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Showing posts from January, 2016

Depression and Discernment

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are wonderful! We can have access to the most wonderful supernatural abilities such as: w ords of wisdom, words of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment , tongues and interpretation of tongues as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12: 8 -10. Today I want to take a look at discernment and in particular how this gift has affected me in the area of depression. It will make sense in the end when it all ties together, so please read to the end. Discernment comes from the Greek word diakrisis meaning judicial estimation or disputation and debate or argument. Judicial estimation is 'expressing careful judgment' or 'making fine distinctions'. So the Holy Spirit gives us the ability to make a careful judgement between spirits. Diakrisis is only used three times in the Bible. " Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. " - Romans 14:1 As mentioned above in the list of the gift

How to have a hot body, a clean house and save money.

My first idea for the title for this post was, "The western lifestyle is ridiculous!" but I thought that may seem a bit negative! Although that is pretty much what I am writing about today - about how ridiculous our western lifestyle is!  Have you ever considered this? I found myself contemplating that I am struggling to keep up with my housework, that I am struggling to find time to go to gym and that I am struggling to make the money that I need. So after my contemplation I tried to figure out how to afford to get a window cleaner, my car to the car wash and perhaps even someone to help me with my housework as I just don't have the time.  My business takes up all my time and more... if that's even possible. So I need to hire in help! A short while ago I introduced my husband to a great movie that I watched in South Africa when I was a child. The opening scene exposed how ridiculous we are in the Western world and if you continue watching past the end of the

My Life Pie Update

It's two weeks into the new year and I feel a bit overwhelmed by the reality of my life but also hopeful that somehow I can find the balance - in fact I will not stop trying until I get my days looking more like I want them to! In my previous post  I launched the concept of the My Life Pie. I was not quite sure how you would take it. Some loved it and some hated it. However, as the days go by I find myself sharing it with others as a way of explaining my attempt to find some balance this year.   So far I established that I work way too much and do little else during the week. Every Saturday I stay in my pyjamas and do as little as possible to recover from the week, leaving a little energy to get my butt to church on Sundays and do my best at loving my Christian brothers and sisters. Shocking I know!! My Life Pie gave me some sense of order, at least in theory, yet to be realised practically. Cleaning was the very first thing that I noticed was missing when after one

Depression, learned behaviour and the freedom to choose II

Seligman (1973) referred to depression as the ‘common cold’ of psychiatry because of its frequency of diagnosis. Have you noticed how many people have depression these days? Picking up from the first part of this series, let's take a look at the two keys that I believe will change everything . As I mentioned before, these keys are not only for depression but for life itself. MY FREEDOM TO CHOOSE "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;"  - Deuteronomy 30:19 It is our choice. We can choose life or death and everything in-between. Our free will is powerful and yet do we use it? Do we consciously choose things or do we allow everything under the sun to choose for us? Emotions, people, circumstances and so much more is often what affects people but we have power to choose so much of this. We cannot choose circumstanc

Depression, learned behaviour and the freedom to choose.

It's no secret, I have tried so many things to beat depression. I have come at it from every angle, been on and off meds, prayed, fasted, experimented with food and exercise and done whatever I have thought to do. The early years of my struggle are recorded in Hope's Journey . There are days when I feel cheated of life itself, like I will never know it feels like to be content or normal! It is frustrating. At times I just hate myself. I hate that I cry for stupid things, shout at the children I love dearly and annoy my wonderful husband with my nonsense. I don't always feel this way or even behave this way but there are times when I do and I beat myself up over it because it's not the person I want to be. Our current Girl's Night series this year is a powerful one and already after the very first session I feel empowered and excited about the possibilities. What struck me most was that I had to choose contentment and not wait for the feelings to come. I know t

Girl's Night - A Resolution to be Content

Well I can't tell you how happy I was to see our first topic of discussion - A Resolution to be Content.  I long to be content! I have so much energy and passion which is great but it can also mean that I can't sit still for two minutes.  I perceive contentment as being something peaceful and beautiful and I crave it. So when I saw that the first resolution was a resolution to be content I was very pleased. Tonight at Girl's Night we studies the four section of the A Resolution to be Content and it was really powerful.  One things that really struck me was that, and let me emphasise it..... Contentment is not about how we feel but what we have decided to do.  Choose to be content - it is your choice! That is my take away from this evening, but let's get back to the beginning so I can share with you how I got to this conclusion. THIS IS WHO I AM Every Bite Counts This section was about making every moment in our life count. Too often w

My Life Pie

You think I am mad but in my desperate attempt to find balance in my life I have create a Life Pie! I have gone chart and spreadsheet mad this year to get more out of life. This my latest one! I figured rather than set goals for the year only I have set goals for each day so that I don't only work but make time for other things. Easier said than done but this is what I am going to try to do each day.... How do you manage to balance your life - what is your biggest time thief and what do you want more time to do?  I would love to hear from you. Love

Girl's Night - The Resolution for Women

2016 IS going to be a great year! Not because circumstances will be favourable but because we will resolve to make it a great year no matter what comes our way. Our life is a series of choices that we make so let's choose together to have an excellent year according to the will of God! " Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. " - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 " Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you , which is good and pleasing and perfect ." - Romans 12:2 THE RESOLUTION FOR WOMEN With everything you have to do, have you taken time to decide who you want to be? Join us in 2016 as we resolve to be all we can be as King's Daughters. You are welcome to join us at our Girl's Nights in Cheltenham or if you wish to set up your ow

King's Daughters 2016 - A year of rest

King's Daughters Team This year is the 7th year since King's Daughters humble beginning - read our very first post from 2009 here . I am so pleased that this very post is still the heartbeat and mission of King's Daughters. Our deep desire is to help women know who they really are - daughters of the King! You can read a summary of our journey on the About page. After some serious prayer and discussion with the team I believe that God would have King's Daughters rest for 2016. I don't know exactly what that will look like for us but I can tell you what I do know. King's Daughters Conference We will not be having our usual annual conference in 2016 - the team will be having a break. Our conference will resume in 2017 with Awake and Arise on 10 June 2017. Girl's Nights We will be having Girl's Nights at King's Coffee Shop once a month. You are all welcome to join us if you are able to.  Events will be posted in our Facebook group. Pra