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Believers shouldn't be depressed, should they? At least that's what many Christians think. But what about Elijah, Jonah, David, Solomon and Jeremiah. They suffered thru periods of emotional turmoil that certainly sounds like clinical depression. Do you suppose that they (and us) were somehow blessed by the trials that God gave them? And what was Paul's "thorn in the flesh?" Was that affliction not a blessing in disguise? The Unwelcome Blessing sheds light on this paradox and explains much more.
There is HOPE! You will find it in this resource book written for depressed and bipolar believers and their loved ones. Sometimes our best hope lies in medication, but the biochemical hope that God offers should always be combined with both counseling and the wisdom found in God's word. As it says in Isaiah, "those who HOPE in the Lord will renew their strength."
Not only is there hope but there is also VICTORY over the darkness of spiritual oppression. Many Christians believe that the Holy Spirit living in them renders them immune from Satan's attacks. Well if Satan were so bold as to tempt Jesus (Luke 4), what kind of toast can he make out of us with his trickery? We need to be vigilant and we need to know Scripture. Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14). Because of Satan's deceptions, believers need to put on the full armor of knowledge to resist the his schemes (Eph. 6:11-18). My book Satan's Top Ten Tricks gives much needed insight and guidance in that struggle. A Christian marrige and family therapist describes the book as "life changing." It was recently used as a study by a Northland Church home group. Eight men met for six weeks and shared stories of spiritual conflict and victory. The personal, yet universal, struggles outlined in this book and its exercises promote sharing and accountabilty.
The sequel to this book is now available thru Amazon.com as well. Jesus v. Satan: The Message of the Wilderness Temptations. It expands on some of the insights touched on in the earlier look. It examines how Jesus responds to the tests of the devil--specifically the temptations of materialism, power and trust. Will we respond as Jesus when these temptations inevitably come? Or will we respond as Adam? How we respond to these tests/temptations has an important bearing on how we spend our lives in God's kingdom-- here and in eternity.
The Unwelcome Blessing and my other books are now available to order through Amazon Books online. Here's a quick link to make ordering simpler for you: Buy The Unwelcome Blessing now > >
Also, feel free to email questions or send me feedback: carl1228@yahoo.com
I wrote The Unwelcome Blessing to help Christians better understand and to cope more effectively with clinical depression and other mood disorders. Its focus is to facilitate understanding of depression as a potential vehicle for blessings -- both through and because of their depression and not merely in spite of it, and for believers to come to view all trials and illnesses as potential steps toward Christian maturity.
Satan's Top Ten Tricks falls into the category of Spiritual Warfare. Its subtitle is "Winning the Unseen Battle." I wrote it to equip Christians with a deeper understanding of spiritual oppression and to provide them with the tools to shine light into Satan's darkness in the battlefield of the mind.
It is organized into 15 short chapters and would readily lend itself to a four to eight week study for small groups. Each chapter on the ten tricks concludes with workbook exercises. There are also informative chapters on angels and spiritual warfare. For those leading a small group study I will provide a free Facilitor's Guide for the cost of shipping and packaging $7.00.
My third book: DiosPsyTrek: But God Had A Better Idea is also available thru Amazon.com. This book is a collection of essays and sketches (mainly autobiographical). It focuses on what I term "the Sacred Economy." It is my unique and perhaps self-indulgent look at the Lord at work in the life of a not always so compliant partner.
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I'm glad you found my website, and it is my prayer that what you find here will offer you both hope and help. My mission is helping people, and their loved ones, suffering clinical depression and bipolar disorder. Here you will find clinically focused articles that will be helpful in understanding these conditions and others disorders such as OCD, ADD/ADHD and addictions. 