Hello, I'm Shelley
Quinn and welcome again
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to Issues and
Answers. You know we're all
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very much aware that
life has a lot of issues
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that get thrown at
us. But aren't we glad
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to know that God
has all the answers.
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And today we're
going to see how the Lord
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helped provide
some of those answers
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for our special
guest. Please help me
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welcome again to our
program Linda Brawner
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from Mansfield, Ohio. And Linda,
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I'm so glad that
you've come back to join us.
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It's good to be
here. I enjoyed so much
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the program that we
did on grief before.
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And today we're
gonna be talking about
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strength, strength of character
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and where it comes
from? You know the Bible
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says in Second Corinthians 12
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and verse 9, this
is what Jesus told Paul
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on the road to
Damascus. He said my grace
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is sufficient for
you, my strength is made
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perfect in your
weakness. Actually that
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wasn't the road to Damascus,
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that's when he was
praying for the thorn.
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But that's such
a great scripture.
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This is one of my
favorites. It, me too,
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because I love the
fact that I can relax
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in my weakness and just say Lord
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I gladly confess
my weaknesses to you
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because I know
your power will be made
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perfect in
weakness. Let's talk about
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the last time you
were here, we talked
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about the nervous breakdown that
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you'd had after the
death of your father
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and that was
brought on because Linda
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tried to deny her
grief. She tried to deny
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that she was mad
at God and she wasn't
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handling this very
well and it ended up that
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she did have a
nervous breakdown.
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And as you were
coming out of the recovery
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of this break down
then your husband was
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diagnosed with
chronic illness of
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heart problem,
yes. After his surgery
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he had kidney
failure so you went through
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an incredible time,
and you learned a lot
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about strength. Yes
I did. About the time
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that I actually
acknowledged I had a
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problem, I went to see a doctor.
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I had an experience
where, without words
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I surrendered to
God. These problems
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I'm enduring are
more than I can handle.
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This is before your, I
mean you're just in the
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process of a breakdown.
You know I'm sliding in;
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I've not been diagnosed yet,
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and but I'm
definitely having problems.
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I said Lord, whatever
it takes bring me close
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to you. And again it was just,
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I looked up and I felt helpless
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and I didn't say anything.
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And I felt this
tingling throughout my body.
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As if God wanted to
take me home right then
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and there. And I
couldn't understand it,
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I didn't talk to
anybody about at the time,
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but that verse you mentioned;
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my strength is made
perfect in weakness.
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I came across that the next day.
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Praise the Lord. And
I understood that was
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what God was telling
me. He was going to carry me
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through what lay
ahead. Praise the Lord.
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I remember once
as I was praying God
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gave me what I
call a vision. You know
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when you're
praying sometimes and puts
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a picture in your mind. Yeah.
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And this picture was
a little tiny sugar ant,
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and next to this ant
was this huge elephant.
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And suddenly the still
small voice of the Lord
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impressed these
words upon my mind
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and He said. Why
would you want to try to
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get by in your
limited human strength,
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which could be
compared to this little
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sugar ant next to
what is available to you by
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drawing on my
strength which this elephant
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that's millions of times greater
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than this little
ant. And I thought why
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indeed would I? So
what happened for you,
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you thought you were
a strong person before.
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Yes. And I was strong
in the sense of independent
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and able to do what
was right or what I thought
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was right
regardless of what people
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thought of me. Self
sufficient, independent.
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Yes and those are good qualities
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but they are not
what God has for us.
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When we lean on his strength
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and it's a
combination of trusting him,
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letting him work in our lives
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and reaching for
his gifts. Amen, amen.
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When we understand,
you know Galatians 3:3,
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the Lord said,
you foolish thing,
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haven't begun in
the Spirit, are you now
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trying to
perfect it in the flesh?
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We've got to
understand there is nothing
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we can perfect in our
flesh is there? Nothing.
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And what we've got
to do is go to the Lord
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and realize there
is power in surrender.
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Yes. So that's the
point God got you to is
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when you realize
for the first time
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in your life, Lord I'm losing it
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and I'm ready to
surrender it all to you,
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what happened. He drew near me
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and I wish I could
say that things got better
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like that and I
lived happily ever I after.
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But obviously I
didn't, but He drew close to me
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and he carried me through that.
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He always
shields us from more than
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we can bear and when
the trails are really
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bad we need to
remember that more than
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we can bear is not
more than we can handle
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comfortably, more
than will keep us from
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cracking up having a breakdown,
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but more than will
cause us to lose our
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faith in Him. He
will never let that
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be crushed out of
us. Amen. You know that
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scripture, you
reminded me of something
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because people often will say,
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well God will not put
on us more than we can bear
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but the scripture actually says
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He will not put
on more temptation
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than we can bear.
But He will always
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provided a way
out. Yet in Second
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Corinthians chapter
1, I'm gonna read to you
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something
because this is what Paul
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wrote to the
Corinthians he said,
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we do not want you to
be uninformed brethren
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about the affliction
and the oppressing distress
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which be fell us in
the province of Asia.
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How we were so
utterly and unbearably
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weighed down and crushed that
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we despaired
even of life itself.
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And then we felt
within ourselves that
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we had received the
very sentence of death.
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But, is that more
than we can bear, yeah.
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Yeah. But that was to
keep us in other words
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God allowed this
to happen, to keep us
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from trusting in and
depending on ourselves
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instead of
interesting in God who raises
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the dead. So when
God, when we get to that
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point of being
in utter despair God
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is only allowed
that to happen to draw us
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near as he did with you. Right.
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And teach you
to depend upon him.
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What did he teach
you about strength of
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character, can you
define what we we're
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talking about? It's
the ability to trust God
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when it's all
looks black. When all
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your dreams have been crushed,
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it looks like you
will never do any of the
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things that were
more cherished to you.
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When I had my
breakdown I just about
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tossed in the towel
in regard to remounting
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anything, to
anything as a writer.
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And strength is
that ability to just hang
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in there and trust
that whatever God is doing
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in your life, he
is working and He will
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bring you
through this blackness.
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As somebody who has
clinical depression,
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sometimes to this day I
have bouts of blackness.
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And I've learned
to bear them patiently
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and to not let
myself get all upset
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and worried over
it because each time
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He carries me
through, I'm brighter
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and stronger on
the other side. Amen.
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If you could define
depression for people
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you know I think
it's hard for us to
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understand if we're not
a depressed personality,
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how would you
define depression Linda?
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I define it as a
chemical imbalance
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in the brain. You
cannot be happy and cheerful
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if your brain is
not working right.
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What does it feel
like? A lack of hope,
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sometimes in
your biology to sleep.
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If it continues it
can impair your judgment
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to the point
where suicide looks like
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the only way out the
only end to the pain.
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An important thing
if you are prone to
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depression or it runs
in your family is to take
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it seriously to get help. Amen.
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It's so much easier to treat.
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It took me two
years to recover from
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my breakdown. If
I would have started
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getting medication
which I knew about,
00:09:28.13\00:09:30.20
knew it was
available. If I would have gone
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into see a doctor
six months sooner,
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I probably never
would have had that
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recovery period.
It probably would have
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been a lot faster.
Right. And God works
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through these people. Yes.
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One thing depression is
not, is a lack of faith.
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Amen. When I had my
breakdown Christ was
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holding my hand all
the way. He had his arms
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around me. I knew
that I belonged to Him.
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I knew He loved
me. It just took him
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and I time to put
my life back together.
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Amen. So don't, you
know if you have a friend
00:10:04.94\00:10:08.68
who gets
depressed don't assume that
00:10:08.71\00:10:11.25
they're doing
something wrong spiritually.
00:10:11.28\00:10:13.22
And the strength for
you came in accepting
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this about
yourself and just trusting
00:10:19.04\00:10:20.99
in the Lord. Yes. And
leaning not on your own
00:10:21.02\00:10:23.75
understanding,
right? Yes. You mentioned
00:10:23.78\00:10:25.77
my strength is made
perfect in weakness.
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Paul has some kind
of thorn in the flesh.
00:10:27.94\00:10:30.63
Right. Some argued
that was an estranged wife,
00:10:30.66\00:10:34.04
others say it was some kind of
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physical infirmity.
I firmly believe that
00:10:35.05\00:10:37.73
depression is my
thorn in the flesh.
00:10:37.76\00:10:40.06
It is what God will
use to keep me close to him
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and He will use it so
that I can better help
00:10:43.69\00:10:46.66
others. Praise
the Lord. You know
00:10:46.69\00:10:48.79
I have a personal
opinion I can't prove
00:10:48.82\00:10:50.59
this by scripture.
But my belief is that
00:10:50.62\00:10:54.26
Paul's thorn in
the flesh, remember
00:10:54.29\00:10:56.49
when Ananias was sent
to Paul and Jesus said
00:10:56.52\00:10:59.46
I'm sending you to
him to open his eyes
00:10:59.49\00:11:02.17
but you must tell him
how much he will suffer
00:11:02.20\00:11:05.49
for me. I think
that Paul went through
00:11:05.52\00:11:08.25
all of these
hardships, the beatings
00:11:08.28\00:11:10.13
and he endured so
much. I think that was
00:11:10.16\00:11:12.76
the thorn in his
flesh that you know,
00:11:12.79\00:11:14.56
that's what I've
always thought anyway.
00:11:14.59\00:11:16.50
That makes sense.
That's what he is praying
00:11:16.53\00:11:18.11
to have removed
and yet as he said in
00:11:18.14\00:11:20.91
Second Corinthians chapter 1.
00:11:20.94\00:11:22.47
God allowed these
things to happen to keep Paul
00:11:22.50\00:11:26.11
close to him. And
everything that God
00:11:26.14\00:11:28.16
does is for our eternal benefit.
00:11:28.19\00:11:29.80
One could argue
that I could accomplish
00:11:29.83\00:11:32.59
much more if I did
not have this disease.
00:11:32.62\00:11:35.90
I also deal with
chronic pain which I'm sure
00:11:35.93\00:11:39.54
it contributes to
the disease I need more
00:11:39.57\00:11:42.13
sleep than the average person.
00:11:42.16\00:11:43.69
I need to avoid
a certain amount of
00:11:43.72\00:11:46.61
stress. But the fact
is when you cannot see
00:11:46.64\00:11:51.49
God clearly you
cannot serve him well.
00:11:51.52\00:11:54.03
So it doesn't matter
if you can work 16 hour
00:11:54.06\00:11:57.36
days and then tap
dance on your way home.
00:11:57.39\00:12:00.66
Amen. Okay now we've
said that the strength
00:12:00.69\00:12:05.26
comes from God,
but what is our part?
00:12:05.29\00:12:08.78
Our part is to
choose to reach for it.
00:12:08.81\00:12:14.63
To say Lord I want
this, I know you can carry
00:12:14.66\00:12:19.28
me through this, and we don't,
00:12:19.31\00:12:21.77
rarely do we
encounter a problem say
00:12:23.72\00:12:27.17
oh thank you Lord,
you can use this to make
00:12:27.20\00:12:29.45
me strong. There
is a certain amount of
00:12:29.48\00:12:32.06
whaling and gnashing of teeth
00:12:32.09\00:12:33.69
and that's okay.
We get to the point of
00:12:33.72\00:12:36.91
being strong by
being honest with God about
00:12:36.94\00:12:39.40
how we feel and you
know what worries us,
00:12:39.43\00:12:42.54
what makes us angry,
what makes us afraid.
00:12:42.57\00:12:45.35
So let me
paraphrase what you're saying.
00:12:45.38\00:12:49.00
When you said, our
part is to choose to receive
00:12:49.03\00:12:52.28
from God. Philippians
2:13 says that God works
00:12:52.31\00:12:56.29
in us to will and
to act according to his
00:12:56.32\00:12:59.34
good purpose. So our
part is going into him
00:12:59.37\00:13:02.65
then and saying
okay Lord. Work in me
00:13:02.68\00:13:06.14
to will, I'm willing
to be made willing to do
00:13:06.17\00:13:08.65
your will. Yes. And
Lord now help me step out
00:13:08.68\00:13:11.71
in faith and work in me to act.
00:13:11.74\00:13:13.73
In another words
we're surrendering
00:13:13.76\00:13:15.54
to his leading
choosing and looking up
00:13:15.57\00:13:18.09
and expecting to
receive from him. Yes. Yes.
00:13:18.12\00:13:21.91
And I think that is
probably the biggest key
00:13:21.94\00:13:23.98
to faith or to
strength is expecting him
00:13:24.01\00:13:27.61
to do for us.
Because there are certain
00:13:27.64\00:13:30.98
prayers we have a
right to expect answers to,
00:13:31.01\00:13:33.30
anything we need to hear him
00:13:33.33\00:13:36.84
and more clearly
to see him better
00:13:36.87\00:13:39.23
and to tell others about him.
00:13:39.26\00:13:41.84
He will answer that
prayer. It may not be
00:13:41.87\00:13:46.42
exactly the way He
expects, we expect,
00:13:46.45\00:13:49.42
but He will answer that prayer.
00:13:49.45\00:13:51.78
Yes, that's true. So
what character traits,
00:13:51.81\00:13:55.10
how do we reach for
those character traits
00:13:55.13\00:13:57.58
that make us
strong? It takes a lot of
00:13:57.61\00:14:03.65
discipline. Not
getting carried away with how
00:14:03.68\00:14:09.37
you feel. And I found a way.
00:14:09.40\00:14:11.73
Now wait a
minute, what do you mean?
00:14:11.76\00:14:12.73
Well we are
emotional beings. Right.
00:14:12.74\00:14:14.88
God made us to feel
things. There is nothing
00:14:14.91\00:14:17.75
wrong with anger,
fear, joy, happiness
00:14:17.78\00:14:21.60
but sometimes
because we don't express them
00:14:21.63\00:14:26.19
appropriately they
carry us off instead of
00:14:26.22\00:14:30.99
being part of a
healthy life serving the Lord.
00:14:31.02\00:14:34.10
For example joy,
you know if something
00:14:34.13\00:14:38.94
good happens to me
and I let joy carry me off
00:14:38.97\00:14:42.90
take control well
the next bump in the road
00:14:42.93\00:14:46.34
where I feel a little
sad, God's not with me.
00:14:46.37\00:14:49.41
God's not blessing
me. And that's not true.
00:14:49.44\00:14:53.01
And when we're angry we
need to find appropriate
00:14:53.04\00:14:57.23
ways to express it.
Because when we don't
00:14:57.26\00:15:00.07
as I've told you in
the last show it pops out
00:15:00.10\00:15:03.41
in the most inappropriate and
00:15:03.44\00:15:05.70
hurtful ways that
does so much damage to
00:15:05.73\00:15:08.63
ourselves and
others. Amen, amen.
00:15:08.66\00:15:11.19
You know I failed
to mention that Linda
00:15:11.22\00:15:14.56
has authored a
book, precious book called
00:15:14.59\00:15:17.75
Keep Sweet. And I
would like you to explain
00:15:17.78\00:15:21.87
why you titled that keep sweet
00:15:21.90\00:15:24.44
and want to tell
people how to get hold of that
00:15:24.47\00:15:26.85
book, okay. It's
available on my website
00:15:26.88\00:15:30.41
keepsweetforever.com.
And how do we keeping
00:15:30.44\00:15:40.33
sweet is like the
most important thing
00:15:40.36\00:15:42.03
a Christian can
do and we do that.
00:15:42.06\00:15:44.94
But what is that
mean to keep sweet?
00:15:44.97\00:15:46.45
It's very
simple, don't get bitter.
00:15:46.48\00:15:49.53
That's correct. Or
maybe don't stay bitter.
00:15:49.56\00:15:52.99
You know we all
get exposed to things
00:15:53.02\00:15:56.11
we all have
moments of bitterness
00:15:56.14\00:15:57.72
but it's not
supposed to be the trend of
00:15:57.75\00:15:59.88
our lives. Yes
and that's I liked
00:15:59.91\00:16:02.85
this book. She is a
very engaging writer.
00:16:02.88\00:16:06.52
You've got
quite a sense of humor
00:16:06.55\00:16:08.32
and as I told you
the night that I read
00:16:08.35\00:16:10.64
your book, I had
only had two hour sleep
00:16:10.67\00:16:13.33
the previous night
and I was so worn out
00:16:13.36\00:16:17.02
and I wanted to
read it before our first
00:16:17.05\00:16:19.10
program together.
And when I read that book
00:16:19.13\00:16:21.82
I picked it up and
I couldn't put it down
00:16:21.85\00:16:23.68
because it was very engaging,
00:16:23.71\00:16:25.20
your writing style,
but it was filled with such
00:16:25.23\00:16:28.29
spiritual insight and
I could tell immediately
00:16:28.32\00:16:31.58
Linda that you
really do have an intimate
00:16:31.61\00:16:34.31
relationship with the
Lord. Why do you think
00:16:34.34\00:16:38.93
that some people are
strong while some people
00:16:38.96\00:16:44.67
just seem to fall apart
at seems for any reason?
00:16:44.70\00:16:47.76
Well some of it is
a lack of maturity.
00:16:47.79\00:16:53.69
My teenage daughter
is more inclined to fall
00:16:53.72\00:16:57.40
apart since she rarely
does it; I have very low
00:16:57.43\00:17:01.43
patience with
it when it happens.
00:17:01.46\00:17:03.06
You know so,
you know the longer,
00:17:03.09\00:17:06.39
the longer we
walk with God the more
00:17:06.42\00:17:09.30
we see him help us,
the calmer we remain.
00:17:09.33\00:17:12.65
But then sometimes
we just expect for some
00:17:12.68\00:17:18.25
reason we stay in the faith
00:17:18.28\00:17:20.62
and we remind babies. We expect,
00:17:20.65\00:17:23.61
you know, we expect
God if we drop our rattle
00:17:23.64\00:17:26.91
He is gonna bring
it back to us. Amen.
00:17:26.94\00:17:28.89
And that if we were
hungry we are going to
00:17:28.92\00:17:30.97
cry and He is
gonna come right to us.
00:17:31.00\00:17:32.96
But now he wants
us to learn how to dig
00:17:32.99\00:17:37.10
into scripture,
how to make ourselves
00:17:37.13\00:17:40.53
available to other
people in need because
00:17:40.56\00:17:43.04
when we help
others whether we actually
00:17:43.07\00:17:46.98
speak about Christ or
simply doing either way
00:17:47.01\00:17:49.92
we are sharing
who Jesus Christ is,
00:17:49.95\00:17:52.40
that the nature
of God is He loves us
00:17:52.43\00:17:55.26
and wants us
happy and comfortable.
00:17:55.29\00:17:57.65
So you know even if
we don't have the courage
00:17:57.68\00:18:01.08
to speak, who
we are, what we do?
00:18:01.11\00:18:04.48
Is a powerful witness
to the nature of God. Amen.
00:18:04.51\00:18:09.01
Now when you said
dig into the scriptures
00:18:09.04\00:18:11.67
I'm gonna ask you a
question that I already
00:18:11.70\00:18:13.50
know the answer
to but because you
00:18:13.53\00:18:15.49
and I share something in common,
00:18:15.52\00:18:16.93
what are some of
your favorite Bible
00:18:16.96\00:18:19.07
tools to study the
Bible? A concordance,
00:18:19.10\00:18:22.80
an a topical Bible. The
topical Bible is helpful
00:18:22.83\00:18:27.21
when you can't
remember like let's say
00:18:27.24\00:18:30.14
you want to talk about
the topic of how a woman
00:18:30.17\00:18:32.31
should dress
modestly. You're not gonna
00:18:32.34\00:18:35.44
find a chapter
in the Bible, right,
00:18:35.47\00:18:38.48
titled that. But if
you look it up in the
00:18:38.51\00:18:41.49
topical Bible it would
give you all the verses
00:18:41.52\00:18:44.40
that deal with
the subject and it's
00:18:44.43\00:18:46.39
important on
something like that to deal
00:18:46.42\00:18:48.87
with all the verses. Absolutely.
00:18:48.90\00:18:52.17
If you're gonna
ever build a doctrine,
00:18:52.20\00:18:54.17
you don't wanna build
it on just a scripture
00:18:54.20\00:18:56.65
to you. You wanna
look at every scripture
00:18:56.68\00:18:58.59
on that topic and
study it from Genesis to
00:18:58.62\00:19:00.83
Revelation, right.
Right. Now you use Bible
00:19:00.86\00:19:02.88
software though
too, don't you? Yes I do.
00:19:02.91\00:19:05.19
In fact my husband
would be just delighted
00:19:05.22\00:19:09.08
if he would know how
much I use my computer
00:19:09.11\00:19:12.02
now 'cause he was
the one who dragged me
00:19:12.05\00:19:13.88
kicking and screaming
in front of my monitor.
00:19:13.91\00:19:16.80
And had to put
up with my fussing
00:19:16.83\00:19:18.79
and carrying on
for a number of years.
00:19:18.82\00:19:21.52
But the nice
thing about the software
00:19:21.55\00:19:25.37
is you've got it
all and I have problems
00:19:25.40\00:19:28.39
with my neck and
shoulders from waiting
00:19:28.42\00:19:30.25
on tables so many
years. Lifting these heavy
00:19:30.28\00:19:33.10
books is not
comfortable where as with the
00:19:33.13\00:19:35.98
computer software
once you get the hang
00:19:36.01\00:19:38.67
of it you can flip
from volume to volume,
00:19:38.70\00:19:41.70
from page to page
in seconds. Absolutely.
00:19:41.73\00:19:44.73
And you could
study with, you know
00:19:44.76\00:19:46.56
all open up and I
have four or five Bibles
00:19:46.59\00:19:48.77
open at the same
time and studying
00:19:48.80\00:19:50.81
comparative verse to verse
00:19:50.84\00:19:52.27
and I've got Vine's Expository.
00:19:52.30\00:19:55.85
I mean the dictionary,
I have all of these Greek
00:19:55.88\00:19:58.70
concordances and dictionaries
00:19:58.73\00:20:01.71
and it's wonderful to study.
00:20:01.74\00:20:03.81
And if you are interested in
00:20:03.84\00:20:05.65
Bible software,
please don't call me,
00:20:05.68\00:20:07.48
just look on the
website and you can.
00:20:07.51\00:20:10.33
There's wonderful
Bible packages out there.
00:20:10.36\00:20:12.88
But now in
developing strength I know
00:20:12.91\00:20:16.31
from reading
your book Keep Sweet
00:20:16.34\00:20:18.27
that a lot of your
strength, you had a
00:20:18.30\00:20:21.84
personal relationship
with the Lord before
00:20:21.87\00:20:24.24
your breakdown.
Right. You realized that
00:20:24.27\00:20:26.82
after what
caused the breakdown was
00:20:26.85\00:20:30.56
you building a wall
between you and God.
00:20:30.59\00:20:33.70
Yes. Because you
were angry with God
00:20:33.73\00:20:35.08
and not expressing it. Right.
00:20:35.11\00:20:36.44
So you learned that
openness with the Lord
00:20:36.47\00:20:38.40
and then when He
was drawing you out,
00:20:38.43\00:20:41.36
you kept getting
deeper into the word,
00:20:41.39\00:20:43.09
your husband was drawing closer
00:20:43.12\00:20:45.03
to the Lord. So you
know that Bible study
00:20:45.06\00:20:48.01
open communication with God,
00:20:48.04\00:20:50.23
dialoging with
God was important.
00:20:50.26\00:20:52.54
What other factors do you think;
00:20:52.57\00:20:55.29
outside factors
influence or hinder that
00:20:55.32\00:20:59.66
development of strength? Okay,
00:20:59.69\00:21:01.15
first I would like
to say something about
00:21:01.18\00:21:02.78
Bible study. When
I had my breakdown
00:21:02.81\00:21:05.74
my mind was
functioning so poorly,
00:21:05.77\00:21:08.83
that I could not
understand more than
00:21:08.86\00:21:11.80
the basics and yet I
read four chapters a day
00:21:11.83\00:21:14.54
in the Bible.
There is power in healing
00:21:14.57\00:21:19.14
in his words.
Absolutely. We should do
00:21:19.17\00:21:22.23
everything in our
power to try to understand
00:21:22.26\00:21:24.37
it. But on those
days where it just
00:21:24.40\00:21:26.97
doesn't click.
It's okay, keep reading.
00:21:27.00\00:21:30.48
You know Psalm
107:20, the Lord said,
00:21:30.51\00:21:33.70
He sent his word to
heal me and His word
00:21:33.73\00:21:38.88
does have
transforming life giving power,
00:21:38.91\00:21:42.12
it is alive and
active and sharper
00:21:42.15\00:21:44.70
than any
two-edged sword. So amen.
00:21:44.73\00:21:47.32
That was a good word sister.
00:21:47.35\00:21:49.06
Now Linda, back to
the question, okay.
00:21:49.09\00:21:51.42
What are the outside
factors that influence
00:21:51.45\00:21:54.42
or hinder the development of
00:21:54.45\00:21:55.75
our strength?
There's a couple things,
00:21:55.78\00:21:58.32
lifestyle
choices, okay. You know,
00:21:58.35\00:22:01.18
if you are into substance abuse.
00:22:01.21\00:22:03.96
Let's go back, let's
take these one by one.
00:22:03.99\00:22:06.96
Okay. Lifestyle
choices. How does,
00:22:06.99\00:22:08.78
how could that hinder
or help strengthen us?
00:22:08.81\00:22:13.97
Okay. If you make bad
choices in regard to our
00:22:14.00\00:22:17.70
lifestyle like
choosing substances that are,
00:22:17.73\00:22:22.32
you know that
harm the body, okay.
00:22:22.35\00:22:25.33
You can't hear God as clearly.
00:22:25.36\00:22:27.20
For the same
reason you can't be happy
00:22:27.23\00:22:30.24
if your brain isn't
right, working right.
00:22:30.27\00:22:32.05
You can't hear God if your brain
00:22:32.08\00:22:34.06
isn't working right.
So whether it's alcohol
00:22:34.09\00:22:36.65
or if it's drugs, if some sort,
00:22:36.68\00:22:39.93
you're in a
brain fog. You are not,
00:22:39.96\00:22:41.36
God's not going to
be able to get through
00:22:41.39\00:22:43.13
as easily. And
unhealthy relations outside.
00:22:43.16\00:22:46.16
Let me, let me back
up that what about diet?
00:22:46.19\00:22:48.01
Definitely. Some
people are actually
00:22:48.04\00:22:54.99
able to manage
their depression with diet
00:22:55.02\00:22:58.23
and exercise alone.
I've gone the medication
00:22:58.26\00:23:02.83
route, I would
urge anybody who makes
00:23:02.86\00:23:04.64
changes and how
they're managing depression
00:23:04.67\00:23:06.55
to have the
guidance of a professional
00:23:06.58\00:23:10.12
because once your
judgment gets impaired,
00:23:10.15\00:23:13.05
you know. Yes. You
know I did some programs.
00:23:13.08\00:23:16.40
Are you familiar
with Dr. Neil Nedley
00:23:16.43\00:23:18.24
he's a specialist
on clinical depression
00:23:18.27\00:23:21.04
and when I did the
programs with Dr. Nedley
00:23:21.07\00:23:23.31
he said if
you're on a prescription
00:23:23.34\00:23:25.42
medication you never
come off of it without
00:23:25.45\00:23:27.60
your doctor's
supervision. Right.
00:23:27.63\00:23:30.29
But yet there are
things that if you are eating
00:23:30.32\00:23:33.42
things like English
walnuts or something
00:23:33.45\00:23:37.29
that is high in
Omega-3 fatty acids, yes,
00:23:37.32\00:23:40.50
like the, what is
it, that we sprinkle over
00:23:40.53\00:23:43.43
the, my mind went
blank, wheat germ.
00:23:43.46\00:23:45.46
Not a wheat germ
but we'll think of it
00:23:45.49\00:23:47.42
in a minute. But
there are things that
00:23:47.45\00:23:49.33
we can do to improve
mental health through
00:23:49.36\00:23:52.41
our diet and
exercises well because
00:23:52.44\00:23:55.16
that improves our circulation.
00:23:55.19\00:23:56.79
What are some other things?
00:23:56.82\00:23:58.69
Our
relationships. Are they healthy
00:23:58.72\00:24:03.30
relationships? So
you're saying that an
00:24:03.33\00:24:05.92
unhealthy
relationship can hinder you from
00:24:05.95\00:24:08.65
developing a
good character traits.
00:24:08.68\00:24:11.25
Yeah, and for,
you know in a mate,
00:24:11.28\00:24:16.58
in your family you
want people who are
00:24:16.61\00:24:22.92
committed to the
well being of the family.
00:24:22.95\00:24:27.08
Not just your own
well being because
00:24:27.11\00:24:30.19
if Jerry would
have dropped what he was
00:24:30.22\00:24:32.70
doing and made me the
focus of his attention.
00:24:32.73\00:24:35.70
Well number one he
could have died before
00:24:35.73\00:24:38.29
he had that open heart surgery,
00:24:38.32\00:24:39.84
'cause he would not
have sought help from self.
00:24:39.87\00:24:41.77
And number two,
he would have created
00:24:41.80\00:24:44.38
a spoiled brat.
There is no, you know,
00:24:44.41\00:24:48.82
somebody who's sick
does not need to be spoiled.
00:24:48.85\00:24:51.39
They may need more
help than someone else
00:24:51.42\00:24:54.06
but spoiling somebody
who is sick regardless
00:24:54.09\00:24:57.39
of the illness is
probably the worst thing
00:24:57.42\00:24:59.34
you can do for
them. That's interesting,
00:24:59.37\00:25:01.45
because I want you
to even delve into that
00:25:01.48\00:25:05.64
a little bit more,
okay. Are you saying that
00:25:05.67\00:25:07.46
if someone is,
when you went through
00:25:07.49\00:25:10.60
your depression,
if someone coddled you
00:25:10.63\00:25:13.46
too much, if they
encouraged the wining,
00:25:13.49\00:25:18.17
in the
complaining, and the murmuring,
00:25:18.20\00:25:19.54
you're saying you
wouldn't have gotten
00:25:19.57\00:25:20.91
well as quickly
as you did? Right.
00:25:20.94\00:25:22.76
In fact I did have
one friend, we eventually
00:25:22.79\00:25:25.36
had to stop
being friends because
00:25:25.39\00:25:27.81
she tried to
fix it all the time.
00:25:27.84\00:25:30.68
And it was like
candy, I loved that,
00:25:30.71\00:25:34.75
you know here my
life's a shambles
00:25:34.78\00:25:36.95
and here's somebody
who is willing to fix it
00:25:36.98\00:25:39.17
for me. But it's not
how we were made to be,
00:25:39.20\00:25:43.68
we weren't meant
to be infects forever.
00:25:43.71\00:25:46.62
We were meant to
learn to walk and to grow
00:25:46.65\00:25:50.29
and to take care of
our own needs to a certain
00:25:50.32\00:25:53.34
degree. So when you
said she tried to fix it,
00:25:53.37\00:25:55.54
you mean physically
doing things for you
00:25:55.57\00:25:57.46
or was she just so sympathetic
00:25:57.49\00:26:00.03
and understanding
that she just nurtured
00:26:00.06\00:26:02.23
those negative feelings. Yeah.
00:26:02.26\00:26:03.43
So sympathetic
and understanding that
00:26:03.46\00:26:07.03
she didn't, she
tried but she couldn't
00:26:07.06\00:26:15.02
effectively say
Linda, don't be so
00:26:15.05\00:26:18.50
self-centered,
because the very nature
00:26:18.53\00:26:21.71
of any serious illness
is you do focus on self
00:26:21.74\00:26:26.18
more because you do
require more attention.
00:26:26.21\00:26:28.78
We're running out
of time so fast. Yeah.
00:26:28.81\00:26:31.86
But let me ask you
what are some things
00:26:31.89\00:26:33.44
that can actually
outside influences that
00:26:33.47\00:26:36.06
can, help you
strengthen personal
00:26:36.09\00:26:39.33
characteristics like,
I know Bible study was
00:26:39.36\00:26:43.44
one that we
mentioned. The right friends are
00:26:43.47\00:26:46.32
priceless. Friends
who won't be discouraged
00:26:46.35\00:26:49.03
that you don't make
a lot of improvement
00:26:49.06\00:26:50.54
but who are
willing to say to you,
00:26:50.57\00:26:53.68
no you can do a little bit more.
00:26:53.71\00:26:55.85
You can get a little
bit better, 'cause the next
00:26:55.88\00:26:58.71
thing you know
and it may really be a
00:26:58.74\00:27:00.11
long time but all
of sudden your life has
00:27:00.14\00:27:02.99
dramatically
improved, inch by inch by inch.
00:27:03.02\00:27:06.39
How about the power
of intercessory prayer?
00:27:06.42\00:27:09.07
Oh that is
priceless. I'm sure that my life
00:27:09.10\00:27:14.73
is so wonderful
because people took time
00:27:14.76\00:27:17.13
to pray. My
church did not understand
00:27:17.16\00:27:20.73
what to do. I firmly
believe everyone tried
00:27:20.76\00:27:23.42
their best and the
one thing they got right
00:27:23.45\00:27:26.26
is they prayed
and prayed and prayed.
00:27:26.29\00:27:29.24
Oh, I'm so sorry that
we're out of time today
00:27:29.27\00:27:31.82
Linda but thank you so much.
00:27:31.85\00:27:33.27
You know we want
to go to her website,
00:27:33.30\00:27:35.92
keepsweetforever.com
and get this
00:27:35.95\00:27:38.69
wonderful book and
until we can see you again.
00:27:38.72\00:27:41.86
May the grace of
our Lord Jesus Christ,
00:27:41.89\00:27:44.52
the love of the
Father and the fellowship
00:27:44.55\00:27:47.34
of the Holy Spirit
be with you always.
00:27:47.37\00:27:49.84
And thank you
so much for joining
00:27:49.87\00:27:52.31
us today. Amen. Thank You.
00:27:52.34\00:27:54.45