 “The past, the present and the future are really one – they are today.” “I wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor come from God alone…trust in Him at all times. Pour out your heart to Him…” Past Questions of the Month:
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Hope and AssuranceThis website was created for those acquainted with mental illness and in need of hope and assurance. Question of the MonthIf you have a question that you would like addressed, or have comments or suggestions, please let me hear from you. Contact: carolyn@hopeandassurance.com I feel the very worst has happened. Life threw me a curve ball that I never expected. The dreams and plans I had for my life are gone. Things will never be the same. I have no idea about my family’s future anymore. At times, this seems too much for me to handle. I am so very sorry. This answer is my earnest and heartfelt prayer for you. When your world is falling apart and you feel completely out of control, grab hold of all that is solid, dependable and good for you. Identify and embrace people and activities that are physical, emotional, spiritual, and social lifelines for you. Stay in touch with the people you can trust to support you emotionally. Maybe a friend, sibling, parent, or counselor understands your heart like no other. Allow this person to be your encourager and comforter as you find your way through this most difficult time. Open up to all who care about you so that they can understand your needs and know how to love you in the best way they can. Stay involved in church, Bible classes and other uplifting activities that surround you with compassionate people. Gravitate toward what is fun for you and offers opportunities for laughter. Spend much time doing what you love with those you love. People and activities that bring comfort and reassurance help us relax. Be grateful for everything no matter how mundane.Concentrating on what we have rather than what we do not have keeps bitterness and self-pity out of our thoughts. Think back to a person in your life who treated you with unusual kindness and mercy. Try to recall some of their words to you and identify what they liked about you. Do for yourself what they did for you because what they admired is real. Be gentle with yourself and cover yourself with mercy. Someday we will be changed and this world will be made perfect but today we are only human in a very broken world. Be your best friend and not your worst enemy. Consider doing something for physical exercise no matter how small it may seem. Pick up fallen twigs in your yard. Do 5 or 10 standing pushups against your outside door. Dance to a song. Walk on all fours down the hall. Even these little things help the oxygen rich blood get energy, alertness and nutrients to all parts of your body, including your mind and heart. Now is the time to eat healthy and maybe supplement with vitamins and minerals to boost your immune system. Stress may be the immune system’s worst enemy. Give your capable immune system what it needs to do it’s job well. Be vigilant about generous amounts of fruits, vegetables, protein and water. Concentrate on doing just the essentials. This may help you feel successful and more in control. Learning to say, “This is good enough” can help us let go of some pressures. Knowing we don’t have to perfect all the details allows us to sleep soundly, be content and find humor where we’ve never seen it before. God and His Word are the only things that stay the same. We can rest secure that His acceptance and love does not change according to our situation or the people in our life. His will and desire to give us His best remains the same today as the day we were born and the day we will die. He is the only foundation we can build our lives on that will not fail over time or leave us helpless or without support. Never! Never! Never! will He forsake us or give us up. We can be assured of this! (Hebrews 13:5 Amplified) |