A tribute to my Counsellor in remembrance of her

(This post was first published on 4 November 2008) 

Dear Friends

Thanks for stopping by. Thank you for your prayers and encouragements.

Today the Lord brought to my remembrance a very dear and wonderful person whom He had used to be a great blessing to me last year.

When I first sought medical help and was diagnosed with clinical depression and Bipolar Disorder (Manic-depressive illness), I had benefitted from a group of counsellors at Counselling and Care Centre, Singapore. I am thankful to God for providing me with a team of very compassionate, kind, understanding and encouraging Christian counsellors who are trained to manage bipolar, depression, OCD and other brain condition.

For me besides prayers, medication, exercise and other helpful means, one very important element in my treatment and recovery was Counselling. Counselling may be talk therapy, psychotherapy or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. It can be one of the very important tools for a person with bipolar or depression to get well. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a form counselling with a focus on understanding how our thoughts affect our behaviours. Bipolar alternates between 2 extreme mood swings ie. mania and depression, and our thoughts and behaviours are shaped by these mania and depression episodes which can at times be very confusing. CBT helps to make sense some of these confusions, and help to pick up skills to manage these mood swings so that one can be more functional.

Through CBT, I do realized that I have quite a number of character traits and faulty thought patterns which might have contributed or aggravated my relapses. They become even predominant during a relapse of clinical depression and all my thoughts turned very negative and against me. I am now learning prayerfully to identify and to correct Faulty Thinking Patterns.

I am also somewhat a perfectionist which means my expectation of myself can be rather high, and indirectly I stressed myself up unknowingly. Besides that, I am not a very assertive person. I have problem saying “no”. So very often I unknowingly put myself through a lot of difficulties or take on more than I can handle. I used to have difficulty relaxing or taking breaks. In some sense, I am a workaholic. I am also fulfilling the role of care-givers in quite a number of context, and having little respite. All of the above or the combinations of some of these, could well have weakened my body and mind, and lead to the relapses of clinical depressions.

I know it is not easy to find a good counsellor and not every one will benefit from counselling or CBT. I am thankful to God for providing for me a very compassionate, kind and caring counsellor, Sarah. My time with my counsellor, Sarah and her team, was most meaningful and useful. Sarah and her team were helping me to trace the history of my relapses in the past 20 years which I could remember better, the possible causes of them so that I can learn to manage my illness better. During the counselling session, I was alone in a room with Sarah while her team were following our sessions in another room through a video recording. These are with my permissions.

In actual fact, Sarah was under training and supervision by her team but I didn't know that part at all. And providentially that worked out good for both of us. I have prayed and God provided Sarah. I didn't have any apprehension about her ability to counsel me and that allows her to be used by God in a very wonderful way to help me.

My time with Sarah became life-changing experiences for me! It began for me a journey of self-discovery, of knowing God, myself and others better. Each session with Sarah and her team have yielded some positive results. Accumulatively, these knowledge of self and God’s mercies in them, are changing my life in many wonderful ways. Thank God! My counselling session ended in April 2007 when Sarah who was a trainee at that Centre completed her training. I am deeply indebted to Sarah for the help that she has rendered to me. They have been invaluable to me as I journey on.

At the moment, I am not seeing any professional counsellers. I do seek my Pastor’s counsel and some other friends or family members’ counsels when necessary. I also read books and internet articles to understand my condition better and how best to manage it. Thank God that there are a lot of resources available on the internet. One such website is Bipolar and Depression Support Alliance which has very useful information on symptoms, treatment, resources, etc etc.

I have tried out some other counsellors and am, in particular, indebted to Dr Spencer Lee and Yvonne Ying of Association of Christian Counsellors of Singapore for their valuable helps for some weeks in July and August 2007. They are most compassionate and helpful.

The above counsellors are all trained in cognitive behavioural therapy, etc and they have been helping many people who suffer from depression, bipolar and other mental illnesses. The reasons why I sought their help, besides receiving pastoral counselling from my Pastor, was because I needed someone who understands mental illness and therefore able to help me to manage my illness and symptoms. I am thankful to God for providing them at such times when I needed them the most.

Now I am not seeing any of these professional counsellors but just receiving pastoral counsellings from my Pastor, elders and brethren in my church. I am learning to look to God and use other available means too ie reading God’s Words, prayers, medications, regular exercise, Omega-3 fish oil supplements, learning to manage stressful situations in my life, learn to pace myself more slowly and realistically, learn to take breaks and to relax whenever necessary, etc.

I have written 2 emails to Sarah and a tribute to her as follows:

——

Dear Sarah,

Warm greetings to you in the name of our merciful Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ!

Just a short note to thank you and your team for the help and support you are giving me as I seek the Lord’s guidance to understand and manage my condition better. I really appreciate what you are doing to help me. Your sincerity and warmth really touched my heart. Though we have met only for 3 sessions so far, I thank God that I have been helped by every one of the session. I appreciate what we have been able to discuss so far and the way you & your team are helping me to see things from a different angle. I am learning to be more thankful daily!

I thank God for His goodness and mercies in leading me to your centre and placing me under you and your team. The care and helpfulness of all of you and the other staffs at your centre really impressed me. Thank God for using all of you to help me and others who are in need of help.

May God continue to use you, your team and all the staff at Counselling and Care Centre for His glory. May all of you continue to be used in many wonderful ways to help others and especially God’s suffering people. I am praying for all of you too.

Many thanks again for your enthusiasm to help me and your prayers. It is one of the factors that gives me a lot of encouragement and motivation to come for the sessions. I thank God for you. May you continue to serve our Lord joyfully and faithfully for His glory.

Wish you and your family a blessed Chinese New Year.

With sincere thanks & prayers,
Nancie
15 February 2007

——

Sarah’s reply to me:

Dear Nancie,

Warm greetings to you too in the name of our loving and gracious Saviour, Lord Jesus!

Thank you very much for your lovely, thoughtful and heartwarming email. I am touched by your gracious gesture. It is a privilege to be used by God to extend His presence for His precious ones. And you’ve been a great joy to come alongside with. I thank God too for you and for giving me this privilege.

I am greatly encouraged to hear that you have been helped through our sessions. Your words give me impetus to continue and persevere in the work with and for others in the offering of presence and support .

Thank you for praying for us and your continual prayer support is much appreciated. Glad to hear that you have experienced the help of prayers. Indeed, our Lord is the source and the enabler of all we do. All praise and glory to Him!

I shall relay your email to my team. I am sure each one will be encouraged by your words.

Wishing you and your family a Blessed Chinese New Year too.

With grateful thanks and prayers
Sarah
21 February 2007

—–

Dear Sarah,

Thanks for your kind and encouraging reply! Glad that the email has encouraged you. Thank God.

May you and your colleagues continue to press on in the good work that you are doing for God’s glory. I know your work can be very difficult and draining at times. I am glad you work in a team and can discuss and pray with your colleagues. Do take care and may our Lord continue to bless your labours in Him. May you continue to find much joy in helping and supporting others.

Looking forward to see you again soon on Monday, 26th Feb 2007 for our next session! Trust our Lord will continue to bless our time together. Many thanks again for all your help and support.

“For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” Hebrews 6:10

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9

With appreciation,
Nancie

—

A Tribute to my Counsellor, Sarah

16 April 2007 was my last session with my Counsellor, Sarah because she has ended her training attachment and will be returning to her actual work. I am grateful to God for placing me under Sarah’s care for the last 3 months (since 29 January 2007). I would like to express my deep appreciation and gratefulness to Sarah for helping me to embark on a new journey in my life which is changing my life and my relationships with God and the people in my life in many wonderful ways. Sarah, I will never never forget you. I thank God always for you. I hope you get to read this Tribute I have written especially for you. May God bless and keep you.

Dear Sarah,

Warm greetings to you in the name of our beloved Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ!

Thanks once again for your prayers, listening ears, counsels and encouragements. I have learnt much from our sessions together in the last 3 months. Thank you for your willingness to help me and to go along this journey of self-discovery with me. I will forever thank and praise God for you and your team in the way our Lord is wonderfully using you to help me.

I am thankful to God for causing our paths to cross in such a wonderful way at Counselling and Care Centre during your training sessions there. Surely this is not by coincidence but by God’s providence that I should be seeking help at this particular point of time and you should be under attachment there.

I am grateful to God for hearing my prayers and provided someone like you who is very gentle, caring, sympathetic and encouraging to be my Counsellor. You always see something positive and encouraging that God is doing in all my difficult trials. You constantly seek to help me to see the many mysterious outworking of our faithful God, Who loves us dearly and gave His Son for us, in the various paths I have gone through in the past or are going through now. You have helped me to discover some faulty patterns in my thoughts and feelings which have affected my life and various relationships for so many years. Thanks for slowly helping me to recognise these faulty thought patterns, and change these faulty ways of thinking to more biblical ways, by God’s grace. These are beginning to have such tremendous effects on my life, my relationship with God and others around me. I am thankful to God for providing such a help in you and your willingness to walk through this difficult journey with me. By God’s grace, each session yields some positive outcome. Accumulatively, these new discoveries of self and God’s mercies in them, is beginning to change my life in many wonderful ways. I do look forward to each session with you because I get to know myself better each time, can see more clearer God’s love, mercies and faithfulness and am enabled to improve in my relationships with various people, and also learning to improve in managing the various challenges in my life. Thank God for His mercies and faithfulness!

I trust that when you return to your actual work environment, God will continue to use you to be a blessing to others in need just like the way you have been to me. I have no doubt at all that they will be blessed as I am in their acquaintance with you. You are a very special person who is always gentle, kind, encouraging, uplifting, full of faith and hopeful in the Lord. I will never never forget you and hopefully, by the grace of God, will never forget the precious lessons I am now learning through our sessions together too.

Thank you for sharing my joy and sorrows as I recounted my past history to you. I could sense the deep anguish and pain you feel for me in all my sorrows and trials, and also your delight and joy with me in all my joy. I felt very privilege that you cared for me in this way and I thank God for your kind friendship. It is a tremendous source of strength and support to me in this difficult trial. I know you are praying with me and I want to encourage you, as well as give praise and Glory to God, for His faithfulness and mercies by assuring you that the Lord in His faithfulness is strengthening me each day as I look to Him. Thanks for helping me to identify some of the possible causes of the relapses of my illness and discuss with me how I can better manage them. The many precious lessons we have learnt together in the past months is helping me now to cope better with my illness, with the various challenges in my life, and improve in my relationship with God, my church, my family and people around me. Praise God!

It was hard for me to say goodbye to you yesterday, being our last session together but I know it was necessary in God’s sovereign plan for us. I wish we can remain as friends and keep in touch always. But as you have explained to me that due to some professional ethics, yours and my contacts have to be restricted to this centre and as yesterday was our last session together, our contacts have to terminate there too. I hope I will get to meet you again one day, if God wills, on this earth or if not then, by His mercies, in Heaven when we both see our Lord face to face.

Please take care. I will remember you in my prayers always. May God keep you in His loving care always and bless you in all your various callings. May He continue to make you a blessing and encouragement to His suffering children.

With sincere thanks and prayers,
Nancie
17 April 2007

———————-

Contact Information for Counselling Helps

i) Counselling & Care Centre
Block 536 Upper Cross Street
#05-241 Hong Lim Complex
Singapore 050536
Tel: (65) 6536-6366
Fax: (65) 6536-6356
Email : info@counsel.org.sg
Webwsite : www.counsel.org.sg

ii) Association of Christian Counsellors of Singapore
c/o 422-A Telok Blangah Road
Singapore 098848 (Near Grace Methodist Church)
Tel: 6274-7480 Fax: 62760024
Email: info@accs.org.sg
Website: http://www.accs.org.sg/

*************************

If you are in Singapore, please come and visit my Church, Pilgrim Covenant Church, for worship and fellowship: https://pilgrim-covenant.com/

Details for worship services:  https://pilgrim-covenant.com/#view-2-service

Or you can join us online for Morning and Evening worship services: https://pilgrim-covenant.com/join-us/online-links/

Thank you for stopping by. Have a blessed day! 

Best Regards

Nancie

4 November 2008

1 Corinthians Chapters 1 to 4 by Pastor JJ Lim and Pastor Linus Chua at PCC Singapore

Dear Reader,

Thank you for stopping by. Thank God for the encouraging expositions and explanations of God's Words from the book of First Corinthians that my Church's, pastors, Pastor JJ Lim and Pastor Linus, shared during the morning worship in my Church, Pilgrim Covenant Church (PCC), Singapore. Below, are the expositions of 1 Corinthians Chapters 1 to 4.

1 Corinthians 1

1 Corinthians 2

1 Corinthians 3

1 Corinthians 4

May you be blessed by God's Words.

If you are in Singapore, please come and visit my Church, Pilgrim Covenant Church, for worship and fellowship: https://pilgrim-covenant.com/

Details for worship services:  https://pilgrim-covenant.com/#view-2-service

Or you can join us online for Morning and Evening worship services: https://pilgrim-covenant.com/join-us/online-links/

Thank you for stopping by. Have a blessed day! 

Best Regards,
Nancie 
31 March 2025

Comfort from God: It is no longer I who live, but Christ who liveth in me (Galatians 2:20)

Dear Reader, 

Thank you for stopping by. I read the following this morning and am reminded of God's goodness and mercies to me in saving me, and how He graciously and faitnhfully works all things to His glory and my good! The paragraphing and bold face are mine:

From Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, 6 March, Morning 

"Ye must be born again." John 3:7

Regeneration is a subject which lies at the very basis of salvation, and we should be very diligent to take heed that we really are "born again," for there are many who fancy they are, who are not. 

Be assured that the name of a Christian is not the nature of a Christian; and that being born in a Christian land, and being recognized as professing the Christian religion is of no avail whatever, unless there be something more added to it--the being "born again," is a matter so mysterious, that human words cannot describe it. 

"The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit." 

Nevertheless, it is a change which is known and felt: known by works of holiness, and felt by a gracious experience. 

This great work is supernatural. 

It is not an operation which a man performs for himself: a new principle is infused, which works in the heart, renews the soul, and affects the entire man. 

It is not a change of my name, but a renewal of my nature, so that I am not the man I used to be, but a new man in Christ Jesus. 

To wash and dress a corpse is a far different thing from making it alive: man can do the one, God alone can do the other. 

If you have then, been "born again," your acknowledgment will be, "O Lord Jesus, the everlasting Father, thou art my spiritual Parent; unless thy Spirit had breathed into me the breath of a new, holy, and spiritual life, I had been to this day dead in trespasses and sins.' 

My heavenly life is wholly derived from thee, to thee I ascribe it. My life is hid with Christ in God.' 

It is no longer I who live, but Christ who liveth in me." 

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20. May the Lord enable us to be well assured on this vital point, for to be unregenerate is to be unsaved, unpardoned, without God, and without hope.

Read online: https://www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/morning-and-evening/2025/03/06 

If you are going through very difficult and distressing time, may God use the above to speak to you. He has a purpose in everything in our life. As Christians and God's people, we are sinners saved by grace through the precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ and still living in this fallen world. One day the Lord Jesus Christ will bring His people, saved by His precious blood, to eternity where there is no more suffering, illnesses and tears. Meanwhile, in our life here, we will go through various kinds of challenges both good and bad, up and down times, and other experiences non-Christians are going through. The greatest difference is, God is our refuge and strength, when we trust in God and in the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Saviour. God will never leave us not forsake us. The Lord is working all things for His glory, our good and the good of all His people. If you have not trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, do not delay. Today is the day of salvation！ 

If you are in Singapore, please come and visit my Church, Pilgrim Covenant Church, for worship and fellowship: https://pilgrim-covenant.com/

Details for worship services:  https://pilgrim-covenant.com/#view-2-service

Or you can join us online for Morning and Evening worship services: https://pilgrim-covenant.com/join-us/online-links/

Thank you for stopping by. Have a blessed day! 

Best Regards,
Nancie 
6 March 2025

The Love of God (with Lyrics) : The love of God is greater far Than tongue or pen can ever tell

Dear Reader, 

I just saw the following video on YouTube for the song "The Love of God" which I love very much since I first heard it as a young Christian back in the 1990s.

I am reminded once again that it was the love of God through the Lord Jesus Christ that first touched my heart, and was used by our Lord to work in my heart to seek Him when I first heard the Gospel. I found it amazing that God could love such a one as me!

Eversince then, God has shown me and proven to me over and over again, even to this day, that His love is vast and unfailing, through all the changing scenes in my life!

I especially love the way Stanza 3 and the chorus described the amazing vastness of the love of God which is measureless:

Stanza 3

Could we with ink the ocean fill,

And were the skies of parchment made;

Were every stalk on earth a quill,

And every man a scribe by trade;

To write the love of God above

Would drain the ocean dry;

Nor could the scroll contain the whole,

Though stretched from sky to sky.

Chorus

O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure-

The saints’ and angels’ song.

The Love of God (with Lyrics)

1 The love of God is greater far

Than tongue or pen can ever tell.

It goes beyond the highest star

And reaches to the lowest hell.

The guilty pair, bowed down with care,

God gave His Son to win;

His erring child He reconciled

And pardoned from his sin.

2 When hoary time shall pass away,

And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall;

When men who here refuse to pray,

On rocks and hills and mountains call;

God’s love, so sure, shall still endure,

All measureless and strong;

Redeeming grace to Adam’s race-

The saints’ and angels’ song.

3 Could we with ink the ocean fill,

And were the skies of parchment made;

Were every stalk on earth a quill,

And every man a scribe by trade;

To write the love of God above

Would drain the ocean dry;

Nor could the scroll contain the whole,

Though stretched from sky to sky.

*O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure-

The saints’ and angels’ song.

Oh, may God enables all His beloved people to grow daily in our experiences and understanding of the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of His great love for us, just as the apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 3:14-19!

Ephesians 3
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Thank you for stopping by. Have a blessed day! 

Best Regards ,
Nancie 

20 February 2025

If you are in Singapore, please come and visit my Church, Pilgrim Covenant Church, for worship and fellowship: https://pilgrim-covenant.com/

Details for worship services:  https://pilgrim-covenant.com/#view-2-service

Or you can join us online for Morning and Evening worship services: https://pilgrim-covenant.com/join-us/online-links/

"Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me." Job 10:2 (From Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, 18 Feb, Morning)

Dear Reader, 

Thank you for stopping by. I read the following recently and am reminded of God's goodness and mercies to me through the changing scenes in my life, and how He graciously and faithfully works all things to His glory and my good! The paragraphing and bold face are mine:

From Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, 18 Feb, Morning 

"Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me." Job 10:2

Perhaps, O tried soul, the Lord is doing this to *develop thy graces*. 

There are some of thy graces which would never be discovered if it were not for thy trials. 

Dost thou not know that thy faith never looks so grand in summer weather as it does in winter? 

Love is too often like a glow-worm, showing but little light except it be in the midst of surrounding darkness. 

Hope itself is like a star--not to be seen in the sunshine of prosperity, and only to be discovered in the night of adversity. 

Afflictions are often the black foils in which God doth set the jewels of his children's graces, to make them shine the better. 

It was but a little while ago that on thy knees thou wast saying, "Lord, I fear I have no faith: let me know that I have faith." Was not this really, though perhaps unconsciously, praying for trials?--for how canst thou know that thou hast faith until thy faith is exercised? 

Depend upon it, God often sends us trials that our graces may be discovered, and that we may be certified of their existence. 

Besides, it is not merely discovery, real growth in grace is the result of sanctified trials. 

God often takes away our comforts and our privileges in order to make us better Christians. He trains his soldiers, not in tents of ease and luxury, but by turning them out and using them to forced marches and hard service. He makes them ford through streams, and swim through rivers, and climb mountains, and walk many a long mile with heavy knapsacks of sorrow on their backs. 

Well, Christian, may not this account for the troubles through which thou art passing? 

Is not the Lord bringing out your graces, and making them grow? 

Is not this the reason why he is contending with you?

"Trials make the promise sweet;

Trials give new life to prayer;

Trials bring me to his feet,

Lay me low, and keep me there."

If you are going through very difficult and distressing time, may God use the above to speak to you. He has a purpose in everything in our life. As Christians and God's people, we are sinners saved by grace and still living in this fallen world. One day the Lord Jesus Christ will bring His people, saved by His precious blood, to eternity where there is no more suffering, illnesses and tears. Meanwhile, in our life here, we will go through various kinds of challenges both good and bad, up and down times, and other experiences non-Christians are going through. The greatest difference is, God is our refuge and strength, when we trust in God and in the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Saviour. God will never leave us not forsake us. The Lord is working all things for His glory, our good and the good of all His people. If you have not trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, do not delay. Today is the day of salvation！ 

If you are in Singapore, please come and visit my Church, Pilgrim Covenant Church, for worship and fellowship: https://pilgrim-covenant.com/

Details for worship services:  https://pilgrim-covenant.com/#view-2-service

Or you can join us online for Morning and Evening worship services: https://pilgrim-covenant.com/join-us/online-links/

Thank you for stopping by. Have a blessed day! 

Best Regards,
Nancie 
18 February 2025

神州 God's Land (Shen Zhou): Documentary of the History of China, once upon a time being known as 神州 God's Land

Dear Reader, 

Thank you for stopping by. 

Recently, I watched the following very interesting Documentary, an abridged version of the original 7 parts Documentary on China once upon a time being known as 神州 God's Land.

I did a search on YouTube and managed to find the original 7 parts Documentary. I have not finished watching them yet as each video takes around 30 minutes.

This Documentary recorded how God has been working wonderfully through history to lead His people to seek Him. To God be the glory!

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

"神爱世人, 甚至将他的独生子赐给他们, 叫一切信他的, 不至灭亡, 反得永生" 約翰福音 3:16

If you are in Singapore, please come and visit my Church, Pilgrim Covenant Church, for worship and fellowship: https://pilgrim-covenant.com/

Details for worship services:  https://pilgrim-covenant.com/#view-2-service

Or you can join us online for Morning and Evening worship services: https://pilgrim-covenant.com/join-us/online-links/

Warm Regards,

Nancie

1 Jan 2025

God is our Protector : The Lord mighty in battle. (Psalm 24:8)

I took this photo at a flowers exhibition more than 10 years ago.

Dear Reader, 

Thank you for stopping by.

I would like to share with you the following encouraging writing by CH Spurgeon in his devotional "Morning and Evening" for 3 Dec, Evening, that I read:

"The Lord mighty in battle." Psalm 24:8

Well may our God be glorious in the eyes of his people, seeing that he has wrought such wonders for them, in them, and by them. 

For them, the Lord Jesus upon Calvary routed every foe, breaking all the weapons of the enemy in pieces by his finished work of satisfactory obedience; by his triumphant resurrection and ascension he completely overturned the hopes of hell, leading captivity captive, making a show of our enemies openly, triumphing over them by his cross. 

Every arrow of guilt which Satan might have shot at us is broken, for who can lay anything to the charge of God's elect? 

Vain are the sharp swords of infernal malice, and the perpetual battles of the serpent's seed, for in the midst of the church the lame take the prey, and the feeblest warriors are crowned.

The saved may well adore their Lord for his conquests in them, since the arrows of their natural hatred are snapped, and the weapons of their rebellion broken. 

What victories has grace won in our evil hearts! 

How glorious is Jesus when the will is subdued, and sin dethroned! 

As for our remaining corruptions, they shall sustain an equally sure defeat, and every temptation, and doubt, and fear, shall be utterly destroyed. 

In the Salem of our peaceful hearts, the name of Jesus is great beyond compare: he has won our love, and he shall wear it. 

Even thus securely may we look for victories by us. 

We are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 

We shall cast down the powers of darkness which are in the world, by our faith, and zeal, and holiness; we shall win sinners to Jesus, we shall overturn false systems, we shall convert nations, for God is with us, and none shall stand before us. 

This evening let the Christian warrior chant the war song, and prepare for to-morrow's fight. 

Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world.

The full verse is:

"Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle." Psalm 24:8

(Excerpts from: CH Spurgeon, Morning and Evening, 3 December, Evening. The paragraphing are mine.)

Thank you for stopping by.  Have a blessed day! 

If you are in Singapore, please come and visit my Church, Pilgrim Covenant Church, for worship and fellowship: https://pilgrim-covenant.com/

Details for worship services:  https://pilgrim-covenant.com/#view-2-service

Or you can join us online for Morning and Evening worship services: https://pilgrim-covenant.com/join-us/online-links/

Best Regards,

Nancie 

3 December 2024

If you are in Singapore, please come and visit my Church, Pilgrim Covenant Church, for worship and fellowship: https://pilgrim-covenant.com/

Details for worship services:  https://pilgrim-covenant.com/#view-2-service

Or you can join us online for Morning and Evening worship services: https://pilgrim-covenant.com/join-us/online-links/

Photography and Bible Verse : Psalm 36:5 "Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds."

Dear Reader,

Thank you for stopping by. Photography is one of my hobby and it is therapeutic to me to express the creativity side of me and my bipolar disorder.

I like to put encouraging Bible verses unto photos which I took myself. 

I took this photo and put Psalm 36 verse 5 on it. Psalm 36:5 is one of my favorite Bible verse as it reminds me of God's mercies and faithfulness. "Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds." (King James Version / KJV).

May God enables you to know His mercies and love through the changing scenes in your life.

Thank you for stopping by. Have a blessed day! 

Best Regards

Nancie

29 October 2024

If you are in Singapore, please come and visit my Church, Pilgrim Covenant Church, for worship and fellowship: https://pilgrim-covenant.com/

Details for worship services:  https://pilgrim-covenant.com/#view-2-service

Or you can join us online for Morning and Evening worship services: https://pilgrim-covenant.com/join-us/online-links/

Coping Skills for Bipolar Disorder

Dear Friends, 

Thanks for stopping by. 

Thanks for your prayers and encouragements. Thank God for sustaining and strengthening me daily. I am still experiencing fatigue and tiredness. 

I am looking to God daily and continuing to learn to pace myself. I have been doing exercise regularly and cut down on some activities. 

I am not able to do active blogging but hope to post some helpful resources that can encourage and help you and my readers. I do missed all of you very much and you are in my thoughts and prayers! 

I found a helpful article on Coping Skills for Bipolar Disorder and thought it might be useful to you and some of my readers. Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in a person's mood, energy, and ability to function. 

Different from the normal ups and downs that everyone goes through, the symptoms of bipolar disorder are severe. They can result in damaged relationships, poor job or school performance, and even suicide. But there is good news: bipolar disorder can be treated, and people with this illness can lead full and productive lives. 

From my personal experiences, I have found that it is important to accept the reality of my condition, to learn to understand the limitations as well as the advantages of it, to learn to manage it and live a productive life, by the grace of God, through all the resources that are available. I am thankful to God that since my diagnosis, He has provided me with many helps and resources to many my condition and my condition is under better control. He is enabling me to live a meaningful and productive life despite various limitations of my condition. I look forward to each day that I can walk with God and serve Him, and His people. The following article is taken from the website of Bipolar Focus:

Coping Skills for Bipolar Disorder

Step-by-Step Coping: Find a good doctor Become an expert Manage your illness mood charting - what it is and why it's helpful managing medications a healthy lifestyle helps recovery Plan for a crisis Find a community United States Support Organizations Online Support Groups and Newsgroups International Support Organizations Practical matters - work, school, and federal aid issues Other Resources - coping with mania, depression, and life with bipolar disorder When we give lists of symptoms and medications for people with bipolar disorder, the entire thing can seem disarmingly simple. But anyone who has been there knows that there is nothing simple about accepting and living with a chronic illness, and it's just as important to address the emotional and practical issues of bipolar as it is to know the diagnostic criteria and treatment guidelines. Those with other chronic diseases like diabetes, cystic fibrosis, or multiple sclerosis go through a similar process of grieving, accepting, learning, and adapting - and through this, begin healing and recovery. A helpful outline to guide a healing and recovery journey is described in the acronym TEAR: T = to accept the reality of loss. There are things that will be different after a diagnosis of bipolar, and it's important to recognize these things rather than denying or hiding them. E = experience the pain of the loss. You are allowed to grieve what you feel has been lost with the onset of this disease, both from your own life and the lives of others. You are allowed to mourn previous goals and aspirations that must be altered to this new reality. A = adjust to the new environment without what was lost. Whatever was lost with your diagnosis doesn't constitute the whole of your person. The core of you is still the same, and knowing about your illness now allows you to re-adapt to this new context of life. R = reinvest in the new reality. Explore, create, engage, and live as the person you are, managing your own life and your illness as part of that life. Below are some articles and resources that we hope will help you in your own life. 1) Find a good doctor. Even if you already have your diagnosis, your doctor will be your ally and partner in treatment and recovery. It's important to have a doctor you can speak openly with, who will listen to you as an equal and acknowledge your expertise on your own body, who will offer helpful suggestions and be invested in your recovery. Below are some resources on what to look for in a good psychiatrist and/or health care provider, and how to find one in your area. The Patient-Doctor Relationship: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly - signs of each kind of relationship, and advice from someone who has experience as a psychiatric health care consumer. Mental Health Professionals: Who They Are and How to Find One - article provided by NAMI. Contact your local NAMI chapter or another support group, and ask people in the area who has provided quality care for them in the past. Ask family members, friends, other doctors, and anyone else who has had personal experience who they recommend as health care providers. A Bipolar Specialist Referral Database - provided and maintained by the Harvard Bipolar Research Program The Best U.S. Psychiatrists for Mood Disorders - names and contact info compiled (and kept current) by Dr. Ivan Goldberg, a psychiatrist and clinical psychopharmacologist in private practice in New York City. 2) Become an Expert. Putting a name to what used to be a vague collection of debilitating symptoms puts you in control. Knowing your disease as intimately as you can gives you the tools to manage it effectively, rather than it managing you. It can also make your situation seem much less frightening when you can understand and recognize what is happening in your own body. Here are some resources to get you started. What Is Mental Illness? - it is not a choice, a weakness, a failing, or a sign of immorality. It is a biological disease based in the brain. This information from the American Psychiatric Association gives an introductory look. Manic Depressive Disorders and Schizophrenia are Diseases of the Brain - an introduction to the evidence, with references. Guide to Depression and Bipolar Disorder (PDF) - an easy-to-read pamphlet provided by the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. Understanding Bipolar Disorder - a comprehensive, 24-page information booklet provided by NAMI. What Causes Mood Disorders? - a short, understandable explanation of the brain chemistry that underlies mood disorders. Excellent books - a list of essential reading about bipolar disorder and mental illness [coming soon]. 3) Manage your Illness - mood charting and meds. One of the best coping strategies, suggested by professionals and patients alike, is using a mood chart to track your own episodes and symptoms. A mood chart can be a preventative tool to help identify early warning signs for relapse, a record for physicians and family to help assess the efficacy of different medications and treatments, and a therapeutic tool to organize a person's daily routine and improve awareness of the illness. The simplest method of mood charting is rating your mood (at the same time each day) on a scale of 1-10, with one being very depressed and ten being absolutely elated. A good place to keep a record is on a wall calendar or in a daily diary. Other methods involve more elaborate charts, and a more detailed rating scale (see the links below). Some people work better with graphs, others with numbers, others with writing lists of words or paragraphs to describe their feelings. The overall goal of the charts is to have a reliable and consistent record of how greatly your moods flucuate over a period of time, so develop the method that is easiest for you to achieve this goal. Mood charting resources: The Mood Diary - gives an explanation of how to use the mood chart, and has a blank and a completed example available for downloading (pdf files). A Mood Chart System - a patient describes how he developed a personal system that worked for him, including examples. Mood Charting for Children - the Child & Adolescent Bipolar Foundation provides examples and resources for charting your child's moods, and eventually helping him/her to track it themselves. Another excellent coping strategy is learning how to manage your medications effectively. The first thing to do is know about what you are taking - ask your psychiatrist what symptoms your medication is treating, how long it might take to work, how much and how often you should take it, what you should do if you miss a dose, what side effects you might have and what you can do about them, and anything else that is on your mind. Keep track of your own medication information - names, dosages, how it makes you feel, what symptoms it makes better or worse - in a journal or diary. Having this information will help both you and your doctor find the medication regimen that works the best for you, and allow you to adjust it effectively as needed. It can be an extremely frustrating trial-and-error process to finally find a medication that works for you. Please be patient and give the medications adequate time to do their job. Most people won't feel better right away - it can take four to six weeks for a drug to get into your system and start noticeably helping. In the meantime, you can help yourself by trying some of the suggestions on this page, or finding a support group to help you through difficult times. By all means work with your psychiatrist to switch medications if you are unhappy with your current one; however, try to be realistic about what medications can and can't do, and consider the relative benefits of staying on one versus trying to adjust to a brand-new one. Simplify your medications as much as possible by putting them in separated daily pill boxes (you can purchase pill organizers with seven separate compartments, one for each day of the week), taking them at the same time each day, or taking them with a daily vitamin pill or something else that you do religiously. If you have a lot of trouble remembering, ask family members/roommates to help, or ask your doctor about the possibility of switching to long-acting injectable medications instead of pills. Help your medication do their job by keeping healthy habits in your daily life. A reliable sleep routine is especially important for people with mood disorders - research shows that not getting enough sleep can bring on a manic episode. Making sure you get all your daily nutrients and vitamins - especially omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to help relieve the symptoms of psychiatric disorders - will keep you feeling better and more stable. Daily exercise will help your mood during a depression, will add structure to your day to help avoid mania, and will keep you looking and feeling better and healthier. More resources: Download Healthy Lifestyles (pdf file) - a brochure provided by the National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association Bipolar Disorder Self Care - information on eating/sleeping/exercise habits, getting adequate nutrition, reducing stress, and avoiding relapse A Healthy Lifestyle Approach - tips and info from the Organization for Bipolar Affective Disorders Society (Canada) 4) Plan For a Crisis Your mood charts (see above) will help you recognize what particular symptoms or behaviors tend to precede a manic or a depressive episode. Having a plan ready for relapse situations will help you get the care you need, and make sure other practical matters are taken care of, even if you are in a place where you can't effectively make decisions. One of the most difficult aspects of bipolar to deal with is the seductiveness of mania - many people don't seek help during a manic episode because they are feeling on top of the world. However, even though they can't recognize it, they still present a danger to themselves or others via reckless acts, excessive spending, uncontrollable behavior, etc. You can take some precautionary steps while you are stable to help get through a crisis situation as smoothly as possible. Put the following information (along with anything else that might be helpful) into a "crisis plan" folder, and distribute it to your doctor, your family members, and other trusted people who can help you. Make a list of people you trust (close family members, friends in the area, etc) who know about your disease and are willing to help you. Have their names and phone numbers together on a "crisis alert list" List the names and contact info of your psychiatrist, general practitioner, case worker, or any other professional that helps you manage your illness. Write out the particular signs that indicate a manic or a depressive episode, to help others recognize when you need help. (See some of the early warning signs compiled by bipolarsurvivor.com to use as a guide in making your list). Make another list of all your medications, what dose you take, and what side effects you experience. Note any medications you are allergic to or do not want to take under whatever circumstances. Leave directions for the care of your house, your pets, your plants, etc., in case you are hospitalized. Write down your insurance plan information Leave the names and numbers of family members and/or employers that need to be contacted in case of an emergency or an extended hospital stay. Leave any detailed instructions of what kind of care you do and do not want to recieve if you are unable to make your own decisions (the legal document for this is called a psychiatric advanced directive). 5) Find a Community Having a supportive community is important for anyone, but particularly for someone dealing with a chronic illness. A support group of friends and peers can relate to what you go through like no one else can, offer support or a sympathetic ear, and give practical advice and solutions for difficulties as they come up. For the times when you are not feeling particularly social, an online discussion group or chatroom is a great option to keep yourself connected with others. National U.S. support groups for people who have mood disorders: Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance - a comprehensive website w/ information, resources, advocacy materials, and a database of local chapters National Alliance for the Mentally Ill - free education programs and support groups in every state for patients and family members Children and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation - a comprehensive database with support orgs/chapters for every U.S. state. Also has online chatrooms and discussion boards Locate Regional Mental Health Services and Support Groups with a national database provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 6) Practical Matters - work, school, and federal aid issues: How does a mental illness affect the way I function at school? Documenting your disability for an educational institution - recieve the resources and support you are entitled to Disclosing your Disability to an Employer - this is a personal choice and NOT required by law. This article outlines the pros and cons of both options. Handling your Psychiatric Disability at Work and School - lots of articles and links from the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation in Boston. What is Supplemental Security Income (SSI)? FAQs, advices, and articles about disability benefits - lots of information for most every situation. 7) Other Resources - coping with mania, depression, and life with bipolar disorder: Dealing Effectively with Manic-Depression (pdf) - an excellent pamphlet for patients from the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. How to avoid a manic episode 10 things to remember when you are manic 10 things to remember when you are depressed Should I take therapy or pills? - thoughts from someone with manic-depression Ideas for coping - advice from someone with manic-depression Myths about mental illness - good things for anyone to know, and occasionally remind themselves of.

Take care and hope you have a great weekend!

   

  My friend took this lovely picture at Saipan. This is one of my favourite verse:

"Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust:" Psalm 143:8

Warm Regards,

Nancie

(First posted on 9 March 2009)

If you are in Singapore, please come and visit my Church, Pilgrim Covenant Church, for worship and fellowship: https://pilgrim-covenant.com/

Details for worship services:  https://pilgrim-covenant.com/#view-2-service

Or you can join us online for Morning and Evening worship services: https://pilgrim-covenant.com/join-us/online-links/

The joy of knowing the Lord Jesus Christ as my Saviour and Lord

Dear Reader,

Thank you for stopping by. It is raining heavily here in Singapore. Thank God for a cool morning. :-)

During my personal devotion time (quiet time) this morning, I read the following very comforting and encouraging devotional by Charles Haddon Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, 14 October, Morning.

I am reminded of the great privilege and joy God has given to me, in saving me from the eternal condemnations of sins, through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross where He shed His blood to redeem me and all His people. By the Lord's resurrection, He had reconciled me with God. May the Lord help me to grow to love Him and His Words more and more each day, to glorify Him in my life and to continue to rejoice in Him daily.

If you too are a Christian, may the devotional below, encourage you too. If you have not trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ yet, it is my prayer that you will seek Him and know His saving grace.

"I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord." Philippians 3:8

Spiritual knowledge of Christ will be a personal knowledge. I cannot know Jesus through another person's acquaintance with him. 

No, I must know him myself; I must know him on my own account. 

It will be an intelligent knowledge--I must know him, not as the visionary dreams of him, but as the Word reveals him. 

I must know his natures, divine and human. I must know his offices--his attributes--his works--his shame--his glory.

I must meditate upon him until I "comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge." 

It will be an affectionate knowledge of him; indeed, if I know him at all, I must love him. An ounce of heart knowledge is worth a ton of head learning. 

Our knowledge of him will be a satisfying knowledge. When I know my Saviour, my mind will be full to the brim--I shall feel that I have that which my spirit panted after. "This is that bread whereof if a man eat he shall never hunger." 

At the same time it will be an exciting knowledge; the more I know of my Beloved, the more I shall want to know. The higher I climb the loftier will be the summits which invite my eager footsteps. I shall want the more as I get the more. Like the miser's treasure, my gold will make me covet more. 

To conclude; this knowledge of Christ Jesus will be a most happy one; in fact, so elevating, that sometimes it will completely bear me up above all trials, and doubts, and sorrows; and it will, while I enjoy it, make me something more than "Man that is born of woman, who is of few days, and full of trouble"; for it will fling about me the immortality of the ever living Saviour, and gird me with the golden girdle of his eternal joy. 

Come, my soul, sit at Jesus's feet and learn of him all this day.

Full verse:

"Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ," Philippians 3:8

(Excerpts from: CH Spurgeon, Morning and Evening, 14 October, Morning. The paragraphing are mine.)

To read Online:

https://www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/morning-and-evening/2024/10/14

To listen Online:

https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/devotional/morning-and-evening/1014m

Thank you for stopping by. Have a blessed day! 

Best Regards

Nancie

14 October 2024

If you are in Singapore, please come and visit my Church, Pilgrim Covenant Church, for worship and fellowship: https://pilgrim-covenant.com/

Details for worship services:  https://pilgrim-covenant.com/#view-2-service

Or you can join us online for Morning and Evening worship services: https://pilgrim-covenant.com/join-us/online-links/