Tag Archives: depression

The Greatest Christmas Presence

Posted on by yolandaberry
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During this season, we are busy preparing for the biggest day of the year: Baking cookies, stringing lights on the tree, attending Christmas parties, going shopping, and wrapping presents.

Christmas can also be a very depressing and lonely time of the year for many. While family and friends gather together, many are left alone. Others are left without gifts, food, or shelter. Others may have lost a loved one and Christmas is just not the same anymore.  It can crush someone’s spirit when they don’t feel joy and cannot celebrate as others do.

Jesus cares. It’s through Him that we share His same spirit to help and assist one another in life. A kind word, a hug, a listening ear, a warm touch, or simply a smile can heal unspoken wounds or silent tears.

Jesus is with you in the most desperate of times. His name, “Emmanuel” means God with us. Yes, we may ignore his presence when everything is going great in our lives, but He never leaves us regardless if we acknowledge him or not. He patiently waits for us to come to Him. He is patient and kind and loves us more than we will ever know.

Through all the exciting festivities, I challenge you to take time out during the holiday season to focus on the reason for the season which is the birth of Christ. The Lord sent His Son for our salvation which is the greatest gift in the world. His presence is forever with us. We are part of His heavenly family once we acknowledge Him and accept Him into our hearts as our Lord and Savior.

I-pads, tablets, iPhones, the latest video games, or flat-screen TVs will never compare. Jesus is the greatest Christmas presence ever known.

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Emmanuel.” Isaiah 7:14

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.”  Luke 2:14

Happiness vs. Joy

Posted on by yolandaberry
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Within the past two days, the topic of being happy in life came up in conversations with friends. I was inspired to write about the difference between being happy vs. having joy. I believe that happiness is influenced by external factors like a career, relationship, material possessions, etc. It can also be determined about how you view your life and the meaning of what you feel success means to you. So basically, you determine how you feel and how happy you want or choose to be. It’s a combination of the external and internal feelings and how you relate and interpret those feelings.

However, I believe joy is a feeling that responds regardless of your circumstances. When I consider my personal experiences, I have experienced joy in the worst situations and circumstances. May I also add without the use of medications, drugs or alcohol. I’ve endured very uncomfortable circumstances and was still able to smile, laugh and function in daily life despite my difficult situations. At the same time, I was not happy with my life or my circumstances. I do believe we all experience depression at one time or another, but as long as we don’t remain in a negative state of mind it is normal to experience periods of discouragement.

The key is to know how to respond and react to your circumstances. It is important to build on hope and encouragement which I touched on yesterday on my blog post. You must realize that life is constantly moving and nothing remains the same. Each trial that we face, is a learning experience and provides us lessons in life is we choose to listen. You must seek inspiration or something that brings you joy regardless of what you may be experiencing.

I also believe you can simply have joy from just being. You have to be in a mindset of not comparing yourself to others and not living in a material world in order to truly experience genuine joy. It’s being free to be who you are and accepting yourself and your faults. Most people have a hard time spending time with themselves because they are afraid of what they will find within themselves. To reach a healthy self image, you must deal with the good and the ugly by looking at yourself in the mirror and then make a change for the better.

The end result is that you are in control of your happiness or joy. You may not be able to control what people say or do, but you are in control of how you think and how you feel. Unfortunately, we live in a negative world and it will take every drop of energy to overcome challenges, obstacles and situations that we may feel consume us. Just keep this in mind….”Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5

Developing a Foundation of Prayer

Posted on by yolandaberry
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Those who diligently seek me shall find me.

Building a relationship with Jesus requires daily communication with Him.

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. “In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” “Be not wise in thine own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil.” Prov 3

We may lose sight of the importance of daily prayer due to a busy schedule, but we must put God first in all our endeavors for His protection, grace, mercy and provision.

His grace is sufficient. He provides blessings to the just and the unjust, but when you are in a relationship with Him you are open to receive the many benefits and promises that He gives freely to His children.

Prayer is more than asking God to do or give you something. It’s an act of worship and praise.

It’s in the quiet moments when we acknowledge who He is that provides us peace, inner joy and strength to go through our day with high expectations. When we pray over our lives and others, we will gain a sense of inner harmony and peace despite what we may encounter through the day.

Sometimes we may feel our prayers go unanswered, but God has our best interest at heart. It must be His will not our own. Everything happens for a higher and greater purpose that we may not understand at the time, but through faith, obedience and patience, we will inherit the promises of God.

God works in seasons. Abraham and Sarah, The Apostle Paul, Daniel, Joseph, Job and Moses are examples of people who had to endure and wait for the promises of God.

I write this piece to encourage you to endure any situation, circumstance or obstacle. I am a living example of the realities of deterred dreams, dealing with extreme difficulties and disappointments, but God never fails and His word does not return void. (Isaiah 55:11)