Articles
Between Mountains and Miracles: Finding Hope for Loneliness and Depression
Believers in Christ don’t have to wait for the next big miracle to experience the Presence of God. In the ordinary and the unexpected, His peace and power beckon us into a life where it’s possible to experience joy and wonder in the milestones and the mundane. The same Holy Spirit who rains fire from heaven also speaks in gentle whispers. This is especially significant for those suffering from loneliness and depression. The Old Testament prophet, Elijah, can attest to the fact that God can do grand showdowns, as he defeated the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel. A few chapters [...]
Are You Having an Anxiety Attack? Tips for Managing Stress
The symptoms may frighten you if you have never experienced an anxiety attack (sometimes called a panic attack). Even during an episode, your first thought may be that you are dying. Trying to gain control over anxiety attack symptoms takes practice and patience. The panic can overwhelm you, but once you know what to expect from anxiety attack symptoms, you can create a game plan to help stop them when they hit. Common anxiety attack symptoms. Anxiety attack symptoms (panic attack symptoms) can mimic the signs of a heart attack. If you experience an anxiety attack for the first time, consult [...]
Commitment Phobia: What it is and How to Overcome it
Phobias are a common type of anxiety disorder characterized by an extreme, persistent, irrational fear about a situation or thing that isn’t actually harmful, and that you consequently go to great lengths to avoid. Commitment phobia is the fear of making a long-term commitment. Typically it is associated with fear of committing to a lifelong personal relationship such as marriage, but it can also refer to life decisions such as signing a lease, purchasing a home, choosing a college to attend, or making a career or job choice. If you wait to make a commitment when you are free of doubts, [...]
What Constitutes Trauma?
In this article, I am going to define trauma from a clinical perspective, but also give insight into how discernment is needed when it comes to discussing experiences of trauma, as people understand and process experiences differently. This can result in some confusion for those who have experienced trauma and try to relate it to others, or those who may have experienced trauma and perhaps not realized it because their fundamental understanding of trauma didn’t allow them to recognize it. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is known as a mental health condition in which one is plagued by an experience from their [...]
8 Signs of Parental Codependency and How to Heal from It
A parent has the huge job of nurturing another human being and preparing them for life. Parenting is a task that never quite ends and, in some seasons, feels more thankless and draining than rewarding or encouraging. Being a parent changes over time as your children grow and enter different stages of life. In this way, parenting a newborn is different from parenting a teenager or a young adult, but you’re still a parent and occupy that unique role in your child’s life. Parents will do whatever they can to protect their children and help them thrive in a world that [...]
Burnout Syndrome: How to Recognize It and Deal with It
Burnout syndrome (BOS) is a by-product of chronic stress that has not been successfully managed. Typically, it manifests slowly and gradually. Symptoms include physical and emotional exhaustion, as well as feeling mentally distant from your job and less capable of doing it effectively. According to the 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), BOS is an occupational phenomenon and should not be used to describe experiences in other areas of life. Common signs of burnout syndrome. Physical High blood pressure Constant fatigue Headaches, stomach aches, back pain, muscle tension Lowered immunity Getting sick more often Digestive issues Exhaustion Sleep [...]
Stories and Verses about Forgiveness in the Bible
There are many verses about forgiveness in the Bible. Verses that tell us about God’s love, compassion, and willingness to forgive us when we sin against Him; verses that command us to extend that same love and forgiveness to one another; and stories of people who exemplify what love and forgiveness look like in action. Our greatest debt, caused by sin, Is erased by our greater God. – Xochitl Dixon No one in this world is without sin. Whether we transgress because of the weaknesses of our flesh, or whether we do it unintentionally, we are all guilty of sinning against [...]
Infidelity in Marriage: Why it Happens and What to Do to Repair Your Relationship
The close-knit bond between spouses is something that God takes seriously. But it’s often true that what we want for ourselves and what God desires for us don’t always coincide, and this is to our detriment. So, it’s not surprising to read accounts such as the following in the pages of the Bible: And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?” He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his [...]
Tips for Reducing Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety is recurrent stress that can make even anticipating the separation fraught with emotions. It can create unhealthy habits of codependency and lead to attachment disorders. It is more than just missing a loved one; there can be deep worries and fears that rise up in times of separation. For some people, they are not bothered by someone being out of sight and out of mind. For others, all unseen and unknown things can lead to debilitating anxiety for others. When someone you care about leaves the house, your thoughts may immediately run down the trail of horrible possibilities. News [...]