a little less fractured by refusing to label the people Our Father God has placed in it with any other name than His.

"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:3 NIV

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Healthy Faith Appreciates Diversity

The creative energy of our amazing God is expressed in a riot of shapes, colors, sizes, and species. His power is too magnificent to be limited to one kind of anything. So, when he decided to make flowers,he filled the earth with an astonishing variety.

Our planet overflows with flowers, mountains, deserts, oceans, trees, plants, and animals in a splendid array of shapes, sizes, and colors. We see how much God treasures diversity, not only in nature, but also in the people who populate our world.

"God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth.' " (Genesis 1:27-28 NIV)

And fill the earth we did.Today over seven billion people from thousands of ethnic groups live on earth. God is so much greater than we can imagine and so far beyond our ability to comprehend, I think, perhaps, it takes people of many different races and cultures to even begin to reflect his image.

If I want to exercise healthy faith, I need to follow God, the Father and Creator, and treasure diversity as much as he does. I need to see the wonder and beauty in those who are different from me. I need to appreciate diverse ethnic groups from around the world. 

I've been privileged to meet people from Argentina, Brazil, Cambodia,Cameroon, Canada,Chile,China,Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic,Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,Germany,Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Iran,Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Panama, South Africa, South Korea, Spain,Taiwan, and Syria.
They are as unique and lovely as the multitude of flowers that cover the earth. Each one is a tiny piece of the mosaic of humankind that reflects the image of God.

Those with healthy faith practice love and acceptance for all people everywhere.This is not a natural human response to those who look, sound, or act differently than us. We are sometimes fearful of people who have a different worldview than ours.This fear is amplified by news outlets seeking increased ratings, politicians manipulating voters to get elected, and thousands of posts each day on social media.I will never be able to see people through God's lens of love in my own power.Only God's spirit residing in me can help me relate to others with love, acceptance, and caring. 

If I say that I'm a Christian, I have to assume the attitude of Christ.The Son of God was sent into our messy, fearful world to show us how deep and wide and high God's love is for every single person he created.The theme that runs through everything Jesus said about relationships is love. And it's not just a suggestion. We are commanded to love one another. In fact, Jesus said the world will know we are his disciples based on the depth of our love for each other.

The creation story reveals that each day when God completed his creative work for that day, "God saw that it was good." (Genesis 1 NIV). If I intentionally focus on the wonders of nature, I see goodness and splendor all around me. And if I intentionally look for what is beautiful and holy in the people God created, I will surely find it.

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It's Healthy to Tell God the Truth

Avoiding toxic substances in household products, personal care items, and processed food is a smart way to take care of our physical bodies. But we are more than a physical body. We have a soul and a spirit. As a woman of faith, I have to take care of my spiritual self too. It can be toxic to my faith to pretend everything is okay when it's not. It is good for my spirit when I'm honest with God. Hey, I might as well be. He knows everything about me anyway. It is liberating and healthy to truthfully tell God how I feel. Once upon a time, I had a day mixed with equal parts of frustration and gratitude. So I talked to God about it. I told Him my truth and He told me His. 

Dear Lord,

I've had it. I'm done.I think I am now officially allergic to everything but air.I guess that will be next. Okay, so I've gotten used to the shellfish allergy thing. Although it has limited my lifestyle considerably since it has progressed to the point that I can no longer walk into a restaurant that serves shellfish or a grocery store that sells fresh seafood because now even that tiny amount of exposure causes a severe allergic reaction. I've adjusted. I just don't go to those places anymore. I've tried to focus on what I can do instead of what I can't and be thankful that I can still eat out occasionally at the handful of restaurants that don't serve shellfish.

I'm dealing with the processed food issue and the lactose intolerance. I'm grateful that you showed me that eating processed food full of toxic chemicals was contributing to my fibromyalgia symptoms, really I am. Since I changed my diet by ditching most processed food and instead eating real food with lots of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients, my symptoms have disappeared. I'm grateful and amazed. But it is so frustrating to not be able to go to a potluck dinner at church or out to eat with friends because I might be exposed to something that could make me sick, or you know, kill me.I feel so isolated sometimes. 

And why do I have to be allergic to all these insects? I live in the south for crying out loud.There are bees, spiders, gnats, and all manner of stinging, biting little critters everywhere. 

Today, today pushed me right over the edge.

This happens. A spider or a gnat or some other small creature I can't see bites me while I'm inside of Walmart. I take a Benadryl tablet and hope that will be enough to stop the anaphylactic reaction. I drag out to the car in utter disbelief. It's the second time it's happened.This month. Inside of Walmart. My soul is so utterly downcast. Will I have to become a hermit and never leave my house again?

I drive home and plop down on the couch completely defeated. My face, tongue and throat are still swollen.There is pressure in my chest. So I pop another Benadryl and get out my EpiPen and wait. I think about how it's beyond ironic that the epinephrine in the EpiPen is one of the many medicines that cause bad side effects for me.I won't use it unless absolutely necessary. I unscrew the cap and prepare to jab myself in the thigh if needed.The tachycardia I get from the epinephrine is less traumatic than the whole, you know, stopping breathing thing from the allergic reaction. While I wait, enveloped in a disorienting fog from taking two doses of Benadryl, I notice the Kindle on the table beside me and decide to look at my Facebook page.The very first thing I see is a Bible verse posted by a friend.

"Don't be afraid for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up." Isaiah 41:10

Oh. 

I see. I remember. You created everything: shellfish, milk, spiders, gnats, me. You are with me. You are my God. You give me strength and help. You hold me up. So, I choose to be hopeful instead of discouraged, grateful instead of complaining, trusting instead of afraid.  

The Benadryl works. I put away the EpiPen and meditate on your goodness, on all the ways you bless me.Thank you that I can pour out my frustration, my thoughts, my problems, my truth, my heart to you. Thank you, thank you, thank you that I can come before you with whining and afterward walk out into whatever else this day holds with singing.

Amen and Amen.


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Finding Our Faith GPS

I love road trips. Exploring new places is a grand adventure. But I always want to know where I'm going and how I'm going to get there. I look at Google maps, check the atlas, and set the GPS to head in the right direction. I don't mind detours.They can lead to fun and unexpected discoveries. I just don't like being lost.  

My husband,Vic, and I always take turns driving on long trips.I enjoy both my time behind the wheel and my time in the passenger seat checking out the view. However, I usually relinquish my turn when our travels take us through big cities because I don't like to drive on unfamiliar interstates that go through large metropolitan areas where I haven't driven before.There are just too many potential problems. I don't know a thing about the interchanges or exit ramps.I always have the sneaking suspicion that there is an erratic driver lurking around the next curve just moments away from randomly deciding to cross six lanes of traffic and crash into me. I know this is distorted thinking; but hey, that's me.

So a while back, I had an interesting dilemma. I had been looking for a good deal on a Prius. I popped in at Toyota dealerships everywhere we went. While we were roaming around east Tennessee, I found the perfect car at a great price. It was a gorgeous snazzy red with soft charcoal gray interior. I loved it!  

But then it hit me. We don't live in east Tennessee. I think Vic is a brilliant man who can do pretty much anything; but even he could not drive two cars at once. If we bought the car of my dreams, I would have to drive it home. Our route would take us through Knoxville and Chattanooga with incredibly crowded interstate systems that I had never driven on before. I would have to drive in a lot of traffic.There was the possibility I might get lost since I had no idea how to navigate my way home.

I decided taking the risk was worth gaining the prize. We bought the car and planned our strategy. Vic would be the lead car and I would follow him. He had driven that way many times before and knew where he was going. I didn't have a clue. Vic's usual driving style involves zipping along at quite a nice clip and changing lanes every time he gets behind a big truck or slowpoke. But he loves me more than he loves his usual driving routine, so for the hours we were on the road, he kept a smooth steady pace, only changed lanes when absolutely necessary, put on his blinker in plenty of time to alert me to an upcoming move, and guided me all the way home. I didn't have to worry about where we were going. I only had to keep my eyes fixed on my fearless leader.

Our lives are a grand adventure. We may have to go down paths we haven't traveled before. There are often side trips and detours we don't anticipate.Sometimes the way seems dangerous and confusing. But then again, there may be unexpected discoveries around the next bend that add purpose and great joy to our journey. The risk is often worth the prize.  

For our spiritual health and well-being, it is important to find and follow our faith GPS. Who are you looking to these days for guidance and leadership? Some people follow politicians and political ideologies. Others choose family, friends, community traditions, denominational viewpoints, or cultural trends as their road map for faith. 

These ancient words from the book of Proverbs written in the modern Biblical translation, The Message, give us a clear picture of the wisest choice for our faith GPS.

"Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He's the one who will keep you on track." Proverbs 3:5-7 MSG

As long as we keep our eyes focused on God our Father, follow the example of Jesus, and trust in the leadership of the Holy Spirit, we don't have to worry about getting lost along the way. We can rest assured that we are headed in the right direction. God, who loves us beyond measure, leads us at a steady pace and always guides us safely home.

"Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed.' Hebrews 12:1-2 MSG


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5 Ways to Cope with Depression in Chronic Illness While Moving Toward Recovery

One of the hardest things about dealing with fibromyalgia,or any other chronic illness, is trying to wrap your head around the idea that this terrible disease that has invaded your life is never going to go away.  

I am by nature a positive person. I usually can find some sliver of light even in the darkest situation. When I was diagnosed, I was told that there is no consensus in the medical community about what causes fibromyalgia and there is no definitive cure for the disease.I don't think I truly believed that in the beginning. I woke up every morning expecting to feel better. But day after day passed and I still had severe pain and debilitating fatigue. After a whole year went by with no improvement, reality hit. I might feel this horrible for the rest of my life. I tumbled headlong into another symptom: Depression.  

If I was going to cope with chronic illness, I had to learn how to cope with the depression it caused. Like every other aspect of the disease, this became a process over time. If you have found things that help you deal with the depression that comes with chronic illness, please share in the comment section. Different things help different people.  

Five things helped me cope with the depression caused by my fibromyalgia. If you suffer from fibromyalgia or another chronic illness and are struggling with depression, it may help to:


Practice an Attitude of Gratitude Every Single Day

We celebrated Thanksgiving yesterday. Families and friends sat around the table counting their blessings. This can be a jarring ritual for someone who feels lost in the darkness of feeling horrible all the time. When I was dealing with my illness, I knew that I needed a way to shift my focus from my current negative circumstances to more positive thoughts. So every day I tried to think of at least one thing that I could be thankful for. This was not always easy. But it helped. I expressed thanks for all kinds of things.

• This morning I took a shower and brushed my teeth before I had to sit down. Yay!
• I drove to the supermarket and shopped for fifteen minutes all by myself.
• My pain level on a scale of 1 to 10 is an 8 today instead of a 10.
• I am surrounded by family and friends who love me.
• My husband encourages and helps me every single day.
• I saw five deer walking through the woods behind my house.They were beautiful.

Spend Time in Prayer

I am a woman of faith, so bringing the darkness that enveloped me to God was a natural response for me. I asked God to show me ways that I might be able to feel better. I asked him to help me develop good coping mechanisms to deal with the reality that I might not ever feel well. I asked for enough strength to simply put one foot in front of the other and somehow manage to survive the day. Sometimes my prayers were along the line of: 

"Why in the world did you allow this to happen to me?" 

"I'm mad, tired, and discouraged and don't really feel like talking to you today." 

God loves us like a dad loves his family so he patiently listened to my complaints and questions. I had dealt with all kinds of negative circumstances before being diagnosed with fibromyaliga. I had other illnesses. People I loved had died. Relationships I cherished had ended. My faith in God helped me cope then. My faith would help me cope with this too. 
There is a verse in the Bible that has encouraged me in many of the dark times in my life and I held on to this thought. 

"I am convinced that neither death, nor life, neither the present nor the future, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39


Read a Wide Variety of Books

I have always loved to read all kinds of books. The books I read during my illness reminded me that I was not the only person in the world who was suffering, taught me smart ways to eat, reminded me to be grateful, and brought balance to my view of my current situation. I read my Bible, devotional books, books about dealing with chronic illness, books on depression, books about coping with trauma, books about eating good food, books about learning to be thankful in difficult circumstances. I didn't agree with every single thing in every single book but I was given bits and pieces of light from each one.The words dancing across all of those pages encouraged me. Here are a few suggestions:

• Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?  by Harold S. Kushner
• Eating on the Wild Side by Jo Robinson
• The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
• In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan
• Learning to Pray When Your Heart is Breaking by Denise George
• FibroWHYalgia by Sue Ingebretson
• A Place of Healing by Joni EarecksonTada
• Eating Well for Optimum Heath by Andrew Weil
• Prayer:Does It Make Any Difference? by Philip Yancey
• Foods That Fight Fibromyalgia by Dierdre Rawlings
• Help.Thanks. Wow by Anne Lamott
• 1000 Gifts by Ann Voskamp.

Make Intentional Movement a Planned Part of Each Week 

The pain from fibromyalgia was so severe that my muscles and joints screamed at just the thought of movement. My fatigue was so debilitating that I considered walking from the couch to the kitchen a monumental triumph. 

Then I heard a doctor describe an exercise program designed for people with chronic illness that started with walking just one minute a day. I thought even I could handle that. So I walked around the inside of my house for one minute once a day for several weeks. After I got used to that, I started walking two minutes each day. I added minutes every few weeks until I was walking fifteen minutes at a time, then twenty. When the weather was nice, I walked outside. I wasn't race walking. I was strolling and meandering. Moving around in the sunshine is a great mood booster. I gradually added swimming, light weight lifting, and stretches to my routine. Not only did this help with my physical symptoms, it also elevated my mood.


Take Charge of Educating Yourself about Your Illness

After a year of wallowing in misery, I became proactive about my disease. I started looking for answers and possibilities. There is a wealth of information in books and on the internet. I read all kinds of theories about what causes fibromyalgia and other autoimmune diseases. I searched for things I could do to feel better. Even before I discovered a single thing that helped, I felt my depression lifting. I was finally actively taking charge of this chronic illness instead of passively allowing it to take charge of me. Looking for information made me feel hopeful instead of helpless.  

Over time I developed a plan that involved three primary lifestyle changes.  I eliminated as many toxic chemicals as possible from my home environment. I stopped eating most processed food. I started eating real food rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients. I hoped this would help me feel at least somewhat better. I was utterly amazed that I eventually completely recovered. On December 6 I will celebrate three years of being symptom free.




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5 Ways to Cope with Depression in Chronic Illness

One of the hardest things about dealing with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, or any other chronic illness, is trying to wrap your head around the idea that this terrible disease that has invaded your life is never going to go away.  

I am by nature a positive person. I usually can find some sliver of light even in the darkest situation. When I was diagnosed, I was told that there is no known cause or cure for fibromyalgia and CFS.  I don't think I truly believed that in the beginning. I woke up every morning expecting to feel better. But day after day passed and I still had severe pain and debilitating fatigue. After a whole year went by with no improvement, reality hit me square in the gut. I might feel this horrible for the rest of my life. I was forced to add a new symptom to my fibromyalgia pattern:  Depression.  

If I was going to cope with chronic illness, I had to learn how to cope with the depression it caused. Like every other aspect of the disease, this became a process over time. If you have found things that help you deal with the depression that comes with chronic illness, please share in the comment section so that other folks dealing with this can be encouraged. Different things help different people.  

Here are some things that helped me cope with the depression chronic illness caused.

Exercise 

The pain from fibromyalgia was so severe that my muscles and joints screamed at even the thought of movement. My fatigue was so debilitating that I considered walking from the couch to the kitchen a monumental triumph. Then I heard a doctor describe an exercise program designed for people with chronic illness that started with walking just one minute a day. I thought even I could handle that. So I walked around the inside of my house for one minute once a day for several weeks. After I got used to that, I started walking two minutes each day. I added minutes every few weeks until I was walking fifteen minutes at a time. When the weather was nice, I walked outside. I wasn't race walking. I was strolling and meandering. Moving around in the sunshine is a great mood booster. I gradually added swimming, light weight lifting, and stretches to my routine. Not only did this help with my physical symptoms, it also elevated my mood.

Books

I read my Bible, devotional books, books about dealing with chronic illness, books on depression, books about coping with trauma, books about eating good food, books about learning to be thankful in difficult circumstances. The words dancing across all of those pages encouraged me. Here are a few suggestions:

• Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?  by Harold S. Kushner
• Eating on the Wild Side by Jo Robinson
• The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
• Learning to Pray When Your Heart is Breaking by Denise George
• A Place of Healing by Joni E. Tada
• Foods That Fight Fibromyalgia by Dierdre Rawlings
• Recovery from CFS - 50 Personal Stories by Alexandra Barton
• Help.Thanks. Wow by Anne Lamott
• One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp.  

Prayer  

I am a woman of faith so bringing the darkness that enveloped me to God was a natural response for me. I asked God to show me ways that I might be able to feel better. I asked him to help me develop good coping mechanisms to deal with the reality that I might not ever feel well. I asked for enough strength to simply put one foot in front of the other and somehow manage to survive the day. Sometimes my prayers were along the line of: 

"What in the world were you thinking to allow this to happen to me?" 

"I'm mad, tired, and discouraged and don't really feel like talking to you today." 

God loves us like a dad loves his family so he patiently listened to my complaints and questions. I had dealt with all kinds of trauma before fibromyalgia appeared in my life. There is a verse in the Bible that has encouraged me in dark times and I held on to this thought. 

"I am convinced that neither death, nor life, neither the present nor the future, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39

Gratitude

I needed a way to shift my focus from my current negative circumstances to more positive thoughts. So every day I tried to think of at least one thing that I could be thankful for. This was not always easy.  But it helped. I expressed thanks for all kinds of things.

• This morning I took a shower and brushed my teeth before I had to sit down. Yay!
• I drove to the supermarket and shopped for fifteen minutes all by myself.
• My pain level is an 8 instead of a 10.
• I am surrounded by family and friends who love me.
• My husband encourages and helps me every single day.
• I saw a red cardinal sitting on a bare tree limb in the middle of January. It was beautiful.

Research
I started looking for answers and possibilities. There is a wealth of information in books and on the internet. I read all kinds of theories about what causes fibromyalgia and CFS. I searched for things I could do to feel better. Even before I discovered a single thing that helped, I felt my depression lifting. I was finally actively taking charge of this chronic illness instead of passively allowing it to take charge of me. Looking for information made me feel hopeful instead of helpless.  

Over time I developed a plan that involved three lifestyle changes.  I eliminated chemical products from my home environment, stopped eating processed food, and started eating whole foods rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients. I hoped this would help me feel at least somewhat better. I was utterly amazed that it eventually led to compete recovery. I have been symptom free for 14 months and 10 days.