Westserve

Christians and chronic illness - Part 1

I posted most of this on the Sydney Anglicans forum back in Mid May, but figure it’s worth repeating, because I want to write further on the underlying theme:

Leigh Hatcher recently released a book. It’s called “I’m Not Crazy, I’m Just a Little Unwell”, and it chronicles his journey through Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

It’s an excellent read for a number of reasons:

• Leigh can write. Not a surprise for one of the better known broadcast journalists in Australia!

• Leigh is a committed, active Christian, who has had a profound speaking ministry to many over the last 15 years or so.

• Leigh is disarmingly honest about what he experienced as his body shut down almost overnight. From being a jet setting, front line journalist who thrived on the stress and adrenaline of his work, to a bed ridden basket case. It was clearly a very dark period in his life.
• Leigh is also very open and honest about the role that his relationship with God played in getting him through the 2+ years of his CFS. And indeed, how that relationship changed as a result.

• Leigh speaks plainly about how he felt badly let down by his church at the time, because of their poor understanding of how to help chronically ill people. He doesn’t whinge about it, but it’s a sad reflection on how many of our churches present.

• But Leigh goes on to add an Appendix to the book that is a great resource for churches (or anyone) wanting to know how to genuinely help people with CFS or any chronic health condition.

It’s a top book to give Christians and non-Christian alike, as Leigh has credibility with both camps in Australia. Hopefully people will be encouraged to look to God as a powerful resource in times of trouble, and many will come to understand how they can better support and assist those with chronic illnesses.

More info at: http://notcrazy.net which will also point you to some excellent online resources about CFS, and to the new forum just opened at the site.

Disclaimer: Leigh is a very good friend, and while I have no financial interest in the book, I did set up the web site for him… ;-)

All this is a prelude to further posts about the general topic of Christians and how we deal (or fail to deal) with chronic illness…
More to come.