Nicole O'Meara | Blog — Nicole O'Meara

Book Review and Author Interview: Loving Your Friend Through Cancer with Marissa Henley

Marissa Henley is a cancer survivor. Her book, Loving Your Friend Through Cancer is what I fondly call the textbook on how to be the most supportive friend you can be to your friend in crisis. Marissa shares how her amazing community walked with her through cancer but the practical lessons inside apply to your friend with any severe or chronic suffering. It could have been titled, Loving Your Friend Through Lyme’s Disease, or Loving Your Friend Through Divorce, or so many similar titles.

We cove topics including: knowing your place in the Circles of Friendship and Jen Hatmaker’s Ring Theory; matching your friend’s tone; and how to speak to your friend in The Pit. We finish up with a chat about Survivorship.

Blog, Book ReviewNicole O'MearaNovember 15, 2019book review, cancer, surviving, crisis support, undiagnosed Comments

Book Review and Author Interview: This Too Shall Last with KJ Ramsey

Denver-based writer and therapist, KJ Ramsey lives with a painful chronic disease, ankylosing spondylitis. Her new book, This Too Shall Last, explores the paradox of suffering with a loving God. Here are excerpts from our recent conversation.

Blog, Book ReviewNicole O'MearaNovember 8, 2019book review, interview, suffering, community, rare diseaseComment

Book Review and Author Interview: Breathe Again with Niki Hardy

Niki Hardy wanted to stop merely surviving. She wanted to start thriving.

“Yes, Jesus came to give me abundant life but I’m in a storm right now, that he also said we’d have, so I’m gonna get through this storm and then abundant life will be waiting for me when I’m through this. So we start waiting. But, for so many Cancer Thrivers, they didn’t know it would ever be over. This is true for people with depression too or chronic pain or a child with challenging special needs. These things aren’t going to go away. What these Thrivers helped me realize is that this abundant life that God has for us is available right now in the middle of this storm.”

Blog, Book ReviewNicole O'MearaOctober 25, 2019book review, thrive, Switchfoot, cancer, interviewComment

Redefining a Healthy Body {Guest Post}

There were days when the best I could do was make my own coffee and walk to the mailbox. On those days, I learned to worship God and serve him with the smallest bits of energy I had. Those were days of training. Not training for a marathon. I'll tell you straight up, this body will never run a marathon. No, those days were training for days when I would have more energy, more health. I learned to steward my body for kingdom work. No matter how broken, my body will always be good enough for the work God has prepared for me. Today, I have the privilege of sharing how God gave me a new perspective on my healthy body at (in)courage.

Blog, DevotionalNicole O'MearaOctober 16, 2019(in)courage, Psalms, Guest Post, recovery, traumaComment

What if We Viewed Refugees as Guests? {Guest Post}

My first experience with refugees was when I was very young, although I didn’t learn the word “refugee” until many years later. I was taught to call them “Guests.”

My second experience with refugees came three decades later.

BlogNicole O'MearaOctober 14, 2019refugee, hospitality, community, Thanksgiving, adoptionComment

Hope Eternal

God is at work, even in the Nesting stage of motherhood. He has not forgotten you. You are not stuck in a repeat cycle of snotty noses and dirty diapers for eternity. Ok, so you’ll be here for a while, but not forever. Keep from being an “eternity amnesiac” by keeping your focus farther down the road. Hope looks farther down the road.

Blog, SpeakingNicole O'MearaOctober 10, 2019hope, eternity amnesia, Paul Tripp Comments

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