Physical Health

Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sun on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there; I did not die.

~ Mary Elizabeth Frye – 1932

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Codependency, Hardship and Stress – A Testimony

I just want to share how God has blessed me. The past few years have been difficult as I’ve been recovering from codependency. One of the hardest things I’ve struggled with has been anxiety, which reared its head as I started to let go of the codependent behaviour. I realized that there was so much fear underneath all the controlling I had been doing all those years. I was having panic attacks all the time. had to go on meds for it and depression too. I thought my life was coming to an end because of how bad I felt.

That’s why social events like Christmas were a nightmare. I was also reacting to my parents because I had a lot of rejection coming to the surface. I felt like a teenager around them because everything they did made me cringe.

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God’s Role in Tragedy

God does not allow evil and suffering to continue because He does not love us, or is in some way detached and removed from us. God takes our suffering so seriously, that he took it upon himself on the cross. ~ Tim Keller

When I speak to a group about RELENTLESS GRACE, the questions are frequently penetrating and gut-wrenchingly honest. One question is asked more than any other. “Do you believe that God caused your injury?”

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How Health Affects Marriage

Did you know that the better you feel about your life, the better spouse you will be. The best way to be a good spouse is to take care of YOU first. You are your best friend when it comes to your health and emotional well-being–physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Are you taking care of you? Last week I talked to several different women who were experiencing health difficulties like bipolar syndrome, addiction, diabetes, and heart problems.

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I ASKED God and He SAID

I asked God to take away my addictions and behaviors.­
God said, No.­
It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up.­

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole.­
God said, No.­
His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary­

I asked God to grant me patience.­
God said, No.­
Patience is a byproduct of tribulations;
it isn’t granted, it is learned.­

I asked God to give me happiness.­
God said, No.­
I give you blessings; Happiness is up to you.­

I asked God to spare me pain.­
God said, No.­
Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares
and brings you closer to me.­

I asked God to make my spirit grow.­
God said, No.­
You must grow on your own! ,
but I will prune you to make you fruitful.­

I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life.­

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End of Life Issues: Dying, Death and Euthanasia

Evangelicals are familiar with Christ’s promise “that (we) might have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10b). We associate that promise with the peace, hope, and joy that comes from our reconciliation to God and our obedience to His commandments. Perhaps we are not as familiar with the concept in the first part of that same verse. “The thief comes to steal and destroy,” the opposite to Jesus’ work. The false messiah causes discord, despair, and emptiness. Both the positive and the negative sides of this verse are usually associated with spiritual consequences for the believer or the unbeliever. This verse and others, have a clear application to the health of the physical body.

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How Fleeting Life Is

Psalm 39:4 NRSV
Lord, let me know my end,
and what is the measure of my days;
let me know how fleeting my life is.

Last night, I had what my grandmother might have called a heart spell. My heart began to raise and skip beats. It made a funny feeling in my chest, raised both my pulse and my blood pressure, and was, to be honest, rather disconcerting. Of course, the on-call nurse for my doctor wanted me to drive more than an hour to the insurance plan emergency room (which we didn’t do). I simply wanted it to go away so I could go to sleep.

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