The Faithfulness of Divine Love because the Lord is my Shepherd

Dear Friends,

Thanks for stopping by my Fearfully Fabulous Friday and Then Sing My Souls Saturday.

For Fearfully Fabulous Friday I wish to share this encouraging portion from CH Spurgeon's devotional, Morning and Evening, February 28, Evening.

The Faithfulness of Divine Love

“The barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah.” 1 Kings 17:16

See the faithfulness of divine love. You observe that this woman had daily necessities.

She had herself and her son to feed in a time of famine; and now, in addition, the prophet Elijah was to be fed too. But though the need was threefold, yet the supply of meal wasted not, for she had a constant supply. Each day she made calls upon the barrel, but yet each day it remained the same.

You, dear reader, have daily necessities, and because they come so frequently, you are apt to fear that the barrel of meal will one day be empty, and the cruse of oil will fail you. Rest assured that, according to the Word of God, this shall not be the case. Each day, though it bring its trouble, shall bring its help; and though you should live to outnumber the years of Methuselah, and though your needs should be as many as the sands of the seashore, yet shall God’s grace and mercy last through all your necessities, and you shall never know a real lack.

For three long years, in this widow’s days, the heavens never saw a cloud, and the stars never wept a holy tear of dew upon the wicked earth: famine, and desolation, and death, made the land a howling wilderness, but this woman never was hungry, but always joyful in abundance.

So shall it be with you. You shall see the sinner’s hope perish, for he trusts his native strength; you shall see the proud Pharisee’s confidence totter, for he builds his hope upon the sand; you shall see even your own schemes blasted and withered, but you yourself shall find that your place of defence shall be the munition of rocks: “Your bread shall be given you, and your water shall be sure.”

Better have God for your guardian, than the Bank of England for your possession. You might spend the wealth of the Indies, but the infinite riches of God you can never exhaust.

In the midst of much economic uncertainties, natural disasters and afflicting illnesses, thank God that we can rest in the faithfulness of His Divine Love!


For Then Sing My Souls Saturday I am sharing this "The Lord is My Shepherd" video which is posted on YouTube. This is one of my favorite Psalm and I am reminded of it daily now. Thank God that the Lord Jesus Christ is our Shepherd and we shall not want/lack!

Psalm 23 (Scottish Metrical Psalter)

1 The Lord's my shepherd, I'll not want.
2 He makes me down to lie
In pastures green: he leadeth me
the quiet waters by.

3 My soul he doth restore again;
and me to walk doth make
Within the paths of righteousness,
ev'n for his own name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk in death's dark vale,
yet will I fear none ill:
For thou art with me; and thy rod
and staff me comfort still.

5 My table thou hast furnished
in presence of my foes;
My head thou dost with oil anoint,
and my cup overflows.

6 Goodness and mercy all my life
shall surely follow me:
And in God's house for evermore
my dwelling-place shall be.

May the knowledge that the Lord is our Shepherd and He will provide for all our needs brings peace, comfort and assurance to us everyday as we look to Him, Who loved us and gave His life for us.

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever." Psalm 23:6

Thanks for stopping by. Hope you have a blessed weekend!

For more participants of Fearfully Fabulous Friday, do visit Jill.

For more participants of Then Sing My Souls Saturday, do visit Amy Wyatt.

Psalm 23
(King James Bible)

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Out of the depths

Dear Friends,

Thanks for stopping by my Fearfully Fabulous Friday and Then Sing My Souls Saturday.




Great grief prays with great earnestness. Prayer is not a collection of balanced phrases; it is the pouring out of the soul. What is love if it be not fiery? What are prayers if the heart be not ablaze? They are the battles of the soul. In them men wrestle with principalities and powers...The prayer that prevails is not the work of lips and fingertips. It is the cry of a broken heart and the travail of a stricken soul. ...Samuel Chadwick

Psalm 130
Scottish Metrical Psalm

1  Lord, from the depths to thee I cried.
2     My voice, Lord, do thou hear:
Unto my supplication's voice
give an attentive ear.

3  Lord, who shall stand, if thou, O Lord,
should'st mark iniquity?
4  But yet with thee forgiveness is,
that feared thou mayest be.

5  I wait for God, my soul doth wait,
my hope is in his word.
6  More than they that for morning watch,
my soul waits for the Lord;

I say, more than they that do watch
the morning light to see.
7  Let Israel hope in the Lord,
for with him mercies be;

And plenteous redemption
is ever found with him.
8  And from all his iniquities
he Isr'el shall redeem.

This video is posted on YouTube:



May you continue to know God mercies and grace in very special ways today and everyday!

Thanks for stopping by. Hope you have a blessed weekend!

For more participants of Fearfully Fabulous Friday, do visit Jill.

For more participants of Then Sing My Souls Saturday, do visit Amy Wyatt.

Come unto me...and I will give you rest

Dear Friends,

For this week, I am adding my Thankful Thursday to Word-Filled Wednesday in order to share the same picture and verse with my Thankful Thursday's friends.


Matthew 11

28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.


♥ Thank God that we can go to Him whenever we are heavy laden, and He gives us peace and rest!

♥ Thank God that He is sovereignly in control of all things. And this time of great uncertainties with the hurricane, tornadoes, other natural disasters, sicknesses, financial crisis, etc all over the world, we can go to Him with all our cares and anxieties and find rest in Him.

"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

♥ Let us pray for all those that are affected by the hurricane, tornadoes, other natural disasters, sicknesses, financial crisis, etc all over the world, that they may come to know our Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord in this time of great needs. May God protect, provide and comfort His people who are affected by these.

♥ I am thankful to God that my review with my Doctor went very well yesterday. Thank God that so far my condition is stable and my Doctor is pleased with the progress. Thank God for providing me with a compassionate, caring and kind Doctor who is doing all her best to help me learn to manage my condition. Thank you for all your prayers and encouragements.

♥ I thank God for my family, church, friends and every one of you my blogging friends and visitors.

May you find rest in God's love, mercies and faithfulness in whatever you may go through today and every day :)

For more Word-Filled Wednesday participants, do visit Amy at The 160 Acre Woods. It will be a very blessed and encouraging experience for you.

For more participants of Thankful Thursday, do visit Iris at Sting My Heart.

Thank you for stopping by. Thanks for your prayers and encouragements. Hope you have a blessed day!

Thankful Thursday

Dear Friends,

Thanks for stopping by!

♥ I am thankful to God that He has promised to give us rest when we go to Him with our troubles, sorrows, pains, burdens, etc.

Thank God that we can go to Him whenever we are heavy laden, and He gives us peace and rest!

May you find rest in God's love, mercies and faithfulness in many wonderful ways daily :)



May you know God's love and care in very special ways today and everyday!

How about you? How has the Lord blessed you through the past week?

Thanks for stopping by. Hope you have a blessed and thankful day!

For more participants of Thankful Thursday, do visit Iris at Sting My Heart. It will be a very blessed and spiritually uplifting experience for you!

Mental Illness (depression, bipolar disorder, etc) is an illness like any other

My friend, Peggy, has just started "Mission 4 Monday".

The purpose of MISSION 4 MONDAY is to share YOUR MISSION each week.

I am thankful to God that I can continue to serve Him through this blog.

One of the missions of my blog is to share with others God's goodness and mercies to me in managing clinical depression and bipolar disorder, as well as resources that will benefit a person with a mood disorder and information for their family and loved ones.

Last 2 weeks, I shared two articles written by my friend and fellow blogger, Marja Bergen namely "Trust during rough times" and "Finding meaning in a life with bipolar disorder".

Marja is the author of a new book "A Firm Place to Stand" on finding meaning in a life with bipolar disorder.

Today, I like to share the following excerpt taken from another book written by Marja entitled "Riding the Roller Coaster: Living with Mood Disorders" :

An illness like any other

We always think of mental illness as something that happens to other people, not to us. To be diagnosed with depression or manic depression is a scary thing. But how we cope with our mood disorder is largely determined by how we look at it. If we can accept it as the illness it is - an illness like any other - we will be ready to move ahead with our lives in a positive way.

The negative view much of society has of mental disorders is partly due to the fact that people do not understand there is usually a physical basis for these illnesses, often in the form of a chemical imbalance. This imbalance is treatable with medication. With effective treatment most of us can live close-to-normal lives. Mental illness is an illness like any other.

In fact, mood disorders are comparable to other illnesses, such as diabetes. A diabetic is not to blame for his or her illness. Neither is a person with a mood disorder. Just as diabetes can cause serious disability and even death, so can mood disorders. Diabetics often require the use of medication to maintain stable blood sugar levels. People with mood disorders also require medication, in their case, to maintain emotional balance. Finally, as is the case with those who have diabetes, if people with mood disorders take their medications regularly, chances are they will live a close-to-normal life.

Nevertheless, because of the fear of having a "shameful" condition, or of being labeled by society, many don't search out the help they so desperately need. What results is much unnecessary suffering by people who could otherwise have been helped.

In recent years much research has been done and doctors, mental health associations, societies and libraries can provide much information. Mood disorder self-support groups are an especially good source of information. Here we can find pertinent literature and discuss affective illnesses with others who have problems similar to our own.

As we come to terms with our disease we learn to understand how imperative medications and other treatments are - how they form the basis for our well-being. Once we have the physical aspects of our illness under control, we can prepare to take charge of our lives and make the most of the strengths we all have.

As we walk with our friends and acquaintances, we should walk with self-assurance. In that great family of individuals who suffer from personal problems, sicknesses, and handicaps, each of us is a unique yet ordinary member.

As a sufferer of bipolar disorder, I am thankful to know that my condition is a medical condition that can be treated. This has helped me to read and understand more about my condition, and seek medical and other helps so that I can be more functional.

Bipolar Disorder or previously known as manic-depressive illness is a mood disorder with extreme mood swings ie. manic/hypomanic and depression. It is a medical condition that can be treated and with suitable medical and other helps, one can live a life that is close-to-normal.


The above excerpt is taken from Riding the Roller Coaster by Marja Bergen : Living with Mood Disorders


Mood disorders, such as depression and manic depression, affect up to 10% of the population. Marja Bergen is one of those people. Over the 30 years that she has had manic depression, she has gradually adopted a lifestyle that makes it possible not only to cope, but to live a full and productive life. In Riding the Roller Coaster, she shares very practical tips on such things as escaping the blues before they grab you, what to do when you don't feel like doing anything, and keeping life stable.


Reviews in the Media

Mood Disorders Association of BC
Robert Winram, Executive Director
This excellent first person account is filled with encouragement for those managing mood disorders. It delivers understanding, insight and very tangible strategies on how to overcome the difficulties of depression and manic depression. Marja Bergen gives us a very human perspective drawn from her experiences. Her path to recovery is exciting and positive.

News Leader
Despite increased understanding by the scientific community, there is still a big gap in the understanding of these illnesses by the general public. Long-time Burnaby resident, Marja Bergen, has tried to help bridge this gap. Having suffered with manic depression (or bipolar disorder) for the past 34 years, Bergen knows what it is to experience the elation of mania and the despair of depression in the book, she draws from her experience using personal vignettes from her life as well as offering strategies for dealing with the problems that arise.

Bergen offers encouragement to the reader with essays such as: Dealing with the Stigma, Keeping a Balance, If You Can Trust Yourself...and Building Confidence.

Burnaby NOW
Annie Boulanger
The publication of her book is very timely as there are indications that mood disorders are a growing problem in the workplace.

Personal vignettes and real-life examples abound in Bergen's book, including frank descriptions of her own history, from her first treatments in Riverview, to problems adjusting medications in later years.

The book is easy to read, and while Bergen's style is warm and encouraging, it is also clearly written from her own experience.

The book is not only helpful to sufferers of mood disorder related illnesses, but also to their families to understand what it is that their family member is undergoing.

Wayne A. Holst
This book come highly recommended as integrated resources for pastoral counselors as well as other caregivers in parishes who are committed to working with the spiritual aspects of depression within the larger framework of holistic health.

BC IAPSRS News
Bruce Saunders
Bite-sized essays. Brimming with wisdom, forgiveness, acceptance and practical advice. One can easily pick it up and read just a page.

I especially appreciated the “we” tense used throughout and her just plain good sense of things that often get overlooked in our battle with the pathology.

Marja Bergen has crafted an invaluable tool from her life experience with a challenging condition. A great deal of anguish for sufferers and their families, as well as time and money for the mental health system, would be saved if this book were standard issue for all people diagnosed with manic-depression.

I’d like to see all those engaged in psychosocial rehab reading this book to understand mood disorders better and to recommend it to their clients

Rural Roots
Peter Griffiths
The book is relatively small and easy to read.

It is excellent material, and presented simply and clearly. From her reading, research, and most importantly, her experience of living, Bergen has put together short writings on different aspects of depression and manic, and in a very readable format.

This book needs to be read by sufferers of depression and mania, as well as by their family and friends as well. I also wish that psychiatrists who treat people who suffer from depression or manic would hand out a copy of this book along with their prescriptions. If they did, they would be surprised to find out how more effective the medications would become.



If you are keen to buy books by Marja, do check out Marja's new website.

Thanks again for stopping by! Thanks for all your prayers and encouragements!

Take care and God bless :)

For more Mission 4 Monday posts, visit Peggy.

Books

1. A Firm Place to Stand by Marja Bergen

2. A practical workbook for the depressed Christian by Dr John Lockley

3. An unquiet mind by Dr Kay Redfield Jamison

4. Broken Mind by Steve and Robyn Bloem

5. I'm Not Supposed to Feel Like This by Chris Williams, Paul Richards and Ingrid Whitton

Excerpts from Books

1. Trust during rough times (Excerpt from "A Firm Place to Stand" by Marja Bergen)

2. Finding meaning in a life with bipolar disorder (Excerpt from Marja Bergen's article on canadianchristianity.com)

3. An illness like any other (Excerpt from "Roller Coaster" by Marja Bergen)