1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:11,000 Welcome to In the Seams, a podcast by Broken and Mended. 2 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:16,680 And now your host, David Heflin. 3 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:25,920 I want to welcome you back to In the Seams. 4 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:31,800 I'm excited today to share an interview with you that I had with Mandy Dawson Farmer. 5 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:35,480 And Dawson is her maiden name, but she uses that because there's another Mandy Farmer 6 00:00:35,480 --> 00:00:37,680 out there that's an author. 7 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:42,640 But Mandy has some unique things that she's been working on that relate to helping people 8 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:45,000 with chronic illness and chronic pain. 9 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:49,740 And you'll hear her share some of her story, which in itself is a testimony to the faithfulness 10 00:00:49,740 --> 00:00:53,680 of God through her suffering and hardship that she's been through and how God has then 11 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:58,000 used that and turned it around to be a blessing to others, even though she's still, as we 12 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:03,280 all are with chronic illness, still dealing with the implications of chronic disease. 13 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:10,320 But I think what is unique about what Mandy has been doing is the type of book that she 14 00:01:10,320 --> 00:01:15,440 has made available that she has published, which helps parents, particularly moms, I 15 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:20,360 think it would apply to fathers too, that they can speak to their children through this 16 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:24,680 children's book that she has written about what they are struggling with in terms of 17 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:26,360 their chronic illness. 18 00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:32,200 The book focuses on a mother who has fibromyalgia, but these are characters in the book. 19 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:35,760 It doesn't mean that it can only apply to situations of fibromyalgia. 20 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:40,160 And she has in fact had feedback from other people, including people with cancer, that 21 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:45,400 this has been a very helpful resource in reading it through with their small children and helping 22 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:50,320 to affirm also the mother or the father in the struggles they're going through to 23 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:53,680 realize that just because they have chronic illness, things may be different, but they're 24 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:58,160 still great, they're still good parents, but it's mainly of course to help communicate 25 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:03,480 with the children what is happening in their lives on a level that makes sense to them. 26 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:04,480 And that's a needed resource. 27 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:08,400 When I went through this with my kids, when my kids were small, my kids are mostly grown 28 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:09,400 now. 29 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:10,800 I still have one in high school, two in college. 30 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:14,680 But when they were young, I had a hard time explaining what was going on with me. 31 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:18,920 And they didn't need to know the ins and outs of the disease itself. 32 00:02:18,920 --> 00:02:23,560 I needed help to communicate with them what I was going through, why I wasn't as available 33 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:28,720 as I wanted to be, and maybe how we could help each other in that. 34 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:30,160 And so this is a great resource. 35 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:31,240 I hope that you'll get it. 36 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:33,480 You'll find it linked in the show notes. 37 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:37,160 She's also working on another book that's not yet available that is a devotional book. 38 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:38,540 You'll hear us talk about that. 39 00:02:38,540 --> 00:02:43,120 It's also unique because it is structured around the idea of different movements and 40 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:48,920 music.She uses a dissonance to harmony type of approach. 41 00:02:48,920 --> 00:02:53,400 And she'll talk some about some other musical terms that I better not try to repeat right 42 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:57,080 now because I don't know music on that level. 43 00:02:57,080 --> 00:02:59,280 But I know we all love music. 44 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:05,680 And she uses that as a way to talk to us about our suffering in our chronic illness and as 45 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:10,200 a way of pointing us to scriptures as well, the Psalms, and then some old hymns that she 46 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:12,120 points us to in that work. 47 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:15,840 And that will be out, she's hoping, I think she was saying maybe next year sometime, maybe 48 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:16,840 end of the year. 49 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:20,560 I can't remember exactly what she said, but you'll hear that as well. 50 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:23,520 But as always, I just want to thank you for listening to In the Seams. 51 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:26,280 We're trying to bring our offerings a little bit more regularly. 52 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:30,400 If you've not subscribed, we hope that you do. 53 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:36,720 And also would ask that you like and rate and share our podcast. 54 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:39,140 We really need to get this out to more people. 55 00:03:39,140 --> 00:03:43,200 We believe the offerings that we have given to people, the different interviews that we 56 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:50,600 have done will be helpful and really span the gamut of chronic illness and the different 57 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:55,800 topics and so forth that people struggle with that as it relates to Christian faith and 58 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:57,680 the hope that we have in Jesus. 59 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:02,960 And so we're glad that you're here and hope that you will enjoy this interview with Mandy 60 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:07,560 Farmer. 61 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:13,360 Well I'm here with Mandy Dawson Farmer and that's how you can find her online and it's 62 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:14,360 her author name. 63 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:17,960 And I'll just be calling her Mandy for the episode. 64 00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:21,360 But Mandy, I want to welcome you to In the Seams and thank you for joining us today. 65 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:23,600 Oh, thank you for having me. 66 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:27,160 I'm very excited about talking to you. 67 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:30,400 We're excited, I'm excited about getting to talk to you also. 68 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:34,800 You know, you reached out and shared a little bit about some of the unique offerings that 69 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:40,440 you have that can be a blessing to those who need to be able to communicate, especially 70 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:43,920 with their kids about chronic illness and chronic pain and what they're going through. 71 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:45,320 And we'll get to that. 72 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:49,360 I think it might be helpful for people to have a little bit of a background on your 73 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:51,000 story, your journey. 74 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:54,640 I know in your email you mentioned you've been struggling with chronic pain for about 75 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:55,640 13 years. 76 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:59,800 I think, by the way, I have this exact same amount of time for me. 77 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:05,920 I spent 13 years in 2011 that my struggles began, so I can relate to that time frame, 78 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:06,920 that time period. 79 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:11,880 But tell us a little bit about your journey with chronic pain and maybe also kind of bring 80 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:15,080 us up to where you are today with it. 81 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:16,080 Okay. 82 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:23,840 You know, in retrospect, I have struggled with pain most of my life. 83 00:05:23,840 --> 00:05:31,320 I was one of those that had what they called growing pains when you're in puberty, and 84 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:37,920 they're finding that that is one of the signs of fibromyalgia. 85 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:43,080 So I had a lot of things that in my mind, that was just how life was. 86 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:45,480 Everybody had those pains. 87 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:49,440 And I did well. 88 00:05:49,440 --> 00:05:55,560 I was having a great life. 89 00:05:55,560 --> 00:05:59,160 I say I was living the dream because I was doing what I wanted to do. 90 00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:01,000 I was married to a minister. 91 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:04,400 I had four children. 92 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:10,320 I was in children's ministry, which children is one of my passions. 93 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:13,560 And I was doing exactly what I wanted to do. 94 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:24,160 And until I went on a cruise and I got off that cruise and I never got my land legs back. 95 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:30,080 I felt like I was bouncing around in a boat all the time and they couldn't figure anything 96 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:31,080 out. 97 00:06:31,080 --> 00:06:35,200 They said, no, it's not these typical things that a person can have. 98 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:43,640 And about six months into that one day, I went to lay down. 99 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:45,000 It was a Sunday afternoon. 100 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:54,200 I was just going to rest before the evening service and my back went into convulsions 101 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:55,840 and I couldn't get back up. 102 00:06:55,840 --> 00:06:58,640 I couldn't finish laying back down. 103 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:06,520 And for the next month, I could only lay flat on my back if I moved even the slightest bit. 104 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:12,920 These contractions would just overtake in my back. 105 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:20,120 And so of course, we went to doctors and I was put on a very high dosage of steroids 106 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:26,960 was the only way to control the pain. 107 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:35,560 So doctors after doctors until they could figure out what was wrong, you finally, I 108 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:40,880 was one of the lucky ones because in six months time, I had a diagnosis that doesn't usually 109 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:42,680 happen for people. 110 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:48,360 But they sent me right down to Mayo Clinic, which you have to wait. 111 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:54,600 That was the only thing is you have to wait about six months to get in and see them. 112 00:07:54,600 --> 00:08:00,760 But when we went, they did all those tests and they decided you have fibromyalgia and 113 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:07,880 they gave me a medication that helped me manage that pain. 114 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:13,320 And I started, I had to slowly get off of the steroids. 115 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:19,280 But when I did that, then I started having swelling in my knees and I was having these 116 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:22,200 other issues. 117 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:25,640 And they did the x-rays and said, we don't know what's going on. 118 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:28,200 Your blood work is all over the place. 119 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:30,440 I'm sending you back to Mayo Clinic. 120 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:39,000 So we got back down there and he said, I think that you just have osteoarthritis, but we're 121 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:42,240 going to do the blood work again and see. 122 00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:46,600 And sure enough, I had rheumatoid arthritis. 123 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:52,360 And that really is my key diagnosis. 124 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:59,280 But the fibro is still probably the one that's more aware of because they got the rheumatoid 125 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:02,160 under control right away. 126 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:08,760 The steroids had been hiding the rheumatoid arthritis as far as the labs were going. 127 00:09:08,760 --> 00:09:12,760 They said, oh no, you don't have any inflammation. 128 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:19,240 But when I started coming off of them, then the inflammation came back. 129 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:27,440 So we learned, I went down to Mayo for a pain management class that lasted about a week. 130 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:29,960 And I learned how to manage my life. 131 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:37,000 My husband was a minister and I had to give up my children's ministry. 132 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:46,160 But we were still trying to do that for about five years we were doing that. 133 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:52,120 He was staying at home with me and working from home, having an office at home instead 134 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:54,120 of at church. 135 00:09:54,120 --> 00:10:03,600 But it was really wearing on him and we finally ended up retiring. 136 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:11,320 And so then we moved away and I started blogging. 137 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:12,600 That's where I am. 138 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:17,040 I basically just have to make sure that I don't overdo. 139 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:20,880 I'm one of those go getter people. 140 00:10:20,880 --> 00:10:26,440 So my husband has to kind of like rein me in sometimes because I want to do so much 141 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:28,400 and he says, you know, you can't do that. 142 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:29,400 You'll regret that. 143 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:31,840 He always lets me make the decision. 144 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:37,520 He says, but you'll probably regret that if you do all of that. 145 00:10:37,520 --> 00:10:43,480 So that was the learning curve for me was learning to give up some of the things that 146 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:49,840 I love to do like baking and running around doing all kinds of things. 147 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:59,640 I'm kind of a social light, you know, and but I have learned to do that pretty well 148 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:03,560 so that I don't have too many flare ups. 149 00:11:03,560 --> 00:11:06,920 That's kind of where I'm at. 150 00:11:06,920 --> 00:11:10,440 OK, well, thank you for sharing that your story with us. 151 00:11:10,440 --> 00:11:14,240 And I mean, I think a lot of people will be able to relate to that about having to give 152 00:11:14,240 --> 00:11:15,400 up things that they love. 153 00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:19,960 It's one of those other issues of chronic illness that people don't even think about 154 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:24,880 unless they are indeed going through, you know, chronic illness. 155 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:25,880 Right. 156 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:29,080 I mean, all the different ways it impacts you, whether it be, you know, your mental 157 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:35,280 health or your finances or giving up stuff that you love, which then also impacts the 158 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:36,640 way that you feel about everything. 159 00:11:36,640 --> 00:11:41,200 You know, I'm going to ask you a question, and it's not something I would probably ask 160 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:44,800 people if they were on their first year or two of this journey, because I know for me, 161 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:48,840 it took me a while to be able to answer this in any meaningful way. 162 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:52,720 But I like to ask people that's been dealing with this for a while, if they've learned 163 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:56,280 anything about God, they've learned anything about their journey and their relationship 164 00:11:56,280 --> 00:11:58,800 with God through this. 165 00:11:58,800 --> 00:12:05,960 What has how has it impacted your walk with God on this journey? 166 00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:14,520 That is so amazing because God has really taught me so much. 167 00:12:14,520 --> 00:12:23,240 And for me, he has many times in advance kind of kind of given me warning that when I look 168 00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:27,400 back, I say, oh, you were preparing me for what was coming. 169 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:34,080 You know, after the cruise, my son told me one day, he says, hey, you need to listen 170 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:35,080 to this new song. 171 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:40,080 And it was Laura story's blessings. 172 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:46,720 And I've heard a lot of people say that that story, that song has meant so much to them. 173 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:49,160 And it does to me still is. 174 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:56,360 Yes, it really makes you think, you know, and kind of put everything into perspective. 175 00:12:56,360 --> 00:13:00,760 And then that summer I did a Bible study. 176 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:07,600 It was an online Bible study of Psalm 119, which I had always kind of stayed away from. 177 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:11,400 It's one hundred and seventy six verses, you know, and it's kind of like, oh, you can't 178 00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:12,400 read it. 179 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:17,640 You can't read it in one sitting and just kind of a scary thought to read it, even though 180 00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:19,200 it's done in sections. 181 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:21,680 It's still just I had never done it. 182 00:13:21,680 --> 00:13:32,120 And that just drew me so much into the awareness of wanting and loving God's word. 183 00:13:32,120 --> 00:13:37,520 Now I had I had been a Christian since I was a child and I loved the Lord. 184 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:38,520 I loved serving him. 185 00:13:38,520 --> 00:13:44,600 But, you know, I don't I don't feel like I really had a good, strong friendship with 186 00:13:44,600 --> 00:13:48,440 the Lord until that point. 187 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:55,040 And then when the chronic pain hit that first month of being still, what I did most of the 188 00:13:55,040 --> 00:14:01,320 time was read the Bible and learn just so much that way. 189 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:11,040 Just I, you know, in rather a quick amount of time, I read through the Bible in three 190 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:13,040 different versions. 191 00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:20,240 And I was just kind of like, oh, well, yeah, and just really kind of eye opening thing 192 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:24,920 and amazing to me how you can know a verse all your life. 193 00:14:24,920 --> 00:14:34,360 But then all of a sudden you're in a circumstance and that verse has has new meaning and and 194 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:43,520 then just having that daily conversation with him and and you know, through each little 195 00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:54,440 thing that would come up that he would just, you know, talk to me and help me examine my 196 00:14:54,440 --> 00:15:02,680 life and think about, OK, well, what you know, what what's going on? 197 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:05,040 Why am I in pain? 198 00:15:05,040 --> 00:15:09,960 Is he trying to get my attention or is he is there lessons to learn? 199 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:16,520 And it was all of these all of the above, I would say, yeah, because he did draw me 200 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:17,520 closer to him. 201 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:21,440 And then I went through a time and I'm like, OK, Lord, look, I've got this under control 202 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:23,880 so you can take this pain away from me now. 203 00:15:23,880 --> 00:15:26,600 And he was like, well, let's talk about that. 204 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:33,160 Do you really think that you would stay close to me if I took the pain away? 205 00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:35,440 You know, kind of that thing like that. 206 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:40,400 The Apostle Paul had is like I asked three times, would you take it away? 207 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:42,200 And he said no. 208 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:49,360 And we had that conversation and I settled that I was going to have this chronic pain 209 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:57,560 and it was what would keep me close to him. 210 00:15:57,560 --> 00:16:02,240 So in a nutshell, I'd say that's probably the things I've learned. 211 00:16:02,240 --> 00:16:10,360 I have a book coming that's going to really delve into all the things that OK, he taught 212 00:16:10,360 --> 00:16:11,360 me. 213 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:12,360 Yeah. 214 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:14,120 And we'll talk about that book in just a moment. 215 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:20,400 I just want to say, I think for a lot of us, again, find that very relatable. 216 00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:25,640 Sometimes chronic illness, chronic pain forces us to slow down, forces us to maybe not force 217 00:16:25,640 --> 00:16:33,240 us, but it creates opportunity to spend more time with God, you know, to be able to spend 218 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:37,560 more time in scriptures because our life is not just about being busy anymore or being 219 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:38,560 productive. 220 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:39,560 Right. 221 00:16:39,560 --> 00:16:40,560 Right. 222 00:16:40,560 --> 00:16:41,560 Yeah. 223 00:16:41,560 --> 00:16:44,360 So I appreciate that perspective. 224 00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:48,040 And I'm glad you mentioned Psalm 119. 225 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:51,920 That would be a great passage for anyone just to spend some time with. 226 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:55,760 Yes, it's long, but you're not on a clock. 227 00:16:55,760 --> 00:17:00,160 So spend as much time as it takes to get through it and really absorb it. 228 00:17:00,160 --> 00:17:01,160 Yeah. 229 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:07,960 It's divided up in eight verse sections because it's an acrostic, I think, or something like 230 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:08,960 that. 231 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:09,960 Yeah, that's right. 232 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:14,160 For each letter of the Hebrew alphabet. 233 00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:17,640 So you can do like eight verses at a time. 234 00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:18,640 And yeah. 235 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:22,840 Oh, it's just so full of good. 236 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:26,720 It really is. 237 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:30,360 Yeah, it's funny. 238 00:17:30,360 --> 00:17:34,760 Actually we went through it on a Wednesday night Bible class recently. 239 00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:36,080 I didn't do my homework. 240 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:38,680 The homework was you're supposed to read it before coming to Bible class. 241 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:43,320 So in Bible class, we just kind of did the snapshot view 119. 242 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:46,360 But what you really need to do is doing what you're talking about. 243 00:17:46,360 --> 00:17:49,120 Go through it eight verses at a time. 244 00:17:49,120 --> 00:17:54,000 Maybe go through those eight verses multiple times in a day while you're praying. 245 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:56,840 Really internalize that. 246 00:17:56,840 --> 00:18:01,440 And so that's, of course you can do that with any number of places in scripture, but I just 247 00:18:01,440 --> 00:18:05,440 I kind of like that idea of going through Psalm 119. 248 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:10,120 That's a powerful activity to invest yourself in. 249 00:18:10,120 --> 00:18:13,320 So you're an author, of course, and that's part of the reason why you're here on this 250 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:14,320 podcast. 251 00:18:14,320 --> 00:18:16,960 We're going to talk to you in a moment about some of the works that you've done and what 252 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:20,160 you're going to be in, what you are working on or getting ready to publish. 253 00:18:20,160 --> 00:18:22,680 I'm curious about your journey as an author. 254 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:27,360 Has that something that you were already before, you know, the struggle of chronic illness 255 00:18:27,360 --> 00:18:28,360 came along? 256 00:18:28,360 --> 00:18:33,480 And if not, I'm curious, how did God really put that on your heart to, to use that as 257 00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:37,120 to be a blessing to others with chronic illness and pain? 258 00:18:37,120 --> 00:18:43,840 Well, the funny part is, is that, you know, I would like to tell the story about when 259 00:18:43,840 --> 00:18:52,680 I went to college and wrote my first composition and I got an F, you know, and it's like, okay. 260 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:57,280 And but I had an awesome teacher, professor. 261 00:18:57,280 --> 00:19:04,680 And by the end of that, my last paper, he read in class and said, this is my most improved 262 00:19:04,680 --> 00:19:10,160 student, but I still only ended up with a B. And I'm like, okay, we know you're not 263 00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:15,280 going to be a writer, but God had other plans. 264 00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:17,240 God had other plans there. 265 00:19:17,240 --> 00:19:27,440 And in children's ministry, I was writing plays for the kids. 266 00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:33,440 I would write plays that would fit the personalities of the children that I had. 267 00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:42,000 And so at Christmas, especially, I wrote several plays for them that was just based on them, 268 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:44,040 you know? 269 00:19:44,040 --> 00:19:50,840 And I had, so, so that was just something I did for my ministry, not really thinking 270 00:19:50,840 --> 00:19:54,960 anything beyond that with that. 271 00:19:54,960 --> 00:20:03,880 But then after we, we had to retire, I started to write about chronic pain. 272 00:20:03,880 --> 00:20:14,680 And I wanted to write to those who, your friends, you know, like try to explain to people what's 273 00:20:14,680 --> 00:20:19,960 going on in your life that they don't understand it, you know? 274 00:20:19,960 --> 00:20:23,120 And so that's kind of where everything started. 275 00:20:23,120 --> 00:20:27,840 And right off the bat, there was a challenge. 276 00:20:27,840 --> 00:20:30,200 I was in this Christian bloggers group. 277 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:38,320 They had a challenge in October that said write for five minutes every day and just 278 00:20:38,320 --> 00:20:40,200 publish it on your post. 279 00:20:40,200 --> 00:20:44,960 Don't edit, don't do anything, just write for five minutes every day. 280 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:51,080 And they, you could either do their prompts, they gave you a prompt every day, or you could 281 00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:53,120 just do your own thing. 282 00:20:53,120 --> 00:21:01,920 And so I decided to write about my personal experience with chronic pain. 283 00:21:01,920 --> 00:21:04,600 And it resonated with people. 284 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:08,320 People started saying, you need to publish this. 285 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:10,880 And it was kind of done devotionally. 286 00:21:10,880 --> 00:21:16,120 It always seemed that everything would come back around to God, no matter, you know, even 287 00:21:16,120 --> 00:21:18,840 if you tried, okay, don't put God in here. 288 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:25,800 No, he's just so much part of it that it just came out of me. 289 00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:30,920 And so I kept that in the back of my mind that I really didn't take it seriously. 290 00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:36,080 For about five years, I just was blogging. 291 00:21:36,080 --> 00:21:38,200 But people would keep asking, when are you going to write that book? 292 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:39,680 When are you going to write that book? 293 00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:45,040 And in 2020, I said, okay, this is the year I'm going to work towards getting that devotional 294 00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:47,160 done. 295 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:52,600 And so I went to that was the covid year, of course. 296 00:21:52,600 --> 00:22:02,680 So I got to go to a conference because it was online and I could do it at my own pace 297 00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:07,360 because they recorded everything and learned so much. 298 00:22:07,360 --> 00:22:12,600 And I met a gal there that was a homeschooler and she was she said, hey, you want to help 299 00:22:12,600 --> 00:22:13,600 me out? 300 00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:20,720 And I said, I have I'm writing a course to teach homeschool moms how to help their kids 301 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:28,840 write and encourage them to write by publishing their writing in books. 302 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:33,840 And what she would do is give them a set of pictures and they'd write a story around the 303 00:22:33,840 --> 00:22:34,840 pictures. 304 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:36,120 She wanted me to be a beta tester. 305 00:22:36,120 --> 00:22:44,000 So I said, I'll do that because that'll give me some knowledge about self publishing. 306 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:49,720 And and through that, I wrote a little book about milk cows. 307 00:22:49,720 --> 00:22:51,760 I grew up on a dairy farm. 308 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:53,800 So that was something I knew about. 309 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:55,960 And you had to find a set of pictures. 310 00:22:55,960 --> 00:22:58,400 And that's what I found a set of pictures of. 311 00:22:58,400 --> 00:23:02,960 You know, with the chronic pain thing, I just I couldn't find the pictures I wanted. 312 00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:10,040 And so I wrote this little book about milk cows and people loved it. 313 00:23:10,040 --> 00:23:14,520 You know, and they're asking for more and there's more coming for that. 314 00:23:14,520 --> 00:23:24,360 But but then I joined a children's critique group and started working on this soft toads 315 00:23:24,360 --> 00:23:25,880 book. 316 00:23:25,880 --> 00:23:31,960 And my the thing that I learned about the first conference was, OK, you have all these 317 00:23:31,960 --> 00:23:38,000 devotions, but you can't just plop them into a book and and it sell. 318 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:43,000 I realized that I was going to have to kind of rework them and put them all in a theme 319 00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:46,320 and lay them out the same and do all of that. 320 00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:50,400 And so it's been a long process doing that. 321 00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:56,960 But that's how I got started with actual publishing of books. 322 00:23:56,960 --> 00:24:02,080 Well, I that's an interesting story, I think, in the sense that it really happened pretty 323 00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:04,400 organically for you just in the course of your life. 324 00:24:04,400 --> 00:24:08,360 And I mean, God can call us into things in many different ways. 325 00:24:08,360 --> 00:24:10,460 But it seems like it was kind of a gradual. 326 00:24:10,460 --> 00:24:13,160 But at the same time, he was affirming you every step of the way. 327 00:24:13,160 --> 00:24:14,160 Right. 328 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:15,160 As you moved into that. 329 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:18,120 So I think that's that's a really cool story. 330 00:24:18,120 --> 00:24:22,360 And you mentioned this book called Soft Hugs or Soft Hugs for Mommy. 331 00:24:22,360 --> 00:24:26,920 And it's a book that helps parents talk to their children about their chronic health 332 00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:27,920 struggles. 333 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:33,320 And as I understand it, it's focus in the book is on fibromyalgia, but it has application 334 00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:38,360 to, you know, many any kind of disease or chronic pain that you have. 335 00:24:38,360 --> 00:24:40,360 It could help you have that conversation. 336 00:24:40,360 --> 00:24:44,640 I shared with you, Mandy, before we started, just that I found that to be a particular 337 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:46,160 struggle with my kids growing up. 338 00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:49,160 I would have loved, especially when my kids were little, I would have loved to have had 339 00:24:49,160 --> 00:24:53,080 a book like this one that could have helped me navigate that. 340 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:56,040 And if it was out there, I didn't know where it was. 341 00:24:56,040 --> 00:25:00,760 And so I'm excited that this is now going to is now available for people that need to 342 00:25:00,760 --> 00:25:04,880 be able to talk to the kids because this impacts our kids to in ways that maybe they can't 343 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:05,880 express. 344 00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:06,880 Yeah. 345 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:13,040 So why don't you tell us a little bit about this book and and and what inspired it? 346 00:25:13,040 --> 00:25:21,160 OK, well, it's it's loosely based on my experience. 347 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:29,040 Now, when I when chronic pain really hit me, I was my children, my youngest was 15. 348 00:25:29,040 --> 00:25:35,840 So a little bit different story because they were teenagers and they were more involved 349 00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:43,800 and you could sit down with them and talk to them about what was going on pretty easily 350 00:25:43,800 --> 00:25:49,120 that I wrote this because I'm more children's minded, smaller children. 351 00:25:49,120 --> 00:25:58,680 I wrote it from the perspective of probably a preschooler and she has a brother that's 352 00:25:58,680 --> 00:26:07,960 a little bit older and she just shares about how great her family was. 353 00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:18,400 And and then she starts comparing that we used to do this, but now mommy is sick and 354 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:20,400 and then about it. 355 00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:29,120 It talks about several things that changed in the life of the family and that mommy had 356 00:26:29,120 --> 00:26:39,600 to go to all these doctors and learn about in this case fibromyalgia, she calls it. 357 00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:43,400 And I'll check and appropriate in it. 358 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:45,400 Yes, it is. 359 00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:52,000 Yeah, my my formatter said, hey, everybody use that term like that or does it is that 360 00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:53,160 something you came up with? 361 00:26:53,160 --> 00:26:55,360 And I said, I just came up with that. 362 00:26:55,360 --> 00:26:58,440 But it but it does resonate people like that. 363 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:06,120 So anyway, so it has right in the middle of it, the doctor explaining about different 364 00:27:06,120 --> 00:27:14,720 symptoms that you can have with fibromyalgia and how it can be different for each person. 365 00:27:14,720 --> 00:27:21,360 And then it goes on about how mommy learned to manage her pain and how there were some 366 00:27:21,360 --> 00:27:22,640 days that were bad. 367 00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:24,160 Some days mommy stayed in bed. 368 00:27:24,160 --> 00:27:32,120 Some days mommy could sit on the couch and we would entertain her and how daddy had to 369 00:27:32,120 --> 00:27:36,600 help more and the neighbors helped more. 370 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:54,040 And just that soft hugs is yes, people with my fibromyalgia, they cannot take a big squeeze, 371 00:27:54,040 --> 00:27:58,920 but you can hug them in other ways. 372 00:27:58,920 --> 00:28:03,360 I just kindnesses that you do. 373 00:28:03,360 --> 00:28:06,880 And that's kind of the theme of the book there. 374 00:28:06,880 --> 00:28:13,800 And then it just has a nice ending that mommy was great before, but she's still great. 375 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:15,560 You know, yeah, yeah, that's right. 376 00:28:15,560 --> 00:28:17,600 You know, she she does. 377 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:19,720 That's a little message for the parent. 378 00:28:19,720 --> 00:28:23,320 You know, it's like, don't don't get stuck on that. 379 00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:28,200 You're no longer a great mom because you still you still can be. 380 00:28:28,200 --> 00:28:35,240 And then just for fun, the the awareness ribbon is purple. 381 00:28:35,240 --> 00:28:39,920 And so we have a little purple ribbons all through the book that are hidden that they 382 00:28:39,920 --> 00:28:43,480 can look for all the purple ribbons. 383 00:28:43,480 --> 00:28:51,680 And then it has the question section that I had a child psychologist help me develop 384 00:28:51,680 --> 00:28:59,600 the right questions, you know, to talk to talk to your kids about. 385 00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:09,320 So and I think I it really does not matter that if you don't have fibromyalgia, it helps 386 00:29:09,320 --> 00:29:13,400 with almost any illness that you might have. 387 00:29:13,400 --> 00:29:15,080 I mean, cancer. 388 00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:21,560 I had a friend that just had a heart attack, had open heart surgery, and she said she used 389 00:29:21,560 --> 00:29:29,640 it to talk to her grandkids about how you had to be careful around grandma now and how 390 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:30,640 she was. 391 00:29:30,640 --> 00:29:33,840 She couldn't do all the things that she used to could do. 392 00:29:33,840 --> 00:29:41,800 And so I think that it's something that can be helpful for a lot, a lot of people. 393 00:29:41,800 --> 00:29:42,800 Sure. 394 00:29:42,800 --> 00:29:44,680 Well, thank you for sharing that. 395 00:29:44,680 --> 00:29:49,320 I want to say to you know, of course, we may have some fathers that are listening and even 396 00:29:49,320 --> 00:29:53,320 though the character in the in this book is a mother, I think the same principles would 397 00:29:53,320 --> 00:29:59,640 apply because fathers also get down on themselves sometimes about not being able to throw the 398 00:29:59,640 --> 00:30:03,480 ball with their kids or what, you know, whatever it might be that that fathers want to do, 399 00:30:03,480 --> 00:30:06,520 because I can remember going through that myself. 400 00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:13,200 And I still even even though the book focuses on mommy, I had I still had kids at that age, 401 00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:14,880 I could have used it for the same purpose. 402 00:30:14,880 --> 00:30:20,200 So I want everyone to realize that if you got kids, and you need a little help communicating 403 00:30:20,200 --> 00:30:24,440 with them about what you're going through and what that means for everyone in the family, 404 00:30:24,440 --> 00:30:25,600 this is a great way to do it. 405 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:30,880 And it helps you be able to communicate with children on their level and a message of affirmation 406 00:30:30,880 --> 00:30:34,100 for you as the parent as well. 407 00:30:34,100 --> 00:30:39,280 So I will have links to that in our show notes where people can go and find that book and 408 00:30:39,280 --> 00:30:41,280 I hope that they will. 409 00:30:41,280 --> 00:30:47,680 And I want to ask, I know that you have another you've alluded to it in our conversation, 410 00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:51,960 you have another manuscript available to be published. 411 00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:55,760 I know it's a devotional book, but if you want to elaborate a little bit on that, I 412 00:30:55,760 --> 00:30:56,760 think that would be helpful. 413 00:30:56,760 --> 00:31:00,640 It would give us something to look forward to for what you have coming out and maybe 414 00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:05,280 let us know if there's a if there's an actual time that you already know that it might be 415 00:31:05,280 --> 00:31:06,280 coming out. 416 00:31:06,280 --> 00:31:12,720 Well, I'm still working on I decided to go ahead and try to do it traditionally, but 417 00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:16,480 I haven't found the right connection there. 418 00:31:16,480 --> 00:31:21,600 But I really it's because this is the real passion. 419 00:31:21,600 --> 00:31:25,160 This is the children's thing to me is a fluke. 420 00:31:25,160 --> 00:31:26,840 Now God had his reasons. 421 00:31:26,840 --> 00:31:32,600 But the children's books are just what has come out of this. 422 00:31:32,600 --> 00:31:39,200 And I'm not sure that this devotional is the thing that I really, really, you know, want 423 00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:42,080 to get in people's hands. 424 00:31:42,080 --> 00:31:53,680 And what I've done is that music is another one of my passions and music is what gets 425 00:31:53,680 --> 00:31:59,880 me through the day and that and my faith, of course. 426 00:31:59,880 --> 00:32:11,320 And so I have done this devotional kind of in a musical theme each week of lessons or 427 00:32:11,320 --> 00:32:14,720 devotions as a theme. 428 00:32:14,720 --> 00:32:17,360 And I found a title. 429 00:32:17,360 --> 00:32:27,240 It could be secular, could be classical, you know, from a title of a music piece of music 430 00:32:27,240 --> 00:32:30,560 is the theme for the week. 431 00:32:30,560 --> 00:32:40,800 So for instance, the first week talks about the surprises that you have in chronic illness 432 00:32:40,800 --> 00:32:48,040 and that it's not just that one first surprise of your life change, but all through more 433 00:32:48,040 --> 00:32:49,880 things show up. 434 00:32:49,880 --> 00:32:53,520 There's always another thing that happens every time you turn around every whenever 435 00:32:53,520 --> 00:32:58,960 you feel like, OK, I've got this, then something else happens. 436 00:32:58,960 --> 00:33:04,280 And so the surprise symphony is where it starts. 437 00:33:04,280 --> 00:33:14,960 And I take a little piece of my story and I connect it with a biblical person and how 438 00:33:14,960 --> 00:33:18,320 OK, here's how we're the same. 439 00:33:18,320 --> 00:33:24,680 That first week I talk about Joseph and I connect with him and his different times of 440 00:33:24,680 --> 00:33:28,120 just when he's rising up, he's pushed back down. 441 00:33:28,120 --> 00:33:29,120 Right. 442 00:33:29,120 --> 00:33:39,680 And I use that as as the theme that when you get through that week that you see that God 443 00:33:39,680 --> 00:33:45,240 is working through everything and that there is hope. 444 00:33:45,240 --> 00:33:50,080 And so that's kind of how each chapter works. 445 00:33:50,080 --> 00:33:53,040 There's six weeks of lessons. 446 00:33:53,040 --> 00:34:02,000 And so I use music in another way is the title of the book is From Dissonance to Harmony. 447 00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:09,400 And so and dissonance is a musical term which means it doesn't sound quite right. 448 00:34:09,400 --> 00:34:10,520 It's not in harmony. 449 00:34:10,520 --> 00:34:13,100 You know, it's. 450 00:34:13,100 --> 00:34:21,400 And so I take that my dissonant moment and I connect it with a counterpart. 451 00:34:21,400 --> 00:34:29,600 And that's another musical term which is when you have two things going on at the same time. 452 00:34:29,600 --> 00:34:36,080 And then the harmony piece, which where you find harmony with where God shows you the 453 00:34:36,080 --> 00:34:40,560 harmony in it, even though you're going through it. 454 00:34:40,560 --> 00:34:46,040 And then I have assignments which is to read a particular song. 455 00:34:46,040 --> 00:34:52,220 I had a pastor always tell me to read a song every day and it is such good advice and I 456 00:34:52,220 --> 00:34:54,000 advise it. 457 00:34:54,000 --> 00:35:02,720 But but this one I select a specific song that I assign you to read and also an old 458 00:35:02,720 --> 00:35:05,160 hymn. 459 00:35:05,160 --> 00:35:08,880 And I don't want you to necessarily just listen to the song. 460 00:35:08,880 --> 00:35:18,840 I want you to look at the lyrics and kind of meditate on the lyrics of that hymn and 461 00:35:18,840 --> 00:35:23,040 find what you can learn from that hymn. 462 00:35:23,040 --> 00:35:27,480 Well it sounds like from my experience with that would be a fairly unique book. 463 00:35:27,480 --> 00:35:31,240 I don't know that I've seen a book that was arranged that way. 464 00:35:31,240 --> 00:35:35,340 And certainly both for me for people that understand and know music that will maybe 465 00:35:35,340 --> 00:35:40,480 have a special meaning but I think all of us love music and can kind of relate to the 466 00:35:40,480 --> 00:35:42,580 idea of dissonance and harmony. 467 00:35:42,580 --> 00:35:48,240 We can certainly relate to the Psalms which were of course originally song and as well 468 00:35:48,240 --> 00:35:52,760 as some of these old hymns that do have such great lyrics. 469 00:35:52,760 --> 00:35:56,300 And so I appreciate that that's going to be available. 470 00:35:56,300 --> 00:35:58,520 So we don't know when is that right? 471 00:35:58,520 --> 00:35:59,520 No. 472 00:35:59,520 --> 00:36:05,680 I hope that I'm not going to spend a lot of time looking for a traditional publisher. 473 00:36:05,680 --> 00:36:10,160 If it doesn't happen then I'm fine with just going ahead. 474 00:36:10,160 --> 00:36:18,560 And so hopefully by the end of next year this can come to fruition. 475 00:36:18,560 --> 00:36:22,920 Well we'll be looking for it then and who knows may have you back on in the seams when 476 00:36:22,920 --> 00:36:25,440 that comes out and we'll talk about that book a little bit more. 477 00:36:25,440 --> 00:36:30,440 But certainly we'll want our listeners and other places where people connect with Broken 478 00:36:30,440 --> 00:36:36,280 Amended to be aware of that and be looking to that. 479 00:36:36,280 --> 00:36:42,720 So as a final question I wanted to ask about sometimes people have something already brewing 480 00:36:42,720 --> 00:36:46,840 in their mind or actually working on something already. 481 00:36:46,840 --> 00:36:53,480 Do you have any other resources or works that you're thinking about that will benefit those 482 00:36:53,480 --> 00:36:55,680 that are struggling with chronic illness? 483 00:36:55,680 --> 00:37:04,280 OK, well I have set up at MandyFarmer.com. 484 00:37:04,280 --> 00:37:10,240 I out monthly sometimes a little more often if I just get inspired that I have tips and 485 00:37:10,240 --> 00:37:18,080 resources for people going through chronic illness of any kind really. 486 00:37:18,080 --> 00:37:25,720 I use the acronym soft hugs and so I give S's for scripture. 487 00:37:25,720 --> 00:37:35,040 I give a scripture that might encourage them and the O is Oasis which here's a place that 488 00:37:35,040 --> 00:37:38,160 might you might be able to find calm. 489 00:37:38,160 --> 00:37:39,440 So it might be an app. 490 00:37:39,440 --> 00:37:47,560 It might be a video of beautiful music and beautiful sceneries something like that. 491 00:37:47,560 --> 00:37:56,400 Laughter is usually something funny because laughter is the best medicine and continuing 492 00:37:56,400 --> 00:37:57,400 on like that. 493 00:37:57,400 --> 00:38:02,520 So, I share podcasts there. 494 00:38:02,520 --> 00:38:12,000 I share the U in hugs is usually my update on my writing and what is happening with my 495 00:38:12,000 --> 00:38:14,520 books and what's going on with that. 496 00:38:14,520 --> 00:38:17,880 So it's kind of a place to keep in touch with what I'm doing. 497 00:38:17,880 --> 00:38:25,800 But at the same time I'm giving all of these little tips and places to get help. 498 00:38:25,800 --> 00:38:36,520 And if you sign up there you can download some scripture cards on my original blog which 499 00:38:36,520 --> 00:38:39,880 I do with a friend there. 500 00:38:39,880 --> 00:38:48,120 It's called Mandy and Michelle dot com and that one I share more about my story and about 501 00:38:48,120 --> 00:38:54,080 health issues now that I'm over 60. 502 00:38:54,080 --> 00:38:57,440 I have other the aging stuff going on too. 503 00:38:57,440 --> 00:39:00,360 So I share about osteoporosis. 504 00:39:00,360 --> 00:39:08,320 I share about getting a mammogram all those different kinds of things. 505 00:39:08,320 --> 00:39:11,960 And I share those with you. 506 00:39:11,960 --> 00:39:19,680 And that's all on Mandy and Michelle dot com. 507 00:39:19,680 --> 00:39:25,520 Michelle is a as a grandmother raising her grandson and homeschooling. 508 00:39:25,520 --> 00:39:27,200 And so she writes about that. 509 00:39:27,200 --> 00:39:34,040 She writes about all kinds of home things, recipes, how to do different things in the 510 00:39:34,040 --> 00:39:35,040 home. 511 00:39:35,040 --> 00:39:38,720 And that's my two blogs. 512 00:39:38,720 --> 00:39:39,720 Okay. 513 00:39:39,720 --> 00:39:43,720 Well, I actually while we were talking I went and subscribed. 514 00:39:43,720 --> 00:39:47,840 So it's real easy. 515 00:39:47,840 --> 00:39:54,960 And you know so Mandy Farmer dot com will link it of course in the show notes. 516 00:39:54,960 --> 00:39:55,960 And so thank you for that. 517 00:39:55,960 --> 00:40:01,400 And again I just appreciate to me how your resources and your approach to things or as 518 00:40:01,400 --> 00:40:06,000 I would expect for anyone to be somewhat unique because everybody's different. 519 00:40:06,000 --> 00:40:09,960 But really you put a lot of thought into these different ways of connecting with people 520 00:40:09,960 --> 00:40:14,520 and not just one kind of just unilateral approach. 521 00:40:14,520 --> 00:40:17,560 And so I really appreciate what you're doing. 522 00:40:17,560 --> 00:40:20,800 And I think that will be certainly a blessing to others. 523 00:40:20,800 --> 00:40:22,960 So, like I said it's real easy to subscribe. 524 00:40:22,960 --> 00:40:28,560 I just did it just now and think others ought to do that as well. 525 00:40:28,560 --> 00:40:32,760 And then there's those other blogs you talked about that you can check or not check but 526 00:40:32,760 --> 00:40:35,360 they're there available as well. 527 00:40:35,360 --> 00:40:39,480 So, you know this this this has been very good. 528 00:40:39,480 --> 00:40:44,320 Mandy, we thank you so much for taking the time to be on In The Seams. 529 00:40:44,320 --> 00:40:48,760 You know I've been very encouraged by what you're doing and how God is using you and 530 00:40:48,760 --> 00:40:51,280 your talents as an author. 531 00:40:51,280 --> 00:40:57,360 And we certainly want to continue to lift you up in prayer as God opens doors. 532 00:40:57,360 --> 00:41:02,200 And whether that be with a traditional publisher whether that be you know just to publish it 533 00:41:02,200 --> 00:41:06,480 yourself whatever it may be whatever God's will is the point is that it reaches more 534 00:41:06,480 --> 00:41:07,480 people. 535 00:41:07,480 --> 00:41:12,960 And so we're glad to be at least a tool in order to help people get to know about some 536 00:41:12,960 --> 00:41:14,120 of these resources. 537 00:41:14,120 --> 00:41:19,200 So again for our listeners I just want to say please check out the show notes. 538 00:41:19,200 --> 00:41:22,920 You'll see links to the resources that we talked about. 539 00:41:22,920 --> 00:41:28,560 You will also see some links to some different scriptures that we brought up during the conversation. 540 00:41:28,560 --> 00:41:32,120 And I'll I'll just try to put anything relevant that came out of the conversation the show 541 00:41:32,120 --> 00:41:35,320 notes so you don't have to remember it and go look it up later. 542 00:41:35,320 --> 00:41:37,640 You can just click on that. 543 00:41:37,640 --> 00:41:40,960 And we thank you so much for listening to in the seams. 544 00:41:40,960 --> 00:41:44,920 I always like to close by reminding you that you can of course I don't know where you may 545 00:41:44,920 --> 00:41:49,720 be listening to in the same whether it be on Spotify or Apple podcast or some other 546 00:41:49,720 --> 00:41:50,720 place. 547 00:41:50,720 --> 00:41:55,960 It's on our website and our RSS feed but also our website at brokenandmended.org. 548 00:41:55,960 --> 00:41:59,700 So if you're not already on our website I recommend that you go look at broken and mended 549 00:41:59,700 --> 00:42:01,320 dot org. 550 00:42:01,320 --> 00:42:04,780 Please check out the different support groups that we have that are being offered and other 551 00:42:04,780 --> 00:42:10,680 resources including this podcast or other podcasts that we've had recently and in years 552 00:42:10,680 --> 00:42:16,120 past I think this is our third full year to be doing in the same podcast. 553 00:42:16,120 --> 00:42:17,880 And also we have a blog there. 554 00:42:17,880 --> 00:42:25,440 In fact we published one from Esther Smith yesterday that she wrote and she's also someone 555 00:42:25,440 --> 00:42:30,280 who has written a 31 day devotional book on chronic illness. 556 00:42:30,280 --> 00:42:34,800 And so I may relink that in our show notes too just because that's a that's also a great 557 00:42:34,800 --> 00:42:35,800 resource. 558 00:42:35,800 --> 00:42:36,800 We need more of these resources. 559 00:42:36,800 --> 00:42:43,200 And so many of these different places different you know different types of needs. 560 00:42:43,200 --> 00:42:46,480 There are a lot of resources for four I think for chronic illness. 561 00:42:46,480 --> 00:42:52,800 Chronic pain is still a very underserved community and they're still very limited resources available. 562 00:42:52,800 --> 00:42:57,960 There's there's beginning to be some more but I would say that it's we're still a long 563 00:42:57,960 --> 00:43:02,240 ways to kind of catching up to where maybe some other types of support ministries are. 564 00:43:02,240 --> 00:43:05,380 And so just glad for what you're offering there Mandy. 565 00:43:05,380 --> 00:43:11,000 So again thank you for being with us and I want to thank our listeners for being with 566 00:43:11,000 --> 00:43:13,200 us. 567 00:43:13,200 --> 00:43:17,800 And one other thing I'll mention of course and I don't always do this. 568 00:43:17,800 --> 00:43:21,240 Our producer Andres always wants me to do it. 569 00:43:21,240 --> 00:43:25,600 Mention that if you are so moved you can financially partner with us and broken amended you'll 570 00:43:25,600 --> 00:43:27,880 find a place for that on the website too. 571 00:43:27,880 --> 00:43:29,160 You're never expected to. 572 00:43:29,160 --> 00:43:34,080 I know that people with chronic illness and chronic pain have extra financial burden but 573 00:43:34,080 --> 00:43:37,280 there may be some people that are in a position where they can and that helps us to reach 574 00:43:37,280 --> 00:43:41,680 more and more people through resources like this including our materials that we're developing 575 00:43:41,680 --> 00:43:45,400 for support groups and especially for us to be able to print those in places where they 576 00:43:45,400 --> 00:43:50,360 can afford them like in East Africa particularly in Kenya some of the countries over there 577 00:43:50,360 --> 00:43:52,120 where we have a lot of support groups. 578 00:43:52,120 --> 00:43:54,840 So Mandy thank you again for being with us. 579 00:43:54,840 --> 00:43:56,720 Oh it's been a pleasure. 580 00:43:56,720 --> 00:44:03,600 I enjoyed getting to know you and talking about my journey and I'd love to hear from 581 00:44:03,600 --> 00:44:13,000 anyone about their journey and connect with you and just God bless you. 582 00:44:13,000 --> 00:44:34,360 Alright thank you Mandy and thank you for listening to In the Seams.