| Praying Hearts Sanctuary |
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| Pat... |
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| Hello, my name is Pat and I am a wife, mother, grandmother, and friend to some have been diagnosed with mental disorders. As I have reflected on my interest in being supportive of those diagnosed with mental illness, I guess it began in childhood. Most likely my father, who was trained as a psychiatic nurse, helped motivate me to be a friend to those neighborhood children everyone else picked on because they were "different". One older friend, who as a teen was placed in the residential facility where my father worked, would be with her parents for holidays. Every time she was home, she'd visit me at my home. During her visits, my parents showed me by example how to show her respect and love. As I grew older I realized how precious and devoted a friend she was. Throughout my adult life I have grown to know and love several dear friends who also struggle with a variety of mental disorders. I have found that praying for them has enabled me to help them deal with their mental illnesses. Being a natural nurturer, the one struggle I deal with is "codependency". I have had to make a conscious effort to allow my friends to be just that... friends. I love them, they love me. I trust them, they trust me. I learn from them, they learn from me. I help them, they help me. I pray for them, they pray for me. Our friendships have been mutual relationships As I think about friendship, the scripture verses that mean the most to me are found in First Corinthians Chapter 13. They read: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. As a Christian, I believe that love never fails. I believe that love leads one to put aside selfish interests and pray for others. I believe that prayer results in miracles, happenings that can not be explained except as God's direct interventions. I have witnessed numerous miracles and look forward to praying for a miracle in your life. God is good and His love never fails. |
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