Category: Anxiety

Dark Saturday: Anguish and Anticipation

Teaching about trauma makes me think about what that day after Christ’s death was like for His followers and family. The emotions of grief, anger, and fear must have been overwhelming. Perhaps they wondered if they too were in danger. Suddenly, the call to “take up your cross and follow Me” was not just metaphorical. …

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Perspective: The Big Picture and the Beautiful Details

Recently, my husband and I took a hike near Joshua Tree National Park, intentionally staying away from the popular trails to make “social distancing” easier. Indeed, we encountered no one else along the way, and felt safe from any COVID-19 contamination. The downside of avoiding trails is that the terrain is not well-worn and rocks …

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Facing Fears from COVID-19

Over the last two months our perception of COVID-19 has been constantly changing, and with it, our internal and external reactions. When mostly isolated in China, it was something foreign, distant, and therefore not very threatening. But as its territory gradually started to expand, infecting people of our nationality, then appearing on our soil, then …

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Trauma According to Paul: Resilience in Relationships

We are equipped for survival in the present, but once the danger is past, it is not always easy to move forward “as usual.” Yet, we read of Paul’s accounts of being beaten, imprisoned, stoned and left for dead, and each time getting up again.

Trauma According to Paul: Reality and Reactions

I recently returned from Nigeria, where we work with many who have a heart to help the hurting, and who usually can relate from their own experiences of pain, fear, loss, and sorrow.

The Unclear Trail: When Life Looks Uncertain

The trail started out very clearly trodden, even though blanketed with a recent layer of leaves. Every so often a white, spray-painted mark on a tree would confirm that we were still on track, even after climbing over tree trunks that lay across the path and sloshing through pools of mud (some subtly concealed until …

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When Things Go Wrong

The steep road was the kind where those who get car sick (me) have to avoid looking out the window. We were not quite sure of our exact destination (attempts to contact a local pastor had not yet been successful) as we headed up a mountain in the center of the island of Puerto Rico, …

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Faith or Foolishness

Part 1: March 2017 It seemed like an awesome opportunity! I had connected with a non-profit organization working in Iraq and they expressed interest in bringing me out there to provide trauma training. Since I was already planning to go in the summer to Africa, I suggested coming “on the way.” But the heat of …

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Reactions to Trump’s Victory: Learning from African Elections

In 2013, I was living in Kenya while their presidential elections were looming. Everyone was remembering the previous election in 2007, when violence erupted and over 1000 people died in the aftermath, as tribal differences were triggered. As expats, we had our contingency plans set up, but were mostly expecting to hunker down inside our …

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Trusting God’s Supply (The Perfect Prayer: Part 2)

Jesus started His “sample” prayer with centering on God, both in His holiness and His grace to accept us as children. He then shifts to the practical, where we often find at the forefront of our thoughts. The God of Provision Jesus continued (Matthew 6:11): “Give us this day our daily bread.” In many ways …

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