Author Archives: David Heflin

About David Heflin

I blog about topics related to the Christian faith and the struggle of chronic pain. I have ankylosing spondylitis and have dealt with chronic pain since 2011. I hope to provide support and community for those going along that same journey with me.

Welcome to Broken and Mended

Posted on October 8, 2021 by David Heflin

This website was previously only a blog, but slowly became a place where I could share information about how to join our local support group, even if you lived far away. But a lot of things happened in 2021, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Lamenting Travel Loss

Posted on July 22, 2021 by David Heflin

Lament helps us to come to terms with what chronic illness and pain have cost us. Continue reading →

How Chronic Pain Changes Our Experience of Time

Posted on June 29, 2021 by David Heflin

I am a student of the primary biblical languages (Hebrew/Greek). One of the differences between languages is how verbs reflect time. English is a very “tense” conscious language. One of the earliest concepts we learn as elementary students is the … Continue reading →

Posted in Chronic Pain | Tagged Biblical languages, Chronic Pain and Mortality, Chronic Pain and Time, Chronos and Kairos, Koine Greek, Redeeming the time, Value of Suffering | Leave a comment

The Struggle For Women to Be Believed

Posted on April 3, 2021 by David Heflin

I watched the entire Oprah interview with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry a few weeks back. I have learned the hard way that just because someone seems believable doesn’t mean they are telling the truth. But it surely still means … Continue reading →

Posted in Resurrection, Women and Chronic Pain | Tagged Broken and Mended, God and Women, Meghan Markle, Piers Morgan, Prince Harry, Women and Chronic Illness, Women Not Believed, Women Witnesses at the Empty Tomb | 1 Comment

Is Your Illness God’s Plan?

Posted on February 19, 2021 by David Heflin

“The Bible is fairly resistance to giving answers as to why something terrible has happened. What is modeled is crying out to God in our distress and resolving to trust him when we don’t have answers.” Continue reading →

Posted in Character of God, Chronic Illness and Spirituality, Theodicy | Tagged Calvinism and Illness, God's Sovereignty, God's Will and Chronic Illness, God's Will and Chronic Pain, God's will, Lament, Lord's Prayer, New Heaven and New Earth, Psalms of Lament, Why God? | 2 Comments

A Post-Covid Future

Posted on January 19, 2021 by David Heflin

We see those things with our eyes cast to the final horizon of time itself, the end of time, the end of all that wars against us. Continue reading →

Posted in Covid-19, Covid-19, Eschatology | Tagged 2021, Broken and Mended, Broken and Mended and the Future, Covid-19 and the future, Non-profit, Theendofthepandemic, Vision | Leave a comment

What Is Wrong With Us?

Posted on November 24, 2020 by David Heflin

I am angered nearly every day by the layers of disinformation and the daily merciless dismissal of so much humanity. Continue reading →

Posted in COVID-19 and Empathy, Ethics, Imago Dei | Tagged Coronavirus and Loving Your Neighbor, Coronavirus conspiracy theories, COVID-19 and Immunocompromised, COVID-19 and Politics, COVID-19 Personal Reaction, Empathy and Death, The 1% | 4 Comments

For the Undiagnosed

Posted on October 27, 2020 by David Heflin

One of the more frustrating tales you will hear from those in the chronically ill community is an all too common story of being undiagnosed, sometimes for years, sometimes forever. This leads to confusion regarding treatment plans and accusations of … Continue reading →

Posted in Undiagnosed Chronic Illness | Tagged chronic illness and doctors, Chronic Illness and Jesus, Chronic illness and persistence, Chronic illness and prayer, Chronic Pain Support, God is with you, Jesus and Chronic Pain, Jesus will never leave you, undiagnosed | 1 Comment

Practical Theism In the Midst of Chronic Pain

Posted on October 13, 2020 by David Heflin

Though Broken and Mended is a Christian support ministry for those dealing with chronic illness and pain, I desire to create a culture that is welcoming to all. The question is will people who do not believe in God or … Continue reading →

Posted in Theodicy | Tagged #ChronicPainandatheism, #GodandChronicPain, Chronic Pain and Christian Faith, Chronic Pain and Hope, God and purpose of suffering, Suffering and Faith | 2 Comments

At the Intersection of Grief, Depression, and Illness

Posted on September 15, 2020 by David Heflin

I was disheartened last week to witness what transpired on Skip Bayless’ show on Fox Sports called “Undisputed.” Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback, Dak Prescott, had recently shared in an interview his struggle with depression in the wake of his brother’s suicide … Continue reading →