Hi Friends,

Thanks for being patient as this ezine was delayed the last few weeks while we had Invisible Illness Week. Wow! What a week that was! I've posted some details below, but if you weren't able to listen in to the 20 seminars, I encourage you to zip on over to Blog Talk Radio where they are hosted and see what topics would encourage you today. The exact web site where all the seminars are posted is http://www.blogtalkradio.com/invisibleillnessconf . You can also send an email to a friend about a particular seminar, or post the code on your own web site for a the programs or a specific one. We'd love for them to be shared! So far, we've reached over 8000 listeners!

On a personal note, instead of having surgery in 2 hours on my right hand I am sitting up on the computer, working on getting this ezine out.Surgery had been postponed. And I am bummed.

The edema I suffered with in my right foot the week of II week turned into cellulitis on Sunday, with a trip to the emergency room, and then another one to the doctor today since it’s abscessed.

Isn’t life unpredictable?

So… for the moment I am glad my right arm is not in a cast, but I have been a “patient in pain” for the last few days, barely able to walk, etc. and surgery hasn’t even occurred yet.

Why do I want to have surgery? Well, for one, I was all mentally prepared. I had the next 3 weeks crossed off on my calendar.

Plus, the surgeon also expressed his concern that my hand did need taken care of soon before a major tendon ruptured (My right wrist bone is pretty big and sawing down the few tendons I have left in that hand). I can’t pick up a mug of coffee, put on shoes, turn the steering wheel, nothing, without it clicking and being in pain.

But, being a patient on auto-immune suppressant medications… and now an infection… there is no way surgery can happen right now.

Most healthy people may think, “Oh, no big deal; so you have to reschedule.” But it you are like me, you know the recovery period is much longer than typical for any surgery when you deal with illness. I also will have a cast that goes about my (bent) elbow on a shoulder that needs joint replacements. So my mom had flown down from Oregon for 2 1/2 weeks to help pick my son up from school, entertain him, take care of me, etc. It just throws everything off, ya know?

I know God has rearranged all of this for some reason, but He didn’t consult me on the convenience factor. I had a good plan! And am a bit whiny about it (can you tell?) In 15 years of rheumatoid arthritis, the last 3 days ranks up in there in the "most pain" category.

So please be patient with me. My mom is helping me get orders our, and we are trying to keep up with emails, but I know I've not as quick to respond as some of you had hoped and I've disappointed a few. I literally have been taking life minute by minute and have spent free time either in bed with my foot propped up with ice or in a waiting room.

Thanks so much for your continual prayers.

Lisa Copen
Rest Ministries Director and Founder

PS: Can you eat ice cream? We love yummy good causes! Coldstone is having a free "World’s Largest Ice Cream Social" on Thursday, September 25 at 5:00 p.m. to 8 p.m. at every Cold Stone Creamery! Throughout September, Cold Stone Creamery sold Make-A-Wish wall stars to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation, an organization that grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions. Thursday night a 3-oz free serving will be given to you by Emily, one of the children, called, "Emily's Creation - Nutter Butter® ice cream with White Chocolate Chips, Kit Kat® and Yellow Cake." How can you resist? Find a location near you! (Thanks to Susan Singbusch who sent this in!)

Yes! I can make a donation to help Rest Ministries continue their outreach!

Rest Ministries Soon To Have All
Shipping Done by Outside Source

More on this next week, but if you wondered why I was a bit frazzled last week instead of resting after II Week, it's because we are sending all our inventory to a warehouse in Indiana who does shipping for a large Christian organization and who will be taking it over for us. I don't know if many of you know this, but since 1997 every item ordered has come from my garage. I package each little baggie with brochures, the books, stuff the envelopes, put the postage on, and drive it over to the post office. It takes about 10-15 hours or more a week (traffic is an hour to the post office and back I have to take it to) and stuffing packages is getting more difficult with my hand problems too. God answered a huge prayer on this! I'll let you know more information soon but bottom line is...

1. your packages will ship faster plus come from a more centrally located are in the USA (not San Diego);
2. we'll have tracking #;
3. the physical strain on my body will lessen;
4. it will free up a lot of time for me to be more available for ministry programs, like HopeKeepers groups and other areas.

I was supposed to have it all ready to go this week, before surgery. Mom and are are over half done, since every items needs stuffed into bags, labeled, etc. and then a perfect inventory count. So keep praying God multiplies our time and gives us moments of sanity so our numbers are right!

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A New Store!

Since we're moving all our shipping to another location... I decided months ago we needed to upgrade our store, www.comfortzonebooks.com . I am about 1/2 way done completing this and hope to have it finished in the next couple of weeks (everything I schedule right now comes with a "Lord willing..." attitude though). The new store will have features like the ability to see what others have also purchased, to write a review and have it posted, to see what is new, on sale, or even put in a coupon code. We hope it will be easier to navigate and find what you need! Stay tuned for details.

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Don Piper Ministries Impacted by Hurricane Ike

A prayer reminder, the office of Don Piper Ministries, (Don Piper is the author of 90 Minutes in Heaven and the pastor who lives with daily chronic pain,) will be closed until further notice due to the lingering effects of Hurricane Ike. Please continue to pray for the people who lived in the path of this incredibly destructive storm. Don Piper Ministries will be active in the restoration of the Houston Metro area.

 

Why does Lisa think this film, Fireproof, is so terrific?
Read her review here for Fireproof, the movie!

Watch the official trailer for "Fireproof" on God Tube

[ view sample pages & read more about how this book works]

In Fireproof, Caleb Holt tells his father that he is about to get a divorce. Caleb's dad asks him to wait 40 days before moving forward. Dad's challenge: work a day-at-a-time through a handwritten book he calls The Love Dare. Unconditional love is eagerly promised at weddings, but rarely practiced in real life. As a result, romantic hopes are often replaced with disappointment in the home, but it doesn't have to stay that way.

This book, The Love Dare, is a 40-day challenge for husbands and wives to understand and practice unconditional love. Whether your marriage is hanging by a thread or healthy and strong, The Love Dare is a journey you need to take.

Central to the movie's plot, The Love Dare, now available, is hands-on study that both men and women can integrate into their marriages.

Dear Lisa, I pray you are doing as well as can be expected. I am doing pretty good. I wanted to share some things my doctor said to me this past Monday, as I thought it would be a blessing to many to hear what a wonderful Christ filled doctor thinks. He has been my doc now about 6 years and the Lord has truly blessed me and husband Dana. I live with many illnesses and conditions most have left me pretty much home bound.

Anyway, I have been treated for depression now for years due to my brain injury, and so I asked the doctor "How does one gets past those that do not believe us or understand?"

This is what he said: "One having depression is like one that has Parkinson's disease, as one can not help if they get that just like. One can not help if the have depression." He said these people that say to us to just "get over it" or "move on" or whatever unkind remarks … don't even try to justify your depression for them because they will never understand. And that depression is real and it is treatable.

He said he gets very upset when anyone gives us a hard time, as we can not help it. And if they do not like it-- too bad for them.
This doctor is a blessing; without him. . . well I do not think I would be here today. First being Jesus, then my Hubby and fur baby, and many friends, and my doctor and you all.

So there is a few words of encouragement that I pray will help others to know that not all doctors are bad. It took me a long time to find him, but Praise the Lord I have.

I have many things wrong with me now --too many to write out! But I will gladly share with with anyone that would like to contact me. Thanks, sweetie, I am still a prayer warrior for our Lord and am honored to serve him in any way he wants me to. Love You all Bev in FL

> Click here to submit your own story

"That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and long-suffering with joy; Colossians 1:10-11(NKJV)

Doctors are Told... "Can You Just be Nice?"

According to Paul Levy's blog, a Perspectives column in the New England Journal of Medicine "suggests that doctors enhance their relationship with patients when they deal with [them] in a polite manner." Well, that's a good start!

Tired of those Telemarketers?

Cell phone numbers went public to telemarketers September 23, which means you will now receive these calls and be charged for them! To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone 888-382-1222. It is the National DO NOT CALL list. It's supposed to block your number for 5 years. You must call from the cell phone number you want to have blocked. You cannot call from a different phone number. They state you can also go to www.donotcall.gov but we're calling from our cell phones just to be sure!

Michael W. Smith's New
CD Will Inspire You

Lisa has loved Michael's music since she was 17 and a friend sent her the record with the song "Friends...are friends forever if the Lord's the Lord of them." (And we still are friends, over 25 years later! Hi, Jean!) You won't want to miss at least clicking over to hear Michael's new CD A New Hallelujiah, guaranteed to lighten your load for a few minutes today. It was recorded LIVE this past June in front of 12,000 people in Houston, TX. The record features The African Children’s Choir, a 200 voice choir, and a special guest appearance by 2008 Grammy Award-Winner, Israel Houghton. It is Michael’s passion to bring the LIVE WORSHIP experience back to the front of all of his ministry.

Fast Facts About Generic Drugs

See this nice little fact sheet that, in simple terms, explains the differences between generic and brand name medication. One thing we noticed was this fact sheet promoted the use of generic drugs (rather than getting those expensive ones!) But some people can be very sensitive to generic medications and have side effects that they won't have with name-brand drugs, because the "filler" is different. If a generic drug is causing you a lot of problems, you may want to switch to the brand name before switching to a different generic medication. Your doctor may have to write an approval note so your insurance will cover the brand-name drug.

--Update! Read the article "Purpose from Pain Initiative Offers Support for People with Invisible Illnesses"
here. Kelley shares, "I've now received 2 calls from women who were thankful to hear they aren't alone & there are resources out there for them! The one woman doesn't have internet, so I gave her Rest Ministries phone number. I'm also mailing her the last Hopekeepers magazine as well as other Rest Ministry materials I have on hand, and that silver ribbon pin you blessed me with. She was grateful for this stuff as well." Thanks, Kelley! Awesome article!

> Have something silly to share?

People are always asking, "How can I help Rest Ministries?" With the internet, it's easy to help spread the word. With just a few of us working together to write a review someone or "Stumble Upon" an article, Rest Ministries can gain tons of exposure without having to spend a dime! We'll share a suggestion here each week, where if you can take a minute it will help us reach more people!

Go to our Invisible Illness Week audio programs and email friend's the links to different shows you think they would enjoy! Just click the share button!

Did you know we really need your prayers? In the last few months we've had volunteers who have suffered heart attacks, lost their home, lost a loved one, had additional illnesses diagnosed and more.

Our ministry is blessed, but at the same time we have computer crashes, administrative issues and all kinds of things that just remind us that though God is in control, the enemy desperately wants to slow us down! We have a great list of things you can pray for us about for 2008. Print it out here and stick it in your Bible or on your fridge, and remember us, okay? It's very appreciated!