David L. Winters's Blog, page 7

Sin and Anxiety

One of the primary purposes of my book, Sabbatical of the Mind: The Journey from Anxiety to Peace is to help others move from difficult feelings to inner peace. But when is it good for us to feel some level of anxiety?Our CompassThe Infinite Creator gave our bodies warning systems. When we stray too close to a hot surface, the heat eventually becomes uncomfortable. When we eat a bunch of fried foods, our bodies may feel rough later that evening. When we are in danger, our brains tell us to run or fight.Sometimes, these inner compass signals can steer us clear of major trouble. Each of us was born into a depraved world. We see so much bad behavior, we may at times copy it. Our consciences can become desensitized to the wrong, at least outwardly. Inside, the part of us that communicates with the Creator may be telling us that behaviors we are doing or considering doing are going to end in disaster for us.Alarms Going OffWhen our conscience is overridden enough times, our cognitive mind may no longer hear the alarms going off. We may be screaming down the road towards a major consequence, but unable to see our end. That's when our subconscious mind may step in and trigger an anxiety attack. Panic may result telling us of impending doom and manifesting in heightened fear of things that usually don't scare us much. That's the time to take the symptom to our spiritual doctor: Jesus.Jesus wants us to pray and to listen to His answers in Scripture. So many times, I've prayed and found the exact answer to my question or problem in the Bible. Other times, He has answered my prayer through a doctor who suddenly had the right answer to a baffling medical issue. Whatever the fix, Jesus knows what it is and wants to share it with us.Conscience RestoredIf we discover that the root of our current anxiety is an issue of conscience, there is a simple formula for regaining peace. Understand where we have overridden our conscience. Resolve with God's help to repent of and discontinue behaviors we know are wrong. Travel on with God, walking in His Spirit daily. By doing what we know to be right yields fruit of peaceful living.Not all stress and anxiety is related to sin or moral misgivings about a situation, but the good news is that God can help there also. Doctor Jesus will show you the answer, whether it be physical (different foods, medications, etc.) or mental (counseling, etc.) We can address our anxiety and that is a very peace-giving thought.

Thanksgiving Lost

Growing up in Ohio, Thanksgiving was a very special day. Mom cooked all day and each of us helped out in one way or another. My sister eventually learned to make the mashed potatoes. My brother would peel the vegetables. I was fascinated with Mom's industrial strength grinder. She would use it to grind up onions for the dressing or carrots for a salad. The inherent danger of losing a finger in the grinder drew me like a bee to lemonade. I still have all my digits.DadMy father would generally lay around and relax during the preparation. He was available for us kids as we hopped in and out of the living room. He was usually smoking and laughing and occasionally tossing me up in the air just to hear me laugh or scream. (In my defense, he did drop me once.) A a factory worker, Dad relished the rare day off and the joy of celebrating with family.The Big RevealWhen everyone's appetite was raging and it seemed like we had waited forever, Mom would call us to the table. The big kitchen of our century-old house was also home to the dining table. All the goodies would be spread out with the massive turkey having the place of honor. My eyes would become as large as softballs looking at the abundance. There was always plenty of mashed potatoes, broccoli with cheese sauce, turkey and Mom's delicious dressing, carrots or some other vegetable and corn. Multiple pies (pumpkin, pecan and chocolate meringue) sat over on the counter, just waiting for us to finish the main meal.ThankfulnessIt is hard to express how thankful we all were that God blessed us with so much good food and the safety of our home. Since my father was estranged from God during those years, Mom would usually say the blessing. Her words were so sweet that God's love and mercy dripped from them. Dad's face lit up to look over the family that surrounded our table. Yes, I would peek to see if he was praying.EmphysemaEventually, an uninvited guest became more and more of a nuisance at Thanksgiving and other holidays. My father's smoking led to severe lung illness and other complications. At his last Thanksgiving, he was not feeling well enough to sit at the table. I couldn't bear thinking of him in his room alone, so I took my plate into his room - intending to eat with him. The moment I saw him lying there, I started crying. He protested and insisted that he didn't want to spoil Thanksgiving. Throwing myself on the bed beside him, I wept a long time and he tried to comfort me. Eventually, I sat on the side of the bed and ate my food.ThankfulYears later, it is easy to feel sad around Thanksgiving because of all that has been lost. The grandeur of those holidays is partly caught up in the innocence of childhood. It is also easy to lose our thankfulness in the over-abundance of modern life. Two hundred extravagant treats in a year, makes it much less exciting to have a special meal on Thanksgiving Day. But lately, I've come to realize that I have so much to be thankful for...not just now, but all those great years in the past. And nothing is really lost in Christ. Someday we will also be reunited again in heaven. No doubt that everyday will be Thanksgiving then.

Where is Your Focus?

Most of us enjoyed the childhood experience of watching the power of a magnifying glass  ignite grass or even paper. It was amazing to see how the glass could focus the sun's rays on a single spot and cause fire to erupt.Jiggling the GlassWe also quickly learned from a younger friend or relative that moving the glass around defeated the purpose. Without laser-like focus, the heat did not build and no fire was created.Bringing it HomeHow often we as adults do the same thing? Instead of holding our focus on the thing that really needs our attention, we move from one task to another. While sometimes it is the urgent priority which distracts us, more often it is something interesting, but less important.How can we learn to focus on the right priorities and to remain focused as other things seek to distract us?1.Stop and re-prioritize each day.If you have looked over your schedule and determined  the right objectives for the day, don't be too quick to change course. You set your priorities, now stay with them.2.Understand your own capabilities and work habits.Everyone needs breaks and everyone needs to discipline themselves in between breaks. Schedule work tasks by priority and by mental accuity needed. If you think best in the morning, that may be the time to do the complicated spreadsheet. Leave afternoon for meetings and e-mail.3.Include learning in your day.If you can only spare fifteen minutes, stop and read or listen to something that makes you better at what you do. Invest in the future, while continuing to up your skill level right now.4.Ask for God's help.Man's strength and effort only goes so far. With tenacity, we can overcome odds and become successful at many things. But wouldn't it be better to have God's direction. He can show you the gold in your life that will really last. Loving others and caring for the needs of others is what really matters.Come See Me!Come See Me November 20 for 2-4p at Living Well health food and book store, Silver Spring, MD.

Healthy Through the Holidays

Why do the holidays sometimes tend to bring out the worst in our health habits? What is it about the season that can make anxiety rise and peace flee away?Perhaps it is the stress of trying to accomplish too much in too little time. Or it could be that our priorities are not aligned with our values. A third factor could be lack of training in how to do it better.This year, I am partnering with Living Well Health Food/Christian Book/Gift store to help you head off the holiday blues.Come on out to Living Well, 12004 Cherry Hill Rd, Silver Spring, MD on November 20. I will be signing copies of Sabbatical of the Mind from 2-4p. As a special treat, Living Well is hosting professional chef Dorrel McLaren at 2p for a guest lecture about how to stay healthy throughout the holiday season.For those not in the local area, may I recommend that you seek out a store in your area with similar healthy foods. Treat yourself and your loved ones to foods that will taste great and align with your goals of eating healthy.When I examined my goals for the upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, here are the things that I found to be most important:1. Put God first.2. Treat others as I would like to be treated.3. Put family ahead of less important priorities.4. When working, work diligently and don't be distracted by internet, shopping, etc.5. As I get tired, stop and rest. Irritability leads to saying and doing things that don't align with my values. The only cure for that is rest.6. Separate wants from needs.7. Take time to look for the fruit of the Spirit in my life. If I'm not seeing it, pray and talk to God about where I am missing the mark.Wishing you a great holiday season. Come see me at Living Well on November 20 if you possibly can. It is a great store with many healthy things to make your life better.

The Family that Works Out Together

Recently, I was reminded of a period in junior high school when my Mom decided she wanted to get fit. As a tennis player in the summers, I tended to lose weight and put it back on in the winter months. Fortunately, her resolution coincided with New Year's and I was eager to shed a few pounds also.It was very fun to do calisthenics with my Mom in the living room of our house. Each evening after dinner and before Jeopardy, we would get into comfortable clothes and do sit-ups, push-ups, jumping jacks and other simple exercises. While I could outpace my then-fifty Mom, she held her own and kept at it for a couple of years. As I look back, that was one of the most fit periods of my childhood.Exercise is not only good for the body, but also the mind. It gets blood flowing to our brains and helps in the elimination of stress. Endorphin release makes us feel better and more at peace with the world.Since most of us want health for our loved ones more than anything else, why not take your family members along for the health ride. Get your spouse, children or parent and go for a bike ride, take a walk or head to the gym. While always good to check with your doctor, all but the most ill would benefit from a reasonable amount of exercise. Start slow if you haven't been doing a lot, then increase the volume and intensity gradually over several visits.If you are looking for a great health program, try the book Bod-4-God: Twelve Weeks to Lasting Weight Loss by Steve K. Reynolds. It explains the Losing to Live program, which has benefited me tremendously.

Restoring Christmas

Christmas is a gigantic presence in our culture and in the lives of most Westerners. Most of us have many memories, good and bad, of Christmases past.Depending on the current configuration of our families, this may be one of the most anticipated or most dreaded times of the year. For families with young children and no recent losses, Christmas 2016 may be the best of times.What about those whose families are in in transition or dealing with a recent loss.One of my favorite authors, Cynthia Ruchti tackles the difficult job of Restoring Christmas in her new novella. I found this a wonderful, pre-Christmas read with some big lessons about happiness and gratitude.The main character is searching for her big break, restoring an older home and decorating it in time for Christmas. If she is successful, she may win her own show on a home and garden cable network.When she arrives in the small town to meet her videographer, she finds him down with a knee injury and unavailable. So she must make do with his optimistic, but less experienced son who is still smarting from a significant loss of his own.Things only get more complicated for the decorator when the crotchety homeowner is less than pleased with some of the redecorating ideas.The gentle story caresses the reader like a lullaby, while teaching many lessons about hope, courage, the power of new adventures and gratitude in the face of loss. I highly recommend this book.

Fighting with God

Perhaps we all smiled at the name of the Broadway musical "Your Arm's Too Short to Box With God."It is preposterous to think that a created being as small as we would even attempt to oppose theCreator of everything.One of the reasons for anxiety is when we are pursuing wrong behavior, but over-ride or conscious and do it anyway. Since we have a loving God, He is patient with us. However, He also provided consequences to correct us back to the right path.Proverbs: 20-21"Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise. Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."Our free will is God's way of saying that He believes in us. When we align it with His purposes, our lives get infinitely better. What can you do today to better align your purposes and efforts to God's Will?

Fight Discouragement With Peace

Everyone gets discouraged at some point in their lives. Many go through long seasons of discouragement following periods of great loss. Whether it is a person, circumstance or just melancholy temperament, God wants us to fight back against discouragement.In  Exodus 6, Moses is trying to instill hope in the then-captive Hebrew people. After years of hard labor under the rule of the Egyptians, the Hebrews were understandably downhearted.Verses 7-8 describe the promises Moses related to the people from God, "I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.  And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord."What an incredible promise. If there was ever any reason to be happy, wasn't this promise from God it?But in the next verse, it says "Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor."Even though their discouragement precluded a proper response to God's promises, God immediately sent Moses to speak with Pharaoh.The message for us is a positive one. Even at those times when our discouragement keeps us from properly responding to God's encouragement, He goes right on with His plan to save us. The answer to our problems isn't dependent on our own abilities. If we call out to God, He will follow through on a plan that is better than what we could even imagine.Hope brings peace in the storm. If we are sure that we will make it through the storm, there is no reason for anxiety. When I was traveling to a conference several years ago, turbulence kept buffeting the plane. It felt like the pockets of air kept disappearing below the plane and we would fall several hundred feet. The, we would ride along a short distance before this was repeated.Eventually, I cried out to God in my mind as anxiety was rising up to me. His gentle Spirit had the perfect calming Words. God intended for me to speak at this conference. Therefore, I would get there and I would speak. Suddenly, I was completely calm. This confident hope releived my anxiety and brought calm.Prayer: God, show us just how faithful you are in spite of our weaknesses. Overcome our temporary discouragements with your deliverance. Grant us peace as we calmly wait for your answers. Strengthen our faith and trust in you. Amen.

Crazy, Peaceful Thoughts

A long time ago, men and women were experiencing a lot of stress. The leader of their religion had been tortured to death on a cross. The ruling superpower was persecuting them across the Globe. And economic opportunities were not in abundance, particularly if your family was not already wealthy.In this environment, the writer of 2 Corinthians said, "May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."Doesn't that sound kind of crazy?Is it any more crazy to think about these words in the context of our own World. Most of the people reading this blog are living in the United States. While very comfortable by the World's standards, our Country seems to be in turmoil. Young African American men are getting shot by police and riots are breaking out in response. The election process so far has offered two less than ideal candidates (my opinion.) The economy isn't exactly humming along on all cylinders and most of us aren't seeing jumps in income.Even so, Christians are told that we have grace with us. The implication is that our lives are good because we don't have to suffer the eternal consequences of our mistakes. There may be some short-term consequences, such as the credit card bills coming due. Our lives are still pretty good because grace is with us.Secondly, God's love is with us. Everywhere we go, the love of God is right there for our comfort, joy, peace and freedom. The Creator of the whole ball of wax is pouring down love on each of us right now. Can you feel the warmth of His love. I pray that you do as you read these words.Thirdly, the Holy Spirit is with us. Do you have decisions that need to be made? He can help. Do you feel lonely? He will comfort you. Do you have to walk through some difficult circumstances (like illness or losing a job?) The Holy Spirit is by your side and wants to help.We can access all of these benefits and more through prayer. All we have to do is quiet ourselves for a few minutes. Go into our prayer closets and we will find God right there with us. It sounds crazy to the non-believer, but we know God is right there.

Does Actos Cause Anxiety

One of the tricky things about pharmaceuticals is that each human's blood chemistry is different. We are individuals. Otherwise, all drugs would work exactly the same on everyone. Many people can take a drug without complications, but someone else may experience debilitating side effects.In my case, the drug Actos worked very well in controlling my early-stage diabetes. Unfortunately, it also appeared to cause a significant amount of anxiety as well. As related in my book Sabbatical of the Mind: The Journey from Anxiety to Peace, I eventually felt so anxious that I had to quit my well-paying and secure job with the federal government.The good news is that I had a doctor who listened to me. During the sabbatical (five months off work,) one of my four areas of focus was my physical health. As with other areas of my life, I spent time documenting those issues which were causing me discomfort, determined to take actions that improved each of the four areas. Chief among my physical issues at that time was anxiety.After more than a year on the medicine, my doctor took me off the Actos and the anxiety began to clear within a few days. Weeks later, it was completely gone. This didn't cure all of my life-long phobias (like my fear of high places,) but it made the general feeling of anxiety dissipate and go away. My life returned to normal and I was able to return to work a few months later.My case is not a scientific study, but an individual experience. It is interesting though, that my sister seems to have experienced an uptick in anxiety also while using the drug Actos. As a sibling, I wonder if her blood chemistry may have enough in common with mine that we suffered from the same symptoms. Her anxiety seems to be lessening just two weeks after getting off the drug.The point of this blog is that personal peace and good feelings are sometimes affected by physical causes. There may be a physical cause for your anxiety and your doctor may be able to help.