Michael Harrison's e-devotion

  Do ever feel alone or struggle with anxiety?  Have you battled or dealt with depression?    How do you deal with times like that?  Turn to God.  Don’t stop listening to Him.  Connect to what matters and what fulls your heart and your soul.  Stay close to the people that feed you with encouragement and courage.   Here are some verses that share His greatness, connectedness and strength.  They come with promises from God.   Psalm 56:3  NLT But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.   Psalm 62:6  NLT He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.   Proverbs 3:24  NLT You can go to bed without fear; you will lie down and sleep soundly.   Isaiah 58:11  NLT The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.   2 Timothy 1:7  NLT For God ha...

  You might have experienced these signs as I have from time to time as you have been out driving.  They happen close to home and far from home.  It might be a small distraction or even something you might have to slow way down to deal with. “Dip Ahead”. These signs are out there.  Usually they come in places where there is road construction or when a road has some kind of issue. Much the same happens in our lives.  There are dips.  How do you deal with the dips in life? I am referring to the times when depression or some type of low point comes up.  Most people experience these from time to time.  Some have very low dips.  Some have very few dips.  In my life I have had a lot of these. Please don’t take this as a treatise on depression or mental instability.  What I do hope you take this post as is a warning to know the Word of God and what God says to us when the low points happen.  The dips will come, but God has some truth ...

We all need to be lifted up at times.  I have battled depression, and those low feelings have put me in a place where I need to be lifted.  Depression is something I have a hard time explaining. What I do understand is that our situations and struggles too often put me in the place where I need to be lifted.  Depression expresses itself in several different ways.  Some times it has been to the point where I don’t have the ability to interact with others, but there are other times when the depression is hidden and very few people see it. That is why I draw your attention, and mine, to what I need from God.  I need to be lifted.  Here are the presuppositions that i am standing on with this devotion: James 4:10  NLT Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. Matthew 18:4  NLT So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 23:12  NLT Bu...

Colossians 3:12  NLT Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with   tenderhearted mercy,   kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Two weeks ago I attended a day conference on geriatric mental health.  The room was full and buzzing with incredible people who serve around our region of the world.  The speakers were incredibly interesting.  I learned a lot. Honestly, I was amazed at all I learned and how some of the things I thought and have practiced are so far off.  This might be one of those times that you should read a little, ask some questions and just see how you are doing on this matter or on others. What I have to confess is that too often, far too often, I have put mental health issues in a box.  That means I look at them the same, give almost identical answers and my thinking has changed very little.  This for me is a problem. When w...

NOTE: Today’s post was first shared in March of 2013, and it is taken from Max Lucado’s “Meet the God of Encouragement” and can be found as chapter 3 at THIS link .  Read on and may this truth be a blessing to you: … Depression, discouragement, disappointment …The fog of the broken heart disorients our life. It makes it hard to see the road. Dim your lights. Wipe off the windshield. Slow down. Do what you wish, nothing helps. When this fog encircles us, our vision is blocked and tomorrow is a forever away. When this billowy blackness envelops us, the most earnest words of help and hope are but vacant phrases. If you have ever been betrayed by a friend, you know what I mean. If you have ever been dumped by a spouse or abandoned by a parent, you have seen this fog. If you have ever placed a spade of dirt on a loved one’s casket or kept vigil at a dear one’s bedside, you, too, recognize this cloud. If you have been in this fog, or are in it now, you can be sure of one...

Sunday we continued our “Built God Tough” series and talked about the huge problem of mental illness, depression and discouragement.   This is one of those areas that for a long time churches have avoided talking about.   We at The Community Fellowship deal with people every day who are struggling with this stuff. Some of those people have been diagnosed with an illness, yet far many more simply deal with the real struggles and pain of the battle of the mind.   God has a plan for all of us.   He made us to win and gives us strength.   By trusting God and having faith, we will push our fear, frustration and even the overwhelming thoughts of failure. Philippians 4:6-7   NLT Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. E...

Today I want to share part of the Advent devotional that our family is using this Christmas.   The book is called Surviving Christmas and was written by the incredible Anne Marie Miller .   Her story inspires me, and I pray it will inspire you.   Maybe you will find yourself or a friend in the middle of what she shares.   What I find is the overwhelming and always sweet grace of God. My pray for this Christmas season is that many people will see and be consumed by the grace of God.   Read on! (from Tuesday, week 4 of Surviving Christmas by Anne Marie Miller) 2010 was a year filled with grief and loss, betrayal and rejection in its most intimate form. The well in which I fell was so cavernous I thought I would surely die. Would I be saved? The dust from dirt on the bottom of the well filled my lungs as I breathed in, maybe for the last time. I prepared for impact. Suddenly, a rescue. Friends pulled me up with superhuman strength fighting the...