Earlier this year, as spring warmed into summer, I received a package of African violet leaves. No plants, or even seedlings. Just leaves, carefully labeled with the name of the variety. I placed each leaf in a little “seed starter” container with soil and a bit of water, then enclosed the leaves in plastic bags,…

“Ouch!” “Eeeee!!!”  “Ow!”  “Oooh…” You may or may not find these words in your favorite dictionnary, but if you live with chronic pain, you’ll probably have used them or others to describe how a particular pang, ache, or jab feels. (You might have used others, too, that I cannot print here, but we’ll leave these…

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.  This horrible scourge affects people at all levels of society and, although women are most often the victims of domestic violence, many children and men suffer, too.  Here is a prayer to accompany this month’s events – and to carry forward into the weeks and months ahead, our petition for…

In my book, “Beyond Pain: Job, Jesus, and Joy,” much of the section on Job involves Job himself – his life, his suffering and, eventually, his finding immense joy. But integral to telling Job’s story is also the subject of friendship with someone who is suffering, and this theme resonates with us today. What part…

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about

Maureen Pratt

Several years ago, Maureen Pratt earned her Master of Fine Arts in Theater Arts/Playwriting from UCLA's School of Theater, FIlm and Television. She expected to be writing scripts. God had other plans.

A few years after her graduation, Maureen was diagnosed with a life-threatening case of organ-involved lupus. Her life turned upside down as she grappled with the effects of the illness and other health conditions that ensued. She was no stranger to serious health challenges; even as a child, Maureen had survived numerous bouts of pneumonia, flu, and other infections. But lupus made her take a fresh look at her life goals - and took herlifelong, strong Catholic Christian faith and writing in a direction she'd never imagined.

Today, Maureen writes and speaks about walking with the Lord while living with chronic pain and illness. Her most recent book is "Don't Panic!: How to Keep Going When the Going Gets Tough (Franciscan Media). She is also the author of, "Peace in the Storm: Meditations on Chronic Pain & Illness" (Image Books/Randomhouse), "Beyond Pain: Job, Jesus, and Joy" (Twenty-Third Publications), "The First Year: Hypothyroidism, Second Edition" (Perseus) and "Taking Charge of Lupus: How to Manage the Disease and Make the Most of Your LIfe." She writes the syndicated column, "Living Well," for Catholic News Service, and has also written for Saint Anthony Messenger Magazine, Journey for Women Magazine, The Upper Room Magazine, LupusNow, and Arthritis Today. Maureen's health continues to be a challenge, however she feels honored to be able to bring her perspective, from experience and knowledge, to others.

"Good Days...Bad Days with Maureen Pratt" is a new way for Maureen to reach people who carry the burden of illness and pain in their lives, or who care for someone who does. Through the blog, she hopes to bring issues of health, wellness, and spirit into focus and, especially, inspire others that, no matter what health challenges, illness, or hardships they endure, each person can find a good way to realize the wonderful potential God has placed within each heart and soul.

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