Tag Archives: depression

June 17, 2025 · 2:57 pm

Missing the Invitation, Finding God’s Purpose

“It looks like I’m the only one of the group who wasn’t invited,” I told the Lord. “I can’t understand why I was rejected.”

I was younger then, and over the years, I struggled to forgive the event organizer for excluding me. I may not have been the only person who was omitted. It may have only looked that way. The organizer and I weren’t great friends, but we weren’t enemies. There were other things to which I wasn’t invited, but they weren’t discussed in my presence. This one was, so I felt particularly hurt.

As a sensitive young person, prone to self-pity, I let rejection and other perceived problems drag me into depression. I have journeyed through two deep valleys of depression as an adult. Now, I can look back at such missed invitations with a different perspective. I see that they were opportunities to trust God in every circumstance. I regret not taking them.

Nevertheless, each day that God gives me presents new opportunities to trust Him. I may not have trusted God well in the past. Still, I can start doing better today.

As I get older, I no longer care about missing out on parties or events. Now, I don’t want to miss out on more of God and His love. I yearn to fit into His plans and purpose for me.

I think of a hymn we used to sing in church: “More About Jesus.” The lyrics of the first verse are:

More about Jesus, would I know, more of His grace to others show, more of His saving fullness see, more of His love who died for me.”

–By E.E. Hewitt (1887).

Yes! I want to know Jesus better and show more of His love and grace to others. Don’t you?

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28 NIV).

Think about it: Are you still carrying past rejection? Instead of replaying the pain, you can invite God into it. Surrender your hurt and ask Him to show you His purpose in it—even if it’s years later. You don’t want to miss what matters most: getting to know Jesus more and sharing His love today.

Prayer: Father, thank You for working everything together for good for us who love You. You take our mistakes and sins and use them to work out Your purposes.

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Filed under Anxiety and depression, Christian, Christian Living, God's Work in our Lives, Mental Health Matters

Tagged as Bible, Christian growth, christianity, depression, Faith, God, Jesus, regret, rejection, Romans 8:28, self-pity, Trust

December 5, 2023 · 11:30 am

Today’s the Day!

It’s the day my book was published on Amazon. Take a look, and let your friends know about it, too.

Here’s the link: https://a.co/d/f3DQtHq

14 Comments

Filed under Anxiety and depression, Christian Living

Tagged as anxiety, Christian growth, christianity, depression, panic

December 1, 2023 · 1:56 pm

Coming Soon! Hope for the Depressed and Anxious

Panic or depression—I’ve been there. I feel the pain of those who suffer from these.

But even better, God knows and cares.

That’s one reason I wrote Panic to Peace, 30 Days of Hope which is scheduled to be released on Amazon on Tuesday, December 5.

This book will encourage and help readers find hope amid anxiety or depression.

I hope you will consider purchasing the book for yourself or someone else.

Also, will you help me get my book off to a good start by sharing the posts about Panic to Peace with others?

Both the paperback and the Kindle edition should be available on Amazon Tuesday, December 5.

I hope to send you a link to the purchase page when the book “goes live” on Tuesday.

1 Comment

Filed under Christian, Christian Living, God's Work in our Lives, Journey Re-Blogs

Tagged as anxiety, Bible, choices, Christian growth, christianity, depression, God, Jesus, mental health, ptsd, schizophrenia, stress, Thoughts, Trust, Truth

July 2, 2023 · 4:27 pm

Needing Peace

“I feel so stressed out!” my friend sobbed. “Pain and troubles tangle together, and I don’t know which way to turn.”

I understood. I had felt that way on some days last year.

No doubt you’ve heard about how to eat an elephant—one bite at a time. It reminds us that we can do things better if we attempt small tasks that will eventually add up to the desired end.

But surely the elephant had sat down on me, and its weight kept me immobilized. Emotionally and spiritually overwhelmed, I couldn’t think straight and misunderstood situations and people The problems piled up before I could begin to sort out my thoughts and feelings.

Nevertheless, I needed to deal with one thing at a time, trusting God to lead me through the tangled mess. I asked for prayer to regain my composure. Then I looked at one difficulty—my anger at a couple of people whom I felt had treated me unfairly.

I can’t change what other people do, but I can choose how I process the emotional pain caused by others. I can remain angry and become bitter and depressed.

That stirs up the flight or fight hormones resulting in stress to both body and mind.

Or instead, I can seek God’s help so I can forgive from my heart and find peace amid my pain.

Challenge: What can you do when life slams you from several directions at once?

4 Comments

Filed under Christian, Christian Living

Tagged as anger, anxiety, Christian growth, depression, forgiveness, Peace, stress

May 23, 2023 · 3:26 pm

God Will Lift You Up

“This medicine doesn’t help me, and besides, it makes my mouth so dry that no matter how much water I drink, it’s not enough. I’ve taken it for a couple of weeks now, and it hasn’t made any difference.”

That’s what I thought about the medicine which the doctor at the mental health clinic had prescribed. I continued going to the clinic for counseling but didn’t mention that I had quit taking the meds.

The counseling alone wasn’t enough to take care of the problems I had, and I quit going.

My husband thought a daily walk outside was what I needed. We walked together once a day—I was afraid to walk alone.

That was before I landed in the hospital with depression. Those are all helpful things, just not enough individually.

In the hospital, I didn’t have a choice about taking the medicine. We also received group and individual counseling, and we walked each day, although not outside.

I wonder if I would have gotten well without the hospital stay if I would have seen and heeded 1 Peter 4:6 which says, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time” (NIV).

Even if f I had remembered that verse, would I have recognized the medicine as God’s hand?

Maybe so, but the reality is that I was hospitalized, and that God used that for His purposes.

Is there anything in your life that needs to be submitted to God?

All wise Father, please help me recognize when You are calling me to humble myself under Your mighty hand. Amen.

10 Comments

Filed under Christian, Christian Living, God's Work in our Lives

Tagged as anxiety, Christian growth, depression, humility, mental health

May 10, 2023 · 2:46 pm

A Ray of Hope

“I have a doctor appointment at 9:00, and I’m supposed to drive to my husband’s workplace to pick him up so he can go with me. Day and night this unreasonable fear has tormented me for some time now. My thoughts tumble in a hamster wheel of wondering what is wrong with me and fears that I might faint and no one could help me. Chest pains started early last week. My body feels so weak! I can’t make my feet step out the door. I’ll have to call my husband and tell him I can’t drive this morning, and he will need to come and get me.”

That happened on a Monday morning about 35 years ago. I still remember the panic, uncontrollable crying, body weakness, sweaty palms, and trembling of the months leading up to that day. When the panic attacks (as I later learned they were called) first started, they came only occasionally. Then they started happening more and more frequently. Finally, by that August when the chest pains started, they had become constant.

At the appointment that morning, the doctor recommended a hospital stay and referred me to a psychiatrist who prescribed an antidepressant and an “as needed” sedative. The antidepressant helped, and I didn’t need the sedative often. After a few days, a Christian couple I knew visited me in the hospital and prayed for me. The next morning, I felt like God slipped a ray of hope into my heart where I had felt hopeless and helpless. Maybe I could get well after all.

And I did get well. It took some time, and I still need an antidepressant, but I got free of panic attacks and depression.

Do you need a ray of hope today? Let’s call on our compassionate God who shines His love where it’s needed.

Compassionate Father, please shine your love into the parts of our hearts which feel hopeless and helpless today. Thank You for Your love and Mercy. Amen.

Palm 42:11 “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” NIV

1 Comment

Filed under Christian Living, Journey Re-Blogs

Tagged as Anxiety/Depression, depression, hope, mental health, prayer

June 15, 2021 · 6:13 pm

Blog Page 3 Complete

Journey Toward Wholeness Reblogs Note:

I have added all 20 “Journal Toward Wholeness Reblogs” posts to Page 3 of this blog (https://triciajots4jesus.wordpress.com/re-blogs-of-my-journey-toward-wholeness-posts/ ) The page begins with links to my first 2 re-blog posts:

“Hope Amid Anxiety” and

“The Journey Begins.”

Then the full texts of 18 re-blog posts follow:

“God Sends Comfort”

“Stepping Stones in the Valley”

“More Stepping Stones”

“Guilty or Not Guilty”

“Prayers in the Valley” and

“Too Late?”

“Encouragement for the Anxious”

“Hope in God”

“Learning in the Struggle”

“Value on the Journey”

“In His Hands”

“Healing Can Begin”

“Still Learning”

“Making Progress”

“Another Day on the Journey”

“I Believe–Help My Unbelief”

“Danger! Comparison Quicksand!”

and a final note:

“Page 3 Complete.”

I hope you’ll take a fresh look at the completed page.

See My New Page

I’ve added a new page to my blog called “Re-blogs of My Journey Toward Wholeness Posts.” It will be composed of copies of my posts in the “Journey Reblogs” category. The first two posts of my “Journey Toward Wholeness” are links under the heading “From the blog” titled “Hope Amid Anxiety” and “The Journey Begins.” The third post, “God Sends Comfort” follows the introductory info.

Hope you’ll check it out.

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Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as anxiety, depression, Journey Re-Blogs

March 26, 2021 · 3:26 pm

Danger! Comparison Quicksand!

(Journey Toward Wholeness Reblog from 8/26/18 Journey Blog Post)

Among the notes I made when I went through Anxiety Valley, I found these prayers:

In my distress I cry out to You, Lord (Psalm 18:6*). My thoughts and feelings say that my interaction with You is inferior to that which other people experience. I feel sure it must be my fault that I’m not connecting well with You, but I don’t know how to do or be different. These thoughts have a grip on me, and I struggle to break loose. The panic continues.

I see the source of some of my panic this morning— I compare myself to others, and I think of myself as “less than” and “failure.”

Lord Jesus, please help me get my eyes on You, the Author and Finisher of my faith (Hebrews 12:2). Father, You have begun a good work in me and will continue until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6). Please calm my anxious thoughts. Please help me stay, anchor, my mind on You .

Lord, I had thought that if I practiced certain devotional habits like read my Bible more or pray more (or practiced them better), then my spiritual life would look more like that of Christians I admire. But You are God, and You want real relationship with me, not some imitation I try to conjure up by copying other saints.

Thank You God for Your patience with this stubborn piece of clay!

From my current viewpoint on the other side of the valley, I can see that I had fallen into “comparison quicksand.” I can also see that God threw out a plank to me in two of the scriptures noted in my prayers: Hebrews 12:2 and Isaiah 26:3. [Hebrews 12:2 (NIV) “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith….” Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV) “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”] Now when I’m in a similar bog, I can grab that plank by getting my eyes off myself/other people and onto Him, and He can pull me out.

For me that is easier said than done, but it is worth the work. Otherwise, I would continue to sink down into the comparison quagmire.

*Psalm 18:6 (NIV) “In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.”

I Believe–Help My Unbelief

(Re-blog from 7/6/2018 Post–Journey Toward Wholeness #19)

In 2017 while I was still journeying through Anxiety Valley, I wrote in my journal:

Lord, You told the Israelites that You would help them, strengthen them, and hold them up with Your victorious right hand (Isaiah 41:10). Does that promise apply to me also? All of Your promises are “yes and amen” in Jesus (2 Cor. 1:20), and I am in Jesus.

Thank You, Father, that You are helping me fight the fear and doubt. You are helping me believe You and not feelings. I wonder if I really believe You are helping, or just hoping You will. Whichever it is, maybe I can just choose to believe and trust You anyway. You are strengthening me. Please help me believe.

When my mind gets well, will it be easier to believe You? I hope I will feel like my belief is real and not just something I’m pretending to myself.

Now that I’m on the other side of that particular valley, I know the answer to my question— YES. It is easier to believe and trust God with a stable healthy mind.

Thank You Jesus for healing my mind, body and emotions. Thank You also for providing the capsule I take every morning to balance the brain chemicals that keep my mind stable. Amen.

Mark 9:24 “Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (NKJV)

Isaiah 41:10 “ Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice.” (Amplified Bible)

2 Corinthians 1:20 “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.” (NKJV)