Heather Bellamy spoke with Emily Ackerman about ME, coping with life-changing illness, writing a book and being healed.

That day we went for a little walk on my own legs. We walked 100 metres, my husband and I. That was the beginning of September and by the end of September I was walking a mile a day. Nine weeks after I sent the wheelchair back, I was in a Zumba class; it was just the most astonishing thing that God did for me.

For me the most precious thing about this is not leaving behind the illness and believe me that is astonishing and amazing, I am just blessed every day to be fit and well, but it's what God did in my heart; how he healed my wounded self and how he healed my relationship with him so that I am free to serve him, free to love him and free to serve the world in a way that I never was in my whole life, so God has done a wonderful thing for me.

Heather: Emily, that's a tremendous story and journey, thank you for sharing it. Before you go, can we talk about your book briefly; why did you write it, who is it for?

Emily: Why did I write it? Because it is a huge issue. When people become unwell, it's like a different country; it's like being exiled into a different country and everything's different and nothing is familiar. You look around for resources and it doesn't seem to be there. Often for sick people, at the very point at which they're less able to come out to church, or perhaps not able to come out at all, is the very moment where they need more resources. There is a lack of suitable support. It is a hugely stressful life season and a sick person is in severe danger of losing their personal vision altogether as their dreams just seem to crumble. Because I was in that position myself I wanted to read a book that was practical and friendly and spiritually nourishing and very honest, so that's the book I tried to write. So who's it for? It's for anyone trying to handle a life-changing illness; physical or mental and it's for anyone trying to support anyone who is handling a life-changing illness, so that might be a relative, friend, pastor, healthcare visitor, or just a concerned church member.

Heather: And where can people buy it?

Emily: People can buy the book, post free, from my wonderful publisher's website, muddypearl.com. You can find it in your local Christian bookshop, it costs £9.99. If all else fails, go to Amazon, but please bear in mind that if you buy via muddypearl.com you will be giving a much larger proportion of the purchase price to Christian business.