Beyond Casseroles
I finally got my hands on Lisa J. Copen's book Beyond Casseroles: 505 Ways to Encourage a Chronically Ill Friend. I've been wanting to read this book for quite a while now so I'm pretty excited to own a copy. I received it in the mail on Friday, shipped in from America, and I've already started reading it and I must say I can't put it down. I even read it while I was brushing my teeth, mighty multi tasker I am! That's how much I'm enjoying it so far! I can't wait to write the book review for you!
I purchased this book for some creative inspiration as I feel called to bring encouragement to the chronically ill, especially teenagers and young adults. I really want to be a giver of encouragement to those who suffer in silence. From experience, I know some helpful ways to show my compassion and care but chronic illness never affects two people the same way. Everyone is different, therefore what may be helpful and encouraging to me may not be to someone else; hence my reason for wanting to read this book. I want to be armed with 505 ways to encourage someone with a chronic illness, I want to be ready for when someone says to me 'a friend of mine has a chronic illness too. How can I encourage them and show I care?'
Being chronically ill myself since 2006, I understand the value and importance of needing and receiving encouragement. I know first hand the joy that it brings. I've also experienced the pain from a lack of it. If living in chronic pain has shown me anything, it has opened my eyes up to the extreme need for encouragement amongst those facing chronic pain, especially invisible illnesses. This experience has lead me to discover the reasons for the lack of encouragement, particularly amongst the younger generation and in churches. It has motivated me to want to bring about change. I am so passionate about encouraging those who have been forced into isolation because of society's inability to see their disability. I will be discussing more about this topic in greater detail throughout this blog, because I want to be an encourager. I can see the need and I want to meet it. I feel such a strong desire to encourage not only those living with invisible illnesses but to also encourage and provide others with creative ways and strategies to help, bless, love, encourage and bring hope to those trying to come to terms and cope with chronic illness.
Thanks for reading,
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