Some Gifts I Received in My Times of Depression

“Fear not I am with thee – O be not dismayed For I am thy God And will still give thee aid
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand Upheld by My righteous omnipotent hand…"

"When through the deep waters I call thee to go The rivers of sorrow shall not thee o’erflow,
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress…"

"When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie, My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply.
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design Thy dross to consume and they gold to refine…”
Robert Keen - Hymn 85, Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

“Life is filled with harsh realities that tug away at the heart and tear away at the soul.”
M Russell Ballard April 95 General Conference address

All this is happening so that I -
“Get a better sense of myself
(How I see things, what I hear, what I block out, my blind spots, my weaknesses).
“Listen in a deep way. Non-judgmentally. (Who do I choose to listen to now? Why?).
“Understand and know that there are no simple answers – no quick-fixes.”
Dr Linda Powell

“People who like you, think your mentality is better than it is. Those who do not like you, think it is worse.”
Emmet Fox

“If we can handle the rough days, the easy days are no problem.”
Gary Human

“Depression is a developmental stage! It is a signal that something is not quite in order – time for re-assessment… Depression isn’t a feeling, it’s a state. All the feelings have shut down.”
Ann Fisk

“Press forward in quiet dignity and patient maturity.”
Robert L Millett

“I try to do what I want them to do.”
Elder F Monson (CES missionary)

“I’d rather be Moses with the Lord on Sanai than Aaron with the people dancing around the golden calf. Moses or Aaron – take your pick!”
Gary Human

“Are you ever vexed by your own imperfection? Conquering of weakness brings great joy.
Please do not be discouraged by your own weaknesses.”
Russel M Nelson

“I’ve learnt more by the things I’ve failed in than the things I’ve succeeded in.”
“There’s a reason for everything – even if it’s not a good reason.”
“Ask questions! That’s the way to learn.”
Gary Human

“Our hearts must be open enough to get a greater portion of the Spirit.”
Khumbulani Mdletshe

“Anger or bitterness toward those who have hurt you will block your path toward higher ground.”
Vernon Howard

“Success isn’t always visible.”
New Era July ’99 p 42

“The closer we feel to how the Saviour feels about ALL MEN (you included), the more attention and care we give to individuals (yourself included) around us.”
“Most disasters are like the Salt Lake City Tornado, they strike without warning.”
CES Zone Administrator’s Coordinator Magazine

“Boy, it’s tough ‘out there’… but I guess I wouldn’t be out there if I didn’t need it. Sigh.”
Cindy Foxcroft

“I’m not interested in skin-deep holiness.”
Robert K Millett

“We come to Christ by developing our faith in Him, losing ourselves in service to others, and letting our trials refine us.”
Elder Merril J Bateman

“We’re not going to get away from it without a few knocks and bruises.”
Gary Human

“If we’re in the Kingdom, the King is with us.”
Elder McAllister (CES missionary)

“If we don’t study our trends, we crash our aircraft.”
Gary Human

“You need to be down to cope with what’s down there.”
Cindy Foxcroft

“The end is not near. You must learn to cope.”
Sign in Durban CES office

“Your old life is dead – let it die!”
Kay Arthur

“We walk in the middle of the straight and narrow.”
Chris Golden

“God never says OOPS! I (and you) are fearfully and wonderfully made by God. I thank God every day for what I am.”
David Ring

“Rise (in time and/or eternity) to majesty you were born for.”
Elder W Strong (CES missionary)

“Where there is no vision, the people perish. Where there is no provision, the visions perish.”
Jerome Liberty

“Don’t ever let tragedy shake your faith.”
Radio Pulpit

“In the midst of affliction my table is spread, With blessings unmeasured my cup runneth o’er.
With perfume and oil thou annointest my head, Oh, what shall I ask of thy providence more?…”
James Montgomery - Hymn 108, Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

“Debrief – Talk.
Do something creative.
Let the tensions go down with someone safe, and then actually, rationally, work out the problem…”
“Wait. Write it out.
Talk to someone else.
Discharge your anger to a safe place. “
Wait on the Lord.”
Work towards ‘Active Absence of Sorrow.’”
Joan Lusch

“Success – is when you achieve what you want to achieve within your life-time…”
We can lose energy or personal power when the ‘warning lights’ (our emotions) are ignored, or inaccurately interpreted.”
”Keep changing the way you do or say things until you find a way that works for you.”
Stephanie Vermeulen

“Change, over time, as you handle and manage your own progress and growth.”
Judy Bray

“Refuse to be silenced or intimidated by your past.”
Andre Brink

“God made you different to make a difference.”
Radio Pulpit

“You can’t help what happens TO you, but you can control what happens INSIDE you.”
Radio Pulpit

“Sleep. Rest. Take in water. Take in food. Then you are ready to go again.”
Natalie Prins (firefighter)

“Go without knowing wherever He may lead.”
Song on Radio Pulpit

“Rather go without sleep than go without God.”
Radio Pulpit

“If you have a set-back, do not step back. Your test will become your testimony. Your mess will become your message.”
Radio Pulpit

“Patience. Persistence. Perseverance. The three P’s.”
Radio Pulpit

“The University of Adversity…”
Radio Pulpit

“Hang in there and stay true to your essence.”
Barbara Fairbank

“Let go of your tears. Cry them.
Let go of your fears. Let them flow away.
Let go of your anger. Down the plug hole.
Let go of your hurt. Surrender to the Healer.
Let go of your grudges. Give them to Him.
Waiting is a time of testing and purification.”
Dee Sandford

“The Father wants to put you together again.”
Song on Radio Pulpit

“Do not go ahead of the Father’s time. God is the conductor. An impatient musician can RUIN the heavenly music.”
“God chooses the curriculum and also the order.”
Dr Eva Siobi

“THINK instead of react.”
Daniel Coleman

“You are not rubbish! You are of enormous worth.”
Angelo Roseolo

“Jesus touched the un-touchables.”
Radio Pulpit

“Be foolish. Be among God’s foolish that confound the wise.”
Radio Pulpit

“Sometimes you mind is able and your body is dis-abled. You have to get your mind to reach out to where your body is.”
Woman Today

“Sometimes it’s good to sukkel (struggle).”
Radio Pulpit

“Be brave. Be strong. Be patient.”
Kallie Strydom (hostage survivor)

“So often, when things get really bad, people find purpose.”
Nicholas Ellenbergen

“If you are alive, God has some work for you to do. Find out what it is and do it with all your heart.”
Martin Holt

“God has designed us to live simple lives. We have made our lives complicated!”
“Depressions (state of deep hopelessness) settle in your heart. Guard your heart. The spiritual forces of darkness will try to come in where they contaminate.”
“Submit yourself. Allow God to simplify you.”
Prevention of depression:
“Choose your company carefully. Moaners, Groaners, Critics: If they steal the little hope you have, choose other companions as much as possible to counteract these that you must be in contact with.”
“Guard what you watch. Guard what you read.”
“Pray. Be watchful. Be careful. Be circumspect.”
Cure of depression:
“Allow your deliverance to occur.”
“Allow your power to grow. Be fruitful in small things for now. Multiply in small fractions for now. Replenish the earth in little increments as you are able. Subdue the earth. Plant a flower, watch it grow slowly. Find out how to allow your power and fruitfulness to grow quietly and slowly.”
Dr Eva Siobi

“We’re training for reigning. We will benefit by allowing someone to train us.”
Meyer van Rensburg

“Be actively passive. Do as much as you can and wait for the guidance of the Spirit as to when to use what.”
David du Bruyn

“Who walks with God becomes a friend of God.”
Cecile Burger

“I thought I was a sinner because I was wicked. I didn’t know I was a sinner because (I live).
All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
Duane Blue

“God didn’t goof when He gave us tear ducts.”
Michael Ballam

“Bravery is the act. Courage is the attitude.”
Anita Roddick

“You must prepare the soil before you plant the seeds.”
Francine Rivers

“We can fall captive to the storm if we take our eyes off Jesus.”
Song on Radio Pulpit

“Give it time. You can’t make it happen.”
Judging Amy TV programme

“When the door of happiness closes, another opens, but at times we look so long at the closed door that we don’t see the one which has been opened for us.”
“It’s true that we don’t know what we’ve got until we lose it, but it’s also true that we don’t know what we’ve been missing until it arrives.”
“May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, enough hope to make you happy.”
“The happiest of people don’t necessarily have the best of everything, they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.”
“Happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched, and those
who have tried; for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives.”
“Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss and ends with a tear.”
“The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past. You can’t go on well in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.”
“When you were born you were crying and everyone else was smiling. Live your life so that when you die you’re the one smiling and everyone is crying.”
Thoughts to Ponder

“Go through Doubt, Disappointment, Disillusionment, Despair. Keep going and growing.”
Tracy Marais Pretorius

“Embrace all your accomplishments.”
Dr Phil McGraw

“Just when I thought I was going to die, I got up and started to fly.”
Unknown

“Every day you live a new way of life. That becomes your history. Make a good history.”
Dr Phil McGraw

“Choose to do something that is relevant.”
Paul Turner

“Happiness is living within your income: Financial, Emotional, Spiritual.”
Judy Bray

“I will water my faith with the tears of my testimony. I will dig into the scriptures.”
Protea Glenn Ward Sunday meeting

“Humility. Simplicity. Compassion. That’s what I want to be known for.”
Radio Pulpit

“We fall down… we get up.”
Song on Radio Pulpit

“Do not complain and argue with God about your circumstances.”
Unknown

“Throw off the chains of bitterness and resentment that hold you bound.”
SAFM 6am Devotional

“Lean upon those who will help you on your journey.”
Unknown

“Take time to feel your happiness.”
Gayle Greer

“God is even greater than believer’s can believe.”
Song on Radio Pulpit

“Insults and assaults not permitted. From anyone else, or from myself.”
Life Line Advanced Growth morning

“Do some things that light your fire and blow your hair back.”
Pat Rennie

“The fastest way to learn is to teach.”
Dr Phil McGraw

“If I could start over again: (complete the sentence)
I would do more…
I would do less…
I would dare to…
I would add…”
Unknown

“ A pit is a horrible place to be… Can God forget you? You’ve got to be kidding!
God wants a few dead men to raise from the dead.”
Radio Pulpit

“Part of maturity is learning to receive. The quivering inside you will calm down.
Proceed on and make better of it. Life will go on.”
Dr Phil McGraw

“Teach great truths silently. The more eloquent our words, the more powerful our silence.”
SAFM 6am devotional

“None but saints can be happy under every circumstance.”
Eliza R Snow

“You have to be patient. If you ain’t patient, you ain’t going to get anywhere.”
Jack MacMillan

“Today’s Survival Kit:
Toothpick - To remind you to pick out good qualities. Matt 7:1
Rubber band - To remind you to be flexible. It will work out. Rom 8:28
Band Aid - To remind you to heal your, and other’s, hurt feelings. Col 3:12-14
Pencil - To remind you to list your blessings every day. Eph 1:3
Eraser - To remind you that everyone makes mistakes. It’s OK. Gen 50:15-21
Chewing gum - To remind you to stick with it. You can accomplish it. Phil 4:13
Mint - To remind you that you are worth a mint. John 3:16
Candy Floss - To remind you that everyone needs a kiss and a hug. Rom 16:16
Herb tea bag - To remind you to relax daily. 1 Thes 5:18”
Life Line West Rand "Speakeasy"

“My family is my world.”
Seventh Heaven TV programme

“You can’t control her, but you can inspire her.”
Dr Phil McGraw

“After a while… you begin to accept your defeats with your head up and your eyes open,
with the grace of an adult, not the grief of a child.”
“After a while… you learn that even sunshine burns if you get too much.”
“After a while… you learn that you really can endure… that you really are strong.
And you really do have worth.”
Kelly Priest

“How fascinating! How devastating! Now what can I learn?”
“The conductor doesn’t make a sound. He gets others to make the sound.”
“Dominate the events, or be the silent brilliant conductor.”
“Share how much the lovely playing of others means to you.”
“Instead of beating into submission: Move. Touch. Enliven. Inspire. Invite.”
Benjamin Zonder

“Regret is worse than fear.”
Judging Amy TV programme

“Faith in every footstep" - every day, after every day - just like the pioneers who crossed the wilderness and arrived in their promised land.
Judy Bray

from my notebook “At Work, At Home” - This collection compiled 14th August 2006