Bad news and spiritual depression.

[Ian Gentles]

Here i am not talking about clinical depression though of course one can affect the other!
I am talking more about being spiritually depressed, there is a difference! I think news of Brads passing had certainly done this for many of us, we with Him, asked for a miracle, or at least a continuation of his life among us, and didn't get it. So, we are now down, and saddened that Father wouldn't grant us this request.
Maybe we feel often that all the news we get is bad, maybe it is? This surely then affects us spiritually? Affects us in having a more positive spiritual outlook? We do want blessings to see good things, surely we are condition for this? When blessings are outweighed by the bad things we become spiritually low. Our souls need nourishment and yes hope! We need prayer meetings that are positively hopeful. Last thing we need is the often overdose of doom and gloom, some groups, Calvinists?, are often quick to give us this!
How do we then combat spiritual depression, lift ourself up?

[Wilson L. Deaton]

How do we then ... lift ourselves up?

The churchianity industry solution: Sell posters with nature scenes or cute cats captioned with trite platitudes like, "Hang in there, Sunday's coming," or, "God nevers closes a door unless he opens a window," etc.

Wilson

[Ian Gentles]

The churchianity industry solution: Sell posters with nature scenes or cute cats captioned with trite platitudes like, "Hang in there, Sunday's coming," or, "God nevers closes a door unless he opens a window," etc.


Wilson

I actualy agree about industries giving trite answers to major spiritual questions, needs, that people have. Trite answers, slogans, just increase folks spiritual depression!

[Wilson L. Deaton]

I actualy agree about industries giving trite answers to major spiritual questions, needs, that people have. Trite answers, slogans, just increase folks spiritual depression!

That's right. It makes people who do struggle feel as if there must be something wrong with them and their faith must be weaker and inferior to those who are "up" all the time. They wonder, "Why can't I just feel better?"

Wilson

[Ian Gentles]

That's right. It makes people who do struggle feel as if there must be something wrong with them and their faith must be weaker and inferior to those who are "up" all the time. They wonder, "Why can't I just feel better?"

Wilson
#
Exactly, we often forget different people will react spiritualy in different ways. Some may be able to take situations more fatalisticly, "Oh well what God meant" or "Ok God is doing much in our day, we just gotta hold on", while others cant!

[Terri Knoll]

for me, when my dad died, it was EXACTLY the answer to Dads prayer. for him to be healed. sometimes an answer to someone elses prayer seems like a no to our prayers. but God did answer Brads prayer...for healing. He IS healed now.


blessings and tears,
Terri

[Ian Gentles]

I know what you are saying Terri, but it still remains that bad news causes us to be more spiritualy depressed, esp if we arent seeing much good news!

[Hans Deventer]

but God did answer Brads prayer...for healing. He IS healed now.

Terri, with all due respect, but that is not what he prayed for. Let me quote Brad in the last entry on his blog that he wrote himself:

He is the Great Physicican, whom even the wind and the waves obey. All over the world, from my mother to Karen and Roland to Nazarene General Superintendent Jerry Porter to dearly loved friends all over the world, people have assured me that they will pray and believe until I draw my very last breath for my complete, miraculous healing because our God is a God of the impossible and he has done it before. I'm not praying for some cliche, cop-out answer to prayer like the "ultimate healing" or "final healing". We're already assured of that because we are His heirs. We're praying for a real, physical, exceptional revoking of the laws of biology.

When he heals me, this is probably what it will look like:

The fluid will stop building up, so my belly will stop being bloated and my feet will stop being puffy. My energy, strength and alertness levels will increase. I'll have increased lean muscle tissue. Blood vessels will stop looking so prominent and enlarged. Bowel movements will return to normal. Then the doctor will see the need to do another set of CT Scans of both the liver and colon areas. He'll get the film and radiologist's report back and maybe order another colonoscopy. At that point, he'll report to me that he can find no evidence of cancer in either the scans or the bloodwork. He'll smile and say that it looks like we've gotten our miracle and tell me to come back every 3 months for a follow up.

And a God not only of love but of power for miracles beyond the imagination of doctors will become a part of my story and a part of the DNA of NewStart-RiverCity and all those people who are praying fervently for my healing will know that sometimes the answer is "YES." God will be God indeed.

Great God Almighty, I'm holding out for "YES!"

That prayer was not answered as he had asked.

[Ian Gentles]

Yes, i think we need miracles, occasionaly, to keep us going spiritualy. We need victories on earth, not only in Heaven. We teach people a lot about the value of prayer, and i presume they expect we have had some? When it appears to them that there isnt many, then they get spiritualy down, after all havent they trusted in a prayer answering God? If they dont see prayers answered, that may lead them to wonder, "Ok was my prayer for salvation really answered?" and so we have a spiritual knock on effect!

[Glenda Harvey]

When a loved one is first diagnosed with an illness the prayer is always for healing. As the loved ones illness progresses and the loved one is in more and more pain we still pray for healing but we begin to think that the healing may be in heaven rather than on earth. When death becomes imminent then we be can to pray that release will come quickly to end our loved ones suffering.

At no point are we truly ready to lose them. I identified so much with Janet Mercers statement when she said she was not ready for her brother to go. I was at my brothers bedside when he died. He lingered for a week at the verge of death and I found myself wanting the suffering to end even though I still did not want to lose him. I felt so helpless. He was 8 years younger than me and I had taken care of him when we were growing up. This was something I could not fix for him. I wanted to be able to stop the cancer or to take it into myself. My brother was young, he was a pastor, and a wonderful man of God. He was a husband and a father to three young boys. It seemed unfair. Like Janet I did not live nearby(I lived in California, my brother was in Colorado) I felt like I should be there through the duration of his illness.

During these times all we can do is have faith and trust God. When we get to heaven we will view all of our trials on earth in a different light, but while we are on earth it is natural to grieve.

[Ian Gentles]

Yes indeed we have to let go even though that wrenches out our heart, and to trust in our personal agony. In end we don't want loved one's to suffer, and yes death is a release to the saints. Many times, even for ourselfs we would far prefer to be with God than continue in our present suffering.
But, having said all that, we do get spiritually down. As young Christians, yes i remember those days, we were bursting with hope and zeal. We devoured our Bible trusting we were starting a life of serving a prayer answering, miracle working God. Now not even then were we foolish enough to think God answered all prayers with a "yes", but as we grew older it began to seem always "no!" This can be dismaying, we are made relational and have been told to beleive we have a relationship with God. But as years pass, and we prayer over much for self and others we get down as we witness, yes we do, so much prayer being unanswered, well in at least, many, if not the majority seem to be. This is depressing, esp as bad news follows bad news, and prayer after prayer seems to go unanswered.

[Barbara Moulton]

Terri, with all due respect, but that is not what he prayed for. Let me quote Brad in the last entry on his blog that he wrote himself:

He is the Great Physicican, whom even the wind and the waves obey. All over the world, from my mother to Karen and Roland to Nazarene General Superintendent Jerry Porter to dearly loved friends all over the world, people have assured me that they will pray and believe until I draw my very last breath for my complete, miraculous healing because our God is a God of the impossible and he has done it before. I'm not praying for some cliche, cop-out answer to prayer like the "ultimate healing" or "final healing". We're already assured of that because we are His heirs. We're praying for a real, physical, exceptional revoking of the laws of biology.

When he heals me, this is probably what it will look like:

The fluid will stop building up, so my belly will stop being bloated and my feet will stop being puffy. My energy, strength and alertness levels will increase. I'll have increased lean muscle tissue. Blood vessels will stop looking so prominent and enlarged. Bowel movements will return to normal. Then the doctor will see the need to do another set of CT Scans of both the liver and colon areas. He'll get the film and radiologist's report back and maybe order another colonoscopy. At that point, he'll report to me that he can find no evidence of cancer in either the scans or the bloodwork. He'll smile and say that it looks like we've gotten our miracle and tell me to come back every 3 months for a follow up.

And a God not only of love but of power for miracles beyond the imagination of doctors will become a part of my story and a part of the DNA of NewStart-RiverCity and all those people who are praying fervently for my healing will know that sometimes the answer is "YES." God will be God indeed.

Great God Almighty, I'm holding out for "YES!"

That prayer was not answered as he had asked.

Hans, I am a little uncomfortable with this post because it could leave the impression that Brad died disappointed with God for unanswered prayer. I remembered the post you quoted very well and knew immediately that what you have quoted was not the whole post. It began with these words:

I'm utterly and completely ready to see Jesus, to be raised incorruptible, to know even as I also am known. I have been given grace for this hour. I trust completely that to die is to see face to face the One Who loves me and by Whom I have been loved most intimately. Honestly.

I was grieved with Brad as he was living with his illness and the pain of leaving his famiy behind so early in his life. But I am no longer grieved for Brad who has, in Salvation Army terminology, been "promoted to glory".

I am grieved that Brad has left us, but my grief is for myself and for those who were most close to him, who will find a huge void in their life.

I am not spritually depressed because God didn't answer prayers. And I am 100% certain that Brad is not depressed right now either.

[Barbara Moulton]

The churchianity industry solution: Sell posters with nature scenes or cute cats captioned with trite platitudes like, "Hang in there, Sunday's coming," or, "God nevers closes a door unless he opens a window," etc.

Wilson

I agree that giving answers like this to one in deep spiritual anguish is insensitive and, perhaps even abusive.

Things become cliches because they are oft repeated. But why are they repeated often? Because, like it or not, they are based on spiritual truth.

I am 48 years old...old enough to have a history with God that really has shown me that God is always working in my life to redeem the most terrible of situations. I've flown through windows many times, once I stopped banging on doors that were closed.

One of my favourite stories in the Bible is when the man says, "I believe, help thou my unbelief."

That is what I believe gets us through times of spiritual discouragement. Holding on to and affirming what we are able to and simply stating our hope in God's ability to strengthen us where our faith is weak.

[Ian Gentles]

I don't for one moment say spiritual depression will result as one lot of prayers being unanswered as we would wish. My point was spiritual depression sets in when over years folks see many, if not most, prayers being unanswered. Course we could then fall back on a fatalistic position for comfort, "What God predestines will come to pass!" I note many on board are Open Theists, from my understanding of this position God can be wrestled with and will listen to His peoples pleas. Problem comes when folks have wrestled a lot over the years to no avail in their prayers and pleadings. This leads to spiritual depression for folks, "Why should i ever try again?" they may reason! Nothing worse for a christian well being than that feeling that God dosent answer us anyhow!

[Ian Gentles]

I agree that giving answers like this to one in deep spiritual anguish is insensitive and, perhaps even abusive.

Things become cliches because they are oft repeated. But why are they repeated often? Because, like it or not, they are based on spiritual truth.

I am 48 years old...old enough to have a history with God that really has shown me that God is always working in my life to redeem the most terrible of situations. I've flown through windows many times, once I stopped banging on doors that were closed.

One of my favourite stories in the Bible is when the man says, "I believe, help thou my unbelief."

That is what I believe gets us through times of spiritual discouragement. Holding on to and affirming what we are able to and simply stating our hope in God's ability to strengthen us where our faith is weak.

Good thing about that fathers pleadings were that his request was answered, and this is my point, most times, folks seemingly arent!

[Ian Gentles]

That great gloom fell over us all on hearing of Brads death is without a doubt. Many have wept many tears, hearts have been dismayed, as we all hoped for that miracle. Many felt, surely this time God will hear His peoples cries and grant that healing. It wasn't to be and this has left many asking "Why yet once more are our prayers and pleadings gone unanswered?" Yes i say yet again, for I, like many others, have prayed for many to loose them in the end. Oh yes for some it seemed right for them to go to glory, but in other cases it didn't! . I have stood besides young famalies, even young manse families in bereavement, and wondered, why did God call to allow them to be cut down soo soon?
I also am not sure what i should teach people, esp the young, about prayer? They may ask, "What does it accomplish, how many answers have you had?" What truthful answer am I to give them to prepare them for Christian life? If i give them an over positive answer, in future they are going to doubt me, or worse doubt themselfs! We show them us as a praying people, and possibly introduce them to positive books on the subject, but positive books often leave the reality short! So how do we teach them? How do we prepare them? The younger generation seeks reality and wont have wool pulled over their eyes, yet we have little to show to encourage them in prayer, and here we all will get spiritually depressed!

[Laurie Florence]

That great gloom fell over us all on hearing of Brads death is without a doubt. Many have wept many tears, hearts have been dismayed, as we all hoped for that miracle. Many felt, surely this time God will hear His peoples cries and grant that healing. It wasn't to be and this has left many asking "Why yet once more are our prayers and pleadings gone unanswered?" Yes i say yet again, for I, like many others, have prayed for many to loose them in the end. Oh yes for some it seemed right for them to go to glory, but in other cases it didn't! . I have stood besides young famalies, even young manse families in bereavement, and wondered, why did God call to allow them to be cut down soo soon?
I also am not sure what i should teach people, esp the young, about prayer? They may ask, "What does it accomplish, how many answers have you had?" What truthful answer am I to give them to prepare them for Christian life? If i give them an over positive answer, in future they are going to doubt me, or worse doubt themselfs! We show them us as a praying people, and possibly introduce them to positive books on the subject, but positive books often leave the reality short! So how do we teach them? How do we prepare them? The younger generation seeks reality and wont have wool pulled over their eyes, yet we have little to show to encourage them in prayer, and here we all will get spiritually depressed!

To my understanding, prayer is a way to be closer to God. I pray because I want to be close to him. Even when circumstances appear horrible, and I don't understand why they are happening, I can still pray and then his grace truly is sufficient for me. I once heard this saying (and forgive me if it seems trite - I found it a very profound truth): "There are no good days. There are no bad days. There are only days of grace. Grace to enjoy or grace to endure". There have been periods of time when I need to remind myself of that daily - and continue to pray.

[Ian Gentles]

To my understanding, prayer is a way to be closer to God. I pray because I want to be close to him. Even when circumstances appear horrible, and I don't understand why they are happening, I can still pray and then his grace truly is sufficient for me. I once heard this saying (and forgive me if it seems trite - I found it a very profound truth): "There are no good days. There are no bad days. There are only days of grace. Grace to enjoy or grace to endure". There have been periods of time when I need to remind myself of that daily - and continue to pray.

I don't thing that slogan is trite in the least but massively profound. That God gives grace is what we all need and must have to go on, I have absolutely no argument with that.
But, sorry to harp on, I know folks will forgive me, we are taught so much that is positive about answers to prayer. All I am saying is, when year in year out we see nothing, this can lead to folks questioning all they had been taught, believed, and therefore lead to spiritual depression!

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

The command of Jesus: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me" (John 14:1) comes to my mind in threads like this.

I have a responsibility, in fact, I am under direct orders from Jesus to "not let" myself be troubled upon hearing bad news. The specific bad news Jesus is talking about is that he was going away. Still, in the face of this bad news, Jesus told the disciples to take control of themselves and stop being troubled and instead to start trusting.

If I willfully ignore this command it could possibly be understood to be sin (disobedience). Even if I don't go that far, I can surely understood that I will be the one who suffers if I ignore the Lord's intention for my life. Simply stated, my life will not be of the quality it could be if I lived as Jesus ordered.

I may not like it when God doesn't answer my prayers the way I directed him too but that doesn't seem to bother God very much. He looks me in the eye and rather than explaining it to me simply says: "Trust me."

I'd better do it.

[Ian Gentles]

Scott i totally agree with what folks are saying, about grace, about trusting, its proper to do so.
My thinking was on, what is taught about prayer, what we hope for or expect, on some occasions, and what people might feel has actually happened over years of praying. I am reading Sanders "The God Who Risks", a case for Open Theism, and it certainly produces a case for a relational God Who can be wrestled with, Who's decisions can be affected, changed, by His peoples intercessions! We were taught, "Prayer changes things" in other words God listens to His peoples cries! Now as i have said, and Sanders in His book does also, God wont always allow us to have it our way. However, and here is the argument, in some cases He will!

[Hans Deventer]

Hans, I am a little uncomfortable with this post because it could leave the impression that Brad died disappointed with God for unanswered prayer. I remembered the post you quoted very well and knew immediately that what you have quoted was not the whole post.

No of course not! Why do you make it sound as if I am purposely twisting his words? Barbara, don't you know me better than that? I'm really saddened by your post :basic04

[Ian Gentles]

It was what Brad hoped for, a healing, what we all hoped and prayed for.
Its no use praying if we haven't hope of prayer being answered, prayer is more than a just surrendering of our will to God, well in Bible i read anyways! I don't mean in a bad way towards anyone, but Brad, and us all i presume, prayed because we somehow believe miracles were possible, even today! I believe, negative as it sounds to many, we are lesser today for not receiving that miracle.

[Barbara Moulton]

Oh Hans...I am so sorry. The post you quoted was one I had almost committed to memory because it had a huge impact on me. It seemed to represent how, from the very beginning of Brad's illness, he had faith for healing but also total confidence in God, no matter what would happen.

It was that balance that blessed me so very much and I wanted to make sure that we remembered that. So I really felt that the post you quoted was one that should be read in its entirety...but as I look back on what I wrote to you, I realize that my words were not well chosen.

I am deeply grieved if my words caused you pain as a result. Sometimes we write things knowing how we want to come across but they don't come across that way.

I am sorry my brother.

Blessings,
Barbara

[Hans Deventer]

Oh Hans...I am so sorry. The post you quoted was one I had almost committed to memory because it had a huge impact on me. It seemed to represent how, from the very beginning of Brad's illness, he had faith for healing but also total confidence in God, no matter what would happen.

Yes, I totally agree.

It was that balance that blessed me so very much and I wanted to make sure that we remembered that. So I really felt that the post you quoted was one that should be read in its entirety...but as I look back on what I wrote to you, I realize that my words were not well chosen.

I am deeply grieved if my words caused you pain as a result. Sometimes we write things knowing how we want to come across but they don't come across that way.

I am sorry my brother.

Apologies accepted and thank you very much for your post! See my email.

[Ian Gentles]

Its a fact, we all know this, good news lightens the heart while bad news weighs it down! Experts will tell you in normal life, my case, too much bad news will lead to some sort of physical or mental problems, a big causer of depression. So God in creation has ordained that for normal well being a person needs good news, when the news is almost all bad that person will go down. We have stress charts that show when a person is reaching danger levels, they are usually accurate to a good degree!
So it is spiritually, we are probably at our best, if all is going well in life within reason, at a nice warm summer camp meeting or conference. Why so many look back to camps/conferences, as times of blessing! We are not at our best in winter if surrounded by bad news.
For spiritual health we do need good news, times of blessing, be it a conference etc. But starved of good news and blessings we will enter some form of spiritual depression! The longer the bad news keeps coming, though we hold on, the spiritual depression gets worse!
The humane mind, body, soul, needs blessings to survive healthily, without these it suffers.
As someone has said in another post, Christmas reminds many of what they have lost, hence for many a mid winter crisis! But mid winter can also add to spiritual woes. A nice possible Christmas can lift the soul, where a bad one can dampen it.
So, spiritually we do need good times, good news, to survive healthily. Constant bad news leads to a spiritual downer! God know this, and knows that a lack of answered prayer, reasons for rejoicing on earth, will cause us spiritual problems, well at least trails!
So bad news is a spiritual enemy, and God knows this!

[Hans Deventer]

So bad news is a spiritual enemy, and God knows this!

Ian, do you have a DVD player at home? I have 3 sermons by Henri Nouwen in the Crystal Cathedral on DVD. They have Dutch subtitles but he preaches in English so you should be fine.
They address your point perfectly. If you have a DVD player, I'll send it to you.

[Ian Gentles]

Ian, do you have a DVD player at home? I have 3 sermons by Henri Nouwen in the Crystal Cathedral on DVD. They have Dutch subtitles but he preaches in English so you should be fine.
They address your point perfectly. If you have a DVD player, I'll send it to you.

Yes Hans i have one, thanks! :)

[Hans Deventer]

Yes Hans i have one, thanks! :)

Great! I'll send it to you, I have your address.

[Ian Gentles]

Many thanks Hans :)

[Barbara Moulton]

Its a fact, we all know this, good news lightens the heart while bad news weighs it down! Experts will tell you in normal life, my case, too much bad news will lead to some sort of physical or mental problems, a big causer of depression. So God in creation has ordained that for normal well being a person needs good news, when the news is almost all bad that person will go down. We have stress charts that show when a person is reaching danger levels, they are usually accurate to a good degree!
So it is spiritually, we are probably at our best, if all is going well in life within reason, at a nice warm summer camp meeting or conference. Why so many look back to camps/conferences, as times of blessing! We are not at our best in winter if surrounded by bad news.
For spiritual health we do need good news, times of blessing, be it a conference etc. But starved of good news and blessings we will enter some form of spiritual depression! The longer the bad news keeps coming, though we hold on, the spiritual depression gets worse!
The humane mind, body, soul, needs blessings to survive healthily, without these it suffers.
As someone has said in another post, Christmas reminds many of what they have lost, hence for many a mid winter crisis! But mid winter can also add to spiritual woes. A nice possible Christmas can lift the soul, where a bad one can dampen it.
So, spiritually we do need good times, good news, to survive healthily. Constant bad news leads to a spiritual downer! God know this, and knows that a lack of answered prayer, reasons for rejoicing on earth, will cause us spiritual problems, well at least trails!
So bad news is a spiritual enemy, and God knows this!

This is why I have I intentionally and fully engaged myself in the spiritual discipline of mindfulness.

I can either sit and wait for to receive good news and/or blessings, or I can cultivate a mindset to look for the good news and/or blessing in every moment.

An example of what I mean by this could be what happened to me on Saturday. My family got together to visit my dad at the nursing home for a little Christmas celebration. Dad is in advanced alzheimers. Very little brings this once dynamic, creative, talented and humorous evangelist any joy. But last year I did some baking which he seemed to enjoy and he sang Christmas carols with us.

Dad always enjoyed home made apple pie. So this year that's what I made. But dad was having a really bad day. He didn't want the apple pie. He was confused and thought he was in an airport terminal and was concerned about catching his flight.

We sang carols, but while last year he joined in and even did harmony...this year he didn't sing at all. I put my guitar away and our family just sat and felt collectively sad.

But then, suddenly he started to sing Away in a Manger. Not the words, just the tune with "do, do, do". But at least it was some small connection.

I got my guitar out again, thinking maybe he would start to sing but he didn't. There seems to be nothing that brings my dad any joy anymore. This was not a "good day".

When I got home I intentionally tried to think of the good moments. So I really focused in on that moment when he connected with that one carol. I praised God for the opportunity to spend time with my brothers. I thanked God for the fact that both my daughters were able to join my family for the day. That we got back to Orangeville before the storm hit. Etc, etc, etc.

I looked for the blessings in a day that was actually very sad.

And God encouraged my heart.

[Ian Gentles]

First i am thankfully your dad has such a loving family supporting him, I am sure he took in more than you folks realized. Yes, its good to be thankful, for family and blessings small or large! I am only so sorry visit wasn't a better one, but at least he had family with him, something to be very thankful for.
I don't think I say anywhere that blessings aren't to be counted, or be grateful for, that is not my purpose in my posts. In fact, in downers we have to hold on to what we got! But i still show, that we are created with a need of blessings, and to many bad things will harm us, its inevitable! For us to say different goes against, and you aren't saying different, what God intends for our spiritual well being. We need to be nourished, blessed, to be spiritually healthy, hence my point about a nice blessed summer camp or conference, often being times we look back on as blessed! When weather, fellowship, worship, and teaching are good, and hopefully life's problems are few, we are at our most spiritually blessed. I prayed last night, for us all, that God would give us a time of "Come Ye Apart" I feel for many on boards we need a time of the Lord blessing and refreshing us. For some it might be Christmas, for others it needs to come in some other way. But that we need to be taken aside by the Lord is needed! We cant keep going on negative happenings in our lives, lack of answered prayer, no matter how positive we seek to be, for in end we will go down!

[Barbara Moulton]

First i am thankfully your dad has such a loving family supporting him, I am sure he took in more than you folks realized. Yes, its good to be thankful, for family and blessings small or large! I am only so sorry visit wasn't a better one, but at least he had family with him, something to be very thankful for.
I don't think I say anywhere that blessings aren't to be counted, or be grateful for, that is not my purpose in my posts. In fact, in downers we have to hold on to what we got! But i still show, that we are created with a need of blessings, and to many bad things will harm us, its inevitable! For us to say different goes against, and you aren't saying different, what God intends for our spiritual well being. We need to be nourished, blessed, to be spiritually healthy, hence my point about a nice blessed summer camp or conference, often being times we look back on as blessed! When weather, fellowship, worship, and teaching are good, and hopefully life's problems are few, we are at our most spiritually blessed. I prayed last night, for us all, that God would give us a time of "Come Ye Apart" I feel for many on boards we need a time of the Lord blessing and refreshing us. For some it might be Christmas, for others it needs to come in some other way. But that we need to be taken aside by the Lord is needed! We cant keep going on negative happenings in our lives, lack of answered prayer, no matter how positive we seek to be, for in end we will go down!

I really, really don't want to come across as some sort of Pollyanna.

I know that there are many people going through deep hurt and pain in their lives right now.

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

I really, really don't want to come across as some sort of Pollyanna.

I know that there are many people going through deep hurt and pain in their lives right now.

I don't see you as a Pollyanna -- I see you as a person who takes responsibility for your feelings and chooses to not let your feelings dominate you. I think God helps people who take that course of action.

[Ian Gentles]

I think there is a difference between feelings and circumstances, and the need we have to see people encouraged in the faith by positive blessings!