Nearly 1 in 2 people in the USA have a chronic illness and about 96% of it invisible. Are these women attending your church retreats? Many of them are suffering silently, depressed, isolated, and feeling very alone. Others are some of the wisest, calming, most spiritually beautiful women who will touch attendees at your retreat in ways no planned speaker can. But are any of them coming?

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Designing a life book for your adoptive child or foster child may seem overwhelming, especially when you don’t have a lot of information about your child’s life before he or she became a part of your family. One of the biggest stumbling blocks is getting past the feeling over being overwhelmed.

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The statistics about the prevalence of chronic illness are stunning. Nearly 1 in 2 people in the USA are living with a chronic illness and the U.S Census Bureau reports that about 96% of the illnesses are invisible. Hundreds of thousands of people on the Internet search for health information and support for their illness, so it’s no surprise that thousands of bloggers now post daily messages on their blogs about coping with the emotional challenges of living with constant chronic pain and illness.

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When the extended family arrives to spend a few days you plan meals in advance and have all the ingredients on hand. With ease you cook two or three meals a day and wonder why you can’t seem to plan this well the rest of the year. Your mother is worried your kids will never know how good a seven layer casseroles is and you have to admit that the expense of eating out is starting to turn your stomach. Unfortunately, your stomach is growing with that take-out food, despite feeling a bit sick about it all. You may even be one of the many people who have to search online for instructions on how to plan a spaghetti dinner. But with your busy schedule and limited energy, how do you discover the best meal planning approach that will thrive in your family?

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Over 100 million people in the USA, about 1 in 2, have a chronic illness. That means, if you are not the one suffering from chronic pain, chances are someone you care about is dealing with it silently.

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Mommy moments come in all forms of days at the park, birthday parties with streamers, and gymnastics classes. All of these provide the perfect opportunity for mothers to let their little ones burn some energy as well as share in their latest challenges. As the amount of women who live with chronic illnesses such as diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, continues to grow, however, so does the ability to always participate in these spontaneous mommy moments.

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If you live with an invisible illness, you may find the emotions of coping with people’s doubts about it can be harder to manage than the disease itself. Most of us with a chronic illness must eventually accept our condition. In order to live our best life, we need to educate ourselves about the disease and make well-researched decisions about treatment.

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“Hot and bothered” has long referred to romance and those sparks of chemistry between you and the one you love, but if you have a chronic illness, romance may be the last thing on your mind. Chronic illness can quickly redefine “hot” to mean the symptoms of a thyroid condition, night sweats, or a hot heating pad. “Bothered” is something you feel every night when you are annoyed you can’t sleep. For examle, achy joints, a dog who snores from his resting place on your pillow, and a spouse that can sleep through anything. Romantic evenings may be the last thing on your mind in your home!

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If your wife has a chronic illness, chances are romance is the last thing on her mind. Too often illness creates physical pain, weight gain or loss, bloating and even feeling less than a woman if she’s had to give up everything from her career to her lingerie.

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As I type this my 4-year-old son is sitting beside me. He has a cold and a slight fever, but all he has said today since he woke up six hour ago is “I’m better now. I’m all better.” How much can our attitude change how we cope with a chronic illness and even make us happy?

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