Thursday, December 30, 2010

Lindsay and Emily

To our Precious Lindsay,
You lived your life to the fullest while on earth. On the horrible tragedy of 9/11/01, the last thing you did was to pray to a God that you knew and then after that act of worship, you were ushered into Heaven along with your baby Emily Hope.
We miss you terribly and we miss Emily Hope. Your testimony continues to bear fruit and we are left behind to share with others what we have learned in the school of suffering. We will see you in a little while. We will then have eternity to worship and play on the new Heavens and new Earth, where there will be nor curse and where the Lamb of God and His throne will be.


Revelation 22:1 -3 Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve fruit, yielding its fruit every * month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
There will
no longer be any curse ; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him;

Love, Mom Dad,

Monday, December 20, 2010

Panic Disorder

Panic Disorder - About 6 million American adults ages 18 and older have panic disorder in a given year. The median age of onset is 24 years old. About one in three people with panic disorder develop agoraphobia. Agoraphobia is a condition in which the individual becomes afraid of being in any place or situation where escape might be difficult or help unavailable in the event of a panic attack. Panic attacks are intense anxiety states of panic, fear, or dread that can come upon a person instantly, with or without a trigger from surroundings. Some panic attacks are accompanied with phobias. Panic attacks are accompanied by such symptoms as shortness of breath, racing heartbeat, and a fear of dying or "going crazy." No one really knows the terror of panic unless they have the disorder. If you would like to read more about panic please go to http://familydoctor.org/137.xml.

I have panic disorder myself. But it has been controlled by antidepressants, mostly Selective Serotin Reuptake Inhibitors for many years. I have been on two of these for over ten years. One is fluvoxamine (Luvox) and the other Sertaline (Zolfot). Their are others such as Celexa, Lexipro and Paxil. Panic which develops into Agoraphobia has been shown to be helped by some forms of Behavior Therapy.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Why don't you help the poor and needy

Pastors, practitioners and pundits
What are your excuses for not helping the poor and the needy?
These thoughts reminded me of our responsibility to the mentally ill in our churches. I have been reading Spurgeon's Expository Encyclopedia, Volume 4 on the parables of Christ. If you get a chance read his sermon, The Good Samaritan. I especially like his 7 excuses why the priest did not help the wounded Jew.
(1) The priest and Levite were both in a hurry to get back home
(2) He was not a surgeon/doctor and was afraid he might "mangle things."
(3) The priest felt the man was half dead and soon would die, why waste his money?
(4) Also, the Levite would be coming along soon, he could help him.
(5) He thought that he should not stop in a place where another man had been killed by thieves who could return for him.
(6) The man might die, and the person found near the body could be charged with murder

(7) He may have not wanted to be defiled, {Volume 4), pp 111,112

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Burn Out versus Depression
Exodus 18:17, 18
17 Moses' father-in-law said to him, "The thing that you are doing is not good. 18 "You will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.
Please see also, Bloem Steve and Robyn, Broken Minds, Hope for Healing When You Feel Like You’re Losing It. (2005), Grand Rapids, Kregel Publications, http://www.amazon.com/Broken-Minds-Healing-Youre-Losing/dp/0825421187
Facts
I. Moses was wearing himself out, not by standing but by sitting as a judge (shaphat), exerting mental and spiritual strength and counseling people. He was “going it alone.” The Hebrew (Strong’s #5034) translated wearing out has a primitive root; to wilt; generally to fall away, fail, faint; figuratively to be dishonored, lightly esteemed, fade (away, -ing), fall off, wither. (NASB, is wear out NIV, wear yourselves out.)

If you look at other references in the Old Testament this word carries the idea of “fading away.” Now, this consists of actually putting too much of a strain on your mental resources. It is due to a lack of prioritizing. Moses did not see that he had limited time, resources and healthy brain neurons to handle the burden of the people.

II. Moses was depleting resources that could not be restored by an evening rest and/or a holiday here or there. He was inviting burn out that could lead to depression.
His father- in-law told him (Numbers18:18). You will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you, for the task, is is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.” From (Strong, H3513); heavy; in a bad sense (severe, difficult, stupid ; great, grievous, hard (-ened), (too) heavy (-ier), laden, much, slow, sore, thick.
Moses had too much sensory stimuli. He had an unequal distribution of people he was serving. He was not working smarter but harder. He failed to recognize his superior leadership abilities and that God works through means, through good men. Moses, according to his father-in-law was to focus on teaching God’s laws (v.20) and judging the difficult cases from among the people. He was to share the Spirit with other men who were honest and holy
Are you in a ministry? Pray that God will give you holy men and women to complement you in ministry. Another Scripture to think about I Corinthians 12:4-7: 4 now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

(1) Assign to your leaders groups of people. You must assign able, (NIV capable) in the Hebrew (H2428) , From H2342; probably a force, an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength:—a who will be able to teach others:
Paul advice to Timothy is appropriate for application; You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also ( 2 Timothy 2: 1,2).
(2) We must teach God’s ordinances and laws which build, edify or inform to
good, holy men who are filled with the Spirit. We must show these men: (a.) the way in which they must walk (their character) (b). The work they must do (their God given labor) (3) the power that is available to minister, the Spirit of God.

(3) Watch out for symptoms of biological depression, especially vegetative functions of the body, i.e., sleep, appetite and libido.