"You who bring good tidings... lift your voice with a shout... do not be afraid... 'Here is your God!'" (Isa. 40:9)

Teaching & Learning to Pray

Posted on November 11th, 2008 in Uncategorized by Jonnie Wright

How To Teach People To Pray In A Small Group

Contributed by Scott Koenigsaecker

For many people, praying aloud can be threatening. Novices may feel so anxious that they will back out of the group. How do we enable people to move from the fear of praying aloud to enjoying God’s presence and others’ presence as they pray together? The following eight-week plan has proved effective:

Session One: As the leader, you open and close the meeting with prayer.

Session Two: Open in prayer. After the meeting, explain that you will close with a short time of thanks. Group members may offer a one-word prayer of thanks, or they may participate silently. Explain that people may pray as often as they wish, and times of silence are fine. You begin as follows: “Lord, we thank you for  . . . (our families).” Close after a reasonable amount of time.

read more…

Fibromyalgia comes of age!

Posted on October 6th, 2008 in Uncategorized by Jonnie Wright

Fibromyalgia AWARE Now Available in CVS Stores

ANAHEIM, Calif. —The National Fibromyalgia Association (NFA) has expanded its distribution of Fibromyalgia AWARE, the first and only consumer magazine dedicated to the subject of fibromyalgia. The full-color glossy publication is now available in more than 6,200 CVS drugstores nationwide. CVS, which merged with Caremark Rx, Inc. in 2007, operates the largest number of retail pharmacies and retail-based health clinics in the nation

 

CVS magazine rack placement“Many people who suffer from fibromyalgia feel isolated and hopeless,” says Lynne Matallana, president and founder of the NFA. “The availability of Fibromyalgia AWARE in such a high-traffic retail outlet allows us to reach out to people who might not know about the resources that the NFA provides to help people with this life-altering disorder.”

Distribution will begin immediately with the newest edition of Fibromyalgia AWARE —Volume 17 —and coincides with National Pain Awareness Month. Featured on the cover of Volume 17 is Dr. Robert Bennett, one of fibromyalgia’s foremost researchers. 

Other featured stories in Volume 17:

  • The Role of Glia Cells in Pathological Pain
  • Prayer and Health
  • Is Marijuana the Answer for FM?
  • The Osteopathy Option
  • Headaches and Fibromyalgia
  • Physical Activity: To Do or Not To Do
  • Get Results From Your Insurance Company

Volume 17 comes poly-bagged with a FREE bonus issue that focuses on Living Well with Fibromyalgia. It will be in most CVS drugstores by the end of the first week of October and will be located in the magazine aisle in the “Feature” section through October 31. Additional issues of the quarterly magazine will be available at CVS stores upon release. The cost per magazine is $9.95 in the United States and $10.95 in Canada.

http://www.fmaware.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=7673&JServSessionIdr001=1otxuywcu2.app8b

Fireproof

Posted on October 2nd, 2008 in Uncategorized by Jonnie Wright

Fireproof, a movie from Sherwood Baptist Church, the makers of Facing the Giants, released last Friday and came in 4th in box office sales with only 840 theaters showing the film. Continue to invite your friends to see the movie, or go yourself if you haven’t already!

Then follow up this fantastic marriage outreach movie with a nationwide “Fireproof My Marriage” simulcast in your own church!

This event on Saturday, November 1 will include the directors of Fireproof, Pastors Alex and Stephen Kendrick, plus Gary Smalley, Dr. Les Parrott, Pastor Ted Cunningham, and the pastor of Sherwood Baptist, Michael Catt. Click here to find out more! Or to attend the Live Event in Albany, Georgia, click here!

Seeking Participants

Posted on August 27th, 2008 in Uncategorized by Jonnie Wright

International Study of Family Patterns in Depression, Anxiety, or Migraine - Seeking Participants
ImmuneSupport.com
07-20-2008
Researchers in a number of countries are collecting information from families - 2,400 adults and children of all ages, offering the opportunity to participate in lifetime tracking. Recruiting centers are located in the U.S., Canada, China, and Switzerland.According to the organizers of this NIH-funded international “Family Study of Affective and Anxiety Spectrum Disorders” – ClinicalTrials.gov # NCT00071786:

  • It will examine how depression, anxiety, and migraine run in families. It will help in defining the risk factors for physical, mental, and health problems - as well as define ways that those problems may be prevented and treated.
  • A broad range of ages among family members will be included to evaluate the patterns of how these disorders are expressed throughout people’s lives. Children of all ages will be included, and those ages 8 to 17 will be interviewed directly.
  • A member of the study team will visit the participants at home or will do an interview by telephone to collect information.
  • Participation will take approximately 3 to 4 hours.
  • Children will complete questionnaires given by the research team as well as questionnaires that they will do by themselves. The questions will pertain to the children’s health, including physical and mental health and medical history, social relationships, problems, skills, and ways of dealing with important or stressful issues in their lives. These questionnaires will take up to 1 hour to complete.
  • Health history gathered from adult participants will pertain to height, weight, exercise, and general function. Women will be asked about the use of oral contraceptives, estrogen, and progesterone. In addition, there will be questionnaires on personality and temperamental traits, that is, behavior and impulsiveness.
  • Questions will also involve social intuition, family and other environmental factors, general functioning, and basic demographics such as ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, marital status, education level, and employment history.
  • Families enrolled in this phase of the research will be invited to participate in the next phase. There would be follow-up to evaluate the development of mood disorders, subtypes, and syndromes across the lifespan.

Recruiting Centers are located in the US, Canada, China, and Switzerland.

For more information and to review inclusion/exclusion criteria, see the study’s ClinicalTrials.gov listing http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00071786

Contact Information:
National Institutes of Health Patient Recruitment and Public Liaison Office
(800) 411-1222
prpl@mail.cc.nih.gov
Mention study title “Family Study of Affective and Anxiety Spectrum Disorders,” and number NCT00071786

“Sit and Be Fit: Fibromyalgia Workout”

Posted on August 15th, 2008 in Fibromyalgia, Uncategorized by Jonnie Wright

“Sit and Be Fit: Fibromyalgia Workout”
Mary Ann Wilson, R.N.; $18.95 (2005)

–Reviewed by Monica Towers

Back to SchoolFun and effective, this specially-designed workout from the popular Sit and Be Fit™ series on PBS offers a sound physical fitness option for FM patients requiring a low-impact approach to exercise.

The 27-minute routine includes exercises for both upper and lower body, with an emphasis on improving range of motion and employing proper posture and breathing technique. While the routine is not intended as a cardiovascular workout, the succession of exercises is entirely capable of stimulating blood flow and heart rate.

Host Mary Ann Wilson, RN, uses a lightweight, 10-inch ball during the routine, but such a ball is not necessary to perform the exercises, as is demonstrated by the physical therapist who joins Wilson during the program to demonstrate modifications of each activity for viewers with different levels of function. Wilson adds another element of variety, and possible progression, to the workout by showing how to execute several of the exercises from a standing position.

Wilson is a knowledgeable host and her positive demeanor is inspiring; overall, the upbeat tone of the entire production makes this workout seem more like a treat than an “exercise routine.”

—————————

This article was originally published in FMOnline. This free online newsletter is only available to registered members.  http://www.fmaware.org

Interview Subjects Needed

Posted on July 19th, 2008 in Uncategorized by Jonnie Wright

Author Seeks Interview Subjects

FMOnline, August 2007

The author of the critically acclaimed book, JUST FINE: Unmasking Concealed Chronic Illness and Pain, is now recruiting participants for a new resource that will focus specifically on the challenges of living with depression, anxiety and other mood disorders. If you are a mental health professional and work with the population who live with clinical depression, anxiety, panic attacks, OCD, post-traumatic stress disorder or other mood disorders, or if you are male and live with a mood disorder and would like to be profiled in this new book and share your story, challenges and coping tools, please contact the authors Sahar: sahar.abdulaziz@yahoo.com or Carol: writefaceforward@yahoo.com. To familiarize yourself with the format of this new publication, see previous book: JUST FINE: Unmasking Concealed Chronic Illness and Pain or visit: www.writefaceforward.com./

An Overview for the Newly Diagnosed Patient

Posted on July 1st, 2008 in Uncategorized by Jonnie Wright

Robert Bennett MD

(Doctor Bennett has been working with FMS patients for years. He is extremely knowledgeable in the field.)

Fibromyalgia (fi-bro-my-AL-ja) is a very common condition of widespread muscular pain and fatigue. Seven to ten million Americans suffer from fibromyalgia (FM). It affects women much more than men in an approximate ratio of 20:1. It is seen in all age groups from young children through old age, although in most patients the problem begins in their 20s or 30s. Recent studies have shown that fibromyalgia occurs worldwide and has no specific ethnic predisposition.

The Symptoms of Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia patients have widespread body pain which often seems to arise in the muscles. Some FM patients feel their pain originates in their joints. Pain that emanates from the joints is called arthritis; extensive studies have shown FM patients do not have arthritis. Although many fibromyalgia patients are aware of pain when they are resting, it is most noticeable when they use their muscles, particularly during repetitive activities. Their discomfort can be so severe it may significantly limit their ability to lead a full life. Patients can find themselves unable to work in their chosen professions and may have difficulty performing everyday tasks. As a consequence of muscle pain, many FM patients severely limit their activities including exercise routines. This results in their becoming physically unfit, which eventually makes their fibromyalgia symptoms worse.

for complete article:  http://www.fmaware.org/site/PageServer?pagename=fibromyalgia_overview

Sleepy vs. Alert People

Posted on June 28th, 2008 in Uncategorized by Jonnie Wright
Sleepy vs. Alert People
Variations in Pain & Medication Response
Do alert people experience less pain (i.e., have higher pain thresholds)? Or, to flip the question around, if you are sleepy will you have greater pain sensitivity than a person who is alert? A study by a group of researchers at the Henry Ford Sleep Disorders Center in Detroit, MI, sought to answer this question.*

Twenty-seven healthy adults without any sleep disorder and ranging in age from 18 to 35, were divided into two groups: alert and sleepy. This division was based on the results of a sleep latency test which measures the amount of time it takes a person to fall asleep in the middle of the day. People who fell asleep in seven or less minutes were put in the sleepy group, while those who took longer to fall asleep were placed in the alert group. As it turned out, 13 subjects were categorized as alert and 14 were labeled as sleepy.

The average pain threshold for the two groups was measured and, as a whole, subjects in the alert group had higher pain thresholds than those in the sleepy group.

The authors point out that 20 percent of the population is sleepy based on large studies that measure how fast people can fall asleep during the day. Generally, these people are not tired because they have a sleep disorder or another type of medical condition—just like the individuals in the recent study, they may be relatively young and very healthy. The daytime sleepiness resulted from mild, chronic sleep restrictions imposed by hectic work schedules and too many demands on their time (i.e., not enough time to get everything done).

Given the high prevalence of “sleepy people,” the authors suggest that differences in pain sensitivity and their response to analgesics might be partially explained by restricted sleep schedules. Taking it a step further, people who have trouble sleeping at night (even if they are in bed for eight hours) may require higher doses of analgesic medicines.

* Harris E, et al. SLEEP 31 (Abstract Supplement):A300, Abs#0912, 2008.

Our Country’s Roots

Posted on June 19th, 2008 in Uncategorized by Jonnie Wright

Things to consider:

Did you know that 52 of the 55 signers of The Declaration of Independence were orthodox, deeply committed Christians? The other three all believed in the Bible as the divine truth, the God of Scripture, and His personal intervention. It is the same congress that formed the American Bible Society. Immediately after creating the Declaration of Independence, the Continental Congress voted to purchase and import 20,000 copies of Scripture for the people of this nation.

Patrick Henry, who is called the firebrand of the American Revolution, is still remembered for his words, ‘Give me liberty or give me death.’ But in current textbooks the context of these words is deleted. Here is what he said: ‘An appeal to arms and the God of hosts is all that is left us. But we shall not fight our battle alone. There is a just God that presides over the destinies of nations. The battle sir, is not of the strong alone. Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it almighty God. I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death.’ These sentences have been erased from our textbooks.  Was Patrick Henry a Christian? The following year, 1776, he wrote this ‘It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by  religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For that reason alone, people of other faiths have been afforded freedom of worship here.’

Consider these words that Thomas Jefferson wrote on the front of his well- worn Bible: ‘I am a Christian, that is to say a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus. I have little doubt that our whole country will soon be rallied to the unity of our Creator and, I hope, to the pure doctrine of Jesus also.’

Was George Washington a Christian? Consider these words from his personal prayer book: ‘Oh, eternal and everlasting God, direct my thoughts, words and work. Wash away my sins in the immaculate blood of the lamb and purge my heart by the Holy Spirit. Daily, frame me more and more in the likeness of thy son, Jesus Christ, that living in thy fear, and dying in thy favor, I may in thy appointed time obtain the resurrection of the justified unto eternal life. Bless, O Lord, the whole race of mankind and let the world be filled with the knowledge of thy son, Jesus Christ.’

It is clear from history that the Bible and the Christian faith, were foundational in our educational and judicial system. However in 1947, there was a radical change of direction in the Supreme Court. Here is the prayer that was banished: ‘Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence on Thee. We beg Thy blessings upon us and our parents and our teachers and our country. Amen.’ 

In 1963, the Supreme Court ruled that Bible reading was outlawed as unconstitutional in the public school system. The court offered this justification: ‘If portions of the New Testament were read without explanation, they could and have been psychologically harmful to children.’

Bible reading was now unconstitutional, though the Bible was quoted 94 percent of the time by those who wrote our constitution and shaped our Nation and its system of education and justice and government. In 1965, the Courts denied as unconstitutional the rights of a student in the public school cafeteria to bow his head and pray audibly for his food.

In 1980, Stone vs. Graham outlawed the Ten Commandments in our public schools. The Supreme Court said this: ‘If the posted copies of the Ten Commandments were to have any effect at all, it would be to induce school children to read them.. And if they read them, meditated upon them, and perhaps venerated and observed them, this is not a permissible objective.’

James Madison, the primary author of the Constitution of the United States, said this: ‘We have staked the whole future of our new nation, not upon the power of government; far from it. We have staked the future of all our political constitutions upon the capacity of each of ourselves to govern ourselves according to the moral principles of the Ten Commandments.’

Today we are asking God to bless America. But how can He bless a Nation that has departed so far from Him?

Shepherd of Hope Christian Chat and Chronic Illness Support Site

Posted on June 9th, 2008 in Uncategorized by Jonnie Wright

Just want to let you know about a great site I found, very interactive.
Some of the things going on at this site:

Tuesday night from 8-10 pm EST is Endorphin Night… come share funny stories, and just let the Laughter be good Medicine for your soul. Feel free to look up Christian Comedy or Jokes, or other things on google if you are running low on ‘real stories’ — hey, I plan to have new blondie jokes oh, I hear the groans through the screen!

WEDNESDAY NIGHT BIBLE STUDY resumes this Wednesday night from 7:30 - 8:30 pm with Harold Wilson as the leader of our study. We will be starting on John Chapter 3 (having completed Chapters 1 - 2 already if you want to catch up and read up and be prepared for another great time of learning. Invite friends to join us!

Regular chats (M-F from 2-3 pm EST) as well as 24/7 with whoever is in the room

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