My View of "Faith" and how the Stress Center Program fits into it
Don57, I truly believe what you say. I struggled with this as well. I finally learned (even though I still have to remind myself) that God did give us the gift of free will and as much as He wants us to love Him and have a personal relationship with Him, we have a choice. Our choices are what brings us closer to(or further from)Him and through the suffering He allows (not sends)we have the greatest opportunity to turn things over to Him & allow Him to help us. A relationship is a two way street. Reason and faith do not contradict each other. God created all & that includes our ability to reason. Thank God for those who can help us see and change our bad thinking habits!
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Guest
Don, you have written some mighty powerful words and have given many a lot of food for thought. Good for you!! You said "Ask, Seek, Knock" - may I finish that?
"Ask,and you will be given; Seek,and you will find; Knock,and the door will be opened.." These doors are also opened when we seek-we are given that choice,it was given to us by God... perhaps StressCenter.com is that open door for a lot of us. Now it's up to us. Blessing, Judy
<span class="ev_code_RED">"Life is not waiting for the storm to pass ~ it's learning to dance in the rain."</span>
"Ask,and you will be given; Seek,and you will find; Knock,and the door will be opened.." These doors are also opened when we seek-we are given that choice,it was given to us by God... perhaps StressCenter.com is that open door for a lot of us. Now it's up to us. Blessing, Judy
<span class="ev_code_RED">"Life is not waiting for the storm to pass ~ it's learning to dance in the rain."</span>
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In reading the posts here, it reminds me of a "joke" I heard. It goes like this:
There is a flood, and water is rising very fast. An old man is trapped on his roof and the rain is pouring down. He calls to God and says " Please God save me from the waters!" He then hears a motor boat approaching. A man in the boat says " Hey There! Come to this side of the roof and we will get you into the boat!" The old man says "No I am going to hold on here because the Lord is coming to save me! The rescuer says "Please come over this way! We will save you!" The old man says "No I will be alright!" Slowly the motor boat moved on....The water is still rising...Shortly after the old man hears a helicopter. A rope and swing is lowered down to the old man, and from the helicopter a voice yells down "Get in the swing and we will lift you into the helicopter! We are here to save you! The old man yells "No I will be OK the Lord will save me." The voice says "Get in the swing now - the water is rising fast!" The old man says "No I'm OK!" The helicopter moves on....the water keeps rising...Shortly after the old man dies and goes to Heaven. He is taken to meet with God. The old man says " Lord I called on you and trusted you would save me. Why didn't you come?" God says "What do you mean? You wouldn't get in the boat I sent and you refused to get into the swing to get into the helicopter I ordered! What else could I do?"
The joke tells us that God doesn't always answer our prayers the way we think he will. We should always be vigilant to grasp anything that comes our way which might be of help to us. This Program is helpful for the majority of people who dedicate themselves to reading, studying, and doing what the program tells them to do. It helped me to overcome panic attacks in three weeks. It is still helping me now and I am improving. I have also read several spiritual books which have helped me also. I keep working on getting better. I will not give up, and neither should anyone else.
Have Faith,
Jackie
There is a flood, and water is rising very fast. An old man is trapped on his roof and the rain is pouring down. He calls to God and says " Please God save me from the waters!" He then hears a motor boat approaching. A man in the boat says " Hey There! Come to this side of the roof and we will get you into the boat!" The old man says "No I am going to hold on here because the Lord is coming to save me! The rescuer says "Please come over this way! We will save you!" The old man says "No I will be alright!" Slowly the motor boat moved on....The water is still rising...Shortly after the old man hears a helicopter. A rope and swing is lowered down to the old man, and from the helicopter a voice yells down "Get in the swing and we will lift you into the helicopter! We are here to save you! The old man yells "No I will be OK the Lord will save me." The voice says "Get in the swing now - the water is rising fast!" The old man says "No I'm OK!" The helicopter moves on....the water keeps rising...Shortly after the old man dies and goes to Heaven. He is taken to meet with God. The old man says " Lord I called on you and trusted you would save me. Why didn't you come?" God says "What do you mean? You wouldn't get in the boat I sent and you refused to get into the swing to get into the helicopter I ordered! What else could I do?"
The joke tells us that God doesn't always answer our prayers the way we think he will. We should always be vigilant to grasp anything that comes our way which might be of help to us. This Program is helpful for the majority of people who dedicate themselves to reading, studying, and doing what the program tells them to do. It helped me to overcome panic attacks in three weeks. It is still helping me now and I am improving. I have also read several spiritual books which have helped me also. I keep working on getting better. I will not give up, and neither should anyone else.
Have Faith,
Jackie
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Guest
Sharon Lynn,
Habits are not changed in one week. It takes time to break habits. How much varies with each person. You say that you felt like you were going to die. I've been there also, 40 years ago come this summer. But, I was in my own home and couldn't breathe. It was a panic attack. Feelings are not facts. Feelings are created from our thinking. Thinking creates emotions. If our thinking is unrealistic, our emotions will be also. That's why you and I felt like we were going to die. They're feelings created by unrealistic thinking, nothing more than that. But, I understand that they are real and they make us feel like this is reality that we are going to die. Well, you didn't and I didn't. What does that tell you?
TJT1979's post is excellent. Keep praying, you can't go wrong with prayer. Something to help keep you calm might be of help either over the counter or prescription.
Work the program, challenge the negative thoughts with truth, be loving and compassionate to yourself and over time you will generate new thoughts that will develop new healthy emotions.
Good point by lja also.
Jaybee7,
Good post. That joke is a good illustration of what we ofentimes do. Thankfully God keeps sending messages until we "get it".
Habits are not changed in one week. It takes time to break habits. How much varies with each person. You say that you felt like you were going to die. I've been there also, 40 years ago come this summer. But, I was in my own home and couldn't breathe. It was a panic attack. Feelings are not facts. Feelings are created from our thinking. Thinking creates emotions. If our thinking is unrealistic, our emotions will be also. That's why you and I felt like we were going to die. They're feelings created by unrealistic thinking, nothing more than that. But, I understand that they are real and they make us feel like this is reality that we are going to die. Well, you didn't and I didn't. What does that tell you?
TJT1979's post is excellent. Keep praying, you can't go wrong with prayer. Something to help keep you calm might be of help either over the counter or prescription.
Work the program, challenge the negative thoughts with truth, be loving and compassionate to yourself and over time you will generate new thoughts that will develop new healthy emotions.
Good point by lja also.
Jaybee7,
Good post. That joke is a good illustration of what we ofentimes do. Thankfully God keeps sending messages until we "get it".
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Guest
Thanks everyone for your positive responses and encouragement.
I do know that FEAR is false evidence appearing real; however, during my time in the tunnel I did start out breathing slow and reminding myself I was fine, I was not in harms way, no one was hurting me. When I began having the negative feelings of being smothered etc...I still continued to try and talk positive to myself and it didn't work.
The negative body functions still continued to climb to the point I did pray in my mind for God to help me relax and calm down.
I really do not feel that I had any negative thoughts, but why could I not control my body responses?? I just don't understand that....
Thanks again to everyone for encouragement. I do have my MRI rescheduled, but prior to the appointment I will be taking valium.
"Rocking in the Hammock of Grace"
Sharon Lynn
I do know that FEAR is false evidence appearing real; however, during my time in the tunnel I did start out breathing slow and reminding myself I was fine, I was not in harms way, no one was hurting me. When I began having the negative feelings of being smothered etc...I still continued to try and talk positive to myself and it didn't work.
The negative body functions still continued to climb to the point I did pray in my mind for God to help me relax and calm down.
I really do not feel that I had any negative thoughts, but why could I not control my body responses?? I just don't understand that....
Thanks again to everyone for encouragement. I do have my MRI rescheduled, but prior to the appointment I will be taking valium.
"Rocking in the Hammock of Grace"
Sharon Lynn
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Guest
Like I say, I think it takes time for new thoughts to become effective. It doesn't happen over night or a week for most of us. You will know and recognize it when it happens. You can tell yourself what you should and your mind and body still will not respond until the new thinking starts to take hold in your beliefs and your emotions. It takes time.
I would guess some of this is in your subconscious also, and the same applies. It takes time for it to work into the subconscious. It was months before I began to notice my self-talk making a differnce and it was over 3 years from the time I began working the program before I was able to go off of anti-anxiety meds.
There are also chemical reactions occuring within your brain from the old thinking habits and it will take time for the new thinking to stop those reactions and create new ones. That's my take on it. You are not the first one to ask this question.
I would guess some of this is in your subconscious also, and the same applies. It takes time for it to work into the subconscious. It was months before I began to notice my self-talk making a differnce and it was over 3 years from the time I began working the program before I was able to go off of anti-anxiety meds.
There are also chemical reactions occuring within your brain from the old thinking habits and it will take time for the new thinking to stop those reactions and create new ones. That's my take on it. You are not the first one to ask this question.
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Guest
Don I would like to first thank you for your thoughts on this subject. I also feel that God's blessing and this program has helped me to find myself and I am so thankful for His intervention. I think he has blessed me and therefore I must let his glory shine. I too think it is up to us to keep rememberance of His glory.
Sharon, I ask for blessings to you for even trying the MRI again. I am not sure I have the strength as you, and I am thankful for you being the example to us in a time like this. I pray it will go well for you.
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Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
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Now it's your turn
Begin your "Joy Journal" by recording the daily blessings He gives you each day. Remember to add the "small" miracles as well as the "large" ones. At the end of the week, have a private praise service -- just you and God. Thank Him for His presence and power at work in your life.
from: crosswalk.com
Sharon, I ask for blessings to you for even trying the MRI again. I am not sure I have the strength as you, and I am thankful for you being the example to us in a time like this. I pray it will go well for you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now it's your turn
Begin your "Joy Journal" by recording the daily blessings He gives you each day. Remember to add the "small" miracles as well as the "large" ones. At the end of the week, have a private praise service -- just you and God. Thank Him for His presence and power at work in your life.
from: crosswalk.com
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Guest
Sharon, when you go for your MRI, take a dampened wash cloth in a plastic bag and place in over your eyes before you go in the "tunnel" - also many MRI labs will provide you with music, ask if they have that available. Trust me, I have been there! The first time, I went in and came out, took xanax and went back in with a towel over my entire face. Since then I have had several MRI's - just as long as I have my washcloth or towel over my face, I do fine. And remember - you can get out at any time. I pray it will go well with you. Blessings, Judy
<span class="ev_code_RED">"Life is not waiting for the storm to pass ~ it' learning to dance in the rain."</span>
<span class="ev_code_RED">"Life is not waiting for the storm to pass ~ it' learning to dance in the rain."</span>
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