Effective Habits To Embrace In Parenting
To be an effective parent, you must be a leader in your childs life, guiding with a gentle hand and setting a solid example. Dr. Randy Schroeder provides the insight you need to be a leader-parent. As he explores the foundational Rsrelationship, routines, responsibilities, and rulesyoull better understand the role you play in your childs life. Youll learn great phrases to employ such as Either/Or/You Decide and When You/Then You. While there is no perfect parent, this nuts-and-bolts material will equip you to lead your child in a loving, confident manner.
A Guide To Dealing With Depression As A Christian
Arnaldo Santiago Jr., 31st July 2019 / City
For the first teaching of our three-week series Vous: Mental Health & You, Arnaldo Santiago Jr. teamed up with Dr Nicolette Maher to give a clinical and theological perspective on Depression . In this post, Arnaldo gives a guide to dealing with depression as a Christian.
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven . What does it mean for us when the season we are experiencing feels like deep darkness and despair? Where do we turn when all we feel is hopelessness?
One of the first steps towards fighting the darkness of depression is understanding its complexity.
We are complex creatures and the roots of our depression are never simple. Depression is often caused by more than disposition, personality, or genetics, though they all play a role. There may be physical/chemical, spiritual, or psychological roots, and more often than not there is a complex combination of the three.
We want to avoid providing simplistic answers to complex issues and so we need to look at the whole person and Gods whole world as we deal with depression.
Our hope is that God would bring a measure of healing to our bodies and minds, even as we wait for the redemption of the entire creation and renewal of all things.
As we await the redemption of our bodies, there are a few true things that we may need to hear:
Navigating A Toxic Culture With Your Daughter
As a pediatrician, Dr. Meg Meeker has seen thousands of girls come through her office through the years. They struggle with eating issues, sexual identity, social mediaand many other challenges in this toxic culture. Dr. Meeker will encourage parents to invest love and time in their daughters and develop their character to give them the best opportunity for a bright future, all rooted in a spiritual foundation. The discussion also includes healthy feminism vs. toxic feminism
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How A Former Abortion Doctor Became Pro
As an abortion doctor at Planned Parenthood, Dr. Patti Giebink believed she was helping women. Later, she began reading scripture and God gradually changed her heart on the abortion issue. Patti tells the story of her long journey from abortion doctor to pro-life and encourages listeners to share the message of life with compassion.
One Thousand Gifts: A Dare To Live Fully Right Where You Are By Ann Voskamp
While this book is not directly about depression, it made this list because of its encouraging attitude about life. In One Thousand Gifts, author Ann Voskamp details her journey to finding joy regardless of circumstances.
Her book teaches us how to see all of the blessings that God has given us, even in the ordinary, leverage them to find joy in every part of life, and dares us to find one thousand gifts.
To purchase this book click here.
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Coping With Depression: Is It Possible
Depression can be overcome! Coping with depression Life can become worth living, especially when open to spiritual discoveries. Recovery may not be immediate, but the redeeming quality of Gods love and divine intervention together with counseling and medical assistance, if needed, offer the help and support that is needed to overcome.
Depression does not discriminate between people of faith and the profane. Genetics, disease, trauma, emotional hurts, and spiritual oppression can be viewed as challenges that can be overcome. God meets people where they are on their journey of faith and renders assistance and healing in many ways through what could be termed common grace.
He stands behind the professionals efforts to relieve suffering the same as He stands behind nature that testifies to His existence and behind governments in preserving the social order. It is generally recognized that prayer, faith, and spiritual authority are important elements in dealing with depression, but God intervenes on behalf of the Christian in many ways. He providentially cares for His own and works in mysterious ways on their behalf.
References
American Psychiatric Association. Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients with Major Depressive Disorder. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association, 2000
Dobson, Keith S. Handbook of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies. New York: Guilford Press, 2001, p. 41.
Freeman, Hobart E. Faith. Warsaw, IN: Faith Publications, 1965.
Dont Assume Personal Sin
Dont assume that depression has been caused by specific personal sin. That is a common reaction depressed people find in the church. You get cancer, or you get heart disease, and no one asks, What did you do wrong? You get depression, and they ask, Who sinned, this man or his parents?
In fact, Ive found that sometimes its the most godly who are most likely to suffer with depression. Thats because they are much more sensitive to sin and to evil in themselves and their world. They are also the ones most overcommitted in their service of the Lord. And, of course, they are special targets for satanic attacks.
Just because there are spiritual symptoms does not mean there is a spiritual cause of a depression. Just because someone is feeling spiritually dark, spiritually desolate or spiritually abandoned, does not necessarily mean there is a spiritual cause of these spiritual feelings. These may be spiritual consequences of a physical or cognitive problem.
Recommended Reading: Anxiety Worry And Depression Workbook
Embracing Your Role As A Spouse
As a spouse, you have three roles to playa friend, a partner, and a lover. On this one-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Pastor Kevin A. Thompson explores those different roles and challenges you to live them out by investing emotionally, physically, and mentally in your relationship. As friends, he suggests we learn to play and laugh together. As partners, he equips us with solid ways to handle conflict and communication. As lovers, he offers some thoughts on how to bring back the sizzle. He shares five keys to saving your marriage: humility, respect, mercy, communication, and resilience. Youll be encouraged to intentionally invest in your marriage.
Coping With Depression: Stories From The Bible
Perhaps one of the oldest stories in the Bible, Job, is about a man who had many blessings, but also had many blessings taken from him. The story of Job gives many insights into loss and suffering, and there is much to garner for the reader.
One thing that is clear, Job struggled with his emotions and likely had depression during his ordeal. For example, his own wife at one point asked him, Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die .
Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb?I have no peace, no quietness, I have no rest, but only turmoil.
Around Chapter 10, Job stated: I loathe my very life therefore, I will give free rein to my complaint and speak out in the bitterness of my soul. Finally, in Chapter 30, he says: Terrors overwhelm me my life ebbs away, days of suffering grip me. Night pierces my bones, my gnawing pains never rest.
Now this is not the end of the story and the Lord did restore to Job what was lost and much more. However, from these few verses it is clear that Job, at least for a season, struggled with depression.
Jeremiah struggled with loneliness, feelings of defeat, insecurity, and likely depression. Cursed be the day I was born why did I ever come out of the womb to see trouble and sorrow and to end my days in shame?
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Characters In The Bible With Depression
Depression looks different for different people, but it can sometimes be characterized as sadness or despair.
Whilst our understanding of the illness is far more advanced than that of the Biblical authors, theres no doubt it has always existed.
Heres a few examples of where it pops up in the Bible.
Prayer When Facing Anxiety And Depression
Lord, we humbly come before you and surrender the weight of anxiety, fear, depression, and anything else that may be crushing our spirit. When I am weighed down by my fears and worries, remind me of your power and grace. Fill my heart with peace and clarity. I trust in you God and know that I can do all things through you. Amen.
MAGGIE HUBBARD is the Director of Marketing and Donor Engagement at Moody Center. A graduate of Washburn University, Maggies career has been invested in helping nonprofit organizations have greater impact. She is proud to call Kansas City home.
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Coping With Depression: Even Bible Heroes Had To Cope With Depression
I was a pastor for 23 years, and during that time I often heard parishioners talking about mental health issues like depression. The view was often narrow and uninformed. I heard such statements as, If you have enough faith, you will not be depressed, You just need to trust God, and many other choice comments.
I remember while dealing with my own depression, a friend and mentor told me to get over it and quit sinning. He apparently believed that depression was a sin.
Sadly, there is a lot of ignorance in the church about mental health issues. I took in what my friend had said to me and felt guilty for feeling the way I did. For quite a while, I believed him. When I finally went to a counselor myself, I learned that depression is an illness and not a sin. I also learned that people dont often get over depression by themselves. Once I learned this, I was able to dismiss such unwise counsel.
Through my own struggle with bouts of depression, I have done some research in the Bible. I wanted to see what Scripture had to say about depression. Technically, the Bible does not use the term depression. However, in one Psalm, David describes it quite clearly:
In this verse, there is a description of depression and clearly the writer wants to avoid it. It has become apparent to me that many heroes in the Bible struggled with what we call clinical depression.
Praying Scripture Over Your Childs Life
Jodie Berndt loves to pray for her children. Shes been doing that for the past thirty years. Now she helps other parents to talk to God, asking for the salvation of their kids, and for wisdom, self-discipline, purpose, a future and much more. She offers fun and practical encouragement that moms and dads can put to work immediately in their daily lives as they prepare their children for a life in Christ.
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Strategies For Dealing With Depression
Here are some practical strategies for helping others who are facing depression. However, never assume there are no medical issues that need attention.
Describe the experience. Ask people to describe their experience of depression in vivid detail. People are different, so depression comes in many shapes and sizes.
Identify the causes. Depression often is not just something we have, it is something we do. Invite people to examine their own hearts with this question: If your depression could speak, what would it say? What does it say about you? To others? To God? Depression is an active experience and can result from many sources other than the physiological: guilt due to unconfessed sin, false guilt, misplaced shame, ungodly fears, suppressed bitterness or hatred, hopeless grieving, and unbiblical expectations.
Read and observe Scripture. Ask people with whom you work to study Psalms 42-43. How does the psalmist address God? What does he preach to himself?
Act on the truth. Those who seek help first must accept the challenge of faithful obedience, even though they do not feel like it and are skeptical that anything will make a difference, it’s important to have faith. Also, explain to them that progress out of the pit is step-by-step, bit-by-bit. Small, practical, consistent faith-based change occurs in the details.
Resolve conflicts. Deal with troubled relationships, past or present.
An Enemy Is Fighting Against You
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12
Each day, theres a battle raging for your soul. Our emotions are a spiritual battleground, and Christ followers arent immune to Satans attacks. In fact, the more you live for Christ, the more of a threat you become to the devil.
When you walked Satans way in the world, he didnt go out of his way very much to bother you,Billy Graham once explained. But now since you have received Christ and are a child of God, Satan will use all his diabolical techniques to thwart, hinder and defeat you.
So, if youre feeling down, dont question your salvation or your relationship with God. Thats just what the enemy wants. Instead, acknowledge his evil schemes and equip yourself to fight back.
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Friends Partners And Lovers: What It Takes To Make Your Marriage Work
Most marriages survive by gritting teeth and holding on. But marriages can and will not only survive but thrive when husbands and wives learn to cherish one another. Those are the powerful words of bestselling author Gary Thomas in his newest bookCherish. And in a world desperate for marriage redemption, it is needed now more than ever. Thomas shows that although there are a countless number of marriages consisting of two people just going through the motions, there are real ways this pattern can be reversed: when husbands and wives learn to cherish one another in proven, loving, and everyday actions and words.
Newest Release – Episode 2: Heroes Providing Hope
Discover the amazing work our PRCs Directors, Nurses, and Volunteers are making in their communities! Youll see firsthand testimonies of a PRC in action, and that there are other options outside of abortions! Youll also discover how your family can support your local PRC!
Yes, I Promise to Pray for the Pre-born and Their Moms!
Will you pray for the pre-born and moms that are facing unexpected pregnancies? We will send you a 7-day prayer guide that will help guide you along this journey with us!! You can even choose to receive this great resource by text!
Newest Release – Episode 4: Sometimes the Choice is Hard
Yes, I Promise to Pray for the Pre-born and Their Moms!
Newest Release – Episode 3: The Power of a Picture
Yes, I Promise to Pray for the Pre-born and Their Moms!
Reasons For Less Depression And Suicide
The majority of studies find less depression or faster recovery from depression for those who are more R/S or a better response to an R/S intervention compared to other treatments or controls. Even a higher percentage of studies find inverse relationships between R/S and suicide attitudes, attempts, and completed suicide, and < 3% find the opposite. Why is this so? We already discussed the possibility that R/S involvement may help persons to cope better. This has been reported in hundreds of both quantitative and qualitative studies where individuals enduring stressful life circumstances are asked what enables them to cope with the stress . For example, in one study of 330 consecutively hospitalized patients to the general medicine, cardiology and neurology services of Duke Hospital, when asked an open-ended question about what enabled them to cope with the stress of their illness, 42% spontaneously reported that it was some aspect of religious faith or activity . Furthermore, R/S has been shown to predict a faster speed of remission of depression in at least three studies of hospitalized patients experiencing the stress of medical illness .
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Helping Christians Overcome Depression
Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures,speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world. C. S. Lewis
by Peggy Burns, M.S., LMFT CCC San Francisco, Center Director
Depression is very real for many Christians. It can cause you to feel isolated, alone, and hopeless. In our world today depression is increasing as we are bombarded with negative news. Many have demanding work environments which do not promote a healthy life-work balance. Our homes are not a places of sanctuary, but instead are filled with a frenzy of to-dos lists, strife, and battles with spouses and children. All of these factors can contribute to fatigue and depression.
Depression is treatable and does not have to rule or ruin your life. It is critical all of us know how to recognize the signs and symptoms of depression in ourselves and others, and to know when to reach out for help. There is always hope. A Christian counselor can help you craft a plan to support a healthy mind and healthy living.
Misconception: Depression Is A Punishment From God
Variation: If you feel depressed, its because you have unconfessed sin.
Reality: Depression is not the fault of the person who is suffering. It is a difficult trial that can refine someones faith, but its not a punishment for sin.
Once, after I shared my testimony with a group of students at my university, a friend came up to me and said, When I feel like that, I try to figure out what Ive done wrong that I need to confess. The comment, while totally inappropriate, was actually meant to be a helpful piece of advice, not a judgment.
Even in Jesus day, people were eager to ascribe blame for illness and disability, but He challenged their assumptions. We see this in John 9:1-3 .
As Jesus was walking along, He saw a man who had been blind from birth. Rabbi, His disciples asked Him, why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents sins?
It was not because of his sins or his parents sins, Jesus answered. This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.
The assumption that depression or any mental illness is a punishment for sin is just as faulty as the disciples assumption that the mans physical blindness was a result of sin.
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