A New Life: Part 2

Hi this is Bernie Dake my morning welcome to the Salvation Army's wonderful words of life. Welcome Bernie. Thanks Lori welcome back to you and happy Thanksgiving Thanksgiving in the United States.

This is a week every year that we celebrated Thanksgiving being thankful for all of the blessings in our life. Do you have any special traditions. Lori is interesting is that I grew up as the daughter of Salvation Army officers who served in the adult rehabilitation center for Thanksgiving always meant going down to the rehabilitation center and having a meal with those who are in recovery and so it looks different for me and not really set a precedent for me that Thanksgiving is about being thankful for everything that I have been given, but also to be thankful for the lives of other people who have been redeemed and so that's really powerful for me. I love that for me it's just the memories of being somewhat dependent on my parents being home or even now as an adult when you have to go home and my mother will make this cranberry and orange relish. It's a lot like orange but she says orange going, but it's just a wonderful relish that goes with the turkey and all of Nixon's stuff is something I look forward to when I can be home.

Well, this is our final episode in this series and I just want to say special thank you to all the auto who has done a lot of preparation and wonderful sharing her own experience or expertise with us, mental health, and that if you're listening to this audiologist know that we love you and we are grateful for your wisdom. What you think about the series in general.

Lori, all I feel it so powerful and so glad that we chose to address this topic, particularly because were not comfortable talking about it and it gets so importantly, my prayer and my hope is that it will reach somebody out the air on in a powerful way better job addressing it just by being open. It's right.

Like you said there were some things that we mentioned about just being present with full taking some time to find someone to talk to perhaps an even just taking some time for yourself and meditating, but I want to be sure that we mentioned whatever you choose to meditate on for us as Christians, we think of the Bible is a good answer.

That's where you can get some solid wisdom. Godly wisdom in you that will help you through all the trials life.

In fact, the Bible says in James chapter 1, I think, consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds, because the testing of your faith develops perseverance and one of the ways that you can battle depression is helping other people trained so there it is. That's godly wisdom.

Now, just want to encourage you with that.

Absolutely other some resources to Lori. Do you want to tell us more about that absolutely there's some more resources we want to give you. For more information. You've heard us say Salvation Army.org is one of them and then Christian counseling and educational services and that is CCS online.calm. And then last week we talked about the national alliance on mental illness. You can check out more with them and am I.org. Thank you for joining us for this series. If it spoke to you and there someone you think should hear these messages, please share the show with them or better yet show them how to subscribe to it on iTunes or wherever they get the podcast and don't forget to follow us on social media and to find out more about our Advent series beginning next week mean the main I'm glad you joined us on Bernie Dake and this is our new friend Alioto Dawkins comes to us from Washington DC. She has a passion for mental health and that she works for the Salvation Army.

There were glad that she joined us. But this is unfortunately our last episode together. It went by so fast. Thank you for having me, man. It's a privilege.

You make me better make us better and that's the Proverbs 2717 model we mentioned on one of the previous episodes as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. I feel smarter today sharper today because of the words that you shared with us throughout the series, but I want to do a couple things with you before we lose you first tell me if we need help.

Where can we find help for dealing with mental health issues, my initial place that she will tell us that and then not me. The national Association of mental illness. I'm so that number is 1-800-950-6264 and if you dealing with substance abuse or drug and alcohol abuse. You can call the one 800 662 help to get additional support. Okay now the Salvation Army throughout the United States and Canada.

In particular, have adult rehabilitation centers for men and now centers for women and we have Salvation Army churches and communities that we serve. There's people that can help you throughout the series.

We often talk about art. We have talked about our faith community. Our own church homes. Places that we go to worship. I hope that you, as our listeners have a church home. And if you don't I would encourage you to find one there is strength in numbers, as they say, and that what happens in the faith community and particulars are surrounded with people who are like-minded. They want the best for you and if you can find people that you can be honest with an open with. I think you'll find some success in dealing with mental health is something Alioto has certainly reinforced in our thinking over here. Do you know of any good success stories that you can share with our listeners to keep it up even know that you know we talked about how to how to succeed. But can we talk about anybody in particular that you'd like to highlight while you're here. Yes, I think I've been in social services for a while and so I've seen a variety of clients who had a variety of experiences, but as one individual comes to mind in terms of everything in life that could have happened did happen.

She lost her mother at an early age. She was homeless and she was dealing with some educational deficits as an individual and even I want. And since she attempted to.

She had a baby wanted to leave the hospital because she didn't have anywhere to go. She couldn't take a child with so that sprout her down into a very deep deep depression. I'm in terms of that and it was just walking along beside her. She got involved with the Salvation Army's pastoral care for the Maxwell program and she slowly built herself back up. It did not happen overnight. Rest of night one night, even over the course of a few days, but slowly and I think that's what is really about. As you accept the new life on society always has instances that tries to isolate us, whether we are comparing our sales along our journey to someone else when they were looking at Instagram Facebook Snapchat I'm just always insisted to compare ourselves with someone else but I just understanding who God has created you to me can help you adapt to a new way a new way of looking a new way of living and being present in your life and in your family's life. So I think those are things that happen with this particular individual. And day by day.

Slowly she said a plan.

She starts to think about change.

We started to talk about change amending you started.

Sarah did change to become her yeah you know he brings up description from me that we been only endures for a night but joy comes in the morning morning, and if we can adapt that thought process every morning or through the ups and downs of life.

I really believe that whatever life hits us with where we have foreknowledge of it are not, whether it's a tragedy or something.

We know that's gonna happen in the future that we understand that God is the creator of us all, he takes care of us and night. All I gotta do is be present in this moment and understand that I can go at my own pace and so she went at her own pace. Minutes a day. She's living independently. Both her children still have sad days around Mother's Day's and holidays. Of course, because that's the part alive. She's learning to not get over, but to adjust awesome. Thank you for sharing that. Hey I want to ask you as our listeners to understand that your story can be an encouragement to others. If you were willing to let us use your story would you please share that with us either through email it radio@uss.salvationarmy.org or call us at our one 800 number 1-800-229-9965. We would love to use your story to encourage someone else. If you will allow us we would never use your name without permission, but if you think that you've been through something that could be helpful to a listener.

Please understand we will use that in faith believing that God can use our experience and powerful ways to encourage others. I hope you've been encouraged by Alioto and the talks that we've had over these 11 weeks of this series on mental health. I pray that you would be encouraged to know that you're not alone. Take a breath come back and see us at wonderful words of life. God bless you. The Salvation Army's mission doing the most good means helping people with material and spiritual needs. You become a part of this mission every time you give to the Salvation Army visit Salvation Army USA.org to offer your support and we would love to hear from you.

Email us at radio@uss.salvationarmy.org or call 1-800-229-9965 or write us at PO Box 29972, Atlanta, GA 30359 20 contact us will send you our gift for this series is totally free for listeners like you, one per household, while supplies last. You can also subscribe to our show on iTunes or your favorite podcast store. Be sure to give us a rating. Just search for wonderful words of life follow some social media for the latest episode extended interviews and more. And if you don't have a church home.

We invite you to visit your local Salvation Army worship center will be glad to see this is Bernie day inviting you to join us next time. Salvation Army wonderful words of life