Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn,
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and we welcome you
today to Issues and Answers.
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This is a
program that talks about
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current issues, trends,
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things that are important to us,
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and we look for
answers from the Bible.
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And I have to tell you
that we are talking about
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mental health today.
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And you couldn't talk about
an issue that's more important.
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In today's world, it
seems that more and more people
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are unhappy, unsatisfied,
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just there's things that
are going on in this world
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but our special
guest is going to...
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Who is joining us today is
Dr. Magna Parks-Porterfield,
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and you've got some great
answers to these problems.
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Now I have to
say, this is part two,
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because we want
people to stay tuned.
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If you think that
you've seen this before,
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last week what we
covered on the last time was...
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We were talking about
Keys to Optimal Health
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and we covered
taking care of your body,
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moving from the past,
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and then aim for true happiness,
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changing your unhealthy thoughts
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and engaging in
activities that help others.
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So today, we're going
to continue in this list.
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This is part two of
Optimal Mental Health.
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Now something
that you said Magna
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and want to...
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Probably should do a little
more introduction on you first
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but you said something last time
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that really struck me.
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What we are talking
about is not just for people
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who have a diagnosis
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of some kind of a
mental health problem.
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Right. Right. We're
talking to everyone.
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Anyone who is
watching by television,
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listening by radio,
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or watching this
over the internet.
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We're talking to every person
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no matter what your
economic income level is,
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no matter what your
educational level is,
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this is a topic
that speaks to all.
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Now please tell
us one more time,
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you have a PhD in
counseling psychology.
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How did you come
up with this list?
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We've got nine
things on our list.
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How did you come
up with this list
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for Optimal Mental Health?
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I've always been interested
in the Bible and science,
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not always, that's not true.
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The last, probably
10 years of my career,
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I've been interested
in the Bible and science
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and I sometimes spend time
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looking at some of the
latest scientific research.
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And what I've started to see,
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the trend is that
science in some areas
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are starting to kind
of support the Bible.
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And so I started up
by looking at science
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and picking what I call
true scientific findings
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and coming up with
these Keys to Mental Health
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based on whether these findings
fit with what the Bible says.
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Amen. Amen.
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And as we've already
said, what we see often is that
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if science
contradicts the Bible,
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hold fast to the Bible
because it won't take long
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before science
will correct itself,
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and we're finding
that as the longer some
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that they studied on the topic,
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the more it comes into
agreement with the Bible.
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Amen. All right.
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Well, we've got some
things to talk about today,
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so let's just go
ahead and kick this off.
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What is the sixth key
to optimal mental health?
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Real simple, but
not simple always to do,
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increasing your self-control.
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It sounds real simple. Yes.
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But the science is showing
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that people who
exercise self-control
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live the most
satisfying and productive lives.
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In fact, they're saying
that self control is the key,
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one of the key ingredients
to a successful effective life.
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You know, it
reminds me of 1 Timothy 1:7.
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Where the Bible says
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that God did not give
us the spirit of fear,
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but one of power,
love, power, and sound mind.
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You know, interestingly,
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sound mind in some translations
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is translated self-control.
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Isn't that something? Yes.
Yeah, isn't that something?
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That
self-control and sound mind,
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depending on the translation
from the same Greek word.
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They're saying
basically what that means
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is that these
are synonymous terms.
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So it is true, not
just self control in
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what we're eating...
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No. But in
everything that we do.
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Everything that we do.
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And I just thought that
was so interesting to see
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because in the Bible we
see so many examples of people
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who didn't have self control
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and then we see a
few of those who did.
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You know, Moses is
interesting case study to me
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because he got
in trouble initially
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because he went on
and killed that Egyptian
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that was doing
something to the Hebrew slave,
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lack of self-control.
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Then the Lord sent him
for years into the wilderness
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to kind of remove some
of those things, I think.
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Then he spent 40
years with the Israelites
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and they were just
stubborn, hardheaded,
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and he exercised self-control
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all till the very end
and he struck the rock.
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Twice. Twice, right.
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So, you know, we have Moses,
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we have Samson who
was strongest weakest man,
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you know, he's strong
but lacks self-control
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in choosing the mates.
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And just various
people in the Bible,
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David and
Bathsheba, then we have Jesus
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who was like the
bulwark of self control.
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So self control examples
are all through the Bible.
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But what do we
mean by self control
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if somebody is
watching right now?
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Yes, that's a good question.
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And what do we
mean by self control?
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If I were to
give it a definition,
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and it's just my own definition,
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it is controlling
your inclinations,
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your desire to gratify
yourself in all areas of life.
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That's a good definition.
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All areas, whether it be
your feelings, your words,
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your thoughts, your habits,
it fits into all areas of life,
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and our natural inclination
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is to not want to
control those things.
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But that will not
lead to true mental health
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if we just allow
it to just hang out
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and never put any type
of guards on our mouths,
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and our bodies, and
our thoughts, etcetera.
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I remember once
that my uncle, I was...
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I interrupted to...
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Basically I thought
someone was going to answer
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or be upset by his question.
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So I kind of
interjected very quickly
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to answer for them
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so there would
not be an explosion.
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And you know what happened?
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He looked at me and he said,
"You're a conversation hog."
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And I thought, "Ah."
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But then I thought I
am, I shouldn't worry about,
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I mean, you
know, I should allow.
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It was actually
my sister to respond
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with however she feels
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and self-control
is something that,
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you know, we can when
you're just in a situation
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even with friends.
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If you don't
exercise self control
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in what you
speak, how you say it,
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how much you talk or
in what you're doing,
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you're just not a very
pleasant person to be around.
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That's true. Yes.
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And so that's important
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as you're saying
for social relationships
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and it's also important for us
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in terms of having
the best sound mind,
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the optimal mental
health that we can have
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and we need that self control
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and it comes
from the Holy Spirit
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because actually that's
one of the fruit of the spirit.
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It talks about temperance,
synonymous with self-control
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but God can give us
that when we ask for it.
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I need self-control
when it comes to chocolate.
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I'm planning to pray more.
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We can all find an area
where we lose self-control.
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Yeah, another key
for optimal mental health
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is cultivating
positive emotions.
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And I specifically
chose that word cultivate
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because when you
cultivate something,
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it doesn't just
grow overnight, does it?
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No.
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You have to do various things,
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you think about
cultivating the soil.
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You have to do various things,
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sometimes you have to add
ingredients, sunshine, water.
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So this thing about
cultivating positive emotions,
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it takes a little while
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because we are not
prone to positive emotions.
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Since sin came into the picture,
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we are more prone
to negative emotions.
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Yeah, you have more people
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who are more optimistic
than others of course,
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but for the
most part we are not.
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And I like this quote,
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can I read it to you
from Ministry of Healing.
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She says, "Courage,
hope, faith, sympathy, love,
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promote health and prolong life.
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A contented mind,
a cheerful spirit,
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is health to the body
and strength to the soul."
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Amen.
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So she's talking
about these positive things,
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courage, hope, faith,
sympathy, love, gratitude.
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Well, she doesn't
mention gratitude here
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but in another quote she does,
all of these promote health
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and I put it in there
promotes mental health.
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Amen.
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You know what I'm thinking
of right now is Romans 12,
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and this is
something that I remember
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when I came to
Nehemiah 8:10 that says,
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"The joy of the
Lord is your strength."
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And it was not at the time
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that I was feeling
very joyful and I thought,
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"Oh, Lord,
somehow I need your joy."
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And how do I get that joy?
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How do we as you're saying,
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how do we
cultivate positive emotions.
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Well, Paul told to
Romans in Romans 12:2,
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"Do not be
conformed to this world,
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but be transformed by
the renewing of your mind,
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that you may prove
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what is that good and acceptable
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and perfect will of God.
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And I think that
what helped me the most
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was this verse to know that
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if I wasn't
experiencing the joy of the Lord
00:10:18.25\00:10:20.38
is because I
didn't see Him at the time
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as being such a
loving, caring Father,
00:10:23.35\00:10:26.15
but as I got
into the Word of God,
00:10:26.19\00:10:29.56
it did renew my mind.
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Amen.
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And I began to cultivate
these positive thoughts
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and just, it was
something that the emotions
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as I began to see
God in a different light
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and see what His
plan was for my life.
00:10:43.74\00:10:46.07
I saw that my
emotions totally changed.
00:10:46.11\00:10:48.08
Amen. Amen.
00:10:48.11\00:10:49.74
That's why the word
cultivate is so important.
00:10:49.78\00:10:52.08
We have to be intentional
00:10:52.11\00:10:54.22
about
cultivating those emotions.
00:10:54.25\00:10:55.72
We may not feel it all the time
00:10:55.75\00:10:57.82
but for optimum
mental health we have to say,
00:10:57.85\00:10:59.95
"I don't feel this right now,
00:10:59.99\00:11:01.32
but Lord show me what I can do
00:11:01.36\00:11:03.32
to cultivate this
positive emotion."
00:11:03.36\00:11:05.49
And the Word of God is
the foundation for that,
00:11:05.53\00:11:09.20
but then other
things you can do,
00:11:09.23\00:11:10.60
there's
actually something called
00:11:10.63\00:11:11.97
the positive emotion ratio.
00:11:12.00\00:11:15.34
For every one negative
emotion you experience,
00:11:15.37\00:11:18.57
you try to cultivate
00:11:18.61\00:11:20.18
or intentionally experience
three positive emotions.
00:11:20.21\00:11:23.81
I can give an example. Sure.
00:11:23.85\00:11:25.18
I'm feeling really sad today,
00:11:25.21\00:11:26.55
it's raining outside,
I just feel really sad.
00:11:26.58\00:11:28.62
One part, negative emotion,
00:11:28.65\00:11:29.98
okay what can I do to cultivate
three positive emotions.
00:11:30.02\00:11:32.95
Maybe I may pick
up the Word of God
00:11:32.99\00:11:34.59
and read my famous promise.
00:11:34.62\00:11:36.32
I might decide
00:11:36.36\00:11:37.69
I want to pick up a
picture of my favorite person
00:11:37.73\00:11:40.06
or if I need to
pet my favorite pet.
00:11:40.10\00:11:42.03
That's two things to do.
00:11:42.06\00:11:43.73
Another thing
may be sing a song,
00:11:43.77\00:11:46.27
so you're doing three things
00:11:46.30\00:11:48.14
to counteract that
one negative emotion.
00:11:48.17\00:11:50.51
That shows you how
powerful negative emotions are.
00:11:50.54\00:11:51.87
You know something...
00:11:51.91\00:11:53.24
I don't know
where I read this study,
00:11:53.27\00:11:54.61
but that is so
fascinating, Magna,
00:11:54.64\00:11:56.28
because I read once
00:11:56.31\00:11:57.81
that every time we
have a negative thought,
00:11:57.85\00:12:00.45
it makes three
indentions on the brain cells
00:12:00.48\00:12:04.72
in compared to
a positive thought
00:12:04.75\00:12:06.52
will make one indention,
00:12:06.55\00:12:07.89
I mean, it's
stuff that's coming in
00:12:07.92\00:12:09.82
and that fits that perfectly.
00:12:09.86\00:12:12.03
It does. It
does. That's amazing.
00:12:12.06\00:12:14.50
So that's where that
brain science is tied in there.
00:12:14.53\00:12:18.30
So cultivating that.
00:12:18.33\00:12:20.27
So cultivating positive emotions
00:12:20.30\00:12:23.87
that would once
again be Philippians 4:8
00:12:23.91\00:12:26.41
that you've got to
look at the positive things,
00:12:26.44\00:12:29.88
pure things, good things,
00:12:29.91\00:12:32.21
and think on such
things as Paul said.
00:12:32.25\00:12:35.02
And it's not feeling based,
00:12:35.05\00:12:36.69
that's something
I want to stress to.
00:12:36.72\00:12:38.35
Even though you're feeling bad,
00:12:38.39\00:12:40.16
when you intentionally
00:12:40.19\00:12:41.89
try to produce
something positive, it helps.
00:12:41.92\00:12:45.09
Amen. That's really important.
00:12:45.13\00:12:47.20
This next area is one that
I really like to talk about.
00:12:47.23\00:12:50.07
Spending time
expressing gratitude.
00:12:50.10\00:12:53.64
Amen.
00:12:53.67\00:12:55.00
There's so much
research on there now,
00:12:55.04\00:12:57.77
out there now about
expressing gratitude,
00:12:57.81\00:12:59.64
it's just amazing.
00:12:59.67\00:13:01.11
You know, Paul used to
say, oh, he didn't used to say,
00:13:01.14\00:13:03.45
but in the Bible it
says, "Rejoice ever more.
00:13:03.48\00:13:06.25
In everything give thanks:
00:13:06.28\00:13:07.82
for this is the will
of God in Christ Jesus."
00:13:07.85\00:13:09.18
1 Thessalonians 5:18.
00:13:09.22\00:13:10.72
That's where you're going to?
Yes, that's where I was going.
00:13:10.75\00:13:12.92
Yeah, this is the
will of God concerning you.
00:13:12.95\00:13:14.82
It is reported that
those who are more grateful,
00:13:14.86\00:13:17.83
they tend to be less anxious,
00:13:17.86\00:13:20.13
less depressed, less lonely,
00:13:20.16\00:13:23.23
less envious, and
less materialistic,
00:13:23.26\00:13:26.00
science have shown this.
00:13:26.03\00:13:27.74
That's fascinating.
It's very fascinating.
00:13:27.77\00:13:30.41
And that ties so well
into what you were saying
00:13:30.44\00:13:33.78
about cultivating
positive emotions.
00:13:33.81\00:13:37.35
The more...
00:13:37.38\00:13:38.71
For example, if you have...
00:13:38.75\00:13:41.18
If your foot is
hurting really badly
00:13:41.22\00:13:43.05
and it's ruining your day
00:13:43.08\00:13:44.42
because let's say you
got gout on your foot.
00:13:44.45\00:13:46.45
Just because I know someone
00:13:46.49\00:13:47.82
now who is suffering
from gout in the foot,
00:13:47.86\00:13:49.62
and your foot is
just really hurting.
00:13:49.66\00:13:52.86
It can get you down till
you start thinking about people
00:13:52.89\00:13:55.46
who have no feet that
have lost a leg or something.
00:13:55.50\00:13:58.23
But it's one of those things
00:13:58.27\00:13:59.77
where when you're
feeling negative and sad,
00:13:59.80\00:14:03.44
if you sit down and make a
list of blessings, you know...
00:14:03.47\00:14:06.37
I don't need to say anymore.
00:14:06.41\00:14:07.78
You've done it.
00:14:07.81\00:14:09.14
Oh, okay.
00:14:09.18\00:14:10.51
It's good though. Yes.
00:14:10.55\00:14:11.88
That is something. Yeah, it is.
00:14:11.91\00:14:13.62
Yeah. It's powerful.
00:14:13.65\00:14:14.98
And, you know, one
thing that I've started doing,
00:14:15.02\00:14:18.99
sometimes when I'm praying,
00:14:19.02\00:14:21.26
if I don't have a
lot of time to pray,
00:14:21.29\00:14:23.79
what I'll do is I start off
and I'll thank God for, say,
00:14:23.83\00:14:28.63
of course after I thanked Him
00:14:28.66\00:14:30.00
for my savior
and the Holy Spirit
00:14:30.03\00:14:31.97
and I always pray for the people
00:14:32.00\00:14:33.34
who don't know Him
00:14:33.37\00:14:34.70
that He'll shine
light to their darkness.
00:14:34.74\00:14:36.24
I'll thank Him
for my good health,
00:14:36.27\00:14:38.07
then I pray for people
who don't have good health.
00:14:38.11\00:14:41.01
And I list out people I know
00:14:41.04\00:14:42.41
or I may thank Him for
the material blessings,
00:14:42.44\00:14:45.35
for my beautiful home,
00:14:45.38\00:14:47.12
and then I pray for the homeless
00:14:47.15\00:14:49.28
and the people who don't
have the good food on the table,
00:14:49.32\00:14:52.19
the healthy food.
00:14:52.22\00:14:53.56
But as you sit and
you're thanking God
00:14:53.59\00:14:56.09
for all of these things
00:14:56.12\00:14:58.26
that we sometimes
can take for granted.
00:14:58.29\00:15:00.73
And I'm so thankful,
00:15:00.76\00:15:02.10
I'm filled with a
heart of gratitude
00:15:02.13\00:15:04.50
for what the Lord has done.
00:15:04.53\00:15:06.00
But then I pray for others
00:15:06.03\00:15:08.84
and it kind of makes
you recognize your blessing
00:15:08.87\00:15:12.07
but then you're
outwardly focused too.
00:15:12.11\00:15:14.48
You know, that kind of fits in
00:15:14.51\00:15:15.84
what I was going
to share right now.
00:15:15.88\00:15:17.28
One person came up with
habits of grateful people
00:15:17.31\00:15:21.02
and they were four
habits I though was so powerful.
00:15:21.05\00:15:23.72
Listen to this first habit.
00:15:23.75\00:15:25.42
Once in a while they
think about deaf and lost,
00:15:25.45\00:15:30.46
contemplating endings
really does make you grateful
00:15:30.49\00:15:34.03
for the for the
life you currently have
00:15:34.06\00:15:36.20
according to several studies.
00:15:36.23\00:15:38.23
Isn't that powerful? That is.
00:15:38.27\00:15:39.63
I just read an
article in the ASI magazine
00:15:39.67\00:15:42.17
about a man who had done
extremely well in his business,
00:15:42.20\00:15:47.51
very successful.
00:15:47.54\00:15:48.88
He didn't get to spend as
much time maybe with his kids
00:15:48.91\00:15:50.88
as he wanted to,
00:15:50.91\00:15:52.25
and he was diagnosed
with prostate cancer.
00:15:52.28\00:15:56.35
And told he had
three months to live,
00:15:56.38\00:15:59.25
so he took his family,
they went on mission trips,
00:15:59.29\00:16:02.26
his whole priorities
changed when he heard this.
00:16:02.29\00:16:05.86
Now that's been four years ago.
00:16:05.89\00:16:09.30
And it's not that his
cancer is not advancing,
00:16:09.33\00:16:12.10
but what he said
in the article was
00:16:12.13\00:16:14.57
I never really started living
until I thought I was dying.
00:16:14.60\00:16:18.67
That fits right into this. Yeah.
00:16:18.71\00:16:20.94
Fits right into that
00:16:20.98\00:16:22.31
and the studies are
showing that, powerful story.
00:16:22.34\00:16:24.35
Another one that they say,
00:16:24.38\00:16:26.15
they take, these
are grateful people,
00:16:26.18\00:16:27.58
they take good things as gifts
00:16:27.62\00:16:30.39
and not birth rights.
00:16:30.42\00:16:32.65
So sometimes we feel
entitled to good things
00:16:32.69\00:16:35.46
and when we feel
entitled to good things,
00:16:35.49\00:16:37.33
we're not likely to
give thanks for those things.
00:16:37.36\00:16:39.33
You know, people give us a thing
00:16:39.36\00:16:40.70
and we think we deserve this,
00:16:40.73\00:16:42.40
but that's not a
thankful attitude.
00:16:42.43\00:16:44.27
But grateful
people, they look at things,
00:16:44.30\00:16:46.23
they're grateful for it
and they count their blessings
00:16:46.27\00:16:49.34
and they look and say,
"I'm so grateful for this,
00:16:49.37\00:16:51.87
I didn't have to get this.
00:16:51.91\00:16:53.24
I don't deserve this."
00:16:53.27\00:16:54.61
And, you know what
that made me think of?
00:16:54.64\00:16:56.04
Salvation. Amen.
00:16:56.08\00:16:57.71
Jesus coming down
and giving His life.
00:16:57.75\00:16:59.25
He didn't have
to do that for us,
00:16:59.28\00:17:00.82
but when we think about it,
00:17:00.85\00:17:02.28
we recognize
we're not deserving,
00:17:02.32\00:17:04.75
we're not entitled of it
00:17:04.79\00:17:06.12
because of His love for us,
00:17:06.15\00:17:07.76
that's a habit of
a grateful person.
00:17:07.79\00:17:09.82
Absolutely.
00:17:09.86\00:17:11.19
And I think that
00:17:11.23\00:17:13.29
when we do have that
gratitude in our hearts,
00:17:13.33\00:17:16.90
it's something that we
begin to even recognize
00:17:16.93\00:17:21.20
that we can't take...
00:17:21.24\00:17:23.14
I think it makes you more humble
00:17:23.17\00:17:24.51
because you
cannot take for granted
00:17:24.54\00:17:28.34
that if you're
gifted in an area,
00:17:28.38\00:17:30.78
you know, you're
talented in an area.
00:17:30.81\00:17:32.51
Sometimes people will tell you,
00:17:32.55\00:17:33.88
"Oh, you're a good speaker,
you're this, you're that."
00:17:33.92\00:17:36.89
And if you recognize
it's all a gift from Him
00:17:36.92\00:17:41.12
and, you know, and
then you're thanking Him
00:17:41.16\00:17:42.66
for that gift as well.
00:17:42.69\00:17:44.33
So it keeps you humble
00:17:44.36\00:17:45.76
because you realize
everything we have is a gift.
00:17:45.79\00:17:48.43
Amen. Amen.
00:17:48.46\00:17:49.86
Another habit
they talk about is.
00:17:49.90\00:17:52.00
Listen to this. They
thank outside the box.
00:17:52.03\00:17:55.50
Usually we say
think outside the box,
00:17:55.54\00:17:57.47
but they say they
thank outside the box,
00:17:57.51\00:17:59.94
and the idea behind this is
00:17:59.97\00:18:01.31
we're accustomed to give Him
thanks for good things, right?
00:18:01.34\00:18:03.88
But the grateful person,
00:18:03.91\00:18:05.25
they give thanks
for unlikely things,
00:18:05.28\00:18:07.82
"Lord, I just lost my job today,
00:18:07.85\00:18:09.48
You have a reason for this.
00:18:09.52\00:18:10.85
I'm thankful for this."
00:18:10.89\00:18:12.22
A homeless person
comes and asks you for money,
00:18:12.25\00:18:14.16
"Lord, thank You
for that homeless person
00:18:14.19\00:18:15.82
asking me for money
00:18:15.86\00:18:17.19
because it helps me
realize that there are people
00:18:17.23\00:18:18.56
who are needy out
there and I have so much."
00:18:18.59\00:18:20.56
So the ideas
that a grateful person
00:18:20.60\00:18:22.33
that develops this habit,
00:18:22.36\00:18:23.83
they think outside of the box.
00:18:23.87\00:18:26.57
They don't just give
thanks for good things
00:18:26.60\00:18:28.27
but for the other things
that happened in their lives,
00:18:28.30\00:18:30.54
the unfortunate circumstances
00:18:30.57\00:18:32.37
and that is the key to
optimum mental health as well.
00:18:32.41\00:18:35.24
I think that helped me so
much when my sister died...
00:18:35.28\00:18:40.62
You know, she was my
baby sister, unexpected death,
00:18:40.65\00:18:44.12
and what helped me was that
00:18:44.15\00:18:48.76
it didn't take too long
before I began to praise God
00:18:48.79\00:18:52.73
and thank Him for taking
her and sparing her suffering.
00:18:52.76\00:18:56.93
And you know what?
00:18:56.97\00:18:58.30
That totally changed,
00:18:58.33\00:19:00.47
you know, when you're
in that period of grief
00:19:00.50\00:19:03.27
when I could finally realize
00:19:03.30\00:19:04.67
and it helped
when I saw her autopsy,
00:19:04.71\00:19:06.11
she had some
issues we didn't know.
00:19:06.14\00:19:07.88
And I began thanking the Lord,
00:19:07.91\00:19:10.31
and when I did, that
just really lifted me so much.
00:19:10.35\00:19:16.18
I lost my husband
first, now I'm remarried,
00:19:16.22\00:19:18.19
but I lost him four years ago,
00:19:18.22\00:19:19.92
and I actually started a
few months after he passed,
00:19:19.95\00:19:22.66
I started a gratitude journal.
00:19:22.69\00:19:24.89
Because I didn't
want to just focus on,
00:19:24.93\00:19:26.96
you know, Al is no longer here,
00:19:27.00\00:19:28.86
we no longer have
a ministry together.
00:19:28.90\00:19:30.27
I started to read
the research and I said,
00:19:30.30\00:19:32.10
"Lord, I'm gonna
apply this to myself."
00:19:32.13\00:19:34.17
And right before
sundown each Friday night,
00:19:34.20\00:19:36.71
I would pull out my journal in
and look back through that week
00:19:36.74\00:19:39.31
and write down all of the things
00:19:39.34\00:19:40.94
the Lord had done for me,
00:19:40.98\00:19:42.51
and it lifted my spirit
each time I did this, Shelley.
00:19:42.54\00:19:45.25
It was a blessing.
00:19:45.28\00:19:46.61
And so when I'm
working with people now
00:19:46.65\00:19:47.98
because I do phone counseling,
00:19:48.02\00:19:49.35
you know, and when I'm
working with people, now,
00:19:49.38\00:19:51.15
many of them who are depressed,
00:19:51.19\00:19:52.52
I assign them
that particular test.
00:19:52.55\00:19:54.82
I said, "I want you to start
keeping a gratitude journal."
00:19:54.86\00:19:57.66
And many have reported to me
00:19:57.69\00:19:59.23
how that has
uplifted their spirit
00:19:59.26\00:20:01.46
just keeping a
gratitude journal.
00:20:01.50\00:20:02.86
So when you are in a
state if you're grieving...
00:20:02.90\00:20:08.34
Yes.
00:20:08.37\00:20:09.77
How do you go about
keeping a gratitude journal?
00:20:09.80\00:20:12.87
Explain that a little more?
00:20:12.91\00:20:14.41
Well, I think, I don't know
00:20:14.44\00:20:15.91
if it was this show
or the previous one.
00:20:15.94\00:20:17.78
I ask God to help me to
work outside of my feelings.
00:20:17.81\00:20:22.08
The feelings of
grief can so overwhelm me
00:20:22.12\00:20:24.52
that I'm working
based on my sadness,
00:20:24.55\00:20:27.12
my loneliness and all of that.
00:20:27.16\00:20:29.02
But I had to ask God in
spite of how I'm feeling,
00:20:29.06\00:20:31.89
help me to be able to see
and to write down the things
00:20:31.93\00:20:34.46
you've done for
me and he did that.
00:20:34.50\00:20:36.46
So the key is working
outside of your feelings.
00:20:36.50\00:20:39.50
Okay. And that's not easy.
00:20:39.53\00:20:41.70
Yeah.
00:20:41.74\00:20:43.07
But it can be done
00:20:43.10\00:20:44.44
just not letting those
feelings dictate what you do,
00:20:44.47\00:20:46.68
dictate your choices.
00:20:46.71\00:20:48.21
So when you
wake up feeling good,
00:20:48.24\00:20:50.28
you know, or the sun is shining
and it's a beautiful day,
00:20:50.31\00:20:52.61
you can have gratitude
00:20:52.65\00:20:54.32
for that sun
shining beautiful day.
00:20:54.35\00:20:56.95
Or if someone shows you
00:20:56.99\00:20:59.72
some particular caring act that,
00:20:59.75\00:21:03.09
you know,
benevolent act toward you,
00:21:03.12\00:21:05.06
you can thank him for that.
00:21:05.09\00:21:06.43
Okay, I think I
understand in that,
00:21:06.46\00:21:08.96
that's very important.
00:21:09.00\00:21:10.97
And I think
that's why Paul said,
00:21:11.00\00:21:12.47
"Be thankful always."
00:21:12.50\00:21:14.77
That's right, I
mean look at his life,
00:21:14.80\00:21:17.17
what he went
through, I don't know what...
00:21:17.21\00:21:18.97
You're a Bible
scholar more than I am,
00:21:19.01\00:21:21.01
but he talks about in
parallels and journeyings,
00:21:21.04\00:21:24.05
you know, all
those different things
00:21:24.08\00:21:25.88
that he went through.
00:21:25.91\00:21:27.25
When you think about
him being inside of a prison
00:21:27.28\00:21:30.42
that he could not, a cell
that in which he could not stand
00:21:30.45\00:21:34.76
and couldn't even
really stretch his legs out.
00:21:34.79\00:21:37.33
Being beaten and thrown
into a cell and can sing,
00:21:37.36\00:21:41.06
you know, this was somebody...
00:21:41.10\00:21:43.37
He had a real
hand along gratitude.
00:21:43.40\00:21:45.57
He did have a real
hand along gratitude.
00:21:45.60\00:21:47.57
So his example is one for us.
00:21:47.60\00:21:50.17
And then there's the
last one that I have here,
00:21:50.21\00:21:52.94
we can go back and talk
about some other things as well.
00:21:52.97\00:21:55.71
And I think actually
this is the foundation,
00:21:55.74\00:21:58.05
studying and
contemplating God's love.
00:21:58.08\00:22:00.62
Oh, I agree.
00:22:00.65\00:22:01.98
I think that is foundational.
00:22:02.02\00:22:03.72
I agree 100%.
00:22:03.75\00:22:05.22
The research shows
00:22:05.25\00:22:06.79
that involvement
in religious systems
00:22:06.82\00:22:10.13
that emphasize love,
compassion and forgiveness
00:22:10.16\00:22:14.30
is more helpful
for mental health
00:22:14.33\00:22:16.80
than those that
involve guilt and punishment.
00:22:16.83\00:22:19.57
Amen.
00:22:19.60\00:22:20.94
You know, there was a time
00:22:20.97\00:22:22.30
psychologists used
to run from religion.
00:22:22.34\00:22:23.67
When I was going
through my doctorial training,
00:22:23.71\00:22:25.81
I was a Christian,
00:22:25.84\00:22:27.24
but when I'd bring up
something about Christianity,
00:22:27.28\00:22:29.48
"Oh, Magna, you know,
that crutch you all rely on,"
00:22:29.51\00:22:32.21
you know, woke, woke.
00:22:32.25\00:22:33.62
But now they can't run anymore.
00:22:33.65\00:22:35.18
It's just clear that
religious involvement,
00:22:35.22\00:22:38.55
spiritual involvement
00:22:38.59\00:22:39.92
helps the mental
health of a person.
00:22:39.95\00:22:42.19
And you know, when we're
talking about mental health,
00:22:42.22\00:22:44.23
we're not necessarily saying
that you're crazy out here.
00:22:44.26\00:22:46.93
It's a good point.
00:22:46.96\00:22:48.30
Because I
remember when I grew up
00:22:48.33\00:22:52.90
in an environment
in which I was taught,
00:22:52.93\00:22:55.27
I had to be
perfect to be loved by God,
00:22:55.30\00:22:56.91
so I was given some
wrong thinking if you will.
00:22:56.94\00:23:00.88
And so I finally just,
almost gave up on the Lord,
00:23:00.91\00:23:05.15
but when I started
really studying for myself,
00:23:05.18\00:23:08.78
you know, when
you read Romans 5:8
00:23:08.82\00:23:10.99
that God
demonstrated His love for this
00:23:11.02\00:23:14.12
that while we were yet sinners,
00:23:14.16\00:23:15.79
He sent His Son to die for us.
00:23:15.82\00:23:17.59
Romans 8:32
00:23:17.63\00:23:19.09
saying that if He did
not spare His own Son,
00:23:19.13\00:23:21.73
how much more
will They do for us.
00:23:21.76\00:23:23.50
When you begin to
understand the love of God...
00:23:23.53\00:23:27.10
Amen.
00:23:27.14\00:23:28.47
Then you can absolutely,
00:23:28.50\00:23:30.71
I mean, it does totally
change your mental health.
00:23:30.74\00:23:32.57
It does. It really does.
00:23:32.61\00:23:33.94
It's completely
uplifting. It does.
00:23:33.98\00:23:37.01
And my heart goes out to people
00:23:37.05\00:23:38.38
who don't believe in a God,
00:23:38.41\00:23:40.92
you know, believing in
a God, and not having that
00:23:40.95\00:23:44.65
to me is a real missing key
ingredient for mental health.
00:23:44.69\00:23:48.86
I told someone
recently who was saying that...
00:23:48.89\00:23:51.93
I forget how they put
it but it was basically,
00:23:54.96\00:23:57.83
"Well, what if
there is no heaven?
00:23:57.87\00:23:59.43
What if you are wrong?"
00:23:59.47\00:24:00.80
This was an atheist
I was speaking with.
00:24:00.84\00:24:03.61
What if you're wrong?
00:24:03.64\00:24:04.97
You know what I told
him? What you told him?
00:24:05.01\00:24:06.34
I said, "Even if
it were in your...
00:24:06.37\00:24:10.05
If this were a fantasy..."
00:24:10.08\00:24:11.41
I said, "I'd rather
live in my fantasy world."
00:24:11.45\00:24:13.92
Because I have
such peace in my heart
00:24:13.95\00:24:16.79
and I know it's not fantasy,
00:24:16.82\00:24:18.49
but the point
that I was making is
00:24:18.52\00:24:20.99
I'd still rather live
a life as a Christian.
00:24:21.02\00:24:24.26
He said, "Yeah, but you
don't get to do this and that."
00:24:24.29\00:24:25.96
I said, "But those
things don't bring happiness."
00:24:25.99\00:24:28.10
You know, what brings happiness
00:24:28.13\00:24:30.07
is my faith and
belief in the Lord,
00:24:30.10\00:24:32.67
so it is something
that this contemplating
00:24:32.70\00:24:37.24
and studying about
God's love is very important.
00:24:37.27\00:24:39.81
You know, it's so
interesting you mentioned to him
00:24:39.84\00:24:41.34
these other things
don't bring happiness,
00:24:41.38\00:24:43.01
and again remember the last show
00:24:43.04\00:24:44.38
we talked about what
brings true happiness.
00:24:44.41\00:24:45.75
Yes.
00:24:45.78\00:24:47.12
You know, now with
people when they give me
00:24:47.15\00:24:48.48
that kind of
response, I can say,
00:24:48.52\00:24:49.85
well, the research
shows those short term things
00:24:49.88\00:24:51.22
that I'm not doing,
00:24:51.25\00:24:52.59
they really don't
bring true happiness.
00:24:52.62\00:24:54.29
But let me you, absolutely.
00:24:54.32\00:24:56.26
Let me ask you this
question because I don't know
00:24:56.29\00:24:57.96
I think that I've ever
really heard your testimony.
00:24:57.99\00:25:04.43
Did you grow up
in a Christian home?
00:25:04.47\00:25:06.23
Yes, I did. All right.
00:25:06.27\00:25:07.77
So when did it
become real for you?
00:25:07.80\00:25:09.70
When did it become more
00:25:09.74\00:25:11.07
than an inheriting a
belief from your family?
00:25:11.11\00:25:12.87
In college. All right.
00:25:12.91\00:25:14.51
I attended Oakwood College,
00:25:14.54\00:25:15.88
and some of the
sermons I heard there,
00:25:15.91\00:25:19.08
and some of my religion classes.
00:25:19.11\00:25:20.68
I started to say, "Wow!
00:25:20.72\00:25:22.88
This is really,
expression go, this is deep."
00:25:22.92\00:25:26.19
You know, it's more
00:25:26.22\00:25:27.56
than just what I've
heard from my parents.
00:25:27.59\00:25:30.33
Actually, I grew up in a home
00:25:30.36\00:25:31.86
where only one of my parents
was a Christian actually.
00:25:31.89\00:25:34.56
It's more than what
I've heard them say.
00:25:34.60\00:25:36.50
This is something that
I can grab on for myself
00:25:36.53\00:25:38.47
and what was
really encouraging to me
00:25:38.50\00:25:40.27
is seeing other
students who came with that joy,
00:25:40.30\00:25:43.81
that peace, they have
developed that relationship
00:25:43.84\00:25:46.57
and I looked at
them and said, "Wow!
00:25:46.61\00:25:48.11
I want that too."
00:25:48.14\00:25:49.94
And I started to, you know,
spend more time in God's Word
00:25:49.98\00:25:53.11
and got to know Him
more of the personal savior.
00:25:53.15\00:25:55.42
So it happened for me in
college 1980s, I remember.
00:25:55.45\00:25:58.65
So then you can
personally testify to the fact
00:25:58.69\00:26:02.22
that studying and
contemplating God's love
00:26:02.26\00:26:05.29
and I mean, I'm sure
you've got case study
00:26:05.33\00:26:08.26
after case study on this,
00:26:08.30\00:26:09.70
you know, personal experiences
and testimonies of others
00:26:09.73\00:26:13.97
who have had their
lives totally changed.
00:26:14.00\00:26:17.67
Their mental
health has been optimized
00:26:17.71\00:26:20.61
because they've come
to accept the loving God.
00:26:20.64\00:26:22.78
Oh, yes, I can think of a story,
00:26:22.81\00:26:24.25
the same lady I
mentioned earlier about
00:26:24.28\00:26:26.31
who started to forgive people,
00:26:26.35\00:26:29.02
who was sexually
abused by so many people.
00:26:29.05\00:26:31.09
She had stopped going to church,
00:26:31.12\00:26:32.45
stopped believing in God,
00:26:32.49\00:26:33.82
and she started
going back to church
00:26:33.86\00:26:35.32
and she came back
and told me the peace
00:26:35.36\00:26:37.06
that she feels now knowing God.
00:26:37.09\00:26:39.43
Knowing His love for her in
spite of the horrible things
00:26:39.46\00:26:42.83
that have been done to her
00:26:42.86\00:26:44.20
helped her health tremendously.
00:26:44.23\00:26:46.27
Well, let's just kind of
00:26:46.30\00:26:47.64
quickly review the nine points.
00:26:47.67\00:26:49.54
We've got the nine keys
00:26:49.57\00:26:52.64
to experiencing
optimum mental health.
00:26:52.67\00:26:57.21
Taking care of your
body, moving from the past,
00:26:57.25\00:27:03.15
aim for true happiness,
00:27:03.18\00:27:04.75
change your unhealthy thoughts,
00:27:04.79\00:27:06.19
engage in
activities that help others,
00:27:06.22\00:27:08.36
increase your self-control,
cultivate positive emotions,
00:27:08.39\00:27:11.89
express gratitude and study
and contemplate God's love.
00:27:11.93\00:27:15.60
Amen.
00:27:15.63\00:27:16.97
Magna, you can probably talk
for hours on any one of these.
00:27:17.00\00:27:20.87
I just want to
thank you for coming
00:27:20.90\00:27:23.07
and we will put
up her email address
00:27:23.10\00:27:26.88
which is info@bin...
00:27:26.91\00:27:32.31
Goodhealth.com Goodhealth.com
00:27:32.35\00:27:35.08
Bingoodhealth.com. Yes.
00:27:35.12\00:27:39.15
If you want to
get in touch with her.
00:27:39.19\00:27:41.19
We just want to
thank you so much
00:27:41.22\00:27:42.82
for joining us today.
00:27:42.86\00:27:44.36
May God richly bless you.
00:27:44.39\00:27:46.56