Dear Ones,
Hope you are enjoying this beautiful sunny day. I baked cookies this morning and did food prep and went to my exercise class. This afternoon I am going to work down in our storage area to put away winter clothes and to find things for a sale at Bible Camp. Tonight we have Bible study at church.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
   Today so many people are feeling depressed and hopeless but not all deal with it in the same way. Some have a sadness about them and keep to themselves. There are others who joke and make others laugh to help relieve their own pain. Some may have a chemical imbalance and have frequent ups and downs.  Vivian Bricker writes about the many ways to deal with depression and if struggling with depression, we may want to try some of them.
   Her first suggestion is to pray and tell the Lord how we honestly feel, not how we think we should feel. The Lord sees our hearts anyway so let’s tell Him our true feelings. Perhaps we are in the pit and feel we are never going to get better. The Psalms are full of David’s true feelings and he says it just as it is.
  Vivian says it is helpful to also practice selfcare and do things that can help relieve our stress. For some it could be a bubble bath, or spending time with a close friend; going for a walk or out for ice cream etc.
  We also can practice taking each day as it comes. In Matt. 6:34 (God’s Word) it says, “So don’t ever worry about tomorrow. After all, tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Instead of worrying we look to the Lord each moment and remember His provision.
  We can also set doable goals and celebrate the little victories. Someone who is severely depressed may just have a goal to get dressed and to make their bed and they can celebrate that. Tomorrow there may be more to celebrate.
  For some depressed persons it helps to spend time being creative and expressing themselves through writing, painting, journaling etc. There are many positive ways to find expression of what is going on inside.
   There are times to make an appointment with a therapist or Doctor or Christian counselor. God can use them to bring mental, emotional and spiritual healing as they pray and give truths of scripture, and sometimes medication.
   The enemy wants us to stay stuck and depressed but let us not give up but seek the Lord, and find healing for our wounded hearts.
   Challenge for today: Memorize Isaiah 41:10 and carry it with you.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy