I will admit that this Southern Baptist girl hasn’t done much dancing in her time. It’s not that I don’t like dancing; I’ve just never had many opportunities to dance. There was my senior prom, for which my date (now my hubby) and I learned to shag, but beyond that we have never spent too much time in ballrooms. With the era of X-Box and PlayStation, you no longer need a fancy dress and a ballroom to dance. You {Read More}
Tips to a Happier You in 2012~Do you have insomnia? Learn how to sleep!
11 February, 2012 by Leave a Comment
When God created the earth, he rested on the seventh day. Wouldn’t it be nice if we only had to rest once a week? It sure would free up time for my to-do list. But sleep doesn’t work that way. God created us to need sleep, and unfortunately, a little more than once a week. When I was in the midst of my seven years of hell, insomnia plagued me frequently. In my depression, all I wanted to do was {Read More}
Tips to a Happier You in 2012~Acts of Kindness & Altruism
4 February, 2012 by 2 Comments
Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, “How can I help?” (Romans 15:1-2 Msg) The definition of altruism in the New American Oxford Dictionary reads as follows: altruism |ˈaltroōˌizəm| noun the belief in or practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others One of the foundational truths repeated time and time again throughout the Bible is that we should practice altruism: You shall love {Read More}
Tips to a Happier You in 2012~Get Moving!
21 January, 2012 by 2 Comments
When God created man, He sent them out to work in the garden. He didn’t tell them to sit down at the computer and play Farmville on Facebook. We were created in His image. He created the intricately detailed system of nerves, glands, neurons, and neurotransmitters in our brain that controls our emotions. All that He created was good. But our world has changed. As I mentioned in a recent post on the benefits of being outdoors, (click here to {Read More}
Tips for a Happier you in 2012~Do you have nature deficit disorder?
16 January, 2012 by 1 Comment
Since yesterday’s post was rather lengthy and also gave you tips to a happier you, I’ll make today’s tip simple and easy. Go outside! Just as in today’s prescription verse, there are many references in scripture to the calming power of nature–God’s creation. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for {Read More}
Are you on OVERLOAD?
16 January, 2012 by Leave a Comment
As usual, our pastor, Perry, was speaking directly to me this morning…in more ways than one. I am, as we all are, on overload. I was strangely thankful that I didn’t get to sit beside David this morning in our service because my side would be bruised from all of the elbowing. My toes, however, are flat from Perry stepping all over them. But as I listened to Perry preach this morning, I was amazed that every point he made {Read More}
Understanding the “Why” Behind Depression
12 January, 2012 by 2 Comments
During the process of writing my “Tips to a Happier You” series, I’ve thought about how I felt in the midst of my depression. Would I have been receptive to small, practical tips to help my depression? I can tell you the answer is no. There are just some lessons we have to learn the hard way. If I could have put some of these things into practice, I’m sure I would not have had to endure the hell I {Read More}
Tips to a Happier You in 2012~Your Handiwork
9 January, 2012 by 1 Comment
Has anyone tried Laughter Aerobics, my first tip to a happier you? (Tips to a Happier You in 2012~Laughter Aerobics) Well, here’s my next tip to a happier you: Work with your hands…“Handiwork.” I realize this really doesn’t make much sense, but it is another thing we can do that will naturally increase the serotonin in our brain. When we do repetitive, coordinating movement with our hands, the amount of serotonin in our brain will increase. The ideas are limitless–scrap {Read More}
“It’s all in your mind.”
5 September, 2011 by 5 Comments
Has someone ever said to you, “It’s all in your mind?” It’s a funny and not so funny thing that my dad used to always say those words to me, and now my husband does! It made me crazy then, and it makes me crazy now. HOWEVER (and I promise you these words WILL come back to haunt me), we can train ourselves to think in a way that can change our mind, our hearts, and our world. How often {Read More}
Does our sin separate us from God?
30 August, 2011 by 1 Comment
Two years ago, I attended a “Women of Faith” conference, and was very intrigued by one of the speakers. Her name is Ashley Smith. A few years ago in Atlanta, she was instantly place in the spotlight as she was abducted and held hostage by Brian Nichols, a convicted killer. Her book, “Unlikely Angel: The Untold Story of the Atlanta Hostage Hero,” was an amazing account of every thought and action that took place during the seven hours she was {Read More}
Do you get it?
6 August, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Have I told you lately how incredible it is to be made brand new in Christ? Well, until September 25th, 2010, I really had no idea. I was saved when I was seven years old, and I did all the things that a good lil’ southern baptist girl should do (or shouldn’t do), but I just didn’t get it. The weird thing is, though, that because I didn’t get it, I didn’t know I didn’t get it. Get it? I {Read More}
America on Drugs
4 August, 2011 by 3 Comments
Bear with me here guys, this is a long post, and this comes from years of being a pharmacist and the personal experience of being a patient…but for anyone on an antidepressant or other “brain” drug, you need to read this: Your Brain on Drugs…no, I won’t be showing you a picture of a fried egg, though I must say it’s a great analogy! We know street drugs fry your brain, that’s a no-brainer! (Sorry =o) I’m talking about prescription {Read More}
One God, One Hope, One Choice…It’s that simple.
22 July, 2011 by 2 Comments
One God, One Hope, One Choice…It’s that simple. Now when you read this statement, you might think, “what does she mean it is that simple?” Believe me, when I was in my state of depression, I would not have thought so either. When I felt like I would rather chop my head off that have my migraine continue, nothing was simple. My well-meaning, glass-always-overflowing teenager would say, “think about it this way, it’s better than if you were in a {Read More}
