Title reads, Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind, How can the church better serve the chronically ill? Picture of Shona Smith, she has short grey hair, wears glasses and is smiling. Guest post by Shona Smith. pin by Chronically Hopeful

Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind: How Can The Church Better Serve The Chronically Ill?

​Today I am sharing a guest post by Shona Smith. I must admit, I have mixed feelings about ​this topic, but it is an important issue and needs to be addressed. I​t is not just a few isolated cases, pastoral care in the church is something that is in desperate need of an overhaul. ​This shouldn’t be an issue, but sadly it is and Shona is working hard to find solutions.   ​I hope you do not relate to our…

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Nicole sitting on a sofa, leaning her head on her hand, smiling. Title reads Faith through Generalised anxiety disorder, interview with Nicole Starbuck, by Chronically Hopeful

Nicole Starbuck on Faith Through Illness

Welcome to the first interview in a new series called Faith Through Illness. I hope you will find these stories to be encouraging and a blessing. I know I am loving each one that arrives in my inbox and I cannot wait to share them with you! Today I’m sharing Nicole’s beautiful journey of faith. She ​is the co-founder of “Jumpstart Positivity”, a community focus​ed on personal growth, positive thinking and making impactful change. Do go visit her site and…

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Celebrating My Rebirth-day BLOG

Baptism: Celebrating My Rebirth-day

April is a very special month for me. Many of my great life changes seem to have happened in April. This particular celebration is very special to me: on 7 April 2012 I was baptised in the sea at Brighton beach in the UK! I was 30 years old at the time. Baptism was something I had been thinking about doing for years, but I never really understood what living a life in Christ really meant and how baptism fit…

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God gives us the desires of our heart BLOG

God will give you the desires of your heart

This verse is often misinterpreted and then people are discouraged and think God doesn’t keep His word. It’s not saying God is a genie and will grant all your wishes, whatever they are, we know that not everything we lust after in this life is in alignment with God’s will or even part of the path He would like us to be on. I know my own desires were far from godly before I gave my life to Christ and…

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Leaves in the pouring rain. Title Reads, keeping an eternal perspective despite our circumstances.

Keeping An Eternal Perspective

I absolutely believe that we are safer with God in any storm than we would be anywhere else without Him. It’s hard when you focus on the pain and suffering in this world or even your own personal trials to remember that this is just a fraction of eternity. This will eventually pass, it is only a temporary part of your life. Keeping ​an eternal perspective allows you to see just how small and temporary every trial is in the…

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A woman looking off to the side, she's sad and demotivated

You’ve Got This: You’re A Warrior And A Survivor

When living with a chronic illness, whether it’s a physiological or psychological condition, it is common to start doubting yourself. Your confidence dwindles as you lose the ability to function the way you once did. You might start to feel useless, helpless and hopeless, but there is so much you can still offer the world, don’t let doubt and negative self-talk steal your joy and faith! Note: You may freely download and share the following graphics on social media or…

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a woman sitting alone on a windowsill, looking lonely. Title reads Isolation, why people drift away when you're chronically ill and why this might be a good thing

Isolation: Why Do People Drift Away?

Sometimes it’s hard to accept that when you’re living with a chronic illness, people fall away, but it is something that commonly happens after a period of time, and it might even be beneficial. Initially, once people are made aware of your struggles, you might have an outpouring of support and practical help from many around you, but over time, when you don’t improve, most people will inevitably drift away as they are unable to make taking care of you…

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White flowers in a bouquet. Title reads: Does chronic illness make you feel useless? Don't compare yourself to others, you are enough.

Does Chronic Illness Make You Feel Useless?

Does chronic illness make you feel useless? I know that many ​Christians with chronic illness feel like they are no longer useful to God or others, that they have lost all purpose and can no longer contribute to society or ministry, but that is just not true! Don’t compare your resources ​and abilities to anybody else’s, they are yours and they are enough. God ​Can Use ​Us Despite Ourselves We may have good reasons why we can no longer be…

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A woman dancing in a field at sunset. TItle reads: the freedom of letting go. You don't notice the weight you're carrying until you let it go.

The Freedom Of Letting Go

​Sometimes you don’t notice the weight you’re carrying until you let it go. This is often such a hard truth to accept, but letting go of that control we try so hard to hold onto can actually be very liberating! There really is freedom in letting go. Being A Control Freak There are many areas in our lives where we crave order and control, but in reality it isn’t up to us and we can save ourselves a lot of…

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Char is holding a devotional. Title reads: The freedom of the gospel. It took me 30 years to learn this truth about the gospel.

Took Me 30 Years To Learn This Truth About The Gospel

So many Christians live in fear and doubt these days. I know this well, I was one of them. I loved God and wanted to please Him, but I feared ​Him too, and His judgement. I feared angering Him and I feared death because I doubted my own salvation. I was relying on my own flawed and weak attempts to be good enough and lived in constant disappointment and frustration at my own shortcomings. I knew I could never live…

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