mental health Archives - Page 7 of 30 - Turning the Page on Suicide

Posts Categorized: mental health

When Your Thoughts Are a Horror Film

Posted October 2, 2018 | Karisa Moore

My heart staggers; fear makes me tremble. The twilight of my desire has turned to horror.
Isaiah 21:4 NIV

Turning My Page

Awoke this morning to images of my dead son. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does sometimes I can move my brain to dwell on God’s goodness. Other times I cannot.

God planted some new book ideas last night. A great blessing. But, this new, potential series takes me back to those first days, and once those cataloged images are opened some unwanted ones come with it. So what do I do when my thoughts are uncontrollable?

Take my thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ.
- Meditate on scriptures
- Speak truth over my thoughts
  - I was up late discussing my son
  - Made connections with other men and women who have similar stories
  - Was encouraged by their stories
  - Walked away with ideas for new books
Share my struggle with my support team
Pray
Pour out my complaint before God.
- Lord, I am struggling with my thoughts this morning. I acknowledge that I want Jonathan alive and here. He is not. What do you want me to learn from my son’s death? Is there anything I need to see differently in light of your love? Father, the enemy seeks to destroy my rest and trust in you. Guide my heart and mind to your truth that I may share your trustworthiness in a deeper way. Amen.
Repeat
- Sometimes a spirit of fear does not leave easily or quickly. Does a lion just quit when she doesn’t get her prey on the first try? We have an enemy seeking to devour us, and our thoughts are a place he will pursue relentlessly because they are the stronghold of God.
Fortify my weakened soul.
Rest
Be careful what I watch
Drink plenty of water
Spend time with family and friends

Turning Your Page

You cannot always help where thoughts may go in grief. But, you do not have to stay there.

What are your current thoughts revealing?
How can you develop the mind of Christ in your difficult circumstances?
Who is your support team? Reach out, make them aware of your struggle.

Father, take my thoughts and align them with your truth. Calm my mind and let me rest in the truth that I am yours. Amen

Redeemed Refuse

Posted June 2, 2018 | Karisa Moore

I thought i was re-fuse

garbage for one to recycle

at best, and reject

at worst. But You re-purpose

me, shape my redemption

into refined reality.

Love Shaped Sorrow

Posted May 8, 2018 | Karisa Moore

Your suicide left my soul

deep within smothering grief,

stiffening clay against purpose.

But God worked his tears

into my sorrow, softening

bitternessÂ with his love.

Forming from this cherished clay

a testimony of love, joy, and peace

for those tempted to despair.

When Words Don’t Come

Posted April 18, 2018 | Karisa Moore

Scripture:

Exodus 4:15Â 5“You are to speakÂ to him and putÂ the wordsÂ in his mouth;Â and I, even I, will be with your mouthÂ and his mouth,Â and I will teachÂ you whatÂ you are to do...

Devotional:

Y’all might have noticed that I’ve been rather erraticÂ in my posting. Moses,Â whomÂ God is addressing in this scripture,Â waited 40 years to set the Hebrews free. He is in the palace, a perfect position! But when he thinks hisÂ opportunity has finally arrived heÂ gets the calling very wrong. He sets only one person free through murder . . . nope, not God’s plan. So Moses flees and then waits another 40 years to be ready to return to Egypt to set God’s people free. While I don’t think God is going to make me wait as long to continue writing he definitely has me in a holding pattern.

A twofold dynamic is at play. One, I have few words currently surfacing, and two, my family needs my full attention. Several health issues have arisen and are needing quite a lot of appointments. Every time I sit down to write the words don’t come. And that is okay.

We need to relax in silent periods. Writing is my God-given gift of expression, I am secure in his purpose. If he is not putting the words into my mouth, I am quite sure he has a good reason. I trust him with this new leg of the journey, and besides, there have been joyous developments that I will get to share with you very soon.

When we are operatingÂ in the will of God, mighty things happen, even if we can’t do the very thing he calls us to do. The reason? God is good and faithfully maturing us to accomplish HisÂ will. It can become easy for me toÂ lean hard into my own understanding of his purpose, but when I wait patiently on God, amazing things happen!

Trust that he loves to give you good things. Are you feeling flusteredÂ because a clear calling seems to be thwarted at every turn?Â Â Look back at the pattern he has established in your life. Is he growing you? Does he have a different road for you to take? Is he addressing a stumblingÂ block?

Burning bushes often lead to our greatest conflicts, but when we wait patiently, weÂ also witness spectacular displays of God’s sovereignty,Â provision, and salvationÂ for many. I will joyously wait to lead His freedom march across the Red Sea.

Prayer:

Lord, you are preparing me for good things. I trust yourÂ direction. Address the stumbling blocks in my way. I see you tackling myÂ fears, teaching me to trust you completely. Thank you for reminding me that your plan is good, even when detoured in a different direction.Â Amen

Keep Hoping Because . . .

Posted March 30, 2018 | Karisa Moore

Frostbit by fear

I keep feeling

Dented by doubt

I keep driving

Â Â Â Burnt by bitternessÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â I keep believing

Â Â Â Taunted by trialsÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â I keep trusting

Supported by scripture

I keep standing

because .Â .Â .

Condemned by cross

You kept carrying

Lifted by liars

You kept loving

Revealed by resurrection

You keep redeeming

Spring in Februrary

Posted February 21, 2018 | Karisa Moore

Writing/ Photography Prompt: Spring in February

Psalm 68:9Â You shed abroad a plentiful rain, O God; You confirmed Your inheritance when it was parched.

This has been a long depressing winter for many of us. There has been a lot of evil rearing its head, thinking that lives taken end the story. Let’s prove our enemy wrong. Find signs of spring in a photograph, poem, or both. Pingback to this link so that we may encourageÂ and remember that our sorrows last for but a while.

Starting Place

Posted February 19, 2018 | Karisa Moore

i didnâ€™t know this

was my starting place

until You ended myÂ suffering.

This yanking war of soul and flesh

Soothed to peace by Your sacrifice.

I became a fledgling paragraph developing purpose

in the womb of just one word

hope

Dressing in Delight: Changing our Outlook on Life

Posted February 16, 2018 | Karisa Moore

Numbers 6:25Â The LORD make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you;Â 26The LORDÂ liftÂ up His countenanceÂ on you, And giveÂ you peace.’Â

Playing dress up was not on my agenda yesterday. I have been battling a cold that is moving in and picking out curtains. To say I was miserable yesterday is an understatement . . . I was even second guessing going out on the planned date with my husband.

But, grandparents arrived to watch the kids and I prepared to leave, such as I am. . . enter Natalie. “Can I pick out your dress?” Dress . . . I was doing well to get out of the house in jeans and a nicer shirt. But, sigh, who can resist a pretty little redhead with big brown eyes who just got to be her daddy’s princess at the Father-Daughter Dance. So dress up it is.

Dancing the night away!

A funny thing happened when I put on the dress. I perked up. I laughed and was more in the mood to go out. Not even daddy escaped the wardrobe fairy. He was transformed into dress pants, my favorite of his blue shirts and a tie put it all together. We even took a picture, just as she and he did for their dance. All because a little girl expected elegance for ourÂ date.

There is something about putting on a different attitude in the circumstances we are in that can help change the course and pattern of our lives.Â When we put on grace, forgiveness, or gratitude that can replace the rags of depression, hatred, and unforgiveness. It doesn’t just happen. We must grab those downward spiraling thoughts and pull them back up out of the pit. Sometimes we need someone to come in and say, ‘You aren’t going out dressed like that!’

Keep those smiles looking good.

Make a date this week and then dress, not based on feelings, but on the event planned for.

Some suggestions that perk me up:

A hikeÂ in the woods
Out with your spouse
Coffee with a friend
Trampoline with kids (impossible not to giggle)
A local band
Photography
Art class
Surprise me

I would love to hear how your date went. What did you talk about? Where did you go? What was your favorite moment? Did you find your countenance improved?

Seeing Through the Pain: Message of Hope

Posted January 20, 2018 | Karisa Moore

Luke 12:22Â Then Jesus said to his disciples:Â â€œTherefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.Â 23Â For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.Â 24Â Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!Â 25Â Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?Â 26Â Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

Dear Page Turners,

A little goldfinch visited today. I am quite sure she was at my window a year ago, her strange behavior the same. She is more interested in what is going on inside our house than anything outside. She sits, looking directly at me, tilting her head. Then she lands on the sill to get a closer look. Neither the barking dog, nor the kids frighten her away.

She is a love note from God. Love notes are moments when God does something that wows me! Iâ€™ve received many of them throughout the years, but this was extra special because it reached through the haze I walk through these days and stirred my heart. My problems are deep and many layered, but God’s is faithful.

She sat there looking at and declaring with every little twitch of her head. â€œHe loves you, he values you, and he is providing for you.” She spent about an hour with me her last visit, but I easily dismissed the visit as a passing “interesting” moment until she returned today.

How quickly I can forget He loves me, when the mess of the years problems seem insurmountable. Having her suddenly appear as I walked into the office took my breath away. God knew I needed to be reminded of hope. He knew that I was struggling in my exhaustion to even look for his many provisions for my family. So he made his promise clear through my little feathered example.

Are you soured by circumstances? Cynical about the knowledge that God is good, because all you see and feel is bad? Frantically scrambling to fix whatever is wrong in your life? Come to the window with me. Look at a little bird whose only thought today was to serve her master in a big way.

May I be that little bird for you. Tapping on your heart to remind you that God sees and values you, and he is very much in the midst of your loneliness, your despair, and your prayers!

Love,

Karisa

When Words Fail: Laugh

Posted September 6, 2017 | Karisa Moore

Proverbs 17:22Â A joyfulÂ heartÂ is goodÂ medicine,Â But a brokenÂ spiritÂ driesÂ up the bones.Â

Words have been failing me lately. Literally. I try to respond in conversation and I can’t bring what I want to say to mind, or I’m talking about cooking and “cat” comes out. Imagery and laughter aside, it is quite frustrating for a wordsmith to be silenced. So, since laughter is good medicine and the kids and I have been creating an abundance of jokes . . . here are a few of my favorites.

Why are suckers always singing? Answer: Because they are covered in rappers.

Why don’t musicians like the police?Â Answer: Because they place you under a-rest. (Daniel original)

What note can a car tire play? Answer:Â B flat

Who gets in trouble more, a football player, or figure skater?Â Answer: A figure skater, because they are always skating on thin ice.

Cultivate laughter, plant it in the lives around you and watch joy grow.

Posts Categorized: mental health

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