According to the December
issue of the Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology anxiety among children is at an all
time high. In fact, healthy children reported
more anxiety during the 1980s than child
psychiatric patients reported 30 years
earlier.
“Contrary to views that
children have nothing to worry about except
bullies and Oedipal dynamics, these findings
indicate that children's anxiety strongly
reflects what is happening in the society at
large,” concludes study author Dr. Jean M.
Twenge, from Case Western Reserve University in
Cleveland, Ohio.
Researchers cited the usual
fears of crime and AIDS, yet the greatest cause
may well be the social isolation caused by high
divorce rates. In an interview with Reuters,
Twenge added that people increasingly say that
they do not trust others. "We see our world as a
more threatening place and we do not feel the
same sense of community that we did during the
1950s," she explained. The study results also
point to an increase in depression and substance
abuse, which can be consequences of anxiety,
Twenge notes.
The study notes that while
crime and fears about nuclear war have declined
somewhat, divorce rates remain high and the
number of people who live alone remains high.
"Improvements in these statistics, and a general
feeling of belongingness and closeness in our
communities, would likely decrease feelings of
anxiety. Until people feel both safe and
connected to others, anxiety is likely to remain
high," Twenge concludes.
1
Peter 5:7 NASB "casting all your anxiety
upon Him, because He cares for you."
ANXIETY/WORRY
When 32 year-old Jennifer
Willbanks vanished after going jogging days
before her wedding, the ensuing hunt drew
nationwide attention. While family and friends
searched the neighborhoods around Duluth,
Georgia, authorities began questioning her
fiancé about the disappearance. On what was
supposed to be her wedding day, Willbanks turned
up 1400 miles away in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Although she originally claimed the
disappearance was a kidnapping, she later
recanted, admitting she had fabricated the
abduction because she had gotten cold feet and
"needed some time alone."
Albuquerque chief of police
Ray Schultz said Willbanks "had become scared
and concerned about her impending marriage and
decided she needed some time alone." He said the
woman traveled to Las Vegas before coming to
Albuquerque. Schultz added.
"She obviously concerned
about the stress that she's been through, the
stress that's been placed on her family. She is
very upset." Authorities said Willbanks felt the
pressure of a large wedding and was having
trouble coping. They said no criminal charges
would be filed.
Willbank's friends and family
were relieved to hear that she was safe. They
had offered a $100,000 reward for information
regarding her whereabouts and were planning a
prayer vigil. Family friend Mel Larson, who
planned the wedding said, "Having cold feet is a
joy compared to what the alternative might have
been." She said she thought the bride-to-be had
no idea how much attention the disappearance
would draw. She added,
"Sometimes things take on a
life of their own, just like weddings."
—Associated Press, Police say
Georgia Bride-to-Be Fabricated Kidnap Story,
April 30, 2005. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson
and Jim Sandell.
Philip.
4:6-7 NTL "Don't worry about anything;
instead, pray about everything. Tell God what
you need, and thank him for all he has done. [7]
If you do this, you will experience God's peace,
which is far more wonderful than the human mind
can understand. His peace will guard your hearts
and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."
ANXIETY
According to an Associated Press-mtv-U poll
“Eighty-five percent of the students reported
feeling stress in their daily lives in recent
months, with worries about grades, schoolwork,
money and relationships the big culprits.” And
“Forty-two percent said they had felt down,
depressed or hopeless several days during the
past two weeks.”
While the ailing economy may be a small
contributor to the stress students are feeling,
other studies have shown that bouts of
depression begin early in life and doctors say
“college is a natural time for symptoms to
emerge.”
Other findings indicate that nine percent were
at risk of moderate to severe depression. Almost
twenty-five percent of students with a parent
who lost a job during the school year were
depressed. Eleven percent of college students
had thoughts of suicide or personal injury.
--Albuquerque Journal, May 22, 2009, p. A4.
Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell
Philippians 4:6 (NKJV) Be anxious for nothing,
but in everything by prayer and supplication,
with thanksgiving, let your requests be made
known to God;
ANXIETY
What do you worry about? What is it that makes
you anxious? Journalist Eric Sevareid, quoted in
the Associated Press says “The biggest business
in America is not steel, automobiles, or
television It is the manufacture, refinement,
and distribution of anxiety.”
--The Week, May 21, 2010 p. 21. Illustration by
Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell
The answer to anxiety, although easier to say
than practice, is to replace it with trust.
Jesus told us not to worry about tomorrow.
Matthew 6:34 (NIV) “Therefore do not worry
about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about
itself. Each day has enough trouble of its
own.”
ANXIETY
In Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical,
Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded
Lives, Richard Swenson writes: “Chronic
uncertainty, sustained levels of increased
vigilance, or struggling with a mental task are
more stressful than chopping wood.”
--Margin, Kindle Loc. 347 Illustration by Jim
L. Wilson
Matthew 6:25-34 (CEV) (25) I tell you not to
worry about your life. Don't worry about having
something to eat, drink, or wear. Isn't life
more than food or clothing? (26) Look at the
birds in the sky! They don't plant or harvest.
They don't even store grain in barns. Yet your
Father in heaven takes care of them. Aren't you
worth more than birds? (27) Can worry make you
live longer? (28) Why worry about clothes? Look
how the wild flowers grow. They don't work hard
to make their clothes. (29) But I tell you that
Solomon with all his wealth wasn't as well
clothed as one of them. (30) God gives such
beauty to everything that grows in the fields,
even though it is here today and thrown into a
fire tomorrow. He will surely do even more for
you! Why do you have such little faith? (31)
Don't worry and ask yourselves, "Will we have
anything to eat? Will we have anything to drink?
Will we have any clothes to wear?" (32) Only
people who don't know God are always worrying
about such things. Your Father in heaven knows
that you need all of these. (33) But more than
anything else, put God's work first and do what
he wants. Then the other things will be yours as
well. (34) Don't worry about tomorrow. It will
take care of itself. You have enough to worry
about today.
ANXIETY
In Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical,
Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded
Lives, Richard Swenson writes: “Anxiety is the
looming belief that circumstances will
imminently become painful and hopeless.”
--Margin, Kindle Loc. 364 Illustration by Jim
L. Wilson
Mark 4:19 (CEV) But they start worrying about
the needs of this life. They are fooled by the
desire to get rich and to have all kinds of
other things. So the message gets choked out,
and they never produce anything.
ANXIETY
William Arthur Ward says,
“The pessimist complains about the wind; the
optimist expects it to change; the realist
adjusts the sails.” --Jim L. Wilson and
Rodger Russell
The Week, March 15, 2013 p.
17
1 Peter 5:7 (ESV) casting all
your anxieties on him, because he cares for
you.
ANXIETY
A study conducted by Kent University in England
suggests that people who constantly check their
cell phone are not busier or popular than
everyone else, they are probably just dealing
with anxiety. Researchers polled 500 students
about their phone usage and found that when the
respondents spent more time with their phones,
their anxiety peaked at very high levels because
they felt a need to keep in touch all the time.
Some students said that being connected to
several social networks or answering texts made
it even harder for them to log off. They felt
obligated to keep checking in, just in
case. Researcher Andrew Lepp said several
students said having a phone only gave them one
more thing to worry about in life. He explained
that students were so busy keeping up with their
phones that they didn’t have downtime to give
them the mental health break they need. Lepp
added, “There is no me time for solitude left in
some of these students’ lives and I think mental
health requires a bit of personal time alone to
reflect, look inward, process life’s events, and
just recover from daily stressors.”—Jim L.
Wilson and Jim Sandell.
Stop Checking Your Phone: It’s Giving You
Anxiety and No One’s Texting You Anyway, By
Jordan Valinsky,
http://news.yahoo.com/stop-checking-phone-giving-anxiety-no-one-texting-170242817.html,
Accessed
December 9, 2013.
Proverbs 12:25 (NASB) Anxiety in a man's
heart weighs it down, But a good word makes it
glad.
ANXIETY
Being anxious or experiencing anxiety is very
common in today’s world and author Brianna Wiest
recently described how some very common and
easily corrected things may be at the root of a
person’s anxiety issues. Wiest suggests low
blood sugar could be one possible cause, while
some of the other anxiety causing events are a
lack of structure, focusing on anxiety, ignoring
your basic instincts and being afraid of saying
what you are afraid of. Being bored can cause
people to lose focus and allow the mind to
wander, and one of the biggest issues is being
too aware of what other people think about how
you live your life. Wiest suggests that using
social media to post every aspect of your life
may cause more anxiety than people realize. —Jim
L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.
7 Things In Your Life You Don’t Realize Are
Giving You Anxiety, By Brianna Wiest,
http://thoughtcatalog.com/brianna-wiest/2014/06/7-things-in-your-life-you-dont-realize-are-giving-you-anxiety,
Accessed
June 19, 2014.
Philippians 4:6 (HCSB) Don’t worry about
anything, but in everything, through prayer and
petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be
made known to God.
ANXIETY
A study conducted by researchers in Germany has
found that stress may be contagious. The results
suggest that stress can be transmitted to people
simply by watching other people confront
anxiety-provoking situations through television
programs or motion pictures. Researchers paired
people either as an observer or as the person
receiving the stress. Some pairs were complete
strangers, and others were couples who knew each
other intimately. Researches asked the
stress-receiving person to do difficult mental
math task and go through a job interview while
the other person watched. While 95 percent of
the people who actually did the math and
interview experienced a rise in levels of a
stress hormone, so did 30 percent of the
observers. More people experienced a stress
increase when they watched their romantic
partner endure stress and the number was smaller
when observing a stranger. Slightly fewer people
experienced stress when watching someone
undergoes stress on a video screen, and there
was no difference between men and women. The
study did not include watching television
programs, but Veronika Engert, one of the lead
authors, said that based on the results seen in
people watching others undergo stress on a
screen, “This means that even television
programs depicting the suffering of other people
can transmit that stress to viewers.”—Jim L.
Wilson and Jim Sandell
Stress is contagious, study says, By Ian
Landau,
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/06/19/stress-is-contagious-study-says/?intcmp=obnetwork,
Accessed
June 19, 2014.
Galatians 6:2 (HCSB) Carry one another’s
burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of
Christ.
Over the past eight years,
Google search rates for “anxiety” have more
than doubled. So far, 2016 is breaking records
for searches about travel anxiety, separation
anxiety, anxiety at work, anxiety at school,
and anxiety at home. In addition, we have also
become increasingly
terrified
of the morning. Searches for “anxiety in the
morning” have risen threefold over the past
decade. But this is nothing compared with the
fear of night. Searches for “anxiety at night”
have risen nine fold.
Are you anxious and worried? As
children of an awesome God, he has our past
our present and our future. We can put our
worries with him, and leave them there. —Jim
L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.
Philippians 4:6 (HCSB)“Don’t
worry about anything, but in everything, through
prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your
requests be made known to God.”
ANXIETY
With a Safari group
close by, a curious lion approached a ranger
next to the safari vehicle. The lion sniffed
his feet, only then to move onto a different
location. The Ranger explained that by keeping
still, the lion believed the ranger to be part
of the vehicle parked next to him. Even at the
situation of momentous danger, he kept calm
and survived without a scratch. —Jim L. Wilson and
Daniel Noh
Philippians 4:6–7 (HCSB)“Don’t worry about anything, but in
everything, through prayer and petition with
thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to
God. 7 And the peace of God, which
surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts
and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Anxiety
In THANKS! How Practicing
Gratitude Can Make You Happier, Robert A.
Emmons, Ph.D. writes, “One simply cannot be
relaxed and stressed at the same time. Try it.
You can’t. Relaxation drives out anxiousness and
vice versa.” —Jim L. Wilson
—THANKS!, 74
Philippians 4:6 (HCSB)“Don’t
worry about anything, but in everything, through
prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your
requests be made known to God.”
“You are going to
worry yourself to death” is a famous quote we
often hear but do we really grasp the truth it
carries? Stress causes more problems than the
actual things we are worried about.
44% of Americans feel
more stressed than they did 5 years ago.
3 out of 4 doctors
visits are for stress related illness
Stress increases
heart disease by 40%
Heart attack by 25%
Stroke by 50%
The connection
between stress and health is undeniable.
Doctors attest the more someone worries they
may get sick, the more likely they are to
contract an illness. —Jim L. Wilson and Jacob
Davidson
Worrying about things
we cannot change will ultimately harm us
in the end. Jesus was well aware of this when
he spoke this truth. When we
are completely dependent on Jesus to supply
our needs, there is no longer a need to worry.
https://www.stress.org/stress-is-killing-you/
Matthew 6:27 (CSB)“Can
any of you add one moment to his life span by
worrying?”
ANXIETY
According to the
National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety
disorders are the most common mental illness
affecting over 40 million adults in the United
States every year! To
compound this, it is common for someone with
an anxiety disorder to suffer from episodes
of depression and insomnia. —Jim L.
Wilson and Carlos Andres Rodriguez
Psalm 4:8 (CSB)“I will both
lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, Lord,
make me live in safety.”
ANXIETY
The Anxiety and Depression
Association of America has found a connection
between anxiety and sleeping problems. More than
40 million Americans suffer from chronic,
long-term sleep disorders. —Jim L. Wilson and
Carlos Andres Rodriguez
Psalm 4:8 (CSB)“I
will both lie down and sleep in peace, for you
alone, Lord,
make me live in safety.”
ANXIETY
There is mounting evidence
that time spent on Smartphones can interfere
with sleep, self esteem, relationships, memory,
attention span, creativity and decision making
skills. New evidence suggests they may also
raise levels of cortisol, the body’s main stress
hormone. Cortisol is the primary fight-or flight
hormone and it triggers physiological changes
such as spikes in blood pressure, heart rate,
and blood sugar to help people react to physical
threats. The average American spends four hours
a day looking at their Smartphone and have them
nearby most of the time. As a result mobile
devices can create a continual sense of
obligation which generates unintended personal
stress.Dr.
Robert Lustig from the University of California
said “Every chronic disease we know is
exacerbated by stress and our phones are
absolutely contributing to this.”—Jim L. Wilson
and Jim Sandell
Philippians 4:6 (CSB)“Don’t
worry about anything, but in everything, through
prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present
your requests to God.”
ANXIETY
Research in Germany and
Switzerland has investigated a possible link
between generalized anxiety and seasonal
allergies. The study recruited over 1,700 people
and examined the link between the allergies the
people suffered and mental health conditions.
Participants were divided between those who were
allergy-free and those who suffered from
seasonal allergies, perennial, or year-long
allergies, and those with other allergies, such
as to food or insect bites. Researchers asked
about allergies and then asked about markers of
depression, generalized anxiety disorders, and
stress. They found that individuals who lived
with generalized anxiety also tended to suffer
from seasonal allergies. Researchers did not
find a significant link between perennial
allergies and anxiety, but rather that people
with year-long allergies were more likely to
have depression. Researchers said their results
indicate more study into the link is needed.—Jim
L. Wilson and Jim Sandell
Psalm 147:3 (CSB) He heals
the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.
ANXIETY
Though most people already thought
contact with animals lowered stress, researchers
from Washington State University have found
objective proof that petting animals reduces
anxiety.Patricia
Pendry, who authored the study, said their
research found spending time with dogs or cats
incites a measurable, physiological response
that lowers stress levels. She said participants
in the study had a significant reduction in the
stress hormone cortisol after only 10 minutes of
contact with the animals. Pendry said they knew
interacting with animals helped people
experience more positive emotions, and the
research showed that exposure to animals helped
students lower in a less subjective way. Pendry
said the findings were exciting, “because the
reduction of stress hormones many, over time,
have significant benefits for physical and
mental health.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell
Isaiah 26:3 (CSB)“You
will keep the mind that is dependent on you in
perfect peace, for it is trusting in you.”
ANXIETY
In his book,
Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a
Chaotic World, Max Lucado writes,
“God calmed
the fears of Isaiah, not by removing the
problem, but by revealing his divine power and
presence.”
Anxious for
Nothing, 26.
Isaiah 41:10 (CSB)
Do
not fear, for I am with you;
do
not be afraid, for I am your God.
I
will strengthen you; I will help you;
I
will hold on to you with my righteous right
hand.
ANXIETY
In his book,
Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a
Chaotic World, Max Lucado writes,
“Anxiety
and fear are cousins but not twins. Fear sees
a threat. Anxiety imagines one.”
Anxious for
Nothing, 4
Psalm 94:19 (CSB)
When
I am filled with cares,
your
comfort brings me joy.
ANXIETY
In his book,
Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a
Chaotic World, Max Lucado writes,
“According
to the National Institute of Mental Health,
anxiety disorders are reaching epidemic
proportions. In a given year nearly fifty
million Americans will feel the effects of a
panic attack, phobias, or other anxiety
disorders.”
Anxious for
Nothing, 5
1 Peter 5:7 (CSB)
casting
all your cares on him, because he cares about
you.
ANXIETY
In his book,
Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a
Chaotic World, Max Lucado writes,
“One
would think Christians would be exempt from
worry. But we are not. We have been taught
that the Christian life is a life of peace,
and when we don;t have peace, we assume the
problem lies within us. Not only do we feel
anxious, but we also feel guilty about our
anxiety! The result is a downward spiral of
worry, guilt, worry, guilt.”
Anxious for
Nothing, 7
2 Corinthians 12:10 (CSB)
So I take pleasure in
weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions,
and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For
when I am weak, then I am strong.
ANXIETY
In his book,
Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a
Chaotic World, Max Lucado writes,
“The
presence of anxiety is unavoidable, but the
prison of anxiety is optional.”
Anxious for
Nothing, 8
Proverbs 3:5 (CSB)
Trust in the
Lord
with all your heart,
and
do not rely on your own understanding;
ANXIETY
Fear, phobias,
and anxiety have always been a prevalent issue
facing humankind. For some, it can be quite
debilitating, and lead to serious mental
health issues. The latest appears to be
“eco-anxiety,” described by the American
Psychological Association as “a chronic fear
of environmental doom.”
Notwithstanding
the fact that the climate is always changing,
as historic records reveal, there is no doubt
that in recent years a literal hysteria has
developed, causing an explosion in
eco-anxiety, with many believing the earth has
no more than 10-12 years left before
irreversible harm is done to the environment.
Many even believe that the very future of the
existence of humanity is in doubt. This
anxiety is being particularly realized amongst
children and young adults, with a marked
increase in the numbers seeking psychiatric
therapy and medication to cope with the
perceived trauma.
At the end of
the day, fear and anxiety about what the
future holds stems from not trusting God, and
our feelings of not being able to control our
own destiny. Yet the Bible tells us to not be
fearful or anxious about anything, but to
trust God with absolutely everything;
including the future of the environment in
which we live.—Jim L. Wilson and Derick Wilson
Philippians 4:6–7 (CSB)
Don’t
worry about anything, but in everything, through
prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present
your requests to God. And the peace of God,
which surpasses all understanding, will guard
your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
ANXIETY
Researchers
in Virginia believe that driving may help
reduce stress in some situations. Scientists
have laboratory rats to drive tiny cars and
think the activity is a means of stress
reduction for the animals. Researchers said
they trained two groups of rats to operate
small vehicles by pushing down on a copper bar
that moves the car forward. Then, researchers
rewarded the rats with cereal when they
reached the end of the enclosure. They found
that rats raised with more stimulation, such
as toys and ladders, were able to adapt to
driving better that rats raised in plain
cages. The rats with more activity
demonstrated more ability to grow and change
over time. Lead author of the study Kelly
Lambert said an analysis of the rat’s
droppings revealed an increase in hormones
that control stress responses. She said
researchers think driving gives the animals a
sense of control over their environment and
the study could point to ways of building
self-efficacy in human beings. She added,
“Anything that reduces stress can build
resilience against the onset of mental
illness.” –Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell
I am not
sure how it all began, but in recent years
there has been a sharp rise in the use of
“Emotional Support Animals.” Individuals
suffering from all kinds of emotional and
psychological ailments, find comfort and
relief from stress and anxiety in owning
companionship animals of various kinds. It
used to be just dogs and cats, but now it
seems any animal or reptile will do. Who can
forget the video of a female traveler walking
through Newark airport with an emotional
support Peacock called Dexter on her baggage
cart?
Because
of the strangeness of some of the animals,
some owners are facing pushback from local
authorities and housing associations. Like
Karen Morris, of Fort Myers, Florida, who
claims that her psychiatrist prescribed her
four “emotional Support chickens” to deal with
her mental health difficulties. Morris, who
has filed a federal lawsuit to keep her
chickens, does not understand why the chickens
should concern anybody who does not live in
her house, and that those who are so
unaffected by it, should be so interested in
it. She says, “The chickens, which she calls
her ‘girls,’ give her the emotional support
her medicine can’t.”
Not to
diminish the needs for emotional support for
many who are struggling with serious mental
health issues and opt for an emotional support
animal, everyone needs support from time to
time. Maybe not from a peacock or a chicken,
but from one another. —Jim L. Wilson
and Derick Wilson
1 Thessalonians 5:11 (CSB)
Therefore
encourage one another and build each other up as
you are already doing.
ANXIETY
In the book, The God Who
Knows Your Name Max Lucado writes, “How do we
disarm anxiety? Stockpile our minds with God
thoughts. Draw the logical implication: if birds
and flowers fall under the category of God’s
care, won’t he care for us as well? Saturate
your heart with the goodness of God”
— Jesus: The God Who
Knows Your Name by Max Lucado, pg. 94.
Colossians 3:2
(CSB) “Set your minds on things above, not on
earthly things.”
ANXIETY
According to
Noel King of NPR, “One in 5 school children
struggles with anxiety, and almost half of
them experience at least one serious stressor
at home - something like divorce or poverty or
a parent's addiction.”—Jim L. Wilson
There is no
fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out
fear, because fear involves punishment. So the
one who fears is not complete in love.
ANXIETY
It has been more than 30 years
since President Clinton’s misconduct with a
24-year-old intern in the oval office.
Recently he explained in a documentary on
Hillary Clinton that he began his affair with
Monica Lewinsky as a way “to manage my
anxieties.”
The Week, March 20, 2020 p. 6
The Biblical cure for anxiety is
to let God in on the trouble by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving —Jim L. Wilson
and Rodger Russell.
Philippians 4:6 (CSB)
Don’t worry about anything, but in
everything, through prayer and petition with
thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
ANXIETY
In an article for the Missourian,
Jeffrey Zide wrote, “As much of the world has
been turned upside down for teachers and
students alike in the midst of the COVID-19
pandemic, some surprising positive effects
have come from Zoom and other social
distancing learning tools, especially for
children and young adults on the autism
spectrum.”
Educator Lukin Murphy explains
why. “One of the biggest barriers to being
social is anxiety, and when you’re at home in
your safe zone and have more control, you can
always end the chat. They’re more likely to
engage socially because their anxiety is
lower. Rather than being socially isolated,
our students are being more social.” —Jim L.
Wilson
A researcher with the
Cleveland Clinic said there is a lot of
evidence suggesting that is a connection
between what people eat and how they feel.
Dietician Kristin Kirkpatrick said foods are
colorful and fruits or vegetable tend to boost
the mood. Kirkpatrick said when time are hard,
people tend to turn to comfort foods which are
sugary or highly processed and end up feeling
worse afterwards because those foods increase
feelings of depression and anxiety. She said
research also indicates omega-3 fatty acids
found in foods like flaxseed, chia seeds, or
fish create a healthier gut, which eases
anxiety. She said taking a probiotic and
eating foods like pickles and sauerkraut can
contribute to lower rates of depression and
anxiety.Kirkpatrick observed, “We have so many
studies showing that our gut health is really
closely tied to our brain health. And because
depression and anxiety can originate from
inflammation in the brain, we have to improve
our gut health during this time as well.”—Jim
L. Wilson and Jim Sandell
Daniel 1:13
(CSB) “Then examine our appearance and the
appearance of the young men who are eating the
king’s food, and deal with your servants based
on what you see.”
ANXIETY
Hotels.com
offered voters the opportunity to escape what
they call “election stress disorder” by
checking into special discounted property
after they cast their ballots in November
2020. The site offered a 20 percent discount
on properties with the name “rock” in them.
One of the options was a man-made cave 50 feet
underground located in New Mexico.The
site said some of the locations were available
for as low as $5 a night.The
website offered to help users “check out of
newsfeed negativity.”Vice
President of Hotels.com, Josh Belkin said,
“Political fatigue is real regardless of the
year or the election. We’re transforming an
age-old idiom into a bookable experience, so
individuals can relax, recharge, and
recover…because who knows what else 2020 has
in store for us.” –Jim L. Wilson and Jim
Sandell
In Leaders Eat Last,
Simon Sinek writes, “Studies have shown
that people who spend excessive time on social
media experience higher rates of depression and
anxiety. A 2013 study by social scientists at
the University of Michigan, for instance,
tracked the use of Facebook by eighty-two young
adults over a two-week period. At the end of the
period, the subjects who had spent the most time
overall on the network reported less
satisfaction with their lives. ‘Rather than
enhancing well-being . . . ,’ Facebook, the
study concluded, ‘may undermine it.’”
--Leaders
Eat
Last, 268.
Isaiah 35:4 (CSB)
Say
to the cowardly:
“Be
strong; do not fear!
Here
is your God; vengeance is coming.
God’s
retribution
is coming; he will save you.”
ANXIETY
A
Chicago bus driver who was looking for
a way to relive stress during the pandemic
decide that the best thing to do was
to challenge himself to dive into lake
Michigan every day for a year. Dan
O’Conor said he started jumping into Montrose
Harbor the summer of 2020 to reduce
stress. He
said, at first, he was just
doing it for himself, but he started posting
his jumps on social media and
other people said watching him jump was an
encouragement to them. O’Conor said
the winter was the hardest time to keep going,
because he had to create a hole
in the icepack big enough for him to jump
through, and he often got cuts and
scrapes from the sharp piece of ice. On the
day of his last jump O’Conor said,
“Saturday was special because it was the
culmination of doing it for a full
year. I just wanted to celebrate just the
drive to dive for 365.”—Jim L. Wilson
and Jim Sandell
Humble yourselves, therefore,
under the mighty hand of God, so that
he may exalt you at the proper time, casting
all your cares on him, because he
cares about you.
This sermon illustration collection
is free for all users, however it is not free to
host on the internet. You can help by buying
books or donating.
