Lesson 3: How to Overcome Depression

Here's the list from the seminar entitled "Individual Counseling Issues" sponsored by Counseling Ministries of the Day by Day Christian Ministries.

How to Overcome Depression
1. Spend time with others-don't isolate yourself. They say go to public places like malls and parks so that you can feel that you are not alone. You can see and hear people.

2. Find network of Support. A family, friends, church or counselors, so that they can give good sound advice because they are the one who is really concern to you.

3. Keep physically fit. Exercise is an excellent natural way to combat depression.

4. Discipline our thoughts. Depression can usually be traced to negative thinking. So stop negative thoughts, trust in GOD and Pray!

"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:29 NIV)

5. Put on your thinking cap and try to figure out the cause of your depression. it may change your habit or change your lifestyle.

6. Just come out of your hectic schedule, slow down and relax.

7. Nutrition has an important effect on your mental state. Take vitamins that rich in B-complex and Amino Acid, they said it helps your vitality and brain.

8. Accept your human frailty: You are not perfect.

9. Do one thing at a time. Say no to multi-tasking or minimize your tasks.

10. Live for today, Hope for the moment.

WHO AM I?

I am the salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13)
I am the light of the world (Matt. 5:14)
I am a child of God (John 1:12). I am part of the true vine, a channel of Christ's life (John 15:1,5).
I am Christ's friend (John 15:5)
I am chosen and appointed by Christ to bear His fruit (John 15:16).
I am a slave of righteousness (Rom. 6:18).
I am enslaved to God (Rom. 6:22).
I am a son of God; God is spiritually my Father (Rom. 8:14, 15; Gal. 4:6).
I am a joint heir with Christ, sharing His inheritance with Him (Rom. 8:17).
I am a temple - a dwelling place - of God. His spirit and His life dwells in me (1Cor.3:16; 6:19).
I am united to the Lord and am one spirit with Him. (1Cor. 6:17)
I am a member of Christ's Body (1 Cor. 12:27; Eph. 5:30);
I am a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17).
I am reconciled to God and am minister of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18, 19)
I am a son of God and one in Christ (Gal. 3: 26, 28)
I am an heir of God since I am a son of God (Gal. 4:6.7)
I am a saint (Eph. 1:1; 1Cor.1:2; Phil. 1:1; Col.1:2)
I am God's workmanship - His handwork - born a new in Christ to do His work (Eph. 2:10).
I am fellow citizen with the rest of God's family (Eph. 2:19).
I am a prisoner of Christ (Eph. 3:1; 4:1).
I am righteous and holy (Eph. 4:24).
I am a citizen of heaven (Phil. 3:20; Eph. 2:6).
I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3).
I am an expression of the life of Christ because He is my life (Col. 3:4).
I am chosen of God, holy and dearly loved (Col. 3:12; 1 Thess. 1:4).
I am a son of light and not of darkness (1Thess. 5:5).
I am a holy partaker of heavenly calling (Heb. 3:1).
I am one of God's living stones, being built up in Christ as a spiritual house (1 Pet. 2:5).
I am a member of a chosen race, a royal priesthood a holy nation, a people of God's own possession (1 Pet. 2:9, 10).
I am an alien and stranger to this world on which I temporarily live. (1 Pet. 2:11).
I am an enemy of the devil (1 Pet. 5:8).
I am a child of God and I will resemble Christ when He returns (1 John 3:1,2).
I am born of God, and the evil one - the devil - cannot touch me (1 John 5:18).
I am not the great "I am" (Exod. 3:14; John 8:24, 28, 58), but the grace of God, I am what I am (1 Cor. 15:10).

Indescribable

Indescribable Lyrics
Song by Chris Tomlin

From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea
Creation's revealing Your majesty
From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring
Every creature unique in the song that it sings
All exclaiming

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God

Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go
Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow
Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light
Yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night
None can fathom

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God
You are amazing God

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God
Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
Incomparable, unchangeable
You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same
You are amazing God
You are amazing God

--------------------

When I was listening & surfing through the worship songs I was suddenly struck by this one, specially the line "You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same." It really describe Our God's love for us and He is really an Awesome... Amazing... Indescribable... Incomparable... Unchangeable... All powerful... GOD!!!

here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-zJHgaoVa4&feature=related

Lesson 2: Characteristics of a Person with a Good Self-Image

Here is the second part of our seminar regarding Issues of life...

A person with a good self-image will display these characteristics:

1. He feels comfortable about himself

2. He is not overwhelmed by his own emotions-his fears, anger, love, jealousy or worries.
a. He can take life’s disappointment as they come.
b. He can have a tolerant attitude himself as well as others.

3. He can laugh at himself.
a. He neither underestimates nor overestimates his abilities.
b. He can accept his shortcomings.
c. He has self-respect.
d. He can deal with most situations that come his way.
e. He can get satisfaction from simple, everyday pleasures

4. He feels right about other people.
a. He is able to give love and to consider the interest of others.
b. He has personal relationships that are satisfying and lasting.
c. He respects the differences he finds in people.
d. He does not push people around. He does not allow himself to be pushed around.
e. He can feel a part of group.
f. He feels a sense of responsibility to his neighbors and fellowmen.

5. He is able to meet the demands of life.
a. He welcomes new experiences new ideas.
b. He makes use of his natural capacities to do things.
c. He sets realistic goals for himself.
d. He is able to think for himself and make his own decisions.
e. He puts his best effort into what he does and gets satisfaction from it.

Are you a person with a Good Self-Image or Good Self-Esteem?

One Sperm Cell

This story is shared by our speaker during the seminar, it's so funny but this really true.
We all know that the baby is formed through the union of sperm cell and egg cell, isn't it? And we also know that in the creation of the baby we need just one egg cell which comes from the mother and one sperm cell from the father. The sperm cell as our science teacher taught in our science class: it is million of sperm cells that swim through the egg and only one has the chance to enter and eventually form into a fetus and become a baby after.
Our speaker said that you are that one sperm cell that formed into a full-blown man, imagine there are a lot of sperm cell and only you form into a man, you already won in that race!
So, who said that you are a loser? where in fact you become a winner first!
Lovely story isn't it?

Lesson 1: Self-Esteem

In the seminar, self-esteem is the value a person on himself. It's also the same with the way you value other people.

When Jesus said, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Mat. 22:39)

He declared two important truths: the worth of every individual, and the necessity of loving self as well as others.
It is a sin not esteem that which God considers his choice creation-man.

Self-esteem is necessary to adequately love others.

Reason for Low Self-Esteem

1. Feeling of guilt about sins, real or imaginary, convince some that they are worthless.

2. Never having experienced love in the home as a child makes it difficult for one to highly esteem himself.

3. Some people do not understand themselves. One cannot highly esteem someone he does not know. One is afraid to find out what kind of person he really is. He fears that he will discover that he is failure in one or more areas.

4. A person is affected by the uncertainties of life. Some of these are:
a.) Childhood problems in the home.
b.) The trauma of adolescence. There is no definite time when one moves from
childhood to adulthood.
c.) The uncertainties of educational opportunities.
d.) Security a suitable marriage partner for life.
e.) The problem of what one does when he retires.
f.) The reality of impending death.

5. A person is influenced by permissiveness. Sex barriers are lowered. There is lack of Justice in punishment for crimes. Discipline is forgotten or misdirected in the homes. Lack of respect for the home, property and rights of others is comprised.

Individual Counseling Issues

I wanted to share with you the seminar that I attended last Sunday in our church entitled "Individual Counseling Issues", the seminar have 12 sessions, we are now on our second. What really hits me is the topic, since it will be very beneficial to me and very timely. It primarily centered on self-esteem, which I think everyone of us needed badly, since we bombarded with negative thoughts around us

this blog!

I want to dedicate this blog to my journey as a Christian. I hope and I pray that this will be a way out to God's Glory!. Be blessed!