Cyberbullying

Children often used to face the terror of what often seemed like the playground bully, but now that threat has been bumped into the 20th century and has presented a whole new area of bullying known as "cyberbullying". The New York Times has written an article specifically on this topic, and has left parents to wonder, "is my child safe from this difficult form of bullying?" Often, parents are lost as to how they can solve this problem of bullying, because they do not know of the many social networking sites that their child has access too. So this needs to be a eye-opener for parents everywhere to be involved in their child's lives. Know what your children are doing, and be aware of the challenges that they are facing regardless of the their form, real or thechnological.

Final answer? Yes...No wait...

The Wall Street Journal presented an article entitled Why So Many People Can’t Make Decisions. It outlines and describes two types of mentalities those who are black/white thinkers and those (like myself) who are the shades of gray thinkers. The article claims that both these mindsets play a vital role in how people handle their daily life at work and in relationships. In addition, depending on the approach a person takes it can largely influence the way that they perceive and interpret decision and reality overall. Stating that those who see the world in black/white tend to speak their mind or make quick decisions, have overall less anxiety about making wrong choices as well they are less likely to consider others’ point of view. On the contrary, the more ambivalent thinkers (the shades of gray thinkers) are more thoughtful about the choices they make, feel more regret after making a decision as well, as they tend to appreciate multiple points of view.

Ideally, we would like to label one better than the other but in this instance I say, “We think about it”. This article is claiming that a certain degree of ambivalence is a sign of maturity. And, I absolutely agree. Not because I myself fall into this category of gray side but because it would seem to me that being a black/white thinkers limits an understanding to that very moment, almost like an adrenaline rush. The article declares that they have an overall need to reach a conclusion just for the sake of reaching it. Meanwhile, shades of gray thinkers tend are able to handle uncertainty. They are not in a hurry to make a decision just for the sake of making it because they out way all their options.

I cannot help but to relate this back to our class discussion about doubt and uncertainty. If the shades of gray thinkers tend to be more at ease with uncertainty, how does this play out in their religion? I know for me personally, I know what I believe in and my decision to believe in it is genuine and authentic. Nevertheless, to be sincere it would be a lie to say that thoughts of doubt do not creep into my mind once in awhile. Then is that just a product of sinful nature or an inability to make concrete decisions?

Celebrity Preachers...?

In our culture today news and media is typically bombarded and dominated with scandals of immoral, obscene and ludicrous aspects of famous Hollywood superstars. The lifestyles of celebrities is closely watch and scrutinized things such as how they eat, drink, sleep and socialize greatly shapes and manipulate how as humans we perceive and undertake those same obligations.

Chris Ahrens was featured in a local San Diego newspaper sharing his longing to give celebrities an opportunity to share something greater than the new diet fad or even the details of their current fling of the week instead providing them with an opportunity to share their views on Jesus Christ, faith, spirituality, Scripture and religion in their lives overall. He founded the website celebritypreacher.com. On this website, celebrities are interviewed and given the chance to proclaim their faith and beliefs.

My curiosity was sparked when I read the list of celebrities who have contributed to the website thus far, not because I was judging them but because I felt a certain sense of disconnection between what they believe and what they do. We are all called to proclaim our faith, to not only believe in it, but to walk in it, daily. How would being a superstar prohibit or inhibit that? We (including myself) are faced with this issue daily and we are not even superstars (or at least I do not think anyone in our class is).

Life (A.K.A. the world) makes it nearly impossible for us to live in line with our faith. I cannot even begin to understand both the external and internal issues that celebrities are faced with in having to perhaps live this double life. Do I think it is right? No, and overall I think this is what this class has taught me personally, integration is not just a product of combining theology with psychology but it is about becoming integrated. The process by which we can integrate our faith into our practice, knowing that our perception will change as will our circumstances but neither can truly determine our character and our relationship with Jesus.

Overall, I chose to blog about this because I enjoyed the videos of celebrities proclaiming their faith. I would encourage the readers to watch as it helped to gain a better image of the celebrities beyond their “title in Hollywood” and in the eyes of the Savior.

Aslan, Christ or Muhammad.

I am sure most of you have heard that the newest Chronicles of Narnia comes out tomorrow (I think), and that it is supposed to the best one yet. But have you heard Liam Neeson most recent comment about Aslan. The voice of Alsan recently told viewers that Aslan not only represents God, but he can also represent Muhammad. This obviously did not make people happy, especially the fans who are also Christians. Fan’s are saying that Neeson is running the film.

C.S Lewis who is the author of the Chronicles of Narnia wrote this Christian series, and in this seven book series, Aslan represents Christ. Lewis once said, “He is an invention giving an imaginary answer to the question, "What might Christ become like if there really were a world like Narnia, and He chose to be incarnate and die and rise again in that world as He actually has done in ours?"' These books are also filled with tons of other Christian symbolism besides Aslan.

I think this whole story is kind of ridiculous. It would be one thing if Lewis never came straight out and said that Aslan represented God, but he did! So what is all the fuss about. People can say whatever they want really. I don’t care if people think Aslan is their Grandpa Joe. It doesn’t change the fact that the AUTHOR of the series said he represents Christ. I will say it is also ridiculous that Neeson would say such a thing. Doesn’t he know that by saying this he is obviously going to lose viewers? Another thing is Muhammad really didn’t teach things that are portrayed in this movie through Aslan. The last thing that is ridiculous is how people are reacting. I had not heard much before this, but some of my friends were telling me about how some people are going crazy over this, and well it just isn’t necessary.

Anorexic teens get boost from Family-Based Treatment (FBT)

In an article I read (Anorexia & FBT), it was found that teens suffering from anorexia recovered faster and remained healthier longer after receiving family-based therapy as opposed to individual therapy (IT). Most treatments for eating disorders have often been to send patient to a rehabilitation center somewhere far away from any family or support system in the hope that the doctors and therapist's there could help them get better. There is a stigma attached to anorexia stating that parents cause the eating disorder in their children, but this has been proven to be false and because of this many families agreed to send their loved ones away for treatment. This is now slowly becoming a thing of the past as more treatments are beginning to include the family into the healing process. Patient's treated with FBT have been shown to gain weight faster and show great improvement in attitudes and behaviors relating to food. A study was done to compare FBT to IT and it was found that when patients were treated using FBT 42% of patients had recovered as compared to 23% in the individual therapy group. At follow-up the FBT group had a higher rate of patients in full remission than the IT group and the percentage of relapse for the FBT group was 10% compared to 40% in the IT group.
Reading this article made me hopeful as a Family Therapist in training because I believe that FBT works and I fully support it's process. I have a desire to see families come together to help a loved one in need not to be separated because of an issue; this is the reason why I want to work with families, to help them improve their quality of life together.

Here are some chilling statistics on Anorexia:

• 1 in 5 women struggle with an eating disorder or disordered eating (National Institute of Mental Health)
• Eating Disorders affect up to 24 million Americans and 70 million individuals worldwide (The Renfrew Center Foundation for Eating Disorders)
• 90 % of those who have eating disorders are women between the ages of 12 and 25 (SAMHSA)
• More than a million men and boys battle the illness every day (www.nationaleatingdisorders.org)

Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness?

• A young woman with anorexia is 12 times more likely to die than other women her age without Anorexia (American Journal of Psychiatry)

• Five to ten percent of anorexics die within ten years of onset, 18-20 percent die within twenty years of onset, and only 50 percent report ever being cured (American Psychiatric Association)

• 20% of people suffering from anorexia will prematurely die from complications related to their eating disorder, including suicide and heart problems (The Renfrew Center Foundation for Eating Disorders)

Another great article to read on this topic: Fighting Anorexia: No One to Blame

Rabbit Ears: The New Bondage Breaker?

Do you remember the days when rabbit ears ruled the airwaves? Families spent endless hours in tantalizing tango between man and machine. When one ear lifted, the other fell. When one finger tentatively released, a clear picture turned hopelessly fuzzy. Rolls of aluminum foil were used up faster than glazed donuts at a police booster. One might even think a typical home to be a museum of modern art with the ways in which rabbit ears balanced precariously on the edges of window ledges, wires wrapped playfully around furniture, and aluminum foil flashed flamboyantly in the afternoon sun. Bodies froze breathlessly as an unintentional movement restored the buzzing static to the gentle baritone of Peter Jennings on World News Tonight.

A story in the New York Times discussed an emerging trend leading away from cable and satellite television providers. With the rising costs of these cable subscriptions, some households have opted out of the expensive hedonism of mass media in favor of the simple world of free network HD programming. Many households have supplemented their network programming with Netflix, iTunes, or internet television. Although not without the minor headaches of a weak signal during a storm or heavy foot traffic, the change has gone over remarkably well, and has left few people with a desire to go back to the hefty bills of cable.

As the paralyzing hold that cable companies have over the American public begins to crumble, a renewed emphasis on fiscal responsibility and conservative living is emerging. In many ways, this counterculture has implications that reach far beyond saving a few extra dollars on the television bill. When the channel menu has been whittled down from hundred to a handful, people are left with far fewer programs with which to dominate their schedules. A favorite show may actually become just that: the television show that is most watched on the television, not the favorite show on ESPN…and then on AMC…and then on HBO…and then on TLC…and then on XYZ (well, you get the picture). Time may be spent away with from the television, perhaps spent cultivating relationships with others, investing in more productive hobbies, or even resting from the hurriedness of life.

Few realize the anxiety that can result from being in bondage to their media providers. Large cable bills stretch the budget, which then prompts people to pick up more hours to cover the additional expenses. Excessive work creates unnecessary stress, and if maintained, can have harmful effects on overall health. In an effort to get one’s “money’s worth” out of the cable package, excessive amounts of time are spent watching television, rather than engaging in activities that provide legitimate rest and restoration of the body and mind. Preoccupation with cable programming also takes people away from what really matters: their relationship with Jesus Christ. The more time that is spent filling our minds with media matters, the less time that can being transformed by the renewing of our minds in the Lord (Rom. 12:2). The cable epidemic is symptomatic of a greater problem: treasuring the things of this world over the eternal matters of God. Christ teaches us that where our treasure is, there our heart will be also (Matt. 6:21). If what we truly value are the material things that solidify our “status” in the world, then our heart does not truly belong to God. If, however, we direct our focus to Jesus Christ and teachings of His Word, then our heart will belong to Him. Perhaps God can use this slight movement away from excessive materialism to bring people’s hearts closer to the peace that can be found in His presence.

Not just a choice...

Homelessness is not just a choice. For those homeless in Budapest, Hungary, it is often a result of the fall of communism. Here is an article that discusses the current issue of an estimated 30,000 homeless in Budapest. In the several months that I lived there, much of our outreach was to the homeless community. The importance of understanding the cause of homelessness for many of the homeless in Budapest, can determine how the issue is addressed. The article thankfully expresses the desire of local hungarians to reach out to the homeless, and to provide shelter and assistance in finding jobs, and providing training for skills unlearned in years of living on the streets. I love that this is going on, and was glad to see firsthand the many outreaches to the homeless in Budapest. I think much can be learned from this, in that we never know what brings someone to the lifestyle they are choosing to live, but if we are willing, we can reach into the lives of those in need, and help them restore a healthy way of living.

The New Noah's Ark

Although I realize there has already been discussion about the Noah's ark theme park being built in Kentucky, I really want to discuss it on here. The Noah's ark them park, coined "Ark Encounter", is set to open up in Grant County, Kentucky. The plan is to construct a full-size replica of Noah’s ark, load it with animals and actors, and make it the centerpiece of a Bible-based tourist attraction.

I think it's such an awesome idea! How cool would it be to walk through the ark and see all of the different animals! However, many people have qualms about a religion-based theme park opening up with the governments money. Many claim that the government backing an enterprise that promotes religion violates the First Amendment’s requirement of separation of church and state. Although I can see the point of view from these people and understand how people could view this as a violation of the first amendment, the governor of Kentucky, Steven L. Beshear, claims he is not opening this park in order to debate religion, he is opening this park to create jobs.

I am very interested as to how this is going to play out. I can see both sides, and obviously since I am a Christian I am excited about the possible aspect of being able to walk through "Noah's ark". However, if I am trying to look at both sides, I can see how people who do not want the park see it as a violation of their rights. What do you guys think? How do you think it will all play out?

You're the Inspiration!

With personal troubles disappearing, classes slowing down to and with assignments catching up, I decided to check my deviant art account to check up some updates and reviews of my artwork. I am not promoting deviant art, but to give you a brief info about it, it is a Facebook” for artists” that has been around the same time when Facebook got started. Unlike Facebook, you can post your artwork and you can have followers or “fans” that can be get updated with your work like twitter. Many of people have friends, some with more close friends than others. It is easily accomplished in befriend people than ever before due to social networking and mass communication. But many of us don’t have the experience of what is like having fans. Imagine people that follow you and know you for something you accomplished but you have no idea how person that feels about you, keeps on checking for any updates of your work, and shares your work with their friends. Even writers of this blog site have fans. I have to admit, having a getting an update that somebody is a fan of you can be very addicting like a coffee in the morning or checking for text messages on your phone. This time I ran into something I never received before. I received a message from a fan that wished me a Happy Thanksgiving and God bless me. To be honest, that surprised me in many ways. I am use to getting message like that from family and friends, but from a complete stranger baffled me. I don’t think that fan knows that I already believe in the existence of the Almighty and His Son since I barely leave any messages at all in my deviant art page, other than a “thank you” to a fan. This kind of reminds me what I read about fans from the book, Hurt People Hurt People by Sandra Wilson (I recommend you to read the book). She warn her readers about the consequences when you try to only focus on making your fans happy instead of focusing on accomplishing God’s Will and your loved ones. Fans are not your friends. You can maintain a steady relationship with family, friends, and acquaintances. With fans, you can only inspire or entertain them. It is quite amazing you can entertain people that you will never meet in person. I do want to point out however, that sometimes there are fans that can get you inspired and encouraged as well. And that fan of mine from deviant art just did that for me. I just wished I replied back to that person a “Happy Thanksgiving and God bless you too” message on time. Probably thinks I am jerk.

Note: I am not a Green Packers fan, but I know the Green Packers fans are one of the craziest fans of all times... Go Saints!!

A Very Glee Christmas

I, like most of America, became a Gleek during the first season of the show. I love the musical numbers and the sometimes bizarre plot lines. However, this season I have often found some of the material to be a little offensive for my taste. Last night, the Christmas episode of Glee premiered. The episode is about the students in the Glee club wanting to share "glee" to all of the faculty and students at their high school. Sue, being the antagonist she is, is the grinch in this episode and is trying to ruin Christmas for the flee club. The overall synopsis of the episode is much like every Christmas story, the unbeliever becomes filled with the Christmas spirit. Although the plot of this episode was heartwarming, the reason I am mentioning it in this blog is because of one particular scene in the episode. Rachel and Finn are looking for Christmas trees and while they're looking she makes the comment that "Christmas trees are the essance of Christmas, they are the meaning of Christmas and they symbolize what Christmas means."

Unfortunately, the Christmas tree is what many people believe symbolizes Christmas. It makes me very sad when I think about how most people do not recognize the real reason for Christmas- because of Jesus. I guess this just reminded me of just how much people need to hear/be reminded of God's love and His ultimate sacrifice. My only hope is that the world will not forget the true reason for this holiday, and will hold on to the truth.

Luke 2:8-20 " And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” ¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” ¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” ¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Divorce — The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience

I came across this article and found it very interesting. The article is about a Professor Smith, a Political Scientist from the University of Washington, who did research and found that evangelical Christians fight for rights concerning the sanctity of life; like abortion, homosexuality, sex education, prayer in schools, etc, but nowhere in the mix was the topic of divorce. The sad part is, the divorce rate among evangelical Protestants is just as high as the divorce rate for the public, but the church has followed suit with the culture and made divorce a private matter. In the words of the author "evangelicals allowed culture to trump Scripture". Are Christians to busy preaching against very valid issues to pay closer attention to its own body of believers? Why are we not as passionate about divorce destroying the "traditional family" that we fight so much to hold onto as we are about fighting a homosexual's "right" to be married. Smith believes that divorce will actually cause more detriment to a family than homosexual marriages will and from what I have seen and read this will turn out to be very true if Christians do not step up and speak out against divorce. Not only speaking out publicly, but in the church as well. I'm sick of hearing pastor's say there is life after divorce, which is very true but why are we not helping believer's avoid having to face life after divorce. Is the church going to continue to conform to the worlds standards and beliefs about divorce or are we going to rise up and tell the church that no divorce is not okay and there is hope for restoration.

Married men are nicer and well behaved

It is not clear why men behave better when married, the article from Fox News website stated. But part of this understanding has to do with the fact that men who are married tend to be trained to improve their behavior, or simply because nicer men are more likely to get married anyways.
The study also showed that 60% of men who married between the ages of 17-20 showed less of a chance of showing antisocial behavior, whereas men at the age of 29 who were unmarried were found to have an average of 1.3% chance of antisocial behavior compared to the 0.8 percent of married men.
Perhaps the change this men underwent is due to spending more time with their family and spouses, meaning they have to develop some type of social skills to deal with different personalities in their family.
In an era of easy divorces and the lack of commitment, I'm always glad to read articles that state the benefits of marriage.

Several studies have stated that people who are married tend to live longer and happier. Not only happier, but more sociable.

It seems that science has met one of God's plans for man and woman: marriage. Several of verses in the Bible state the fact that is part of God's plan, since the beginning (see Genesis 2:24-25), for men and women to be unitied in holy matrimony.
I can only hope more studies in marriage will bring to light more beneficial facts about marriage.

Rejoicing at all times?

Jessica Breland is a 6 foot 3 basketball player for the North Carolina Tar Heels. Going into her senior year she was averaging 9.1 points per game and 3.1 blocks per game. Just when she thought things could not get any better her world was turned upside down. She was diagnosed with cancer. Because of Breland’s strength, the doctors gave her some of the strongest chemotherapy treatments, and really pushed her to a full recovery, and she did just that.

Breland said earlier on epsn to her coach that she is the woman she is today because of cancer, and that she is thankful for who it has made, and she would not take it back. She also mentions in her article, “I get something back in return from it, because I experienced it," she added. "It's like a bond between me and people with cancer, because we've been through it, or we're going through it.”

When Breland was finally cleared to practice, she started noticing extreme fatigue problems. Part of this was because her lungs took much damage during chemotherapy. She also say’s, “I'm sure I could go anywhere else and play and be in good shape for practice, but for our practice, it's not quite there.” Brealand is now playing in her senior year, and has really filled in a leadership role that her coach said they lacked last year.

When I read this article I was reminded of Phil. 4:4. Which says, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say Rejoice.” She says earlier that she would change what she went through because it made her who she was today. This is how we are supposed to respond as Christians when God puts trials of any kind in front of us. What makes this story even more remarkable is nothing is mention about her being a Christian, yet she still looks at this moment with optimism and with rejoicing.

Is there anything in your life right where you should be rejoicing, but instead you have maybe been a little bitter? I know for me it is easy for that to happen, and I have to constantly be examining my life, and seeing if I am bitter about anything. I hope this article encourages you, as it did me. Also there are many other articles are on her that are just as encouraging.

Will Marriage Eventually Be HIstory?

I was shocked when I read this articles headline the other day... "4 in 10 Say Marriage Becoming Obsolete"! I had heard more and more couples were getting married later in life (although you would never know it if you just took a sampling from Liberty's campus) but it never crossed my mind that 40% of the Americans believe marriage is becoming a thing of the past, something not even necessary anymore. Because living together is really not even considered risque anymore, more couples are adopting the attitude "Why waste the money on a wedding, when it might just end in a divorce anyway" It did make me feel a little bit better to read that just because people perceived that marriage was a "dying trend" many of them felt that it wasn't a good thing or something that they wanted to see happen. It seems that many people still want to eventually get married, but it isn't seen as a priority anymore. In todays society, marriage isn't necessary to have social status, security or even to have a family. Many couples (usually those of lower socioeconomic status) move in together and start a family, and see marriage as something that could happen later down the line when they are more "financially" stable.

Its so disheartening to see how far we have come from God's plan for us. God gave us marriage, not as a burden, but as a gift. We treat relationships and sex and intimacy so casually these days, and now marriage doesn't even seem sacred to us anymore. After reading this article, I know now more then ever why God called me into the field of marriage counseling.... this country needs to recognize again the importance of the institution of marriage!

Breaking the Mold

A story in the New York Times described the nefarious business practices of an internet vendor gone rogue. He claims to have stumbled upon the economic principle of bizarro world: using negative advertisement to boost his sales. The owner, Mr. Borker, employs brutal, abusive tactics when dealing with his customers. He has been known to threaten people, harass them with emails and phone calls, and even send counterfeit merchandise. These business practices fuel customer outrage, which often finds release in a variety of online forums. The more negative feedback he incurs, the more hits his website gets. His website has claimed high rankings in Google searches, and he claims that this is a direct result of the web traffic about his customer’s “horrible” experiences.

What is most fascinating about Mr. Borker’s story is his reason for beginning his unconventional sales tactics: having to incur thousands in losses because of customers who can’t seem to be pleased. Every time a pair of prescription glasses is returned, he takes a loss, regardless of the reasons for the return. Frustrated with nasty customers, financial losses, and long hours, Mr. Borker decided to give his customers a taste of their own medicine. Mr. Borker became a hurt person. And as a hurt person, he decided it was best to hurt other people. Fortunate for Mr. Borker (and to the chagrin of his customers), his hurt makes a profit.

Can one justify Mr. Borker’s behavior? After all, could he not be considered a victim of internet fraud in his own right? Do the ends justify the means? Isn’t he just one semi-honest man trying to make a semi-honest living? At the root of Mr. Borker’s problem is a failure to consider biblical truth. Christ teaches that we must treat others in the same way we wish to be treated (Luke 6:31). Whether his accounts of customer fraud are exaggerated or not, there had to have been at least some legitimate cases of people taking advantage of online shopping and essentially stealing from Mr. Borker. Then he, reeling from constant losses and difficult customers, decides to treat others the way he had been treated. Ultimately, he felt that he could no longer treat people in a loving, respectful manner without running himself out of business or subjecting himself to undue abuse. No longer caring how he was treated so long as he made money, Mr. Borker rejected the biblical truth in favor of his personal truth: dishonest practices yield an alluring monetary gain.

Mr. Borker’s scheming is quite disconcerting. He has tried to create a paradigm that runs contrary to biblical teaching regarding love for other people. He has developed a worldview that has his self at the very center. He has made a business out of hurting people. Where does it end? How long before other entrepreneurial individuals adopt his philosophy and continue a perverted trend of people-hating for personal gain? How long before we see how even our web interactions can have serious implications on our personal health?

Anxiety over Aging

This video from FoxNews.com called Futuristic Facelift (please watch!!) discusses a new way to eliminate wrinkles and signs of aging by using your own stem cells so that there are no nasty reactions that some people get from artificial fillers such as Botox.

It appears that over the past decade, society has become very anxious about signs of aging. Rather than embracing age, denying its signs and fighting for artificial youth is almost becoming a norm in American society. I postulate that hiding age could cause a vicious cycle of anxiety concerning older age and cause more harm than good for one's psychological well-being. The desire to look younger is natural, but when does it go too far? When is it neurotic?

--And--

Whatever happened to the mindset of earning your wrinkles and gray hairs?

Flying without fear

We have recently read books about anxiety and how to overcome it. I was reading on CNN news an article, actually, it was more of a confession of a flight pilot who had encountered a near death experience while scuba diving, and has been struggling with panic attacks since.

The process the pilot uses to overcome his fear of flying has become one of the greatest challenges in his life. However, it is possible to fight anxiety attacks and the steps he took are very similar to the steps described on the books:

1) Mental rehearsal- the pilot has discovered that it's best not to fight your panic attack, just know that these feelings will pass.

2) Rely on your wing man- have someone to talk to and that will help you go through this difficult time. Having a wing man reminded the pilot he wasn't alone, and he could count on his wing man to help him through times of crisis. It gave him courage to know he wasn't alone.

3) Focus on what you love - The pilot brought a pair of angel wings to every training he had. It reminded him of God's love for him. He also brought pictures of his niece and nephew, which gave meaning to his mission.

In a world that spins too fast and doesn't have time to wait for us to stand up and face our uncountable fears, 3 simple steps can make a big difference in our lives. Being able to understand and help loved ones that have developed an anxiety condition is not only a task, but a love mission.

I believe it is important to understand that any of us can go through an anxiety episode, and need help to get back in our feet. Understanding our human condition will maintain us all in the same level. We are not better than them, nor worse.

I also believe we need to focus on preventing anxiety, knowing that God is in charge and since He has already done the best for us, we can continue on trusting that He has our best interest in mind and we are deeply loved.

Later on, the pilot describes what he has learned from this experience, and maybe we all need to learn that too: we don't have to be perfect all the time. If it is too much, we can take a break, breathe, and then jump back on the mission. We just don't need to do everything all the time. It's ok to take a day off, rest, and a take a time for yourself. It's just ok.

Change Through Trial

I do not consider myself a big sports fan, but I am a person that loves a good story. I have not kept up with the Michael Vick story through the last couple of years, so when I read this article, I was pleasantly surprised to see how his life has changed since his arrest a few years back.

Michael Vick grew up in tough environments, and through his talent in playing football, he believed that he found salvation from a poor upbringing, into a life of having everything you needed, and everything you wanted. Perhaps it was in this drastic change, that he also believed he was invincible.

After serving time in prison, and in developing a relationship with Christ, Vick has turned his life as a football player and one of prideful demeanor, into a story that speaks of humility and the power of allowing God to fulfill the places of need, neglected in his childhood. I believe Vick's story is one of many many stories out there, of how God redeems a sin, to bring us closer to Him. I'm glad to hear that this is the path Vick has chosen to take.

Everyone of us have to decide what paths we will take that lead out of the trials in life. Every trial either has paths that lead to further darkness, or paths that lead to truth and life. As counselors, we have an opportunity to help guide clients to the paths of truth and life. These kinds of stories remind me that lives are redeemed everyday, and that God has given us wonderful opportunities to take part in that.