Reaching Wholeness

Reaching Wholeness

Man was created by God in his own image.

Genesis 1:26 “God said , let us make man in our image” 

1 Thessalonians 5:23 “I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”

Hebrews 4:12 “ For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow (body), and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

God gave us a perfect body through which we are able to relate or interact with the physical word. We can relate  with it throughout our five senses; what we see around us, the things that we can touch, the things that we taste, our senses of smell, and everything that we can hear.

It is by our body that we function. It’s composed of organs and cells which consists of protein carbohydrates and fats. Our body contains our nervous system and the brain. 

Psalm 139:14 says that “you are fearfully and wonderfully made.” 

However, after the fall , the body died, its days became numbered, and illness became part of it. Pain and physical death enter man’s body. They would experience pain and illness even though that was not in God’s original plan.

Now we need to be aware of our limitations and take care of our bodies. Physical health is important so that we can function and do the things God would want us to do with our body. 

Being physically active, eating well, getting enough sleep and being addiction free are some of the more important things we ought to do to care for our bodies.

We also need to believe in the power of healing from Jesus. He is the same as before, now and forever. We can read about the many miraculous healing of Jesus in the gospels. Well Jesus can also heal you today.

Psalm 139:14 says that “you are fearfully and wonderfully made.” 

Our Soul

Our soul is what gives us our personality and it’s through our soul that we live out our relationship with other people and with ourselves. 

Our soul likely has three major components — our mind, will and emotions. 

Our mind has a conscious part and a subconscious part. The conscious mind is where we do our thinking and reasoning. The subconscious mind is where we hold our deep beliefs and our attitudes. 

It’s also where we have our feelings, our emotions and retain our memories. 

Our will is what gives us the ability to make choices. 

Through a very complex way, our mind, our will and our emotions are connected to the body through our endocrine, nervous and immune systems.

Gen. 2:7 “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. And man became a living soul”

Soul

It’s also important to care for our soul, to manage our emotions the best we can, to monitor our thinking patterns and to make healthy choices. Paul said that Our mindset and our thinking patterns can truly and radically transform us. 

The Bible holds the keys to being whole and living well. We must not only understand God’s principles, we must live them to be whole.

Rom. 12:2 “Do not be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind”

Our spirit

It’s in our spirit that we have meaning and purpose in life. Our spirit enables us to love one another, ourselves and God. It’s through our spirit that we have communion and fellowship with God.  Our spirit gives us intuition between right and wrong.

Our spiritual health will have a significant impact on our emotional health which will have a major influence on our physical health. 

John 3:6 “ That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit”

Spirit

Our spirit must be well because this aspect of us is our core.  It is the spirit of man that gives him real life. We live out this life and interact with the physical realm with the five senses of our body.  And it is deep in our soul that our emotions and our minds impact our choices and subsequent physical behavior. Genesis 2:7 “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being”

Reaching Wholeness

In order to reach wholeness we need to start by accepting Jesus as our Savior. It is only the Holy Spirit that can transform us after it begins to live inside us. Our spirit begins to take on the attributes of the Holy Spirit.

This new nature in Christ will begin to have an impact on our soul.  Our thought patterns will become different. In turn, we would radically change many of our emotions and how we react to life circumstances. 

If we follow  God’s principles, that will affect our choices and our behaviors will become more and more in line with how God wants us to live.  This is the process of sanctification. This is how we become a whole person in spirit, soul and body.

It is very important that we understand that we can not achieve the type of transformation that would bring wholeness in our own strength, we can only do it in his power. 

Our spirit, soul and body are constantly interacting together, as a whole, as a complete person.  That’s the way God designed us. 

Los efectos del Corona viros en la salud mental

Efectos del viro COVID-19 en la salud mental

Después del brote de la enfermedad por coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), muchas personas comenzaron a experimentar ansiedad, depresión e incluso pensamientos suicidas. La ansiedad y la depresión son condiciones mentales que pueden ser abrumadoras y causar emociones fuertes tanto en adultos como en niños.

Como consejera profesional he sido proveedora de salud mental durante más de 22 años y puedo dar testimonio de que algunos de los principales trastornos mentales con los que ayudo a las personas a lidiar son la ansiedad y la depresión. A menudo digo que la ansiedad y la depresión son primos malos porque les gusta venir juntos. Estos dos trastornos mentales se alimentan entre sí.

A menudo, mis clientes experimentan ansiedad debido a situaciones verdaderamente amenazantes en sus vidas, pero también he visto aquellos que de alguna manera pueden fabricar miedo y crear ansiedad de la nada. Sus mentes hiperactivas crean situaciones ficticias que producen emociones muy reales y trastornos mentales perjudiciales con efectos secundarios duraderos. Esta pandemia de COVID-19 que enfrentamos ahora es una amenaza muy real para nuestra salud física e incluso para nuestras vidas. Y la ansiedad y la depresión que algunos sienten también es muy real.

La ansiedad aguda a menudo genera depresión (y viceversa) porque la persona comienza a experimentar sentimientos de desesperación cuando no logra controlar su ansiedad. La depresión nace en la ansiedad y, al mismo tiempo, crea más depresión y ansiedad. Estas dos emociones crean un efecto espiral que puede ser difícil de romper.

Ante la amenaza COVID-19, debemos tomar ciertas precauciones. Debemos practicar el distanciamiento social. Debemos lavarnos las manos frecuentemente y desinfectar nuestro entorno. Muchos de nosotros debemos refugiarnos en el lugar y ponernos en cuarentena para limitar la propagación de la enfermedad. Todas estas cosas son muy importantes, pero lo que no se menciona tanto es que debemos ser conscientes de nuestra salud mental.

Muchos están experimentando una grave crisis de salud mental durante esta pandemia. El distanciamiento social y la cuarentena están alejando a las personas de quienes consideran su sistema de apoyo mental y emocional. Interacciones sociales saludables como apretones de manos y los abrazos son repentinamente prohibidos. La negación de estas interacciones sociales puede tener el desafortunado resultado de un aumento en la depresión y la ansiedad para algunas personas.

La atención de salud mental ha sido calificada como un servicio esencial, debido a los efectos negativos de COVID-19 en la salud mental. Millones de personas experimentan ansiedad y depresión relacionadas con este brote potencialmente mortal.

Esta generación nunca ha experimentado este tipo de crisis global. Nosotros, aquí en los Estados Unidos, somos una gran nación con abundantes recursos y, sin embargo, nos encontramos luchando y sin recursos esenciales en el campo de la medicina, así como en los supermercados. Esto crea un profundo sentimiento de incertidumbre en la mente de las personas.

¿Cómo podemos lidiar con esta situación? ¿Cómo podríamos enfrentar nuestros propios miedos? ¿Cómo mantendremos nuestro coraje, nuestro valor frente a tan difíciles dificultades?

Entre otras cosas buenas, puede practicar lo siguiente:

  • Tómese un descanso de las redes sociales y las noticias
  • Sigue buenos hábitos de seguridad y de higiene personal
  • Descansa mucho y duerme. Coma adecuadamente, camine y haga ejercicio, tome complejo B y multivitaminas
  • Emprende un pasatiempo u otras actividades agradables
  • Comparte tus sentimientos con los demás, pero evita a las personas negativas.
  • Practica tu fe en Dios tomando tiempo para orar y meditar
  • Busque asesoría profesional

Además de ser consejera, también soy cristiana. Cuando experimento momentos de ansiedad, busco orientación en la Biblia. Dios prometió que siempre estaría con nosotros, especialmente en tiempos de problemas y dificultades. Realmente creo que Dios está con nosotros durante esta tormenta.

Tenga la seguridad de que esta pandemia no tomó a Dios por sorpresa. Estoy seguro de que cuando dijo que en el mundo nos encontraríamos con tribulación, ya sabía que enfrentaríamos esta pandemia de COVID-19 en el 2020. También nos dijo que había vencido enfermedades y la muerte.

Entonces, tenemos que estar seguros de que estamos en sus manos. Algunos de nosotros aún podríamos enfermarnos, muchos se recuperarán y algunos incluso podrían morir. Pero recuerde que para aquellos que están en Cristo sabemos que irán a un lugar mucho mejor que este planeta.

Animo a cada uno de ustedes a mantenerse fuertes en el Señor. Lleva tus preocupaciones y temores a Él. Busque su sistema de soporte y hable sobre sus preocupaciones. Lee la Biblia. Las Escrituras están llenas de versículos relacionados con la ansiedad: Salmo 94:19; Proverbios 12:25; Mateo 6: 25-34; 1 Pedro 5: 6-8; Filipenses 4: 6-7. Búscalos, publícalos en tu casa o mejor aún, intenta memorizarlos.

Oro para que usted y su familia puedan mantenerse a salvo y mantener su ansiedad y emociones bajo control durante estos días difíciles.

Por Olga Harris, LPC, MAMFC

Olga busca proporcionar un lugar seguro donde pueda obtener ayuda para problemas matrimoniales y familiares, problemas con el abuso de todo tipo, así como dolor y pérdida. Puede comunicarse con ella en www.olgaharrislpc.com o (956) 752-8072. También está disponible asesoramiento personal o familiar a través de la tecnología de telesalud. Llame para más detalles.

The Effects of COVID-19 in Mental Health

Effects of COVID-19 on Mental Health

After the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) a lot of people started to experience anxiety, depression and even suicidal thoughts. Anxiety and depression about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in both adults and children. 

I have been a mental health provider for over 22 years and I can bear witness that some of the top mental disorders that I help people deal with are anxiety and depression. I often say that anxiety and depression are mean cousins because they like to come at you together. These two mental disorders feed off each other. 

Often my clients experience anxiety due to truly threatening situations in their lives, but I also have seen those that somehow can fabricate fear and create anxiety out of thin air. Their overactive minds create fictional situations that produce very real emotions and damaging mental health disorders with long lasting side effects. This COVID-19 pandemic that we are now facing is a very real threat to our physical health and even to our lives. And the anxiety and depression that some are feeling is also very real.

Acute anxiety often gives birth to depression (and vice versa) because the person starts to experience feelings of despair when they find themselves unsuccessful in controlling their anxiety. Depression is born in anxiety and, at the same time, creates more depression and anxiety. These two emotions create a spiral effect that can be difficult to break.

In the face of the COVID-19 threat,  we must take certain precautions. We must practice social distancing. We must wash ourselves and disinfect our surroundings. Many of us must shelter in place and quarantine ourselves in order to limit the spread of the disease. All of these things are very important, but what is not being mentioned as much is that we must be aware of our mental health.

Many are experiencing a dire mental health crisis during this pandemic. Social distancing and quarantine are shutting people off from those whom they count as their mental support system. Healthy social interactions such as handshakes and hugs are suddenly taboo. The denial of these social interactions can have the unfortunate outcome of a spike in depression and anxiety for some people.

Mental health care has been qualified as an essential service, due to the negative effects of COVID-19 on mental health. Millions of people are experiencing anxiety and depression related to this life threatening outbreak. 

This generation has never experienced this kind of global crisis. We, here in the USA, are a great nation with abundant resources and yet we find ourselves struggling and lacking essential resources in the medical field as well as supermarkets. This creates a deep feeling of uncertainty in people’s minds.     

How can we deal with this situation? How might we face our own fears? How will we hold on to our courage in the face of such difficult odds? 

Among other good things, you could practice the following:

  • Take a break from social media and the news
  • Follow good safety habits
  • Get plenty of rest and sleep. Eat properly, take walks and exercise, take B-complex and multivitamins
  • Take up a hobby or other enjoyable activities
  • Share your feelings with others, but avoid negative people
  • Practice your faith in God by taking time to pray and meditate
  • Seek professional counseling

In addition to being a counselor, I am also a Christian. When I experience anxious times, I look to the Bible for guidance. God promised in the Bible that He would always be with us, especially in times of trouble and difficulty. I truly believe that God is with us through this storm.

Be assured that this pandemic did not take God by surprise. I am sure that when He said that in the world we would encounter tribulation that He already knew that we would be facing this COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. He also told us that he has conquered illnesses and death. 

So, we need to rest assured that we are in His hands. Some of us might still get sick, many will recover and some might even die. But remember for those that are in Christ we know that they will go to a much better place than this planet.

I encourage each of you to stay strong in the Lord. Take your cares and concerns to Him. Seek out your system of support and talk through your worries. Read the Bible. Scripture is full of verses related to anxiety: Psalm 94:19; Proverbs 12:25; Matthew 6:25-34; 1 Peter 5:6-8; Philippians 4:6-7.   Look them up, post them around your house or better yet try to memorize them.

I pray that you and your family can stay safe and keep your anxiety and emotions in check during these difficult day.

By Olga Harris, LPC, MAMFC