Tag: anxiety

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Keep on the Path you are on, and God will see you Through

Perseverance and Persistence are my Middle Names

In March of 2001 I was lost and confused. I didn’t know my purpose or my goals. I was depressed, and was covered with self doubt.  I was on the edge of destruction. I sat in my Ford Explorer at a local high school parking lot, and was ready to leave this wretched world.

I finally yelled out to God, “I can’t take this anymore!” There was a sudden change in the air inside the Explorer. I felt a calmness that I hadn’t felt for weeks. It was as if God was saying, “It is about time you came back to me. Now let me carry you the rest of the way.”

I went home and sat at my desk. I couldn’t understand why God saved my life. I opened the desk drawer, and in it was a book I was working on called, “Close Encounters of the Cash Flow Kind.”  I was working on it because I had a cash flow funding company that I had let fail.

At first I was ready to throw it into the round file, but I decided to open it and what I saw amazed me. Each chapter I had in the book could easily be converted over to a Christian self help book. Some of the chapter titles were. “Need Directions?” “It is my Way or the Highway.”  “You can do all Things.”

You can see that each of those had a meaning for reaching out to the lost. I started writing the next day, which was April Fools Day. Good day to start don’t you think?

Over the next few years I wrote, rewrote and wrote again until I thought it was a presentable book. Then I went to several critique groups, and found out it wasn’t even close. So I went back to the table and revised several more times.

Then it happened! On January 15, 2010, I signed a publisher’s contract. I look back on that day in the Ford Explorer as a time I had to go through. God was always with me and He knew what my purpose was even though I didn’t.

The book is called, “Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World.” The sub title may be changed by the publisher.

It reaches out to those who suffer with anxiety, fear, self doubt, depression, addictions, hopelessness, and the many other usual suspects.

The publication date will be near the end of August or the first part of September.

For those of you that are discouraged and think that God hasn’t been there in your writing or in your life in general. He is there!! I know that sometimes He allows the storms to come. He won’t take them away, but He will help calm the storm. He will never let you face anything you can’t handle yourself.

Now for the words perseverance and persistence: I could have folded up that day in that school parking lot, and I wouldn’t be writing this. I could have given up many times during the 10 year waiting period that God allowed me to have.

I now know that God’s timing is perfect. I will see that in how things go when the book actually hits the streets. Never give up! Never! God has a plan for each of us, and it is up to each of us to seek what that is. Ask God to reveal what He wants you to d in life. Then act on it, and don’t worry how long it takes to accomplish that goal.

God bless…

Doug

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Take off Your Bah Humbug Mask and Smile!

Adversity Helps our Character Grow

Before I post my article for this evening, I want to let you know that the promotion for the five autographed books has ended for this week. The five winners will be notified and hopefully I will get the books to them in time for Christmas, if they want them to be used for gifts.

Thank you for the great response. That shows me we need to do this once a week until I run out of books.

I will be starting another giveaway this Friday night through Monday evening like I did this week.

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I just got through having a wonderful discussion with a man named Henry Newell. I was minding my own business. (Hard for me to do,) when he contacted me through the IM service at Facebook.

I was sharing back and forth with him, when he dropped a bomb on me. He is a quadriplegic. He was in a diving accident when he was 14 years old. He was told he wasn’t going to live, and if he did he would be a vegetable.  He is still here to tell his story.

Henry is a born again Christian that would put an average Christian to shame. His outlook on everything in live is incredible. He is such a positive person.

I want to invite you to read his story on the blog: http//:www.dailysignsofhope.com. This blog is run by myself and Michael Clark.

We have been in the trenches, and we write articles there that reach out to the people who suffer from anxiety, fear, self doubt, depression, addictions, hopelessness, and the many other usual suspects. 

Henry’s post  will be in a couple of weeks. We have guest bloggers on every Sunday. We are  backed up a little right now.

I will let you know here when he will be blogging, but why don’t check out the blog and bookmark it like 300 other people have in the first month of its existence.

Why should someone like Henry be so positive. It looks like life gave him a lemon. I can’t speak for him. He will be doing that himself, but I know why I am so positive after six major surgeries. It is because God has allowed me to have them! God has a plan for me. He had one before I was born. I now know that I am to reach out to people who suffer from the many mental afflictions we face when adversity strikes us.

I was near death at one point,  but I am still alive, and thanking God each day. I seek His will daily and strive to meet His will with every breath I take that He has given me.

During this Christmas time, don’t spend your time feeling sorry for yourself, by moaning and groaning. Remember the reason for the season. They was a little child that was born on Christmas Day. He was a very poor child. They laid him in a manger. Webster’s Dictionary says a manger is, ” A place where livestock eat.” Little Jesus laid in a filthy manger, and didn’t even have nice cloths to wear. He slept among the animals in the barn.

Now think of all the things that God has given you. A family, food, a home, friends, good health.

I know some of you do not have those things I listed, but be thankful that God has given you another breath. Each one may be the last.

So, put away your Bah Humbug costume, and be a light shining in the dark for others that are less fortunate.

May God bless you during the Christmas season and beyond.

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Trying to be Macho, or Independent, can Lead to Trouble

I wanted to remind you about the exciting new book promotion that is going on.  Brandilyn Collin’s book, Eyes of Elisha, is now the book that will be given away in a free drawing. Brandilyn is one of the top Christian mystery, and suspense writers in the business. Brandilyn even graciously autographed the book.

To have a chance to win this book got to the right side bar, and click on the icon that talks about subscribing to my free newsletter. When you subscribe you are also in all future drawing for free books.

You will also see that when you subscribe you will be able to download a free eBook called,  The Top 25 Ways to Survive in a Troubled World.

So you get a free newsletter with excerpts from my book, Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World. You can download a free eBook, and you have many chances to win top selling books, with autographs in them.

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Trying to Make it Without God

 

It is very interesting to me how we think they can go through their daily routines, and survive without the help of God. People have gotten to a place where they do not want to depend on anyone else during their crises, or troubled times.

Why is it that someone can look you in the eye and tell you, “I can make it on my own?” You do not need to worry about me. Is it some kind of macho thing with men, and a worry of losing control for women and men?

I have learned that it is impossible to do my work unless I use the power of Jesus. I fear the unknown. I often have to face physical challenges. I see doors closing. I am not sure what I am suppose to do next in my life. Who should I turn to?

It is now easy for me to answer that question. I turn ALL of my concerns over the Jesus. He is walking with me down my path of life. He looks ahead and clears things for me. He helps me make decisions on hard issues. He is there when I have a physical need. He gives me directions when I am at a crossroad.

It is so easy to get complacent, and think we are tough, and reseleant. The truth is we will walk into the muck and mire if we do not have Jesus there to tell us which ways to go and what things to do.

If you are floundering, and in a spot where you have no where to turn to. talk to Jesus. If you haven’t accepted Him as your persoanl Savior, do it right now.

All you have to do is say this short prayer: “Lord, forgive me for any sins that may keep me from your love. I know I have not been as good a person as you would like for me to be. Thank you for dying for me on the cross, and I accept you as my personal Savior. In your Holy name, Amen.”

It is that easy. BUT it is not that easy from this moment on if you accepted Jesus into your heart. Statan is one very upset dude right now. He had you under his skin and he wants you back. You will face many tough trials and temptations. Find a friend that can be your earthly guardian angel. Call them when you are tempted. Call them several times  a day if you have to.

Things that may cause you to falter are:

anxiety, fear, self doubt, depression, addicatons, hoplessness, low self esteem, and many more that I know you can think of that I have not mentioned. Turn every one of them over to Jesus. He will carry you the rest of the way.

If you have any commets, please feel free to let me know.

 

Doug