tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-273685022011-11-27T19:32:07.059-05:00Christian advice, Self-Help, Psychology and other Biblical matters....Sonya Triggs-Whartonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09159013806978860645noreply@blogger.comBlogger291100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27368502.post-33689915663638002322007-02-26T19:04:00.000-05:002007-02-26T19:53:43.762-05:00

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. (Matthew 5:3-4)God wants you to be strong. If you have read the first two parts of this series (Part 1 and Part 2), you know that God desires change for your as much as you desire it for yourself. He wants you to live a happy and abundant life. Jesus said, "The

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Prayer/FastingNow for Part 2 of our How Can I Be Changed Series. In Part 1, we explored the first steps necessary to make a true change, which are reflected by our own personal attitudes. In order to change, we have to be 1. Willing; 2. Able and 3. Submitted to God. After making sure our hearts and minds are up to this task, we can move on to the next step:1. Prayer and FastingNo one said this

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How can you really be changed? What will it take to experience that leap in spiritual growth you've been seeking? What steps can you take to change your mind, your 'flesh' and your spirit?The Bible is replete with ideas about change, transformation, renewal and restoration. We see a number of people who start out one way, and become emotionally, mentally or spiritually changed. Not to mention

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I've spoken a lot on these posts about how to handle conflict and confrontation. And, though those things are sometimes unavoidable, I think it is usually best to approach them with caution, self-control and kindness.There is one time, however, when I think confrontation should be brutal, painful and unrelenting. And that's when it comes to confronting your own emotions.Emotions.There is one

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Why do Christians experiences times of loneliness? Doesn't God promise us that He will never leave us, and never forsake us (Joshua 1:5)?One of the biggest surprises to many Christians is how often they are plagued with negative emotions - sadness, loneliness, depression and the like. When we first become believers (or re-commit as adults), that initial joy sweeps all our every day problems

Sonya Triggs-Whartonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09159013806978860645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27368502.post-1150507986780550072006-06-16T21:27:00.000-04:002006-06-16T21:33:06.793-04:00

Psalm 30:5 (NIV) For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. Why does God send us through so many trials and tribulations? We’ve all heard the stories, the experiences of others, and we’ve been through a few ‘weepy’ nights ourselves. And we all know that these experiences (theoretically at least) are

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It is the same with us who are Believers. The law was given because we did not know right from wrong (we were children). God punished us appropriate to our level of growth and maturity. As we grew, we continued to test our boundaries. Our wrongdoings were punished, but differently than when we were children. The punishment fit the crime and God would allow us to go through various trials and

Sonya Triggs-Whartonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09159013806978860645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27368502.post-1149958038363416742006-06-10T12:43:00.000-04:002006-06-10T12:47:22.066-04:00

Are there any such things as absolutes? What does the bible tell us about them? Should we take the 10 commandments and the law literally? Read on, and re-work your understanding about what the Bible has to say about 'Absolutes'. Who determines what's right and what's wrong? Is there an absolute standard to which we must adhere or is it just all just 'a matter of the heart'?Who decides what's

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Is there anything worse than getting advice that you were not looking for? Is there anything worse than when some know-it-all not only forces you to listen to his or her unsolicited advice, but then becomes offended when you don't take it? Why do people offer us unasked for opinions, advice and the like? Or, more to the point, why do we do it to other people?Maybe those who freely offer up bits

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Here's how to handle that conflict in your life:Don't Let It Go Too DeepNow that you are armed with the knowledge that you must expect conflict, that conflict is good, and that it's not about you, you are better prepared to deal with any conflict that comes your way. And, in that vein, you must also remember not to let any conflict get too far underneath your skin. After all, you know it's coming

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How do you handle conflict as a Christian? What are some good strategies to use to lessen the pain, drama and anger associated with them? Read on to find out how to handle the next conflict that makes an appearance in your life.Conflict occurs for many reasons. Differences of opinions, miscommunication, daily stresses and the like. All very ordinary, every day reasons. But the fallout from

Sonya Triggs-Whartonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09159013806978860645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27368502.post-1148260470298567612006-05-21T21:11:00.000-04:002006-05-21T21:14:30.300-04:00

So, do Christians get depressed? Sure – but they don’t usually stay depressed. One thing is for certain – Christians will encounter many situations which will challenge their optimism. Jesus himself promised us ‘ …In the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer.’ (John 16:33 (MKJV). And why should we be of good cheer? Because Jesus also reminded us that ‘I have overcome the

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What does the Bible say about depression? Is it okay to be a Christian and still get depressed? And what exactly is depression, anyway? First, what exactly is depression? WebMD defines it as ‘A clinical mood disorder associated with low mood or loss of interest and other symptoms that prevent a person from leading a normal life.’ Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary has an even

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I ran across two really great articles on WebMD today. The first article demonstrated a strong link between level of spiritual activity and lowered blood pressure. The study focused on a group of 5,300 African-Americans (who are at greater risk for high blood pressure). The article said:The study, the largest on the topic in blacks to date, showed that people who were involved in religious

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Matthew 6:25-27 (NIV)25. Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food and the body more important than clothes? 26. Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27. Who

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This insight, though humbling, was also enlightening. I discovered that I had some nasty perfectionistic tendencies and that these were not only crippling me, but hindering my friendships as well. Who wanted to be friends with a judgmental know-it-all? Not many people, believe me. However, in the final analysis, discovering I was as flawed as I was actually liberating! By acknowledging to

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I try very hard not to be judgmental. I try very hard not to notice the many foibles, idiosyncrasies and chosen pastimes of my fellow man. Like the gal I knew whose dog went to therapy to help tame his ‘aggressive tendencies.’ Apparently, Fido missed his mommy who had to go out and work every day. So, while she was gone, he would attack the other dog, bite into furniture and generally be

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Go ahead and dwell on all the things that are going wrong. Yes, normally, it's good not to think too long or too hard about all that is 'wrong' with your life, but sometimes bad things have to be faced. Perhaps you've been avoiding dealing with certain issues, which is why they've come back to haunt you now. Maybe you're lousy with money or have financially bitten off more than you can chew.

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No matter how hard we try to make them otherwise, some days are just awful. They start off bad, they never get any better, and they end on a low and sometimes even gloomier note. These days befuddle your mind, waste your finite resources and throw your calendar off. Some people call the state of mind accompanying this day 'depression' or are content to simply think of it as 'having a bad day'.

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Part 1It's Not About YouLife is not all about you. It never has been nor will it ever be. If you were lucky enough to be lavished with attention as a child or the center of your parent's universe, cherish those memories, because that's the last time you will ever feel that way! If you are lucky enough to have a spouse, friend or relative who thinks you are the greatest thing since sliced bread,

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Part 2Self AbsorbedI was on my way to write this posting when I got caught up in thinking about what I would say. How would I frame my questions to tickle the reader's mind? Was I capable of displaying enough insight and wisdom to write this article? What would my mother think? Why attempt to do such a tough piece, anyway? Nobody would want to read such a thing, perhaps I should strive for

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Part 1: How Can You Find Happiness?Part 2: What is Happiness?Part 3: Why Can't I Just Be.....Happy?Part 4: Journey To HappinessPart 5: True HappinessPart 6: Happiness - Putting it all TogetherDo what you need to do in order to get some insight into yourself. Go into therapy if you need to. Take long walks and meditate on it and talk to God. Find a trusted friend and talk to him or her. Spend a

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Part 1: How Can You Find Happiness?Part 2: What is Happiness?Part 3: Why Can't I Just Be.....Happy?Part 4: Journey To HappinessPart 5: True HappinessNow, let's go back to our first two exercises. In the first one, you thought about all the activities you are involved in. Think again about the ones you dread, hate or are just plain tired of. List them in your mind. Now - eliminate them. Don't feel

Sonya Triggs-Whartonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09159013806978860645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27368502.post-1146696677155486982006-05-03T18:49:00.000-04:002006-05-03T18:55:30.053-04:00

Part 1: How Can You Find Happiness?Part 2: What is Happiness?Part 3: Why Can't I Just Be.....Happy?Part 4: Journey To HappinessAnd that is the first real clue to happiness. Frances found happiness for herself. True happiness comes from within. Within yourself, within the context of having a relationship with God. With having a busy, active and fulfilling life. With the value and care you give to

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Part 1: How Can You Find Happiness?Part 2: What is Happiness?Part 3: Why Can't I Just Be.....Happy?There is a great movie that came out that I would recommend to anyone seeking to discover true happiness. It is 'Under the Tuscan Sun' and it stars Diane Lane as Frances, a newly-divorced, shell-shocked woman trying to find herself. In the movie, Frances goes through a painful divorce, precipitated

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Part 1: How Can You Find Happiness?Part 2: What is Happiness?Until the day that I really needed it. That day comes for us all. You grow up in church or you're a latecomer to the whole religious experience (like I was). You go on Sundays, some Wednesdays for Bible Study and some Sunday School classes when you're feeling especially 'religious' and you learn what you can. You shout a little, find

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Part 1: How Can You Find Happiness?Part 3: Why Can't I Just Be Happy?First, we need to see what we believe about happiness. Many of us, unconsciously or consciously, don't believe we even have a right to be happy. Our mouths say one thing while our actions say another. We will say, "I just want to be happy," and then we'll stuff ourselves with fast food, choose some man or woman who doesn't care

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Part 2: What is Happiness?Part 3: Why Can't I Just Be Happy?I want to kick off this blog with one of my favorite topics - Can you really find true happiness? It's something I'm sure you've thought about for years - and spent many of those years pursuing. How can you find it for yourself? Read on:What is the source of true happiness? Is it all just a myth? What does the Bible have to say about

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Hello - and thank you for visiting! I already have a home website, Urban Christianz Ministries, and another blog, One Black Christian Woman's Perspective, but I wanted to start this blog to showcase the links between Psychology and Christianity. This is because, as a student of Psychology, I noticed that so many of the same principles could be found in the Bible. That whole positivity movement?

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