The first Christmas wasn’t perfect. Joseph and Mary couldn’t find a place to stay in Bethlehem and Mary ended up delivering Jesus in a stable. They stayed in a stable with animals. A manger from which animals eat.
The safety we feel in our hiding place of isolation or comfort is short-lived. There’s only so much you can do when you’re battling something that is trying to subdue you. But the safety we experience when we entrust our aching hearts to God, is irrevocable.
As a family, where faith is paramount, we found that there wasn’t really any help within the church. We traveled from church to church because our son believed that surely we would find the right place where this ‘problem’ could be dealt with once and for all. Our search in the Christian community was met with one pastor who told us the problem was solved, “we cast out all the demons.” Steve was excited, “finally someone found the problem and I’m going to be ok.”
by Rick Qualls People say all kinds of things when they discover you are suffering from depression. Here are some unhelpful things you might hear:
This interview is very insightful for the Church at large and caregivers regarding hopelessness. But, there’s a LOT of encouragement also for those who are hurting and feeling hopeless. No matter where you are “at” today, you’ll get a lot from this interview.
I trim the Christmas tree but also trim my schedule. Some time ago I learned what is called the Pareto Principle which states that 80% of your reward comes from 20% of your effort. While the percentages may be argued I have learned that about 20% of what I do bring 80% of my satisfaction.
My friends, let this soak into your soul. You ARE chosen by the Almighty God because He loves you. He made you ON PURPOSE. He FORGIVES you of all your sins if you ask Him to. He has also made you a FEARLESS WARRIOR.
My doctor heard me loud and clear when I kept saying that I didn’t know if I could live feeling so lifeless. He kept telling me at each of my appointments that I needed to give it time. But, I felt as though I was a medicated zombie- just blah. I missed the ups, downs, intensity, the fast and slow beats yet, I was scared to death to feel anything of an up or down, sad or happy feeling. I feared that feeling nothing would be the permanent “music of my life”.
From my perspective, finding at least one person that you trust can be key for successful recovery. Let’s be honest, a mental health issue, when not treated can distort your perception of reality and easily affect your behavior and choices. And when this happens we need someone to speak into our situation to help us make the necessary corrections in the course of our mental health recovery.
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