What I’ve been reading April 2018 (and what you’ve been reading too!)

Why do we have to wait?

Who doesn’t like to receive answers or healing straight away? Yet so often we are forced to wait. And waiting is hard. This post reminded me:

• That a period of ‘waiting’ doesn’t have to be wasted time!
• God has a purpose when he calls us to wait
• Distraction from hardship isn’t always the answer

https://www.biblicalcounselingcenter.org/why-do-we-have-to-wait/

Eight ways to show your loved one you care

We all have people in our lives we love (or know we should love!) but sometimes we struggles with the ‘how’. This post gave some practical tips, as well as a gentle reminder that:

• We have to consciously carve out time to love!
• Love doesn’t necessarily always fit neatly into our schedules
• Love can be as ‘simple’ as words

https://thepurplejacket.com/2018/04/07/eight-ways-to-show-your-loved-one-you-care/

Looks can be deceiving

It is often so much easier to react and sympathise with pain we can see, rather than pain we can’t. This post reminded me that:

• Loving people is listening not just seeing
• It’s not really the job of healthy people to categorise someone else’s pain
• Let’s not get in the habit of reacting in such a way that our loved one’s feel they need to ‘convince’ us of their pain

https://www.lifeinslowmotionblog.com/looks-can-be-deceiving/

What if I don’t feel healthy enough to read the Bible?

There are going to be periods in our lives, whether we have a chronic illness or not, that we struggle with reading the Bible. How can we encourage ourselves or our loved ones to keep going? What stood out to me was:

• The Bible is not just a book
• Simple is not necessarily wrong!
• There are many options

https://inkblotsofhope.com/what-if-i-dont-feel-healthy-enough-to-read-the-bible/

A letter to the parents who are chronically ill (you are not a failure)

This post has been popular so far this year. It’s a plea to all the parents who are struggling: please don’t blame yourself. Please don’t apologise, because:

• You are not your illness
• Your illness can enrich the lives of others
• You are loved

https://calledtowatch.com/2018/02/22/dear-chronically-ill-parent/

// What have you read this past month? Anything you’d recommend?

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Author: Emily J. M.

Hi, I'm Emily. Two of my closest family members struggle with chronic illness, and I watch them. That's hard, and so I write about life as a 'Watcher', what it looks like to support them and find Hope. View all posts by Emily J. M.