Hope for the Hurting

This Thing Called Depression: Signs and Symptoms
Are you struggling with depression? God already knows what you’re struggling with and He wants to heal you and give you hope. For myself, I was the doctor who treated patients for over 20 years when I suffered through the dark night of my soul. I thought I was supposed to be able to prevent that from happening to me, and to have all the answers. Experience is a very valuable teacher. Now that I’ve personally experienced it, I understand what depression is, how it presents, what it feels like, and how to treat it much better. In this post, I share the most common signs and symptoms of depression, along with resources that offer help, hope and healing.

Telling a Better Kind of Time
What do you believe about time? Is it a commodity? Something to be spent and wasted and saved? Or is it really a gift given to us by God? We are not in control of time, but we can inhabit the time that God gives us without resorting to anxiety about getting everything done that we hope and plan.

Is It Grief Or Depression?
“Is it grief or something more?” That’s a question I’m often asked as a board certified clinical neuropsychologist. Everyone grieves differently. Do you know the signs and symptoms to watch for when grief progresses into depression? Learn more here.

Limit Your New Year’s Resolutions to “One Thing Alone”
Have you set your New Year’s Resolutions? Whether you are trying to stop drinking, stop overeating, stop spending, stop mindlessly scrolling through social media, or binge-watching shows… whatever you’re “resolving” to do more of or less of this year, one thing alone will help you with all these other things. Wendy Speake shares about that one thing in today’s post.

Two Keys To Your Best Year Yet
Have you heard of others choosing a “Word of the Year” and wondered what that was and how they chose it? For key #1 for how to have your best year yet, Pam Farrel shares a deep dive into her process of determining a word of focus for the year and how to weave that word into your daily life. She’s even including some free worksheets. Key #2 is an invitation to a Challenge that will help set you up to make today and every day a good day despite your circumstances.

Every Day Can Be a Good Day
What if I told you that every day can be a good day despite our feelings or circumstances? God has never broken a promise; we can count on his promises coming true in our lives. Standing on any of his promises gives us a reason why today—or any day—despite our circumstances, is a good day for a good day. Every day I still have to challenge myself to change my mindset and where I place my focus. Today, I have a challenge for you!

Hang on to Hope
In the midst of my despair, as I journeyed through depression, God slowly over time revealed the missing piece that stood in the way of my healing. The spiritual component of depression. Once I understand that component and used the authority given to me as a child of God, the dark cloud began to lift. Hang on to hope and read more for 5 Bible verses I stood on to replace the darkness of depression with the light of joy.

My Christmas Reflection and Prayer for You
I’m so grateful to God for the gift of Christmas Hope because without the birth of Jesus, we would have NO HOPE. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking and pondering and want to share with you my Christmas reflection and prayer for you based on a Grown Up Christmas List, and offer three valuable resources to help start your new year off right!

Unspoken Expectations: Giving Grace Leads to Peace and Contentment
There is no doubt: unfulfilled and unspoken expectations can impact our experiences and relationships. This is especially true during the holidays where they are a major contributor to the blues. Have you ever realized you were making expectations of others or yourself? There is a way to surrender your expectations and gain grace, peace and contentment in exchange.

Too Busy to Pray
“I’m busy. Crazy busy.” That’s a pretty common confession. Do we feel like we’re so busy, we don’t have time to talk to God, to listen or to pray? Kim Avery shares what to do when you feel like you’re too busy to pray.