CGC (Christian Girls Chat) discussion
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Self Harm
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Jacklyn wrote: "I know! Though my friend is helping me understand just how much our life is for God. David prayed to God and said "Against You and You alone I have sinned." He killed someone and slept with someone..."
Very well said!
Very well said!
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wonderfully put :)
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So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of t..."
I love that Isaiah verse
ISAIAH IS MY FAVOURITE BOOK OF THE BIBLE.
Narnian525♥♪ wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Cari wrote: "Autism is a spectrum disorder. There are milder or more severe forms. Symptoms vary from one person to the next."Yep, I'm on that spectrum too. It includes Autism, Asp..."
No, my therapist listed them to me once, and the third is some type of personality disorder. People with ADD and ADHD have almost opposite problems from those with Asperger's and Autism--people with ADD/ADHD are easily distracted and can't focus and are often excitable and hyperactive and can often have great social skills, but people with Autism/Asperger's get almost uber-focused on things and ignore the rest of the world when they're concentrating and tend not to be as emotional and have a decided lack of social skills and often tact. :) But I understand why you might think they are similar. :)
Oh, ok :) Thanks for explaining. On a side note relating to autism: Did you know that there's a celebrity event used to raise awareness for Autism? It's called "Night of many stars"
Narnian525♥♪ wrote: "Oh, ok :) Thanks for explaining. On a side note relating to autism: Did you know that there's a celebrity event used to raise awareness for Autism? It's called "Night of many stars""No, I wasn't aware of that, but that's cool.
I found out the third disorder on the autism spectrum: Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified. I know nothing about it other than it's more similar to Asperger's than to full Autism.
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Same also...I feel so bad, because how am I supposed to help him?
Jacklyn wrote: "Same also...I feel so bad, because how am I supposed to help him?"You're not supposed to help him. God is supposed to help him. The best thing you can do is pray.
Totally agree with Sam -- it's not your responsibility to fix all your friends. But if you want to 'help them' in the sense that you want to show that you care about them and will be there for them, the best thing to do is to just listen to them. Now, that doesn't mean you have to agree with everything they say - things can get a little awkward when friends start badmouthing parents, for example - but letting them talk about things with you will help them sort out the real issue, if they want to solve it.
Quick tip with that though: Don't be opening yourself up to that type of conversation unless you're 100% fine yourself. There is something totally destructive about two friends who feed off of each others misery. I've done it before, and it's brutal. So only let them rant if you're 100% fine, specifically in regards to self-harm and depression. Just a tip for the night :)
Quick tip with that though: Don't be opening yourself up to that type of conversation unless you're 100% fine yourself. There is something totally destructive about two friends who feed off of each others misery. I've done it before, and it's brutal. So only let them rant if you're 100% fine, specifically in regards to self-harm and depression. Just a tip for the night :)
Jacklyn wrote: "Thanks you guys! :)"Any time :) You seem like the person who carries not only their own problems but also all of their friends'. This isn't necessarily a bad quality, but it can be destructive to your own feelings. You can't worry about everyone, because you also have to worry about yourself. Empathy is a great thing, but self-sacrifice past a certain point is also a flaw. You can't take on all of the problems and take it to heart. You'll just end up frustrated with what you can't do to help, and hurt by what you tried to do and failed to succeed at.
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oh good point. I feel like a ton of teenagers stay up till 1 or 2 on the internet sleep three four hours and go to school. I mean I might do that occasionally during break or on a weekend but certainly not every single school day! its damaging and I feel like stops a lot of their potential in academic areas
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Any time :) You seem like the person who carries not only their own problems but also all of their friends'. This isn't necessarily a bad quality, but it can b..."
great point
I had a friend back in grade 7 who wanted to be a wicca. She carried a book around written by an actual witch and would read spells from it. One time when I was with her she decided to use one of the spells to summon a demon. Of course, it didn't work.
She was kind of gothic, too. And she was depressed all the time and was made fun of. But we were good friends. I tried to encourage her as much as I could. She knew I was a Christian, but I was so immature in my faith that I barely even talked to her about God at all... I don't know what she's doing with her life now, but I think she has at least gone a different direction from where she was headed. We both went to different high schools, and she messaged me once to let me know that she had "figured out" that she was bisexual.
She was kind of gothic, too. And she was depressed all the time and was made fun of. But we were good friends. I tried to encourage her as much as I could. She knew I was a Christian, but I was so immature in my faith that I barely even talked to her about God at all... I don't know what she's doing with her life now, but I think she has at least gone a different direction from where she was headed. We both went to different high schools, and she messaged me once to let me know that she had "figured out" that she was bisexual.
I haven't seen her since 8th grade, but thanks for the reminder that I should be praying for her still. :)
Now that I think back on it, I can hardly believe the weird things I did when I was 13...
Now that I think back on it, I can hardly believe the weird things I did when I was 13...
You walked up to a bear??
And I wish I talked to my friend about Jesus. She asked me once how I could believe in a God I can't see. I tried to answer her to the best of my abilities, but I don't recall further discussions on the subject after that.
And I wish I talked to my friend about Jesus. She asked me once how I could believe in a God I can't see. I tried to answer her to the best of my abilities, but I don't recall further discussions on the subject after that.
Sam wrote: "Jacklyn wrote: "Thanks you guys! :)"Any time :) You seem like the person who carries not only their own problems but also all of their friends'. This isn't necessarily a bad quality, but it can b..."
Thanks! You are right...and I thank you bunches of roses! With a red rose on top!
CUBS??!?!! I'm am so glad you are alive to tell the tale!Thanks book devourer! *don't be too hard on the little guys* (The books)
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like I have no idea what to say trying to talk to someone in suicide and depression
I want to help but they don't want pity or sympathy or how do you approach this?
♥Caro♥ wrote: "I don't feel readylike I have no idea what to say trying to talk to someone in suicide and depression
I want to help but they don't want pity or sympathy or how do you approach this??"
Just listen and empathize, not sympathize. That works with me.
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I have never cut myself even on days when I felt really down, and I believe that I should take care of my body as it is the temple of God. I do have a friend who does it through they won't talk to me or anyone about it.
Isolation...that is one thing the Devil does when you are cutting. You feel like no one could ever know what your feeling, or even be able to help you.Knowing that someone else cares, and loves you works wonders. Just tell people that you care, that they're NOT EVER ALONE! Not by you, not by God, and give them encouragement to keep on going.
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so i don't really physically hurt myself, but i don't really object to others hurting me. it's kind of sickening but i kind of like it because i feel as if i deserve it. just a little while ago in the middle of the night there was a big thunderstorm and the tornado siren went off and i didn't do anything (usually we all go down to the basement), nobody else heard it and i didn't care in the least bit if a tornado came and killed me. in a way i wanted it to. what is wrong with me?!
i'm scared and i don't know what to do. i can't tell my family because they'll take me to see a psychiatrist and that would be my worst nightmare come true.
Rachel, I think the most important thing for you to do is to realize your identity. I know it may seem that you know who you are, but when in prayer with God, ask Him to truly reveal to you who you are.A lot of the problems we struggle with are rooted in a lost identity. We are God's daughters, princesses of the Most High King, heirs to a kingdom that will never end. But in the midst of this world, it is hard to fully realize and believe that. We know it in our heads, but we don't know it in our hearts. The difference is unimaginable.
Absolutely nothing is wrong with you. You are perfect, sinless, by God's everlasting grace. But because of that, you are haunted by demons. Just as we all are. But you need to realize who you are. Your worth. Your value. Your purpose. When God made you, He had a divine plan in mind. When He chose you, He was perfect in doing so. Your life has so much more value and meaning attached to it, than you can ever dream. And I can say these things, and you can understand them, because you can read in English.
But I want you to try and know it in your heart. Pray about it. Back in the garden of Eden, the VERY FIRST time humans came into contact with Satan, Satan didn't try to convince us of anything but a confused identity. Adam and Eve were made in God's image; they were like God, and they were living in Paradise. And Satan told Eve that if she ate of the forbidden fruit, she would be like God. But she already WAS like God. She was made in His image, and had His power backing everything she did, and she was living in a perfect, heavenly world. She didn't need to be like God, because she already WAS. But Satan confused her identity. He convinced her she didn't have those things, that she wasn't like God.
It is one of Satan's most powerful tactics, convincing us that we are who we are not, and that we are not who we are. We all fall victim to it, every time we choose the wrong way. We're better than that - but sometimes we forget that we are. We let Satan tell us that we're humans, that we are of this carnal world, and we are deceived. And nothing is wrong with you Rachel - you are just tantalized by Satan telling you that your life does not possess the value that it does. He is trying to convince you that you really aren't that important. Don't let him do it. Ask God to help you. Ask God to reveal to you the depth of His love and care for your life - proof of it is around you daily, but ask Him to open your eyes to it. Every joy, every luxury, is a gift from above. God cares. So much.
Ask Him to share that with you, so you can care just as much. You only seek death when you feel life holds no value. But if you can only realize how much God values you, you will value yourself the same way. Prayer is the best option. All the bestt :)
To be honest it's hard for me to pray because I can never focus. The most I pray is when I get scared, seeing monsters in my mind and hearing things I know aren't there. (More and more I think I hear/see things.) Praying to Him to get rid of the images and sounds always helps and I always feel peaceful after it, but any other time it's hard for me.Everytime I'm in pain I always think to myself 'you deserve this'.
I mean I know God cares and all that, but to think I'm worth something is hard for me to do. It's hard to think that someone could love me.
Everything you said Sam is soo good! Sometimes when we focus on all of our imperfections, failures, and how we will always fall short.. It's really easy get to discouraged. But that's beauty of grace. That we will never deserve, yet God loved you so much that He gives it freely anyways! Rachel, if you were the only person to ever walk this earth, Jesus still would have given His life. Because He loves you that much!
Remember that Satan is the father of lies. So when you feel those overwhelming emotions; recognize where they are coming from, and remember that it's all a lie. Everything that we believe, we believe because someone we trusted or loved told us, or because we believed it for ourselves. We have to put power into what we believe. To change the mindset you have, you have put power in what the Bible says about you. (Although most times easier said than done. BUT it is possible) You are fearfully and wonderfully made, the apple of Gods eye, and that when He look at you He smiles. By no means is it easy to uproot lies planted in our hearts and mind, but it is most definitely possible.
You can't be defeated if you won't quit. God will always be there for you, and prayer is simply talking to God. You don't have to know 100 verses, or even one! Just tell Him how you're feeling, be 100% honest, and that I promise He won't leave you by the wayside. Praying for ya girlie! :)
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what Sam said about knowing it in your head and in your heart
trust me there's a HUGE difference.
it goes from an abstract concept to something that's actually alive and beating and changing.
Something close.
and how to get there is the question. how to actually know and believe in your heart. Everything Sam and Madi said :)
Wow, such good posts here! Rachel, hang in there girl! I know that when I went through a really tough time in my life, if I slipped and fell, or did something like that, I would try not to catch myself, because like you, I thought I deserved it. Which we do. Everything and much more. Death, shame, everything. BUT GOD went and died for us. He knew that you would do/say something sometime that would make you imperfect. So He went and died for you. Not, the perfect you in heaven...he died for YOU. RIGHT NOW, in your anger at yourself and shame or whatever else you feel. It's important to understand that everything that God ever did is always linked to Him dying on the cross. I also know that my family still doesn't know about many things about me...but if you decide not to tell them (which you hopefully seriously consider) then to tell a really good friend. And when my family found out about my self harm issues, they pretty much did that. I went to a counselor. She was Christian though, and that was awesome. I thought it would be just like I imagined it, but personally, everyone should go to a counselor/psychologist whatever. I don't know if this helps at all, just remember to 'just keep swimming!' -from Finding Nemo..hehe.
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these are all just words sitting here
unless we let them impact us
unless we actually believe in our hearts not just our heads
♥Caro♥ wrote: "what we saythese are all just words sitting here
unless we let them impact us
unless we actually believe in our hearts not just our heads"
True. Rachel, you need to start setting aside those problems. They aren't yours. You are a child of God, and the devil wants you to believe those are things you are struggling with. Disown the problems. "Resist the devil and he will flee from you." James 4:7
Madi wrote: "Everything you said Sam is soo good! Sometimes when we focus on all of our imperfections, failures, and how we will always fall short.. It's really easy get to discouraged. But that's beauty of g..."
Thank you! :)
♪Rachel wrote: "To be honest it's hard for me to pray because I can never focus. The most I pray is when I get scared, seeing monsters in my mind and hearing things I know aren't there. (More and more I think I he..."It's hard for everybody to pray. Our carnal nature struggles against it. But try. You have to try and help yourself, Rachel. You have to want it, and want it desperately. You have to want to be free, you have to ask God. Just be committed and do your best. I have no doubt that God will help you through it, if you commit :)
Don't try. Let God. :) Ask for His help each day.
Try to work on your relationship with God, though. A relationship works both ways. You have to put in your share - you have to want it. Don't try and change yourself; God will do that. But you do have to try on a better prayer life. :)
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precisely :)
♥Caro♥ wrote: "what we saythese are all just words sitting here
unless we let them impact us
unless we actually believe in our hearts not just our heads"
I know this is SO true for me! When I was baptized, I sort of said something about how I knew God cared, I knew all this biblical stuff...but my heart was still confused. I knew them in my head, but my heart had shut everything out because I feared I would get hurt again. But it shut out God too, and love and happiness, and everything good along with evil. To learn to open your heart, it's a risk...but one DEFINATLY worth taking.
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Yep, I'm on that spectrum too. It includes Autism, Asperger's, and so..."
Maybe you're thinking of ADD and ADHD on that last one.