My name is Debbie Kay and I am a Christian writer, whose calling is to comfort people who are hurting. With God’s help, I have overcome many challenges in life. I know what it is like to be overwhelmed with sadness and grief and to have a heart so broken and battered you don’t know how you can possibly survive the pain. I also have experienced the wonder of having my pain and grief turned to joy, by a loving and caring Savior. As the mother of a special needs child and as someone with multiple auto-immune disorders, I have learned how to research to find resources and answers to help cope with illness and disabilities . This site is an effort to share what I’ve learned and the many resources I’ve found on my journey.
In addition to being an author, I am a credentialed minister and a speaker, who has certification in grief recovery. I am trained as a Life Coach with specialties in Stress Management, Health and Wellness Coaching, Hope Coaching, Marriage Mentoring and Divorce Recovery. The first part of my mission is to offer hope and resources, to broken-hearted people who are dealing with grief and loss associated with abuse, chronic illness, death, divorce, grief, and having a child with special needs. These are all areas that have touched my life and I want to help others dealing with the same issues. The second part of my mission is to help educate the world at large, on how to show compassion and minister to those who are grieving and disabled.
Since 2010, I’ve had the privilege of being an official Joni and Friends Associate. We both share a vision of bringing hope to those who are often marginalized by disability.
My ministry is multifaceted. In addition to writing, speaking and singing, I have a page on Facebook, where I post words of encouragement and offer daily prayers. I also have a blog where I post daily prayers and occasional messages: Hope For The Broken Hearted.
Hi Debbie Kay, a prayer warrior sent this prayer you wrote:
Prayer for Hope. May I use this in the Hope Section of my book Healing Wounds:
Hope and Blessings over Cancer, Tumors and Other Nuisances?
God bless you deeply for your work!
Good Norning.
Every day when i go to your facebook page i always repost much of what you post and today on veterans day i very humbly ask you to please make a prayer in honor of our armed forces spouses because they hold the family together and gives us hope to see them when we get deployed overseas. Our army spouses do what ever it takes to hold it together and that is why i love my wife of 38 years(we got married in 1978) not a single prayer or recognition is ever said about our armed forces spouses have a bless day
Firstly thank God for your kind heartedness. Recently connected with you on Hope for the Broken hearted and feel truly blessed because of my brokenness and searching for healing. It is very inspirational to listen to you. I pray that Jehovah Jireh keeps providing and Jehovah Rapha keeps His healing touch on You and Your precious Ryan. Keep growing in faith beyond measures. Yours in Christ. By the way just love your compassion for life and your calming voice.
Please do not post my note to you,please just seeking advice
I just read a article you posted on Facebook.It came at a perfect time in my life.You see my father committed suicide when I was sixteen.I had suffered bouts of depression in the years prior to his death.Thou I had never attempted suicide.After my father died I felt with his death the best I could. I’m my mind it was a fact,when people would ask how my father died I would simply say suicide and move on.I did not try to hide the fact I left emotions out!! As I grew older and conversations occurred over the subject of suicide,my feelings and opinion became more vocal.Just as my depression became worse and harder to deal with.When people would say suicide was a weak persons way out,I would remark that although I had depression I was not strong enough to pull the trigger on my self!! As I grew older I also started looking back at the life my father lead,at 15 he ran away from home after a fight with his alcoholic father.He and his best friend ran away.While hitchhiking they were hit by a diesel truck.My father was hospitalized for a year and a half almost lost his leg.Endured many surgeries witch left him with one leg shorter than the other.He lived with that pain and the pain of watching his best friend die in that accident.Then at age of 27 his twin brother committed suicide,2 months before I was born.As he grew older he would have bouts of drinking and rage,he was not a daily drinker.He would drink once a year or maybe a few times a year.This increased as he got older or the bouts would last longer,eg.a few days to one week.When he did commit suicide no one saw it coming!!! Not one person,I always thought my father was strong,fearless,afraid of no one and nothing! Well I am now 48 and through the years I have dealt with my own depression have been diagnosed with ADHD, and after birth of my son,eleven yrs ago,I have panic attacks.I have always had bouts of depression where I would just sleep and sleep at times I would miss a whole week of work.I also have chronic asthma,that I have had since birth.So of course my asthma would become worse with these episodes.that was my single excuse for missing work.Today my life is at an all time low! I have in the past had people in my life that were also affected by suicide and I have been able to help them with my feelings and experiences.I am also a nurse,but I am unable to help my self now. My mom died 8 years ago and I am an only child.I have twin girls age27 from my first husband,and a eleven yr old son from my second husband.We have been separated for 8 yrs.he was a drug user,and it resulted in physical abuse.So I ended the relationship,for my and my sons safety.over the past eight years I have gained 60 pounds I have no activities no hobbies I do not want to do anything asthma is worse,the only reason I leave home is for work which is only 3-4 times a week,or to take my son to school.i am on antidepressants,and have had them changed a few times in past few years been tried on medication for bipolar disorder,which totally didn’t help.If I had it my way I would never leave my home again just have no desire!! The ONLY REASON I get up each day is for my son! I love him more than anything! I don’t know what to do! I feel bad all the time I don’t have insurance so seldom go to doctor.I go to psychiatrist for ADD med and depression med he also gives me rx for asthma med I use 1 inhaler a week. I’ve prayed and god has gotten me this far,but we barely make ends meet
I have used all savings etc.and I am scared!! I don’t know what to do
Debbie, my son, Matt, goes through similar situations. He has Aspergers and pervasive anxiety disorder. He’ll be 14 in a couple of months. I’ve found that I have been able to explain the difference between “feeling” and “truth” to him, and that feelings can be changed. I have taught him to pray, “In the name of Jesus Christ, I command this spirit of depression to go, and never come back.” And then he must show his trust in Jesus by acting like it’s gone, even if it’s not, for a short period of time. He’s not come to me once and said that it didn’t work after a short battle. I hope you can use that to help your son. Just to come to the realization that not only are feelings transitory, but they often lie to you about situations, has been a huge step forward for him.
Debbie:
Wow! What a fabulous article. You nailed it! I am married to the lead pastor of our church and I often sit down with families that have a new diagnosis (our son is 18 and was diagnosed with Asperger’s 10 years ago). I use many of the same phrases you used in this article. Thanks
connectingonepieceatatime@blogspot. Ruth Stieff
Thank you Ruth! Blessings to you!
Debs, thank you for spilling your heart and allowing us the freedom to admit exhaustion as well as the need for support. Your friend and champion, Colleen
Colleen, you are loved and admired more than you could imagine!! ((Colleen))
Debbie, How I LOVED your work. Thank you for spilling your heart and soul and for allowing us all the freedom to not fee alone. Your friend and champion, Colleen Swindoll-Thompson