Stretch your faith

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 4:44 pm

Originally posted by manofmusic:
I don't think that I've ever really prayed before, but what I would like is to truly be grateful for everything in my life, to not be so self-centered. I really have the best family and friends, but I've never really acknowledged that before. Money is tight for me as well, and I wouldn't mind a few $$$ to make sure I can cover the mortgage this month. Over the past few weeks, I've really began to understand what's important and what's not. Thanks for starting this thread Charlie Brown.

You're welcome, manofmusic.

Nothing like the present to start to acknowledge for what you have, especially family and friends. You are definitely blessed. So many people have no family or friends, or family and friends they're really not close to. This espeically is hard for those folks, with what the holidays coming up. Many people are going to spend them alone.

Alot of people due to economic crunch have also started understanding what's important and what's not.

When I give thanks, I always try to remember to include the basics: two hands, two feet, five senses, the ability to walk and talk, etc. There are people missing limbs, sick in hospitals, don't have enough to eat, etc. I don't want to take these things for granted.

I remember saying: I wept because I had no shoes and then I saw a man with no feet.

Good night.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 3:53 am

Thank you so much for starting this thread. I have been having a major flare up of anxiety/scary and obessessive thinking this last week or so. Things have been amazing hectic here in my house. My children had the H1N1 flu and Thank God have recovered and gone back to school. I however, have not been feeling physically quite right lately. I think that's why my anxiety is through the roof.

Well I had a what if moment about the past and I was like here we go again with this "junk thinking". The past is always where I usually go when I start obessessing. Well something told me to log on here and look what I found this wonderful thread.

HE wants each of us to trust in HIM and you did exactly that by stopping and giving that concern to God!!! Once we give something to God, it belongs to HIM, so, we do NOT ever go back and pick up that old worry, since, by doing so we stop trusting and begin relying on our own selves, once again!!!

This is just what I needed to read. God is so good to me. He led me right to this.

Thank you once again for this thread. It is so inspiring and motivating. Take care and God Bless.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 4:18 am

To bna,

Take extra good care of yourself. I just got over the H1N1. It's been 15 days. I'm still a bit weak, but with nurishment, I feel better as the day goes on.

To Charlie Brown,

I will learn to be grateful for everything. It will take time, I may slip here and there, but I will learn to be grateful for family, friends, people on this forum, etc. I hope all is going good with you too.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 11:53 am

Hi bna,

Glad to hear your children have recovered. Hope you're feeling better. Stress and hectic events can definitely cause obsessive scary thoughts to spike. My friend suffered those thoughts 2001-2003. In 2002, his father died after a heart attack. When he had to clean out his father's place after work by himself, his scary thoughts went through the sky.

I know what you mean about junk thinking. If this was career, I would be CEO, President, COO, and CFO.

Glad you like the thread.

Hey manofmusic,

Hope you're feeling better too. Don't worry about slipping. It's a process. I could also put "slipping" on my resume.

Thanks for asking. I forget where I heard it, but I learned of a statement focusing on Jesus than the problem. I have started doing this by looking at a drawing of Christ and thinking about Him.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 2:13 pm

Thanks, Charlie Brown, I will try every day. Here's another side of my irrational behaviour... I was sick with the flu the past 2 weeks. I should be grateful to have a job, but I'm terrified to go back to work tomorrow. I've never felt so scared. I don't know why. I talked to my boss on the phone yesterday and he told me to stay home today to get completely better.....but I'm still terrified to go in tomorrow. I'll toss and turn all night and I'll wake up tired. (How's THAT for a self-fulfilling prophecy). I need to learn to calm down and let whatever happens happen, I know, but I have such a tough time with that. I also know that I could lose my job at any given time. It's one vicious cycle !

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 4:00 pm

Maybe you're afraid that won't believe your sick? I'm just taking a guess.

When I worked, even before the economy tanking last year, I was concerned either there would be disbelief on the part of my supervisor that I was really sick, and/or I was concerned it was a day out of work even though it was valid. I got doctor's notes as often as possible. I am a firm believer showing proof of illness when not in work.

I think I remember Lucinda talking about folks with anxiety and depression like being in control. I am guilty as charged

. The desire to be in control often conflicts with putting faith in God. Been there; know it

. Still learning. When I see the bank account going down, I have to stand on "He will provide."

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 11:40 am

That could be one thing. I went to work today and after about 3 hours, I was in a routine again. One of my problems is that I'm afraid to fail. I'm in a pretty high pressure business. The bosses I've had (including where I am now) are very hyper. I feel dumb when they talk to me. I know I'm not dumb, but it seems that it's easier for me to believe the bad stuff. I need to work on that as well. It's really tough for me to do that though. The problem is that I feel so out of control.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 3:11 am

Yeah, I know about hyper (or worse) bosses. I have had to deal with low self esteem since childhood and when they talk I feel also feel dumb.

Glad you got back into a routine.

I too also am afraid to fail at work. Not for the low self esteem. I just don't want to hear the boss' bellyaching. This, for me, inspires fear of getting fired and also underscores how I don't like a job situation. (I want to be a business owner, one reason is not to have someone over my shoulder pointing out my errors and asking "why didn't you...?")

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 11:01 am

Low self-esteem is a big one for me too (since childhood.) My boss started up again today (maybe he has low self esteem). He came up to me and said that I screwed stuff up and then told me that he never said to do things a certain way when in fact he did. It's so frustrating. I'm sick and tired of coming home angry. It's a complete waste of a night ! That's something else I need to work on. Like you, I've also thought about working for myself at home. I'm not stupid (despite how I feel around certain people). Maybe that could be a goal for next year. All I know is that things really need to change.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 2:49 pm

And of course you cannot tell your boss he told you to do it his way otherwise you risk losing your job.

How about this one. I have very mild asthma but in 2007 I was out lot from work from it. (Now in hind sight I am not sure if it was asthma and/or anxiety. Chest tightness, a symptom for both illnesses, was the main culprit.) My boss at the time had a sister's whose asthma was so bad she almost died from it. He started getting on my case for being out because of asthma. He even projected how many times I would be out for the year and that was "not acceptable."

Man (pun intended, :p), I was just like you with that job and the most recent one: I came home angry. I was never violent to my wife or anyone else, but I would get easily aggravated and maybe slam an inaminate object during the first 30-60 minutes I was home. She felt bad for me, especially if I told her if the day was crappy. We couldn't figure it until the waning days of my last gig.

Why wait til next year (even though it's over a month away)? Start looking into a business now. (Just a suggestion.) You're actually in a better position than me. You are working. Starting a business while already employed is better.