In our Weakness, He Is Strong

In this world, there is so much that can overwhelm a person, finances, relationships, workload, and on it goes.  And throw depression and anxiety in the mix and you can get overloaded quickly.  We live in a society that says it needs to be done now, no time for quiet time with God and serving others.

God did not make us to live under this type of stress.  He promised that He would give us a Helper that would live within us and comfort us, the Holy Spirit.  Paul understood that in his own limited power, he could not do the work for which God had called him. But, by admitting his own limitations, he opened the door for God to work powerfully.

We should have the same attitude as Paul. Instead of relying on our own strength, we should trust in God to supply the power. Then we can say along with Paul, “When I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10) Take the opportunity to thank God for your weaknesses. Through the depression, I have had to rely on God’s strength.  He always gives help to make it through the most difficult times and days.  If there is a specific area you are struggling in, ask Him to give you the power to serve Him to the best of your ability and to do the things that bring glory to Him.  He is able to work through us in spite of our weakness.  Don’t let satan tell you that you are weak and useless because you have depression or anxiety.  Jesus thought you were worth dying for and loves you more than you can imagine.

Say this prayer each time you feel weak or useless.  God wants to use us to bring glory to Himself.

Lord, help me see my weaknesses as opportunities for You to show Your power. I offer me limitations to You today. I’m trusting You to do what I cannot. Amen.

Blessings,

Debra

Song to Listen to:

“Everything I Need” Kutless

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXTFwGjzjag

 

Scripture for Today:

"Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God." Romans 8:26-27

 

Reflections of His Love

Although I don’t know the direction my life will take, I know that God has it planned out for my good.  It is something we all think we want to know but do we really.  If we knew how our lives were going to turn out, we may run for the hills or worse.  Each day, we find new mercies given in the small and sometimes large things of life.  For example, going to a new doctor for mental illness was weighing heavily on my mind.  I prayed that if I needed to go, God would make it clear to me which he did in several ways.  As I prepared to go, I knew I didn’t want to go alone.  I prayed that morning that if my husband was supposed to go with me, it would happen.  I asked and he was more than willing to go.  In the end, the doctor was nice and the new medicine is so much cheaper since my insurance does not cover mental illness medication, for now.  And the medicine seems to be working well, Praise God!

When we think he is not there walking with us every step, remember He is.  He prepares the way for those that love Him and are his just like a parent does for a child.  Asking specifically for your needs is what He wants to hear.  You do not have because you do not ask.  James 4:2b and 3 says, “Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.  And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.”

Some things to keep in mind during this holiday season when it is easy to get stressed and for those that have holiday sadness. 

-Slow down.  Warp speed is not essential in most cases.  Stop and smell the roses or whatever is nearby.  A kind word or gesture will lift your spirits and help others see Christ’s love in you. 

-Have a friend that will pray for you and be there for you.  “A friend loveth at all times.” Proverbs 17:17

-Take time to recount Christ birth and the story in Matthew Chapters 1 and 2.  Share this with others you meet this Christmas season.

-Know that each new day brings hope and joy.  Be thankful for those small answered prayers and the things you did not ask for but enjoy each day, a ray of sunshine, beautiful animals that show us love, the kindness of a stranger.  I have learned humility through this season of my life.  It is one of the gifts Christ gave to us through His example on this earth.

During this holiday season, I wish you joy unspeakable and peace that will last through the new year.  It has been a difficult but growth year for me.  I pray that I continue to be used by God to serve Him in a way that brings Him glory and honor.  I am thankful for such an understanding husband that has stood by my side during my struggles.  He is more than I could have asked for and am so grateful for the gift of him in my life.  And so many good friends that care and have stood with me. 

God’s blessings to you all for a happy and prosperous, peaceful New Year!

Deb

Scripture for today:

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:19 (NIV)

 

Song to Listen to:

“Come to Me” Aaron Shust

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVa7nheT56Y

 

How to find Strength

Nehemiah 8:10,

Do not be grieved, for the joy  of the LORD  is your strength.

As I was having a really bad day, I wondered how this could be true.  How could I continue in joy after losing my phone, missing an appointment, not having contact information, and having a new mower break down.  In all this, God showed me that even in the bad days, He is evermore present and will reward our faithfulness when we lean on Him.  I was able to get a borrowed phone the next day from a tenant we have been helping out with a sick baby and I was able to get an upgraded phone on a promotion for only $5.00 a month.  It is through our trials God shows us who He is and what He wants for us.  When we don’t trust in Him, it doesn’t allow Him to fully show what He can do for us.    As we read God’s Word and see our sinful nature, we are to repent because we are so pitifully gross but in this we shouldn’t grieve too long.     Instead, we should choose to receive His joy through forgiveness because this is what God wants for us.  He does not want us to be separated from Him.  He wants us to experience His joy and peace as they are real and powerful and can make our life whole and complete.

It is  most necessary  to thankfully accept  the gift  of forgiveness. When we have accepted this gift, then we can take it all in  and rejoice  in this forgiveness.     That is the only way to remain strong in the LORD  ---  trust  in His love  and obey  with joy. The LORD  is  my strength!" , “ In Him will I place my trust! “

Practical tips: Take a minute each day and write down what you are grateful for today.  It doesn’t have to be big or spiritual; just personal.  When feeling stressed or depressed, some people develop habits to help them relax. The most common habits include cigarette smoking, drinking, unhealthy eating and inactivity, which can harm your health. Eating or drinking too much, or smoking, do not help your stress level and can damage your health. Stress has been linked to heart disease, cancer, depression and suicide. Some ways to manage stress and depression include:

• Exercise is one of the healthiest ways to deal with stress. The act of moving your body is a great way to improve your mood and relieve stress.  It does not have to be formal exercise, cleaning the house, getting up and moving around, lifting your arms up and around help the blood flow in your body.
• Talking or writing about your feelings is another good way to relieve stress. You can talk to Christian friends, family or a trained counselor. You can also write your feelings in a journal.  Look for how God can use this to draw closer to Him.
• Get away from you. While a nice long vacation is often a good stress reliever, it is not always possible and we need to learn how to live and be content in the moment.  Having something you enjoy doing is important.  Try and spend a few minutes each day doing something that you like that takes your mind off of the stress or depression.
• Relax. Activities such as yoga, meditation, listening to praise music and breathing exercises can help calm your mind and relax your body. Repeating phrases from scripture to remind yourself of what God says, “I am loved”, “I am complete”, “I am healed” allows your mind to reset to receive the gifts of joy and peace God wants for us.

Blessings to you in this beautiful season of love shown by God in giving us the most precious gift of His son Jesus so that we may live and reign with Him forevermore.

Deb

 

Scripture to Memorize:

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”   Joshua 1:9 (NIV)

 

Song to Listen to:

"Come to Me" Aaron Shust

 

Gifts for this Season of Giving:

Jesus Calling - Sarah Young

The Power of Being Thankful - Joyce Meyer

Give Thanksgiving in all Circumstances

One of my greatest fears is the fear the depression will return. My greatest hope is that when it does, Jesus will walk me thru it like the many times before. God promises that NOTHING can separate us from the love of God, not anything you are going through right now, no thoughts, actions, anything that you face.  It is the same with anxiety.  We can begin to fear the anxiety rather than the cause of it.  Knowing this can help you to overcome it.  Relaxing your body, beginning at the top of your head and going through each body part can help you to relax your body focusing on positive thoughts, "I am loved", "I am blessed",  "I feel hope".  Pick one of these and repeat it to yourself.  Practice taking in deep breaths, inhaling and exhaling slowly, slowing your breathing.

We do not have to be anxious.  God’s word says we are loved by Him, cared for by the one true God.  His love goes down into our inner being.  He knows us intricately, down into the marrow of our bones.  He formed us and promises never to leave us alone to deal with the cares of this world and afflictions we face.  This is a daily relationship, not a one time fix.  At times, we want it to be over or better immediately.  During these times, ask God what I can learn during these trials.  Afterwards, you can look back and say thank you for the grace you showed me and transforming me to be more like you. Savor your in depth conversations with the Lord. They will carry you and draw you closer to Him to be more like Him. When thoughts of self- doubt or judgment of others comes, replace those thoughts with those times that they did give you affirmation and approval.   Irrational thinking will happen.  Recognize it for what it is.  Use these coping skills to combat it and always with thanksgiving.  Write down each day what you are grateful for.  I do this as I lay in bed before I get up to praise God for His blessings for me today.

 God Bless You on Your Journey in Life.

Have a Blessed and Gracious Thanksgiving,

Deb

Scripture of Hope

^“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:6-7

 

When you are down, music lifts the soul.  Sing even when you don't feel like it.  Praise to God gives Him glory and honors Him in your life.

“You Never Let Go”  Passion  Matt Redman

Link to song:
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=you+never+let+go+passion&FORM=VIRE2#view=detail&mid=E0F1D9C7AF20455D4F03E0F1D9C7AF20455D4F03

Struggles for Today

When Job was tried by satan his friends tried to “fix” him.  In all this he was found faithful.  The thing we can do for a friend suffering is walk beside them, pray for them, and watch how God works in their lives through their struggles.  Our faith is refined by the fires and the storms of pain we go through.  We gain hope, not from the darkness or our suffering or pat answers, but from our God who sees our suffering and shares our pain.  Jesus was tempted by satan in the wilderness:

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.’"Hebrews 4:15

Push forward, even when you don’t feel you can or want to.  Just as an athlete has to push forward to gain strength.   There may be times you may have thoughts of suicide.  For me, this was part of the process on my journey to healing and recovery.  Stay close to God during this time.  Use scripture to fight the negative thoughts.  Satan uses our weakness to bring temptation.   As believers we have the Holy Spirit within us to comfort us when we call upon Him.  He will carry you through when you call on Him.  Paul told us, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.

And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (I Corinthians 10:13).

 He is able to do this because He has been there and understands the common temptations that mankind faces, the pain and suffering endured. Because of this we can have boldness and confidence to enter into the throne room of God to find grace and mercy when we need it. 

Do not be afraid to take medications to help alleviate the depression.  It is not a sign of weakness but medicine works to change the brain chemistry to lift the fog you are in.  Depression has nothing to do with your faith or lack thereof.  It can affect strong Christians, weak Christians, non-Christians alike.  Understanding this helps in battling it for what it is.  We all go through struggles, separation, loss, major disappointments, life changes.  These can trigger depression to come on.  In all this, know God still stands.  He is the same today, yesterday and tomorrow, the Rock we can depend on in our life.  His Word is true and His promises remain the same. 

In His Love

Deb

Song to Listen to:

“Everything I Need” Kutless

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXTFwGjzjag

 

 

Release Thoughts and Keep Them Moving Along

When you think about getting rid of your negativity, you might start by trying to push those thoughts out of your mind. But stop and consider a different approach, something that would go along with meditation and yoga. Fighting against something usually takes a lot more energy than avoiding a fight in the first place.

Imagine a sheriff in an old Western town who sees a known outlaw calmly stroll the main street. The sheriff remains polite but firmly encourages the outlaw to keep on walking, right out of town. He projects confidence and stays calm. That’s you, acknowledging those negative thoughts while calmly telling them to keep moving along out of your mind.

Instead of pushing and prying your negative thoughts out, you are acknowledging and releasing them. And when they come back (which they will, out of habit), acknowledge that they are still coming and release them again. Look them square in the eye like that sheriff and tell them what they need to do – keep moving along. You don’t try to wrestle them out of your mind, you simply let them go on their way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feeling Hopeful!

Today for the first time in a long time, I woke up feeling hopeful.  The normal dread, lack of desire, forced movement was not there!  I truly praise God for this blessing today.  He is our Ultimate Healer that heals our mind, body, and soul.  He carries us through the dark days when it seems there is no hope and no future.  I know those that have suffered depression know what I am talking about.  And if you are there today, He is your Father that loves you more than you can ever imagine!!  He is our Abba Father, a Daddy that doesn't leave, that protects His child fiercely. 

I know that this does not mean I will be happy all the time.   We need a range of emotions to experience the fullness of life.  Without it, life would be dull and robotic.  Medicines can make you feel that way which is why some choose not to take it.  Personally, I would rather have a somewhat repressed feeling than have no desire or hope for tomorrow.  So thankful for those that have and continue to stand with me during the trials.  Loving each other is the best gift we can give.  There is no greater love than that of a brother or sister.  God’s Word is medicine for our spirit, soul and body, and the way we experience its power is by speaking it out loud, praying it to God, meditating on it, and believing it. When you speak His Word over your life, it releases that power into your life. Claim the healing that God wants for you.  He does not want you to suffer.  Say to yourself, I release pain.  He died that we may have life and have it more abundantly.  Remember,  there will be sad times and troubles in this world will come but now they will go away.  And now you know how to conquer them too!   Thank the Lord for your healing and The Comforter!

 Scripture to Memorize for Healing Your Mind/Emotions:

1 Peter 5:7 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you, Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. (The Amplified Bible)

 Resources:

Christian Meditation with Scripture

http://www.thechristianmeditator.com/

 

Hope for Today

If, like so many of us, you have been suffering in secret and in silence, in the fear that medication will deaden your feelings or is a sign of weakness, I hope this will encourage you to seek treatments now available to you. We live in an extraordinary era-the first era in which the illness that took the lives of Virginia Woolf, Vincent Van Gogh, Sylvia Plath, Mark Rothko, Ann Sexton-and Robin Williams—among so many others–can actually be treated. There are so many medications will little side effects that are effective and lift the dread and hopelessness.  My hope and prayer is that you will reach out, ask for help, tell your story and help others to know there is Hope...and that hope is in Jesus Christ.  He will carry you through the storm, He will not let you suffer alone.  He will bring people into your life to support you. Ask Him to do this.  He has done this for me in miraculous ways. 

Back in 2008, I met a lady through a devotional website that was suffering terribly from depression.  Her and I formed a close relationship and were able to pray for each other and understand what to pray for.  In the throws of her depression, she wanted to take her life.  Through God’s protection, he used me and my husband to not allow this to happen.  I thank God for her today and what she means to me. She has been there for me now.

What is so important to fight the negative thoughts is to stay in the Word.  This is the spiritual nourishment that we need, reading God’s promises that are ours as believers.  Say them out loud if needed, memorize them and when the bad thoughts come in, fight them with the promises God has given us.  Learning this habit will do more to keep your mind and body sound and your life on an even keel than anything I know. Your spirit needs nourishment just like your body does. Don't wait until you have a crisis in your life.  Praise songs work great as well.  God has allowed me to wake up with them in my head already.  Listen to them and sing them even when you don’t feel like it.  It will draw you closer to Him and raise your spirit.

Praise You Lord for Your Love and carrying me! 

The “I Am” is with you,

Deb

Scripture for Today:


“The Lord your God is with you.    He is mighty enough to save you. He will take great delight in you.  The quietness of his love will calm you down.  He will sing with joy because of you.” Zephaniah 3:17

Song to Meditate On:

“Everything I Need”  Kutless  (Jesus Carry Me)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXaSHxbqqS8