What is it about movies like "Rudy" or "Remember the Titans" that move us? Make us get up and cheer, move us to tears? I think it's because we all can relate to hard times, struggles. Haven't we all failed at something, or struggled to achieve something that even might have been easy for someone else?

I believe we relate to each others weaknesses so much more than our image of "perfectness". The 2012 Summer Olympics is over and lots and lots of medals were handed out! But you know who I remember? Oscar Pistorius




He gave us hope! If he could do this, we can be successful against whatever it is that we are struggling with.







Amy

asking for help

Asking for help can be hard!  I know just watch a kid learning to tie their own shoes. You can ask them ten thousand time "do you need help with that?" and usually they will tell you "no, I've got this".

Well sometimes we have to look at our life and ask,"Do I really got this?"  Have my habits, changed over the last 2-3 months?  Am I sleeping more, or having trouble sleeping?  Have I gained weight or lost weight not trying to over the last 2-3 months?  Am I still enjoying the things I used to enjoy doing?  If you answered no to 2 of those things, you need to ask for help from your doctor.  Or at least talk to your doctor about it, and ask what he/she suggest.  

Taking antidepressant can be a step in getting back on track!

If the above does not apply to you, and you are struggling with just life being tough, sickness, death, maybe it's time to talk to a pastor, or counselor and ask for help.

There is no shame in realizing that you need help.  Don't we all need a little help from time to time as we go throughout this life.

Sometimes we just need to find a person or group that can listen to us, or just hold our hand and be there for us.  Once you reach out, it is amazing how you will find out that you are not alone.

Take the steps today to reach out.

Hope

I hope you enjoy this video, I found this video uplifting!  I hope it touches your heart, if you are struggling with a heritage of a broken family, or dysfunction.

Starting a new habit

If an action repeated becomes a habit. Would we not want the habit of being happy? Let's start today with our actions. Choosing to smile when we see another human being. Whether or not it's a family member walking through the room, a sales clerk at the store, or an old friend.

Once we get in a habit of smiling, we may be shocked one day to realize that we are just actually smiling because we are happy, an automatic response to the life we choose to live.


-Amy

Forgotten

You have not been forgotten! Even if it feels that way. Even if in the midst of all your going through you can't see God. Never think that he has forgotten you!

What do you enjoy

Do you remember how the other day I wanted you to think and list two things you enjoyed doing or used to do.

Are you still doing those two activities you enjoyed? If not, why? What's stopping you? Let's work to try to do one of those two things in the next 7 days. If something is stopping g you, let's try to start working to getting back to the activity you enjoyed. (exams is you enjoyed running but have gained weight start walking to try to get back in shape to run)

Maybe you did the activity with someone who is no longer in your life. Look around for someone else to do this activity with or branch out and try it on your own. Be brave, you may discover your laughter again or at least find your self forgetting your heavy heart.

Let's start trying to live!


-Amy

Hope

Hope-What is hope? Webster's defines hope -as to cherish a desire with anticipation. 1. To desire with expectations of obtainment. 2. To expect with confidence.

Have you lost your hope? Have you given up expecting anything? Has bitterness started to grow in your life? Has disappointment, frustration, or anger taken over your life? Where has it taken you? What choices in your life has it influenced? Has the joy left your life? If you were to stop and really look in the mirror would you even recognize the person you have become?

How did I end up here, maybe the question you find yourself wondering. Maybe you can pin point the event that changed your life. Maybe the life changing event happened to you because someone else's decision hurt you, maybe your actions hurt someone you loved. Maybe someone you loved left -either on their own free will or they didn't have a choice. Or maybe in your life, Big decisions are made for you. Let's start with the basic truth: life is not fair. But we have to start where each of us are.

What can we do right now to stop our destructive behaviors or stop "reactions" to life and decide to choose how to "react" (the definition of react being - to change in response to stimulus; to move or tend in a reverse direction) don't some of us need to back up and change the pathway we are on.

Let's stop and breathe and let's unpack this. Maybe it's time to stop this destructive thought life and patterns of behavior that makes you not

It can be scary to change! It can be very scary to start to try to take responsibility; even if it's only for our thought life. For the next 24 hours let's not look backwards. Let's stop defining ourselves by past or current events. Stop acting like whatever it was or is ended your life. If you are reading this you are still breathing. If your still breathing then you still have a life to live. What kind of life do you want? Take a deep breath -choose to react, to change the direction of our thought life.

Let's start with these 2 steps today:

1. Find 1 thing your thankful for.

2. Come up with & list 2 things you enjoy doing or remember that you used to do that you enjoyed.

Write them down & save them!! We will come back to these two things.




-Amy