Drop Kicking Depression

This is the time of year when depression runs rampant. Whether it’s the dark rainy days, cold weather, monotony of "tis the season to be stressed out….ayayayayayaya, loneliness, or noticing your getting older every year, we are easily pulled down.

I am kind of a pessimist by nature and so I have some pointers I would like to offer up to you, that have literally been life saving for me over the course of my constant struggle with the big D.

1. Worship—I grab a guitar and start to sing praise. 10 out of 10 times this changes me. If you don’t play a guitar then play a cd, or put on some headphones and worship in praising Jesus for He is God With Us. Start your day with the Living Word of God. If your a mom write down a scripture at night to meditate on in the morning like a cow chewing its cud :). I thought you’d especially like that analogy :)

2. Excersice—there’s nothing like benching 350 lbs to put a smile on your face. Stress kills our bodies and it is proven that exercise kills stress and builds endorphins. A gym membership is not a bad idea and worth it. You are going to spend money on other stuff when your depressed anyways. 
It takes discipline and planning, but that is life. Do a dorky video workout on netflix if you have to.

3. Seek help. Sometimes we get so low it seems we can’t get up. God designed us to need each other. Call someone and tell them the truth, and ask for prayer.

4. Eat real food. There is so much unhealthy food that screams our name through commercials and billboards that show us that if we eat huge quantities of food that is very fattening we will be overcome with joy and gladness. The truth is we will be overcome with fat and discouragement. There is tons of evidence that naturopathic remedies are the way to go. Eating the food God designed us to eat is the way to go.

5. You may need to seek help from a doctor that can help you—after you have sought the Lord over it. If you are suicidal, sick, or unable to get out of bed, it may mean your body is saying “my hormones are completely shot” at which point medical help is needful. Keep in mind the doctor is required to tell you that the pills he will prescribe will not heal you. They can surely help you get going though, and you may need this to make progress. What is heart breaking to me are the countless number who get on medication but do not change their lifestyle to be God-honoring in their health.

6. Bless Someone. 
Get involved on the city and find a way to bless someone. Only thinking about yourself seriously sucks the life out of you. God did not design you for this intention at all. This is the only way to experience a great Christmas.

7. Watch out! You’re about to get super busy in the next week and a half. You need time with Jesus. He is Immanuel “God With Us”. We are created to connect with him. Sin in our lives kills us. Repent of sin in your life and pursue holiness. The passions of the flesh wage war against our souls. If you are a college student and are in your home town, please spend time with Jesus. There are so many temptations that Satan wants to hit you with. Stand firm and know you are not alone in your temptations, and that the Lord will provide a way to escape. The Lord wont allow anything to come our way that we cannot defeat in the power of the Holy Spirit.

another note to the college person….
It’s ok to be alone. If you don’t go to that party you will survive. Instead, seek the Lord. The time I had one Christmas break ended up being the crossroads of my walk with Jesus. My life radically changed 10 years ago by being alone away from all the junk, and the Lord met me in weakness. Grab a Bible and your journal and seek the Lord. Good books are a great way to spend some time. If you would like any recommendations for books just hit me up on the city. Express order a book. I do it all the time!