During times of suffering, remember the things that matter when hope is hard to find...

A lovely friend recently gave me a copy of this book "Remember: The Things That Matter When Hope Is Hard to Find" by Rhonda Waston. I haven’t been much of a reader over the past few years. As I edge closer to 50, I’ve noticed my attention isn’t what it used to be, and I honestly find it difficult to sit and read for long periods.

Do you ever feel that too?

At the beginning of the school holidays, my body slowed me down with sickness. I found myself spending long stretches on the lounge, feeling a little bored. So, I decided to challenge myself—just read.

Well… I ended up reading almost the entire book in one day. I was completely captivated.

The author, Rhonda Watson, was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2008 and eventually lost her ability to speak. Yet she did not lose her desire to share what was happening in her heart as she prepared to go to glory. Her writing is beautifully accessible—simple, honest, and deeply moving—woven with poetry and Scripture throughout her story of suffering.

I found myself both challenged and gently corrected in my own quiet grumblings about being unwell. Her words stirred me to “rejoice” again in the hope we have as Christians.

What I particularly love about Rhonda is that she does not sugar-coat suffering. She is deeply honest. She laments what has been lost—her mobility, her former life, and the reality of her approaching death. And yet, she holds all of this alongside a determined faith.

She raises a powerful insight about self-talk, drawing on Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones—that we often spend more time listening to ourselves than speaking truth to ourselves. When we simply listen, our thoughts can be shaped by past experiences or emotions that don’t reflect what is actually true in the present. Before we know it, our minds can be hijacked by anxiety or fear.

Rhonda uses her writing as a way of speaking truth back to her own heart.

She writes:

“At the heart of my experience of this sickness, and the inevitability of decline and death, is a face-to-face relationship with God and the bewilderment, struggle and questioning I feel towards him. I write about joy, trust, thankfulness—oh, how I struggle to be joyful, trusting and thankful. This is no shout-out-loud victory I feel, rather a deep, ‘and yet’ determination towards joy, trust and thankfulness.” (p.17)

If you are walking through a difficult season—or supporting someone who is—and you’re unsure what might truly encourage, I would gently commend this book to you. I’ve included a link on our resources page.

And as for me… it turns out I can still read after all. I’ve even started a small, gentle ritual each morning with a cup of tea—practising this long-lost rhythm of reading again.

Meet the author Nada Appleby

Hi, I'm Nada. I am a Christian Counsellor with Hope Christian Counselling. I love working with individuals across the life span helping them to safely explore their inner worlds so as to connect with God more fully and get to know the gifts and strengths he has given them in service to others. I try to bring into every session a glimpse of the compassion, love and acceptance that God has so freely given me. Visit Nada's page to learn more.