This book, by a Christian psychiatrist who happens to be blind, shows how resolve is the key to resilience. The stories, all of which are true, and the examples or cases that are included (also true) all show how determination plus faith can overcome any obstacle. After all, if she can climb a 30 fall, what is holding you back? Or if she can be struck by a SUV and still participate in a mission trip only days later, buoyed by her commitment to fulfilling the mission God has given her, are you going to let a few aches and pains hold you back?
Here we should examine the role of adversity. We live to avoid it, resolve it, legislate against it, as it has no known value and poses a threat to our livelihood. We create avenues of blame for it or we maintain an attempt to objectify adversity by saying "stuff happens."
We palliate human suffering with compassionate understanding, validating the legitimacy of emotions including anxiety, anger, and depression, creating safe havens for people to process them. If allowed some modes of counseling, strategizing solutions, coping skills, or programs to ameliorate the suffering, some strugglers will pass through. While these maneuvers remain unquestionably therapeutic, none asks the individual to embrace the trial. None asks the sufferer to value the adversity as the foster parent of the prized orphan--resilience.
Facing adversity? You can overcome it by faith if you link your RESOLVE to God's power, because he is in you, both to will and work for his good pleasure.
See how your adversity can become an opportunity, even a gift. As this doctor says, "this so-called tragedy in my life was very much for the good. I had the chance to "see" and care for my children during their precious young years; to play with them, sing songs, teach them, feed them, and do all those wonderful mothering things that many take for granted. I cherished them because I knew my life had been heading in a direction in which I could have missed it all. Now that they are grown, I can see in my mind's eye all of those great images and memories. I enjoyed motherhood so much that I would not have changed my life in any way if given the chance. My eye condition was a gift from God, affording me the privilege of time to be with my children.
Author Biography:
Elaine Eng is a graduate of Princeton University and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She is Associate Professor of Mental Health Counseling at the Alliance Theological Seminary and Graduate School of Counseling. Dr. Eng integrates faith, medicine, and counseling to provide mental health education to many audiences. She is the Co-Chair of the Christian Medical and Dental Association of New York and assists physicians serving abroad. She is married 40 years to her husband Cliff, the mother of two grown children, Brian and Genevieve, and owner of a beautiful guide dog named Paros. She often brings hope to her listeners through sharing her own experience with the disability of blindness. Her books include No Worries: Spiritual and Mental Health Counseling for Anxiety and The Transforming Power of Story: How Telling Your Story Brings Hope to Others and Healing to Yourself.
