Fee Fee Baptist Church

Tag: Christian counseling

  • Featured Article – Vol. 60, No. 16

    by Nina Palumbo, Clinical Social Worker certified in Spiritual Christian Counseling

    God is Our Hope

    Four months ago, social distancing, wearing face masks, and Zoom meetings were not part of our everyday lives. An invisible virus has increased our anxiety and fear that we may become sick or lose a loved one. Worry creeps in as our time of isolation and physical separateness extends far longer than we wish for or desire. Our mostly predictable lives with established routines have been completely upended. We are dealing with a new set of rules, limitations, and change. We crave security and want to feel safe and to feel that we have a sense of control over our lives. How much uncertainty we can tolerate varies from person to person. Some people seem to enjoy taking risks and living unpredictable lives while others find the randomness of life deeply distressing. But all of us have a limit. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the emotional toll of the pandemic right now, you are not alone. Many of us are in the same boat.

    In Mark 4:35-41, we read about the disciples becoming fearful of the storm while Jesus slept peacefully in the boat. They awake Him and with the spoken word Jesus calms the storm and His disciples’ fear. When we are afraid, worried, or panicked, and feel are choices are restricted or limited, there are three important choices we can make.

    We Can Choose Faith Over Fear

    Although it may feel like everything is changing at a rapid pace, know that God is not. He is the same faithful God as before the pandemic and will continue to be once it passes. Our faith can be steady because our God is faithfully unchanging. This truth alone can strengthen us to not give into fear. 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Fear can rob us of these three gifts that we need during times of uncertainty. Power enables us to live a life of faith when it is not easy. Love enables us to share and sacrifice when it is not convenient. A sound mind allows us to experience peace even when things seem to be going wrong.

    Choose Wisdom Over Worry

    Be careful to not become paralyzed by worry. Use wisdom to listen to sound advice and to ensure that the source of information you are watching and reading are credible. If there is an action you can take to protect yourself or others, then please do so.

    Choose Prayer Over Panic

    Jesus called His church a house of prayer (Matthew 21:13) and now is our time. It’s time to pray for God’s intervention to stop the spread of the disease. It is time to ask for healing. It is time to ask for peace and comfort for those who are grieving. It is time for us to ask for direction and discernment for our leaders. Prayer is powerful and effective. If we spend our time panicking instead of praying, we forfeit our greatest strength.

    This would be a great time to begin reading the Bible every day, conforming your thoughts to God’s will (Romans, 12:2). This would be a great time to pray every day for 5-20 minutes, “casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you,” (1 Peter 5:7). This would be a great time to choose to forgive someone in your life, so that you might experience a better relationship with God (Mark 11:25). God is our hope for the end of this pandemic. God is our hope for our spiritual, emotional, financial, and physical needs during this time. Do not despair. During isolation from friends and family, we can still experience joy when we turn to God. “For you make him most blessed forever; you make him glad with the joy of your presence,” Psalm 21:6.

  • Featured Article – Vol. 60, No. 06

    by Nina Palumbo, Clinical Social Worker certified in Spiritual Christian Counseling

     Changing Times

    As I was wading through the latest round of COVID-19 work emails and news headlines the 1960s song by Bob Dylan came to mind, “The Times They are a Changin’.” For those not familiar with this classic from the Civil Rights era, many versions can be found on YouTube. Although anticipated to be just a temporary moment in time, everyone is being asked to change, adapt, adjust, and be flexible. Routines are changing. Routines provide us with a sense of predictability and a feeling of safety and security in a world full of unknowns. You’re not alone if all these changes and restrictions leave you feeling anxious and on edge. It’s normal to feel sad, stressed, confused, scared or even angry during a crisis. One of the headlines I came across read: “Keep calm but have an emergency kit; U.S. doctors share tips for coping with the coronavirus.” The most important aspect of preparedness costs nothing at all: Keep Calm. Easier said than done, as I have had to get up from my desk this past week several times to take breaks, get fresh air, and simply remind myself to breathe. So, what is in our control?

     Get your information from reliable sources. Follow the advice and listen to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and your own personal physician. Being prepared minimizes worry. Take the steps to stay healthy. Take deep breaths, stretch, meditate, pray. Stay informed, but one of the best things you can do for your own mental health is to limit your exposure to media and focus more on what is within your immediate control.  Stay involved in your work, your family and friends, hobbies and interests. Social distancing is not social isolation.  Stay connected and better yet reach out to those that may be feeling increased isolation and loneliness. Maintain a routine although an adjusted one. Go for a walk or exercise at home. Use your extra time for a spring cleaning or decluttering projects, to learn something new or take a class online.

    I know that many of you are avid readers. With the libraries closed share your books, magazine, DVDs from your own collections with others. Reach out to others and let your needs be known. For those with mental illness, be sure to continue your treatment regimes. Consider developing a plan for telehealth sessions with your providers.

    As Christ followers we need to remember that our God is a “refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble,” (Psalm 46:1). The scriptures are full of reminders that we are not alone, and that God is our comforter. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God,” (2 Corinthians 1:3). As a collective group of believers at Fee Fee, we will get through this together. We may even be the Light that others may so desperately need.

  • Featured Article – Vol. 60, No. 03

    by Nina Palumbo, Clinical Social Worker certified in Spiritual Christian Counseling

    The Winter Blahs…. Or is it?

    I used to dread this time of year. The holidays were over and there wasn’t much to look forward to except the cold gray skies of winter. January and February were spent dreaming of a warm and sunny spring break location. Now, I appreciate the slower pace winter brings. For some, this pace is an opportunity for self-reflection and renewal. For others, it may be a time of lonely isolation. Gray skies may not only darken our homes but may darken our mood. A certain amount of holiday let down is normal. The festivities are over, and we may start to the feel the effect of our holiday indulgences.

    What’s known as the “winter blues” is normal during this time of year and affects about 25% of the U.S. population. You may notice the winter blues by having less energy and an increased appetite, especially carbs. However, there is a type of depression called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which affects about 6% of the U.S. population. In addition to the winter blues, there may be an increased desire to be alone, trouble concentrating, irritability, anxiety, depression, weight gain, or a loss of interest in activities. The reduced level of sunlight affects our level of serotonin which is a neurotransmitter that affects mood. Melatonin, which is a sleep hormone, is produced at increased levels in the dark. Therefore, when the days are shorter and darker the production of this hormone increases.

    There is Hope

    Usually the symptoms of SAD can be managed with exercise, increasing the amount of light in your home, meditation, using stress management techniques, spending time outside, or visiting climates with more sun. Should you notice how you are feeling does not improve or gets worse, talk with your family doctor and/or consult with a mental health professional for short term assistance. Spring is on its way!