Topic: New Book: Invisible Illness, Visible God--Merry Marinello
TNT
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 42349
posted
A friend of mine gave me this book to read. It gives a first-hand experience of coping with the spiritual fallout of Lyme Disease, and how to really relate to, and view God, through it all.
The author (she doesn't have lyme, it's her husband) really asks some of the same deep questions, has some of the same struggles, as I have and do. She really gets it. She doesn't come through with the trite old cliches that we hear from almost everyone who hasn't really experienced this illness.
This is her honest to goodness spiritual battle with God and this disease as she bears her heart. And it definitely speaks to my heart like no other book has about these issues.
I'm about halfway through, so hopefully I won't be disappointed as I finish the book.
This quote by Florence Nightingale really stood out to me:
I think it is a very common error among the well to think that "with a little more self control" the sick might, if they choose, "dismiss painful thoughts" which "aggravate their disease." Believe me, almost any sick person, who behaves decently well, exercises more self-control every moment of his day than you will ever know until you are sick yourself. Almost every step that crosses his room is painful to him; almost every thought that crosses his brain is painful to him; and if he can speak without being savage, and look without being unpleasant, he is exercising self-control.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96223 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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TNT
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Member # 42349
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Yea, I was following that thread, Lymetoo. Very good discussion. I am struggling with the same things, and this book addresses some of those struggles.
I had thought of mentioning this book over there, but decided to start one where the title could be more visible. I am so glad you noticed this Ellen.
I read a few pages while in the hyperbaric chamber this evening. It's a very good book-it addresses the reality and the likely purpose of pain and suffering in the Christian's life.
She is very honest about the toll this illness takes on one's life and faith. Their experience deepened her faith. I hope mine can too. But the pit of despair and bitterness is ever so real. I can't say I'm at the same place she is.
Posts: 1308 | From Eastern USA | Registered: Oct 2013
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TNT, thanks for sharing about my book. I'm glad that it's encouraging you. If anyone wants to read the first chapter, there's a link on my website, or Amazon also has a look inside feature (they link random pages).
My husband was infected almost 30 years ago, and went undiagnosed for the first 15 years. Next year will be our 25th wedding anniversary! So...the questions and meditations in my book are definitely the result of years of prayer, searching, and thought, both before and after we knew what was wrong. This is definitely not the journey we thought we were signing up for!
I do still find myself in the pit of despair at times, though I come out of it faster now than I used to (and I don't have Lyme depression to deal with on top of all these questions, though I did go through a 2-year bout with depression). Now, when I do...I focus on a couple of thoughts:
1, My suffering, whether physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual--allows me to taste some of the suffering that Christ went through, willingly, on our behalf. It allows us to know something of the depth of his love for us. That takes my breath away. We need to take captive that thought that says a lack of healing is God's rejection of us, and replace it with the truth of just how highly he values us.
2, we are united with Christ. That means he is living this with us. By choice. I wrote more about this in my blog entry, Unanswered Prayers We may not understand, but we are not alone, not rejected, not forsaken--we are treasured, more than we can imagine.
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