LoveConquersAll

Step out of the shadows and walk into light.

Come sinner or saint, slave man or free.

You’ve been tempted and shaken, tested and failed

You’ve been so far from Jesus and too close to hell

Your vision’s been clouded by this world’s delight.

But I tell you you’re not of this world so stand up and fight.

There is a peace to settle your soul

There is a peace that is calling you home.

hi so im recovering from a really mean depression and there are some things i learned and that i would like to tell you. 

1. you need to reappropriate your space and time. depression is lying to you and generally shrinks your living space (aka: you spend your time in bed/behind your computer/in your room…). visit and do something (even if its just scrolling down social media) in each room you have access to. expand your perception and space, you’ll breathe more easily.

2. plan depression outfits. a depression outfit is a comfy one you still can go out in. to me, it’s old ripped jeans and a turtleneck, my old work uniforms, sweaters. dressing up is one of the most important parts of managing depression. first of all, you’ll feel less like pathetic with proper clothes on (nothing worse than staying in your pj all day). secondly, and it’s a crucial point: it allows you to get out to run some errands. imagine you have to go grocery shopping or to the post office. if you’re in your unwashed pajamas you’ve been wearing for three days or more (been there done that) what you have to do is to undress, shower (if you can), and put on real, clean clothes. which is three things. depression messes wih one’s ability to start things, so it’s very likely you’ll drop your errands and just stay at home feeling like shit. but if you’re already wearing clothes, you just have to put on a coat and get out of the house. which is, trust me, 10 times easier than doing the whole dressing up thing.

3. it’s okay if you stay the whole day in bed but force yourself to get up in the morning (anytime before noon) and drink a glass of water/juice. again, depression messes up with your ability to start doing things, but if you concentrate your will to just get up and drink something before going back to bed, i promise you’ll feel less shitty and might actually end up getting up for good since you’ve been through the trouble of getting up. You’ll feel better (and also you need water!)

4. do one (1) physical, material thing that will improve your life conditions per day. aka: washing a single glass, scrubbing the mirror, etc. you’ll feel proud of yourself, and the tidiest your environment, the less shitty your brain will be. plus, again: if you manage to wash a single dish, maybe you’ll find yourself cleaning the whole kitchen without noticing. and thats a good thing. no pressure: just do one single thing. and don’t beat yourself up if you can’t, of course, but try, it’s gonna be better that way. 

5. open the window (especially at night, i personally find it very soothing) and just… breathe fresh air, looking at the horizon or closing your eyes, and breathe in and out slowly. it’s great to take fresh air. bonus if you have anxiety/ptsd, honestly. opening the windows is one of the easiest ways i know to stop a panic attack.

6. brush your teeth everyday, even if it’s the only thing you manage to do. i know every depression guide recommends it, but it’s really important. not showering for a few days is okay, you’re not gonna get sick that way. but dental hygiene is capital. not to mention you’ll feel less rotting in the inside if you’re less rotting in the outside. you can use your phone to schedule your teeth brushing of the day! really helps. 

7. think about your hobbies and force yourself to do something related to an old hobby of yours. i know it’s no fun. i know you can’t feel anything, so why bother? but really, do bother. do it and eventually as you recover it will be fun again. you haven’t lost your passion, your goals, your motivation. it’s still there, but depression is like a blanket that covers it all. forcing yourself to still act on your hobbies (especially if those are not screen-related: books, gardening, etc.) will help digging through the depression layers to expose your will to live again. trust me on this one. i really thought i was just an apathetic mess, but actually depression was just mean. i believe in you! 

and finally: hold tight and it’s gonna be okay! recovery is possible, and it’s gonna arrive sooner than you expect. energy and motivation are good things and they’re still around here waiting for you! 

He loves you right now.

He loves you into the you that you could not have imagined.

She doesn’t think you can be an adult & still collect TMNT merch,

The reason, in part, is just that - everyone else does it. God tells us to go into the world, live in the world, but he warns us not to be OF the world. Romans 12:2 says, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” As children of God we are set apart from the unbelievers, and following God’s command to reject the world’s ideals is how we make that evident in our everyday lives. 1 Peter 1:14-16 says, “As obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’” By dying on the cross, Christ has freed believers from the chains of sin. We, through Jesus, have the power to overcome our sin, and therefore God has told live holy lives. Our purpose is now to reflect the glory and goodness of God. We are His ambassadors, and to be effective in our role, it is essential that we are accurately representing the One who sent us in how we present ourselves.

It can be tempting to fall into the false idea that keeping our thoughts and words clean does not affect our testimony that much, but when everyone is talking dirty but you, people notice. In both jobs I’ve worked, it took less than a week for people to realize I was the “good girl” with the “innocent mind” because I chose not to engage in that type of conversation. You can leave an impression on a lot of people simply by making little choices in how you act.

But it’s not hurting anyone, right? Wrong. Profanity and sexual jokes are not harmless. They promote a flippant and degrading atmosphere. The Bible says that profanity is a characteristic of a wicked person: “The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked what is perverse.” (Proverbs 10:32) To lack shame in swearing is to align yourself with the ungodly. Profanity is poison to your testimony because “a worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth.” (Proverbs 6:12) Your words are the overflow of what is in your heart. If your speech is crooked, then neither is your heart following God. Meanwhile, sexual jokes promote immorality and lust. Ephesians 5:3 says, “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.” Not even a hint, it says. God calls unto live high above mortal standards, constantly striving for holiness. Sex is not to be made the object of careless entertainment. The Bible instructs us, “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” (Hebrews 13:4) That intimacy reserved for a married man and woman is to be held in reverence and respect, not made into a spectacle. The descent of immorality begins with sexual jokes, leads to lustful desires, and desecration within the sex-minded society we live in has ended in the rampant sexual exploitation of men and woman.

Our actions have consequences. They may start as little choices, but they lead to habits developing that affect others and ourselves, indefinitely. The reason God calls us to live to such a high standard is so that we are lights in the world, because we are freed from the power of sin, and because it is what is best for us!

1) If He feels far, it isn’t because He moved. We are the ones doing the moving. He is always present, and never hides Himself away. He is readily available to us at all times and everywhere we go.