How to Keep Believing When You’re Suffering: A Guide to Braving Chronic Illness
Ebook
When a chronic illness shatters your future, how do you pick up the pieces?
Three health conditions upended Shannon Cramer's life in her early twenties. Two years later, unanswered prayers for healing broke her heart. One truth she knew for sure . . . if she was going to face a lifetime of suffering, she needed to keep believing in God's love for her. Could Jesus restore her confidence in his goodness and teach her to survive this "new normal"? Twelve years into disability, Jesus has done so much more . . .
This is a book for warriors. It is a battle plan for Christians fighting chronic illnesses--written from the heart of a fellow soldier. There is hope in the midst of suffering. When Shannon didn't know how to pick up the pieces of her shattered dreams to live with disability, Jesus became her way maker. One step at a time, he led her out of grief and helped her rediscover his light. Are you ready to reclaim your joy and rebuild your life? May God's comfort empower you to move forward.
“Shannon Cramer writes with faithful honesty and a spirit of grace that invites others to come alongside her and see how the Lord is planting seeds of hope in even the most trying of times. As a pastor, I look forward to sharing this book with parishioners in our community who are struggling with chronic pain and illness.”
—Mark Mofield, senior pastor, Melrose Baptist Church
“Shannon Cramer’s book is a mixture of her raw story of battling chronic diseases and a spiritual guide to fighting battles like hers. With her robust theological perspective, she brings Scripture to bear in these situations. I would unreservedly recommend this book to anyone facing a long-term battle.”
—Matt Merrill, senior pastor, Crestwood Church
“If you suffer from chronic illness and pain and have asked the why questions—with no answers—you will find help and hope in this book. Shannon Cramer vulnerably shares her ten-plus-year journey with uncommon honesty. She offers a blueprint to rebuild your life on an unshakeable foundation supported by God’s truths. You will experience peace and joy that defy your circumstances.”
—Bill Gilmour, author of Aftermath of Jennifer Kesse’s Abduction
“As Christians, we affirm Immanuel, ‘God with us,’ but we often forget Immanuel, ‘God as us.’ Life’s rhythms and reasons aren’t always wrapped in knowing why the planet tilts toward suffering and chaos but in the beautiful, mysterious, yet defining truth that Jesus walked this sideways earth as one of us. Shannon Cramer’s words gently (and humorously) remind us that rather than knowing why hardships endure, knowing Immanuel as ‘God as us’ presents the greatest cure for body, mind, and soul.”
—Peyton Garland, author of Tired, Hungry, and Kinda Faithful
“Shannon Cramer is a writer with a heart of service. She graciously and vulnerably shares her experience with chronic illness in this must-read book for anyone living with an autoimmune disorder or simply walking through a dark patch of their human experience, looking for hope.”
—Hannah Bunn West, author of Remarkable Women of the Outer Banks
“Shannon Cramer’s book is truly insightful, inspirational, and life-changing. I was walking a very dark path when I was diagnosed with my chronic disease. Her book helped me find my way back into God’s loving arms and into the light.”
—Jim, GPA warrior (granulomatosis with polyangiitis)
“Shannon Cramer’s How to Keep Believing When You’re Suffering is a perfect Christian tool for anyone who’s grappling with a chronic condition and seeking tranquility. A heartfelt and inspirational read!”
—Sherri, survivor of chronic back pain
“This book is a must-read for anyone struggling with a new diagnosis and a valuable source of encouragement for those who have been walking with chronic illness for a long time. Relevant and motivating.”
—Emily, mom with psoriatic arthritis
“In early adulthood, with proven academic success and youthful zeal, Shannon Cramer began a slow slide into the abyss of suffering and despair. In this articulate and inspirational account, she walks us out of the darkness brought on by three medical conditions into grace and light using Scripture and her own powerful testimony. Readers will be drawn in by her courage and this summation: ‘My life has been richer because of disability.’”
—Linda Vigen Phillips, author of Crazy
“As the chronic warrior that she is, Shannon has poured her heart and soul into writing a book which serves to demystify and debunk the challenges of living with physical disability as a child of God. Whilst never shying away from the incredible frustrations she faces carrying out some of the simplest daily tasks, she confronts and disarms the debilitating nature of her conditions with the truths found in the word of God and in the character of his Son Jesus Christ.”
—Dawn Francis, founder, MakeMeAvailable
- Title: How to Keep Believing When You’re Suffering: A Guide to Braving Chronic Illness
- Author: Shannon Cramer
- Publisher: Resource Publications
- Print Publication Date: 2024
- Logos Release Date: 2024
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Ebook
- ISBNs: 9781666784954, 9781666784930, 1666784931, 9781666784947, 166678494X, 1666784958
- Resource ID: LLS:9781666784954
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-02-26T21:37:57Z
Shannon Cramer is a writer, inspirational speaker, and medical zebra who is passionate about bringing Christ’s hope to the chronic illness community. She lives with her (definitely) superhero husband and (occasionally) supermodel cat in Virginia.