Topic > When Life Hurts > Anxiety & Depression >
It’s not where you are, but who you are
It’s possible to be behind bars, but still experience freedom. And it’s also possible to not be an inmate at a prison, yet still be enslaved by sin. It’s not where you are but who you are. Today on “Discover the Word,” the group, and special guest Karen Swanson, talks about how pride can hold us in a prison of our own making while humility can set us free. Join the group today on “Discover the Word”!
Perpetrators and victims of sin
While victims of crime can struggle with anger and bitterness, the criminal can wrestle with the shame and the guilt of what they’ve done. And both end up being imprisoned by the things they battle. Today on “Discover the Word,” the group, and special guest Karen Swanson, talks about how we’re both perpetrators of sin and victims of sin, making us all prisoners, until Christ sets us free. Join the study today on “Discover the Word”!
Trusting God in tough times
Can you really trust God in tough times? Well, today on “Discover the Word,” the group continues their study of “The Miraculous Life of Elisha” and why trusting God with healing a Syrian military leader named Naaman was so tough for all concerned. Join the group today on “Discover the Word”!
All We Need
Dan Price announced in April 2015 that he would slash his CEO salary by roughly 90 percent so he could raise the salaries of his workforce (approximately 120 employees). By doing so, Price proposed that by 2017 everyone working for him would make at least $70,000 per year. To make this happen, his salary dropped from $1,000,000 to $70,000 per year—matching his employee’s minimum compensation. Price did this because he wanted his employees to have all they need. News of this generosity spread quickly because it is remarkable and unusual in corporate culture.
Worry & Anger
There’s a children’s song that goes, “Don’t you worry and don’t you fret, you know God has never failed you yet.” The same God who delivered the Israelites out of slavery can be trusted to go ahead of us—never failing or abandoning His children (Deuteronomy 31:6).
Shaming Shame
I wet the bed until I was 12 years old. It’s hard to put into words the agony of those moments when I would wake up in the middle of the night and find my clothes and sheets were soaked. Ashamed, I would scurry about, trying to quietly change the sheets and my clothes—doing my best to hide the evidence. But it was found out each time, and I felt a deep sense of worthlessness, failure, and disapproval.
All Alone
The familiar darkness of clinical depression rolled over Leigh as she sat on the edge of the bed holding a revolver—tormenting voices urging her to pull the trigger. As a Christian wife and mom, she knew this picture was all wrong, but the consuming illness had clouded her mind. Apart from her husband and doctor, no one knew of the daily struggle she faced. Leigh slowly put the gun down, walked out the room, and chose to begin reaching out and sharing her story with others.
Looking Up
An article in the Surgical Technology International journal says that looking down at a smart phone with your head bent forward is the equivalent of having a 60-pound weight on your neck. When we consider that millions of people around the world spend an average of 2-4 hours daily reading and texting, the resulting damage to neck and spine becomes a growing health concern.
It is also easy to become spiritually bowed down by the burdens of life. How often we find ourselves discouraged by the problems we face and the needs of those we love. The psalmist understood this weight of…
The Gift of Sleep
She told me that she was depressed. It was so bad that she had attempted suicide more than once. And even though she wasn’t at a dangerously dark state at that moment, she was still in a deep hole. Struggling with sleep, she hadn’t enjoyed a good night’s rest in a long, long time.
Love can overcome our guilt and shame
When Christina became pregnant outside of marriage, she was surprised by her parents’ support. Still, shame consumed her until she experienced God’s forgiveness. When Sally embarked on a journey of self-discovery and got pregnant, she found herself alone and frightened until she found her true identity in Christ. Learn how God can turn the toughest situations around for good.
They didn’t tell me the truth
All of us have made decisions we regret and suffered the consequences. Though Bob’s decision had caused great harm, he finally found peace when he accepted God’s forgiveness. Luann’s decision to have an abortion left a deep wound in her heart. After suffering ten years of panic attacks, she finally brought what she had done into the light, finding the healing power of God’s love. Discover how to find freedom from the pain of your own regret.
What Does Jesus Mean to You?
One Tuesday night at Bible Study class, our teacher—after pacing back and forth in his usual manner, with one finger over his lips—looked at us and asked: “What is Jesus to you?”
learning trust
As a child, I worried about making friends at school. As a college student, I worried about getting work after graduation. Today, I worry about the health of my parents and if my books will sell.
Worry-Free
Trying to stay aware of current events has its downside because bad news sells better than good news. It’s easy to become overly concerned about the criminal acts of individuals, crowds, or governments over whom we have no control.
Psalm 37 gives perspective to the daily news. David begins by saying, “Do not fret because of those who are evil” (v. 1). Then he proceeds to outline for us some alternatives to becoming overly anxious. In essence, David suggests a better way of thinking about negative news in our world.
What would happen if, instead of worrying about events beyond our control,…
sweet sleep
Recent research concluded that Americans are among the world’s worst when it comes to sleep deprivation. The published statistics reveal: The US (along with France and Taiwan) ranks among the top three most sleep-deprived nations in the world. Indians (54 percent), Americans (49 percent), and Singaporeans (43 percent) reported not getting enough rest due to being too worried or stressed out. Most sleep-deprived Americans (66 percent), however, can’t sleep because they’re anxious about finances and paying their bills.
