How to Improve Your Mood: Recovery & Mental Health
This week on HopeStreamRadio.com I’ve blogged and shared a podcast about the replacement therapy strategy I used during my eating disorder recovery days. I’ll place links to both at the end of this post.
Sadly, I didn’t have a reliable therapist or doctor
to help me with my wellness journey.
Gladly, Jesus took my hand and led me by His Spirit and by His Word
into a restoration of my mind, body, and soul.
Back then, while I was still in the thick of sick, I remember trying to read a highly recommended book about positive thinking. But the book positively ticked me off when it used the Lord’s name in vain. Nowadays, I’d be able to sift out that part and reap whatever wisdom I can find; however, since I was a newborn Christian at the time, I was too weak to overlook the offense. I tossed the book and dived deeply into the Good Book. And I’ve been doing this ever since because God is always good.
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Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Philippians 4:8 NIV
I still use replacement therapy to guide my thoughts and guard my moods. If you’re curious about my method, please visit the link(s) at the end of this post. I’m grateful for HopeStreamRadio’s inclusion of my work on their site and radio stream.
What is your favorite Good Book verse to focus on during a test and trial? As always, I’m nosy-to-know.
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Sometimes
Sometimes the enemy is me
My thoughts bombarding
Until peace is shattered
And my soul can’t sing
So I long for God’s arms
To surround and draw me near
With the hope in His Word
Until Love has slain my fear.
Wendy / 2017
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Good Book Blessings ~ Wendy
HopeStreamRadio Blog link: Replacement Therapy
HopeStreamRadio Podcast link: Walking with Hope
Wendy’s SoundCloud link: Walking with Wendy
Thank you, dear Wendy, for your Biblical encouragement! What a great reminder to seek God’s ways of renewing our our minds. Thank you for showing us the Word and the power it has to make us new. God is a marvelous healer. I am thinking of 1 Corinthians 13:11
“When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.”
Thanks for allowing Him to use you, friend!
Thank you, dear Heidi. I need to thank you, also, for shining His glory through your own beautiful testimony. You and your son made a marvelous video that touched me deeply. <3 Keep shining, friend.
Thank you so much for the encouraging message and beautiful photos. <3
Thank you, dear Theresa. <3 I adore Jesus and the season of spring He created with the Father.
Beautiful poem Wendy! And I love your sweet crocuses in the snow. I will try to listen to the podcast later. Blessings!
Thank you, dear Linda. <3 We've been having record-breaking amounts of snow this year; the crocuses are troopers–for sure. 🙂 They set a good example for me to follow.
I went to your audio this morning and felt the Lord’s loving heart toward me, as I have been struggling so much to make my morning meetings with Him. Your gentleness and kind voice spoke into my heart with God’s conviction. It silenced the condemnation of the enemy. THANK YOU!!!!
I’m glad to hear it “silenced the condemnation.” And I praise God there is “no condemnation in Christ.” A memoir book I just finished reading reminded me it’s about showing up as-is for as little or as long as He enables us to. The author and songwriter, Laura Story, survived on minuscule on-the-run quiet times during a devastating period of time in her life. God’s a good Father. The enemy is an accuser. <3 Thank you, dear Heidi, for encouraging me too.
Thanks,Wendy….today of all days I needed this.
Thank you for letting me know it blessed you. I’ve been down a few dirt roads, and I often pour my heart out to the Maker of dust and us because I’ve finally figured out He cares for each one of us. <3
My favorite verse that I often stand on is Psalm 37:25: “I have been young, & now I am old; Yet I have NOT SEEN the righteous forsaken, or his descendants begging bread.” I rejoice that I can trust God to NEVER forsake me! I know that I can trust in His care & love for me! Great blog post!
Wow, Becky, that’s a rich-with-comfort verse. It’s especially helpful for blocking fear of abandonment issues–for sure. Thank you for your visit and comment, dear friend. <3
Thank you, dear Ian, for sharing my post and for being my best friend. <3
Thankfully there are a number of encouraging verses in the Good Book, like the one you quote from Philippians. One passage I’m thinking of today is Romans 12:2 where God tells us, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Relying on God to renew our minds is along the lines of “replacement therapy” as well. Blessings, Wendy. By the way I love the caucuses in the snow. The crocuses and the crystals of snow are patterns of God’s creation.
Thank you, dear Sharon. There’s no therapy for the mind that’s better than His “renewing of your mind.” And I love that He initiates the work and continues it until His return (and there’s no therapy fees either). 🙂