This Blog is about my faith in Jesus and trying serve others
One of my original blog goals was, and still should be, enjoyment. Yes, it’s actually A-OK with God that we enjoy our lives. In fact we can and should have things in this life that we enjoy and are even passionate about. Just ask King Solomon. 🤴 King Solomon was a man with great wisdom, a […]
Enjoyment: Upcycling — Pippi’s Poetry
I started counseling in the beginning of the year with the thinking of it helping me stay on top of depression. Living with chronic illnesses that all can cause depression is why I have depression. After hearing my pastor encourage people about seeking counseling, I decided to do so. I had no idea that what was about to happen would occur.
The first three sessions were mostly my therapist asking me questions and getting to know my back ground. At the end of the third session, she told me, “my diagnosis is PTSD, Dysthymia, and General Anxiety.” My reaction inwardly was, “crap I am a mess.:
My PTSD is actually Complex PTSD, Complex PTSD is repeated exposure to trauma or traumas over a period of time including childhood. It is something I was not concerned about dealing with because my focus has been on serving Jesus and letting the rest go thinking when I get to heaven, there won’t be any problem. But is it telling that I do not have any pictures of myself before the age of 20.
However, my relationship with Jesus has brought healing and there have been aspects of Jesus’s earthly life that helped me to cope with trauma while I prayed to Jesus. So in May, I felt led to write about that. I asked my therapist if she would write a paragraph that I could include in my book’s forward-hopefully published in September just waiting for my pastor to finished reading the draft to write something for the forward. This is what my therapist wrote.
“Matt stepped into my office in January of 2022. He seemed sincere, honest, funny and well-spoken. However, after hearing of the heinous trauma he had suffered, I wondered if I was qualified to help him. I was transparent about this and suggested a few Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapists. Matt was adamant that he had prayed and Jesus led him to me, he wanted to continue working with me. He put his faith in Jesus and in turn put his faith in me. Looking back I am pleased that he did, because it has been rewarding watching his healing journey. Matt continues to grow mentally and in his faith. His book, Jesus Understands, is a testimony to both. After reading the book I felt honored and humbled, but mostly comforted. Maybe because of Matt or through Matt I found solace in knowing that He understands and comes to our aid. No matter the suffering we have endured, if we put our Faith in Him he will show us the way. Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”
My hope and prayer is that Jesus uses my book to reach thousands who struggle with PTSD or Complex PTSD.
Thank you for reading. God Bless.
One thing I encourage people who feel overwhelmed to remember is step by step. When we experience difficulty, it can seem like the whole thing hits us in the face all at once making it feel overwhelming. Especially those of us who might struggle with depression and anxiety. By breaking down what can seem too big into smaller steps, it breaks it down for us. Yes, I practice what I preach. 🙂
Another aspect that helps with that negative self talk is to remind ourselves each day, maybe more than once during the day, of the steps we have taken. Negative self talk can lead to self defeating behavior. By reminding ourselves of positive steps taken, it helps us avert negative self talk.
One important step is to remember to ask God about it. I love the truth Jesus shared in Matthew 6:8-“Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” God knows what we need each step of the way.
I also include asking others to pray for me and asking others who know more than I do. Case in point when my van died.
Setting up my Go Fund Me was an idea I had and one others encouraged me to do. One thing I readily admit to is that I have no mechanical ability. So when it comes time to look at vehicles, I have friends I can ask to come with me. They know what to look at. Involving others in the process who know more is always a good idea.
Thanking God for each step taken is part of step by step. God does not need that from us, but we need it. It helps us stay connected with God through the process.
The books I am writing are something I have included in my own step by step. Yes, I am the one writing, but I have asked others to read the google doc and share their response. I met with a friend of mine who understands finances to ask him to review what is involved for the business part of it with Amazon to self publish. I hope to have them published in September. The delay has been due to God giving me ideas of sections to add.
When we are faced with adversity, let’s remember-step by step.
Thank you for reading. God Bless.
When I say depression, it is more than the normal feeling sad. We all have times of feeling down and have our valley moments in life. Depression is a persistent thing that a person doesn’t just snap out of. When a person is depressed, the inclination is to isolate because the feelings we relate to are ones like numb, hopeless, disconnected, lethargic, foggy, empty.
Being a Christian and knowing the bible verses people tend to quote as a quick fix can actually make it worse. It’s like rubbing salt into a wound.
A therapist once told me the antidote to depression is to not isolate which goes against every inclination one with depression has. Getting out and being with others can feel like it will zap any energy we have, but it is so important to be with others.
Finding a counselor we can connect with is so helpful. Confiding in a few friends we trust is helpful. Confiding in a pastor can be of great help as long as we are in a church that does not stigmatize mental health issues. If we are in such a church, it is best to find a different one.
Some may need medication. If we think about it, the brain is a physical part of our physical bodies. We would not hesitate to take medication for other issues like diabetes or asthma. If we need medication for depression, it is a medical thing and not something to feel inferior about.
Depression can affect our relationships including our relationship with God. The good news is that God knows all about us including struggles with depression and loves us deeply even if we can’t feel it. Jesus invites us to come to him in Matthew 11:28
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
We can be honest with Jesus in prayer. We can share with him how we are doing. We can rest in knowing he loves us and trust him to bring healing for our souls and spirits.
There is hope for those who struggle with depression.
Thank you for reading. God Bless.
As I shared yesterday in my post Prayers Needed, I had two things hit within a few days. Adversity is part of life in this world. It is how we respond that counts. Living with more than one chronic illness, each of which can cause depression, means that I need to be more vigilant when it comes to how I respond.
So when gut punch time comes, and it has more than once in my life, some things that have helped me to not give up, give in.
God– for me it all starts with seeking God. He already knows how it will turn out. Spending time in worship at home such as Paul did while in jail. Lifting up our needs to God, He knew my needs before I asked which is what Jesus taught in Matthew 6:7
For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him
Prayer– God knows what we need, but we need prayer. We need to connect with God to help us remember we are not alone as we face difficult time.
Share– Sharing the situation, asking others to pray, seeking input from those we trust.
Positive Steps– Prayer is always a positive step as is sharing the need. Other positive step examples- On Monday I updated my resume, wrote a new cover letter, and applied for positions in the school district. I had an online meeting with the Director which was scheduled before I found out the news about my position being reduced to two hours short of qualifying for insurance. It was during that meeting I learned of one opportunity.
Self Talk– It is important to watch how we talk to ourselves. Reminding ourselves that God is with us, and of the positive steps we take each day, can help stave off that feeling of wanting to give up.
I have found that when I do these things, seek God, pray, share, positive steps and watching how I talk to myself, that I helps me to do what Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:13
and having done all, to stand
Thank you for reading. God Bless.
When your questions don’t have answers and you just can’t understand it When your mind just won’t stop running and the tears just keep on coming You don’t have to explain it He hears you before you can speak Come with me, let’s take it to Jesus
I love the lyrics of Take It To Jesus. We all have those moments that we just can’t seem to be able to put into words what is going on. We can feel overwhelmed and confused. When we have such moments, the best thing we can do is Take It To Jesus.
This song blessed me a lot, so I wanted to share it today in hopes it blesses you as well.
Thank you for reading. God Bless.
Dear Readers, I realized something. I tend to think about the Now and not the big picture. So of course you’re gonna say that staying in the present moment is a good thing. I am recovering from post traumatic stress disorder which has conditioned me to constantly live in fear. It has robbed me so […]
What about the Big Picture? — Wait for Sunshine
Humans may judge you ever so severely – even Christians. In fact, it is well known that church leaders can be the harshest critics of people who are battling with mental health issues. Some would quicker tell you that there is something wrong with your spiritual life rather than lend a sympathetic ear. The fact […]
God Doesn’t Judge You — Beat Depression & Anxiety
So many times in my friendships with refugees, Jesus has given me opportunities to listen as my refugee friends share part of their ordeal. As they share their trauma with me, it is time for me to listen not rush in as the fixer. It is also not time to minimize their experience by saying something like, “well you are here now.”
What they need is what every person needs, validation. By listening to them, it shows I care, which I do, and it validates their sense of personhood. It is my desire to treat my refugee and immigrant friends with dignity as fellow image bearers of the image of God.
There are so many people struggling in life not only refugees or immigrants. How we respond when someone confides in us can go a long way to opening a door or closing it. It depends on how we respond, what we say, how we treat them. If we listen and validate them, it can foster friendship and create future opportunities, If we throw out cliches or minimize what they share, it will close that door perhaps slam it shut.
I saw this video clip from a show. I only watched the episode with this scene in it. I thought this scene was a powerful example of responding and validating a person who is struggling.
Thank you for reading. God Bless.
Dear Friend, Welcome to my first blog entry! So glad to see you here. ❤️ First off, I want to express how much I love Jesus, my LORD and Savior, my God. He is the very reason I am still here and able to create a blog. I am forever grateful to Him for carrying […]
Faith and Mental Health — Wait for Sunshine
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