photo credit: Bram & Vera

A nurse on the pediatric ward before listening to the little ones’ chests would plug the stethascope into their ears and let them listen to their own heart.. Their eyes would always light up with awe, but she never got a response equal to four year old David’s comment.

Gently she tucked the stethoscope into his ears and placed the disk over his heart. “Listen,” she said, “what do you suppose that is?”

He drew his eyebrows together in a puzzled line and looked up as if lost in the mystery of the strange tap, tap, tapping deep in his chest. Then his face broke out in a wondrous grin and he asked, “Is that Jesus knocking?”

Blessed are those who walk with one hand held by God and the other one held by a friend.

Do not fear the future nor fear the unknown….

For God is already there )

Sometimes, I just have to STOP ~ and listen to the whispering telling me “Peace be still”

photo credit: pimpexposure


Satan is the powerful enemy within. He tells us we are worthless beings who can not do anything right. He fills our heads with doubt and does everything in his power to convince us that we should rely on our own ability to work things out. He plays on our intellect to have us believe that we don’t always need God to work through the difficulties in life. He wants us to believe that we are not worthy of God’s Love and have to prove ourselves righteous before coming to God.

Satan… is a liar!

Come to God as you are. Do not pretend to be something that you are not. God will never reject His child. Speak to Him as a father. Allow Him to see you as you are. Make time to share yourself with God. Turn off all devices around the home, including the lights. Give all of yourself to Him and allow Him to reach down and touch you. Then listen as He speaks to you. You will then know that you are not alone. As you begin to walk in the path He lays out for you, you will see that, even during all the trials and tribulations of life, you are not alone:

Rom 5:3 – 5:5 ~
And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Too many times we look at our troubles, bad choices in life and our mishaps which take our eyes off of Him. Keeping our eyes on Him and His purpose, we can get though the tribulations knowing that there is Hope for us still. God made the ultimate sacrifice for us by giving His Son to the world so that we may live. Let us not let this action be in vein by allowing the lies of Satan dominate us.

Job 37:14 ~
Listen to this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.

Secure yourself of His lasting Peace and stand in awe of our Lord. Triumph in Hope and let Him be your Refuge.

Psalm 46:10 ~
Be still, and know that I am God…

I can not express enough how much this all has meant to me in my life. As I reflect back, I regret hurting the ones that I love. But today, I can live in that regret and live myself condemned and not care about anyone or anything… Or, I can make something good come from out of it. “Hope” knowing that Hope will not disappoint. As I write, I write to myself as a reminder that I am never alone. It only seems that way when I turn my eyes from Him and listen to Satan try and convince me I am worthless. Forgive me Father… Release these chains and set me free… I am yours to do with as you please. Let me be a light of your Love and guide me where you need me to be.

Psalm 21:13 ~
Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy power.

Religious Mall Religious Icons, Church Supplies, Byzantine Icons

(ARA) – Courtney Lovett didn’t want to let her friends down. Knowing that her friends wanted her to be happy, and disapproved of her compulsive urge to cut herself, helped Lovett break the cycle of her self-destructive behavior. Now Lovett and other students at West Brook, a high school on the East Coast, are reaching out to other young people, sharing their experiences in an effort to foster prevention and provide hope to others struggling with self-harming behaviors.

Cutting to control the pain

Hurting oneself externally comes in many forms. Cutting one’s skin with a sharp object is most common, but there’s also burning.

Lovett, a senior, used to engage in the latter. “It didn’t quite satisfy like I needed, but it would take the edge off and was small enough not to be noticed,” she says.

The satisfaction Lovett talks of is what gets people hooked on hurting themselves. Once they try one method, most usually want to try more to see what relief other methods will bring.

The temporary relief and satisfaction brought on by physically hurting oneself becomes an addictive quick fix for whatever emotional problems or difficult situations the person goes through.

One misconception, especially for cutters, is that people who hurt themselves are doing so in an attempt to end their life. Junior Sarah Ballin displays scars on her arm that have gotten her sent to a counselor every year since she’s had them.

The scars Ballin has on her arm have gotten her weird looks from teachers and fellow students. Cutters hope that, even if non-cutters don’t understand the behavior, they can have compassion and not judge based on the scars.

Deadly disorders take control of those desiring to be skinny

Other methods of handling emotions and stress such as eating disorders can be just as destructive as self-harm.

“The eating disorder mindset takes over people,” says Carolyn Costin, founder and clinical director of The Eating Disorder Center of California and Monte Nido residential centers and author of several books. “They will say ‘I don’t like cheese’ because they may be afraid of the fat. It’s actually fear that makes them say they don’t like it.”

Fear of food is just one potential part of an eating disorder, but the way the person feels after eating certain foods does influence the amount they intake or if they try getting rid of it afterwards.

Much like cutting and burning, eating disorders can become compulsive no matter what health risks may be encountered.

Common health risks associated with anorexia include electrolyte disturbances, vitamin and mineral deficiencies and loss of muscle mass. Recurring bouts of vomiting can also cause dehydration and disturbances in electrolytes, which are made worse with laxative or diuretic use or by consuming excessive quantities of water. Fatal abnormalities in heart rhythm can occur, the stomach can perforate from binging, and vomiting can cause tears in the esophagus, gastrointestinal bleeding, and ulcers. The more serious health risks take longer to be detected or to become worrisome enough for the people with eating disorders to seek help.

Reaching out, leaving shame behind

“The first step [in getting help] is acknowledging there is a problem,” Susan Steely, a licensed professional counselor of Good Therapy Works, a Midwestern counseling center, says. “Listening to other people [helps]; they may notice it or point it out first. Sometimes we can’t see the truth for ourselves. Seek someone in counseling to deal with [the problem].”

Professional guidance is often advised. Having friends or family supporting one’s recovery also helps.

“What really helped me [stop cutting] was that I had friends who said I shouldn’t do it,” Ballin says. “It wasn’t always enough, but it helped. I’d be like, ‘Kevin loves me, and I don’t want to let him down.’”

Costin also feels that having a support system around an individual during the recovery process makes a difference. For parents and friends to better help their loved one, she offers this advice: “Understand that the person is taken over by their illness. Friends and relatives have to align with the person against the illness. It is important not to be in battle with the person.”

Courtesy of ARAcontent