How do you manage to stay the course and keep the faith when managing a chronic illness? Does turning to God give you peace? Do you sometimes rage at God with a clenched fist? That's okay. God can handle it. We'll talk about all the things we deal with as
We take a look at the healing of the man laying by the pool that encounters Jesus. So many times this man is demonized and made out to be the bad guy by preachers and pastors but I never read it that way. Let's talk about it.
We're transitioning into fall, which means darker days and fall allergies! A downer for those of us with SAD and MCAS. On a positive note, we may enjoy beautiful, colorful leaves, leftover Halloween candy and pumpkin pie. Also, can we be grateful for things like divorce, the loss of a relationship or a job? Absolutely. Gratitude has many aspects to it. God knows us better than we know ourselves and knows why we think and feel the way we do. You can't "offend" God. Let's get into it...
Have you heard God sends sickness and hardships to test us and make us stronger? Maybe even worse, that your illness is God "blessing" you? Not true. Let's get rid of this toxic thinking in our spirituality.
It's pride month, a month in which we celebrate the diversity in the world and in all of creation. Resources for LGBTQ+ Christians: https://www.rainbowrailroad.org/ https://reformationproject.org/resources https://www.newwaysministry.org/
Take time to thank someone who was there for you, advocated for you, understood you and helped you navigate your illness. Often times, these people are answers to prayers. (Sorry for all the text message dings in the background!) *This episode is dedicated to my HS guidance counselor, Mrs. O'Connell. Thank you for always trying your best to help me survive HS and make it out alive. :)
Jesus has offered us His peace, so how come it's so hard to find it?
So what now? What's next? We are chronically ill, confused and our dreams are dashed. Life looks different from what we planned. How do we find God's will for us now?
Mother's Day can be complicated for some people who have never had a relationship with their mother or have had a difficult one. For others, we celebrate today and give thanks for the mothers or mother figures in our lives that have shown us love and compassion.
We offer up prayers today on this National Day of Prayer with the rest of the world for peace and healing and our special intentions.
Let's talk. Leave a voicemail at anchor.fm/Stephen-Fratello-cic or go to www.thechronicallyillchristian.com and email me, ask for prayer or tell me your story. I look forward to hearing from you!
When we pray for healing it's important to stay open to all the channels in which healing can come. We also want to put legs behind our prayers and be proactive in our own health, while at the same time relinquishing control. Plus a benediction to end the conversation.
This month is Mental Health Awareness Month and I will lead you in some prayers for healing in this short meditation.
When you're a Christian who happens to be gay, it's hard to find a welcoming community. Now add being chronically ill on top of that. It's really difficult to find a community that understands all the nuances of being chronically ill while also affirming your sexual orientation and gender identity within the Christian faith. So here it is. A place for all three.
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