The Valley of Vision, a collection of Puritan prayers and devotions, edited by Arthur Bennett.

Dear Reader, 

Thank you for stopping by. 

Recently, I bought a copy of the book "The Valley of Vision", a collection of Puritan prayers and devotions, edited by Arthur Bennett, from Amazon. It is a very encouraging collection of prayers. 

The first prayer itself is entitled "The Valley of Vision" and really uplifting. Below, is what I read:

THE VALLEY OF VISION

LORD, HIGH AND HOLY, MEEK AND LOWLY,

Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,

    where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;

    hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox

    that the way down is the way up,

    that to be low is to be high,

    that the broken heart is the healed heart,

    that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,

    that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,

    that to have nothing is to possess all,

    that to bear the cross it to wear the crown,

    that to give is to receive,

    that the valley is the place of vision.

Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from the deepest wells,

    and the deeper the wells the brighter thy stars shine;

Let me find thy light in my darkness,

                    thy joy in my sorrow,

                    thy grace in my sin,

                    thy riches in my poverty,

                    thy glory in my valley.

Hope the above puritan prayer has been an encouragement to you, just as it is to me. 

May you be blessed by God's Words!

If you are in Singapore and looking for a Church or a Reformed Church in Singapore, do come and visit my Church, Pilgrim Covenant Church (PCC): https://pilgrim-covenant.com/

Thank you for stopping by. Have a blessed day! 

Best Regards,

Nancie 

4 April 2025

Helping someone with mood disorder

Taken from the website of Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA).

Mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder (also known as manic-depression) affect millions of people. Their family members and friends are affected too. If someone you love has a mood disorder, you may be feeling helpless, overwhelmed, confused and hopeless, or you may feel hurt, angry, frustrated and resentful. You may also have feelings of guilt, shame and isolation, or feelings of sadness, exhaustion and fear. All of these feelings are normal.

What you need to know:

• Your loved one’s illness is not your fault (or your loved one’s fault).
• You can’t make your loved one well, but you can offer support, understanding and hope.
• Each person experiences a mood disorder differently, with different symptoms.
• The best way to find out what your loved one needs from you is by asking direct questions.

What you need to find out:

• Contact information (including emergency numbers) for your loved one's doctor, therapist, and psychiatrist, your local hospital, and trusted friends and family members who can help in a crisis.
• Whether you have permission to discuss your loved one's treatment with his or her doctors, and if not, what you need to do to get permission.
• The treatments and medications your loved one is receiving, any special dosage instructions and any needed changes in diet or activity.
• The most likely warning signs of a worsening manic or depressive episode (words and behaviors) and what you can do to help.
• What kind of day-to-day help you can offer, such as doing housework or grocery shopping.

When talking with your loved one's health care providers, be patient, polite and assertive. Ask for clarification of things you do not understand. Write down things you need to remember.

What you can say that helps:

• You are not alone in this. I’m here for you.
• I understand you have a real illness and that’s what causes these thoughts and feelings.
• You may not believe it now, but the way you’re feeling will change.
• I may not be able to understand exactly how you feel, but I care about you and want to help.
• When you want to give up, tell yourself you will hold on for just one more day, hour, minute - whatever you can manage.
• You are important to me. Your life is important to me.
• Tell me what I can do now to help you.
• I am here for you. We will get through this together.

What you should avoid saying:

• It’s all in your head.
• We all go through times like this.
• You’ll be fine. Stop worrying.
• Look on the bright side.
• You have so much to live for; why do you want to die?
• I can’t do anything about your situation.
• Just snap out of it.
• Stop acting crazy.
• What’s wrong with you?
• Shouldn’t you be better by now?

Download a quick guide to "What Helps and What Hurts" here.

Some people are able to stabilize quickly after starting treatment; others take longer and need to try several treatments, medications or medication combinations before they feel better. Talk therapy can be helpful for managing symptoms during this time.

If your friend or family member is facing treatment challenges, the person needs your support and patience more than ever. Education can help you both find out all the options that are available and decide whether a second opinion is needed. Help your loved one to take medication as prescribed, and don’t assume the person isn’t following the treatment plan just because he or she isn’t feeling 100% better.

There is hope:

As a friend or family member of someone who is coping with bipolar disorder or depression, your support is an important part of working toward wellness. Don’t give up hope. Treatment for mood disorders does work, and the majority of people with mood disorders can return to stable and productive lives. Keep working with your loved one and his or her health care providers to find treatments that work, and keep reminding your loved one that you are there for support.

page created: May 3, 2006

page updated: November 2, 2006

(First posted here on 12 Feb 2008)

If you are in Singapore and looking for a Church or a Reformed Church in Singapore, do come and visit my Church, Pilgrim Covenant Church (PCC): https://pilgrim-covenant.com/. 

Thank you for stopping by! May God bless you.

Regards,
Nancie
12 Feb 2008