“Winter speaks to the surfeited heart, weary of heat and weeds and leaves, longing to breathe cold, bracing air, explore the hillsides swept and bare; to revel in each bush, each tree stripped to stark simplicity; original etchings everywhere – and You, Who etched them, with me there.”
– Ruth Bell Graham

“And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ (right up to the time of His return), developing (that good work) and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.”
– Philippians 1:6

Past Questions of the Month:

Hope and Assurance

This website was created for those acquainted with mental illness and in need of hope and assurance.

Question of the Month

If you have a question that you would like addressed, or have comments or suggestions, please let me hear from you. Contact: carolyn@hopeandassurance.com

The winter months are hard for me. I dread them. I usually end up depressed and hate the idea of being stuck indoors. Got any ideas to make it better this year?

As I sit here writing, I see the two maple trees outside my front window with only a few yellow leaves dotting the branches. Twice, I have mowed the front yard to bag the fallen leaves. The cold brown metal window sashes are wet with condensation. The signs are obvious. Winter is coming.

For some of us, the gray, cold, confining days of January and February in particular, can usher in loneliness and depression. Seasonal affective disorder or SAD has earned its name mainly from symptoms of depression that occur during the winter months. Bright sunlight, which increases serotonin levels in the brain, is at a minimum and our opportunities to be outside may be greatly decreased.

Like the squirrels scampering about feverishly collecting all they need to protect themselves from starvation and freezing, we need to take action and equip ourselves with all we require to benefit from what we know is coming rather than succumb to inherent dangers because of little forethought and preparation.

Make plans of what to do when stuck inside for days on end. Gather the necessary things about you so you can do what you love. Consider learning a new skill or finishing half done projects. Brush up on an area that would simplify a task at work or help your advancement. Do something different that is out of the ordinary for you. Think of how you will keep in touch with friends and family when you can't get out. Do you need more long distance time on your phone for a couple months or faster Internet speed so email and instant messaging can be sent and received easily?

Perhaps, this frigid season can be an opportunity to draw closer to your family. Doing crafts, games, cooking, and puzzles together can provide a relaxed environment that encourages talking and sharing. www.familyfun.com is full of ideas for all ages.

One of winter's wonderful gifts is time. Time to read books, watch videos or listen to audio books that teach or simply entertain. Focus on the Family has resources available on almost any personal or family problem you may be facing and also family entertainment designed to teach Christian values. Their number is 1-800-family or the website is www.family.org . The resources are free to those who cannot afford to pay for them. Don't forget the free public library, which has not only books but also videos and audio books. Some libraries now have ebooks that download to your computer. If your library doesn't have what you want, they can usually get it for you. Enrolling in a plan from www.netflix.com or www.blockbuster.com , videos you have selected can be mailed to your home with no late fees or shipping charges. www.paperbackswap.com is a cost free way to swap books you no longer want for the ones you'd like to have.

Another gift of winter is unusual beauty. Tromp and stomp in it. Savor it. Breathe it in. Touch it. Squeal with delight in it. If you must, watch it with your face pressed against the frosty window pane. Just don't miss it.

Men and women in the service in Alaska are sometimes ordered to spend time in a room of full spectrum light to help alleviate depression and irritability. Full spectrum lights can also be bought for individual use in the home.

If you are taking medication for depression or another mood disorder, the winter season is probably not the time to decrease or stop it. Continue doing what works best for you and don't forget the positive, and sometimes profound, impact of good nutrition and adequate exercise. If problems do arise, tell the people who care about you what you need. Many times, they just don't know what to do. Never underestimate God's ability to care and provide. He can meet our needs in surprising ways.

I wonder if winter, for some of us, is about the only time we stop and get quiet. Keeping busy and distracted can be a way to avoid thinking about painful times. Could this be the year that God's gentle calling of your name is heard and answered by you in the stillness of a snowy night? He knows the way out of your trouble. He's the only One Who understands what put you where you are today and can give you what you need to get out. Don't let winter's gift of quiet and aloneness frighten you. Let it woo and draw you to the One Who loves you and cares about you like no other.

Winter of 2007 is full of wonderful possibilities for good. Let the special gifts that winter brings be received with glad anticipation, knowing that caring for ourselves by making sure our own needs are met, enables us to give our best to those we love.