This morning I turned on my usual morning show on television, Fox 4 News, and as most people were, was shocked to discover that Don Harman had died yesterday evening. It's odd how you can feel sad about the death of someone that you didn't know personally, but I, along with thousands of others, found myself with that feeling this morning. Don was someone who could bring a smile to your face with his off the wall humor and antics and we're all going to miss that.
I don't know all the circumstances surrounding his death, other than knowing that he did take his own life. One of the leading causes of suicide is depression. For years, I thought, and I preached, that depression was a tool of the devil and you could pray your way out of it. While I still believe that to be true, and honestly believe that God can deliver you from anything and everything, including depression, I also have found that depression is a real thing. It is a scientifically proven medical condition that requires medical treatment as well.
For years I preached that you didn't need Prozac, Xanax, or any other prescription to get rid of your depression and sorrow, you just needed Jesus. Well, I found out the hard way, even people who have Jesus can still suffer from depression. I don't publicize the fact that I went through a severe state of depression a few years ago. I lost a grandmother in March 2003, was extremely busy with preaching, with my job, and numerous other things and somewhere along the way entered into a severe state of depression. I don't know how it happened, I don't know why it happened, I don't know exactly what it was that triggered it, but I do know that I needed medication, as well as the Lord to deal with it. I've been ridiculed by other christians, or people who claim to be christian, that if I want to get rid of the depression, I just need to get right with God. Well, I feel that my relationship with the Lord is strong, and growing stronger everyday, but guess what, I still take Prozac. Why? Because I have a chemical imbalance, a medical condition that requires medication. There's nothing wrong with taking medicine because you're sick. If you have an infection, you take an antibiotic. If you have a toothache, you go to the dentist. Depression is just like either one of those, it's real. Even though you can't see and infection, it has an effect on your body. Even though you can't see a toothache, you have no doubt that you have one because it hurts. Depression is the same way. Even though it can't be seen, it's there. Even though it might not cause something to grow on your body, it's something that effects your entire being. There is help out there.
No one really knew how hard I was struggling with the depression. Dealing with the public, you learn how to put on your happy face and smile and wave and be happy, but on the inside you're breaking into a million pieces. I prayed, I asked God to help me, I took time off work, I took a vacation, I saw a psychologist, I did everything I knew to do and nothing was helping. And, I was getting sicker. I needed medicine becuase I was sick! Once I finally got on the medication, I began to get back to feeling more like myself and I haven't regretted it one single day! God gave someone the knowledge to create this drug, so I don't feel one ounce less christian because I take it! In fact, I thank God for giving someone this knowledge.
We never really know what someone is going through because society has taught us that no one really cares about how we feel or what we're going through. That's not true. First, and foremost, God cares. He understands us better than anyone and He will help us. But, we also have to help ourselves. There is medication out there to help those of us with the disease of depression and we have to realize that when we're sick, we have to take medicine. We also have to realize that we have friends who are there for us and they do care. I remember going to see one of my closest friends, who happened to be in Des Moines at the time, but I knew I could talk to him and he'd do everything he could to help. In fact, he's the one that suggested starting some medication. I had been led to believe that depression was strictly a spiritual disease and that just isn't true. While it is a spiritual battle, as well as most things in our lives, it is an illness that requires treatment. I used to think that being an alcoholic or drug addict was a choice, it's not, it's a disease, an illness and it requires treatment as well. To many times we over spiritualize things and forget the fact that these bodies we have here on earth are not spiritual bodies. They do get sick, they do require medicine, they do require treatment because we live in bodies and in a world that is sin stricken.
I'm sure some out there will say that I must not be a very good christian if I don't believe that God can heal me from depression, and that's fine. If that's the worst they're saying about me, I'm doing pretty good then:) But, those are probably the same people who would watch their loved one die in agony and pray for God to heal them, but refuse to use the good common sense God gave them to go seek help from a doctor. I have no doubt that God can heal and cure all things, I know He can. But, there are times in our lives when God doesn't give that miraculous healing and we have to bear the cross of a sickness. While we bear that cross, we can seek help from doctors, medicine, technology and find some help from those sources, as well as the Lord, and still be christians.
Until we get to Heaven, these mortal and corruptible bodies that we have, will have diseases, sicknesses, illnesses, addictions, along with so many other trials, but I want to encourage you not to ignore these things. They are real. Just because you can't see depression, I'm here to tell you, it's as real as I am. Just because you can't see someone breaking apart on the inside doesn't mean that it's not happening, it's real. And just as real as these things are, there is help out there and not one thing wrong with seeking it. As you walk with the Lord, I hope and pray that you're relationship with Him allows you to remember that you and I are human and God has given us some human tools that we can use to make it through this life until He heals us all completely in that place where there will be no more sickness!
If you see someone hurting, someone who maybe just needs a hug or a smile, be a blessing and allow the Lord to love them through you!
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Veteran's Day
For those of you who have known me for a while, you know that I've always felt comfortable speaking my mind. I'm sure I've said some things that many have liked and I know for a fact I've said things that some haven't liked, but isn't it great that we live in a country where we can do that?
The first letter to the editor I ever wrote in my life was when I was in the 4th grade. Here in Marshall the Chamber of Commerce/City Office building, at that time, was located just to the east of where the post office is now. There was a flagpole at the front entrance of the building, but there was no light on the flag. At night, that poor flag looked so lonely up there flapping in the wind. We were studying proper etiquette for displaying the American flag and when I learned that there was to be a light shining on the flag at night, I was appalled that our own city government was showing such disregard to the great emblem of our country.
I wrote a letter to the editor in our local paper, The Marshall Democrat News, raising my concern over the lack of respect that was being shown to our flag by our city government. I'm sure it was a total oversight and I know that it wasn't an intentional lack of disregard as well, but never the less, there should still be a light on the flag. The evening after my letter was published, there was a light on the flag.
The next letter to the editor that I had published was when I was in the 5th grade. We were all asked to write about a hero and a certain number of those would be published in the paper. I wrote about my grandpa, George Simmons. I didn't write about him being my hero because he was my grandpa, I wrote about him being my hero because he was a veteran. My grandpa joined the military in the early 40's and discharged from the Air Force in the late 60's, after a little over 25 years of service to our country. He was stationed in numerous places during the wars, Germany, Italy, Japan, and so many other places. He was away from his family for long periods of time, leaving my grandma to raise their two kids and make due with what little bit they had. My grandfather received a purple heart, and several other awards, but we never really heard him discuss much about his time in the service.
We are so blessed to live in a place where we can have different opinions, and we can express those opinions, without fear that the government is going to come and arrest us just because we don't agree with them. We are so blessed to live in a place where we can attend our place of worship and serve our Creator, without fear that we're going to be persecuted by the government for what we believe. Even with all of it's problems, discouraging news reports and alarming statistics, The United States of America is the greatest country on Earth; and it's because of our veterans that it is what it is today.
I've never served in the military, and can't begin to imagine what it must be like to be taken away from your family, friends, home, job, everything you know as normal and be sent to some far off land to help defend freedom. I can't understand what it's like to walk out into a battlefield and not now if you'll be coming back in the same way you went out or if you'll be shot, captured, or killed. That's just something that a soldier can only know.
To every single one of our veterans, past and present, the words thank you are so inadequate. You are all making sacrifices that can't be comprehended by people like me who have never had to make that sacrifice and I just don't know how to say thanks. But, just know this much, each time I look at that American flag flying high in the sky with it's stars and stripes whipping in the wind, I remind myself that my opinions, and my right to express those opinions, have cost more than I could ever imagine. Whether we agree or disagree with each other, whether we're republican or democrat, whether we're of the same faith, regardless of our race; the freedom that we have has come at a high price for so many and on this veterans day, November 11, 2011 we salute each and every one of you.
God bless all of our veterans and service men and women and we continually pray, God Bless the USA.
The first letter to the editor I ever wrote in my life was when I was in the 4th grade. Here in Marshall the Chamber of Commerce/City Office building, at that time, was located just to the east of where the post office is now. There was a flagpole at the front entrance of the building, but there was no light on the flag. At night, that poor flag looked so lonely up there flapping in the wind. We were studying proper etiquette for displaying the American flag and when I learned that there was to be a light shining on the flag at night, I was appalled that our own city government was showing such disregard to the great emblem of our country.
I wrote a letter to the editor in our local paper, The Marshall Democrat News, raising my concern over the lack of respect that was being shown to our flag by our city government. I'm sure it was a total oversight and I know that it wasn't an intentional lack of disregard as well, but never the less, there should still be a light on the flag. The evening after my letter was published, there was a light on the flag.
The next letter to the editor that I had published was when I was in the 5th grade. We were all asked to write about a hero and a certain number of those would be published in the paper. I wrote about my grandpa, George Simmons. I didn't write about him being my hero because he was my grandpa, I wrote about him being my hero because he was a veteran. My grandpa joined the military in the early 40's and discharged from the Air Force in the late 60's, after a little over 25 years of service to our country. He was stationed in numerous places during the wars, Germany, Italy, Japan, and so many other places. He was away from his family for long periods of time, leaving my grandma to raise their two kids and make due with what little bit they had. My grandfather received a purple heart, and several other awards, but we never really heard him discuss much about his time in the service.
We are so blessed to live in a place where we can have different opinions, and we can express those opinions, without fear that the government is going to come and arrest us just because we don't agree with them. We are so blessed to live in a place where we can attend our place of worship and serve our Creator, without fear that we're going to be persecuted by the government for what we believe. Even with all of it's problems, discouraging news reports and alarming statistics, The United States of America is the greatest country on Earth; and it's because of our veterans that it is what it is today.
I've never served in the military, and can't begin to imagine what it must be like to be taken away from your family, friends, home, job, everything you know as normal and be sent to some far off land to help defend freedom. I can't understand what it's like to walk out into a battlefield and not now if you'll be coming back in the same way you went out or if you'll be shot, captured, or killed. That's just something that a soldier can only know.
To every single one of our veterans, past and present, the words thank you are so inadequate. You are all making sacrifices that can't be comprehended by people like me who have never had to make that sacrifice and I just don't know how to say thanks. But, just know this much, each time I look at that American flag flying high in the sky with it's stars and stripes whipping in the wind, I remind myself that my opinions, and my right to express those opinions, have cost more than I could ever imagine. Whether we agree or disagree with each other, whether we're republican or democrat, whether we're of the same faith, regardless of our race; the freedom that we have has come at a high price for so many and on this veterans day, November 11, 2011 we salute each and every one of you.
God bless all of our veterans and service men and women and we continually pray, God Bless the USA.
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