(Un)loveable
When I was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis several years ago the biggest loss I experienced was my sense of self worth. I felt so broken that I couldn’t believe I was still loveable.
When I was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis several years ago the biggest loss I experienced was my sense of self worth. I felt so broken that I couldn’t believe I was still loveable.
It's tricky writing, talking, and even singing about healing in the Bible. Many stories focus on Jesus physically "curing" people's illnesses or disabilities. We know, though, that this is not most people's experience in 2023. Many Christians live with ongoing illnesses and disabilities. Does Brandon Lake actually describe biblical healing in his new song "Tear [...]
[...] in North America, we have an accomplishment-based approach to life instead of a contribution-based approach. Employment serves as validation of our accomplishments and worth as citizens but in reality, accomplishments are only a credit to the individual. Contributions on the other hand, are for the common good.
Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ ‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ Luke 5: 22
Like Jazz musicians, church leaders need to become masterful at holding tension and refrain from resolving it prematurely. Rather than encouraging others to strictly preach victory in Jesus, perhaps we need to make space for people to find their own voices and speak their hurts or cry out to God.
Welcome! You can call me Junes...I’m Autistic and Catholic! I want to share my faith and village with you!
Mirabel Madrigal does not have a visible disability but many people with disabilities may relate to her in some ways. [...] The Madrigal family initially characterizes Mirabel as “unexceptional,” and “not special.” [...] people with disabilities are often characterized in opposite terminology, being referred to as “special” or “exceptional.” However, the premise of the distinction is similar
Caregiving is one of the hardest things there is to do well. Second to it in difficulty is writing about caregiving well.
Even if the statistics were less significant, accessibility should still be a priority considering that Jesus taught us to go out of our way to accommodate 1, rather than 99 sheep. Many churches do not make decisions which demonstrate that even one sheep matters.
When such assumptions concerning the connection between faith and chronic illness or disability do not pan out over the long term, they may lead some people with disabilities and their families to a fork in their spiritual journeys. Option one being the belief that “God is a real jerk.” Option two being the belief that “people with disabilities must be horrible people to deserve this much ‘extra punishment’.”