336. Celebrating God's Grace, Emotional & Mental Wellness

Join host Janet Berrong from Part 2 of her three-part series on Wellness as she discusses emotional and mental wellness, sharing that in life's ups and downs, Jesus is the solid rock and refuge we can count on.  **** Welcome to Celebrating God's Grace, a Women World Leaders podcast. I'm your host, Janet Berrong. Thank you for joining us today as we celebrate God's grace in our lives, in ministry and around the world. It is so good to be back with you today. Sharing about health, wellness, beauty and Jesus. Yes, they do go hand in hand. Today we're going to focus on the emotional and mental well being. It's a three-part series where we touch base on being healthy, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Proverbs 17:22 reads, a joyful heart is good medicine. But a crushed spirit dries up the bones. How many of us have experienced heaviness in a lifetime that literally feels like you have a crush spirit? I can tell you it's happened to me more than once in my lifetime, through suicide of loved ones, rape, emotional abuse and trauma. I have felt that crushed spirit. Life's different ups and downs can affect our emotions and mental health. We are all have experienced a lot of ups and downs this past two years with the pandemic, the unknown, isolation from our loved ones, sickness and disease and some even death. Psalms 18 to reads, The Lord is my rock, my refuge in my deliver. My God is my rock and I whom I take refuge, my shield in the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I can say it's been true for me that God has been my rock and my refuge. If you're a woman listening today that needs that solid rock and refuge. I encourage you to call on the name of Jesus and let him come into your heart and be that refuge for you. In this season of life, give others a little extra grace. Focus on healthy things, like turning off the TV and going outside getting some fresh air being around people who lift you up, be with community. Here are a few other things that will help you mentally in emotional wellness. learn a new skill, give to others, pay attention and be present in the moment. Get Physical Touch. Yes, I said it. As a therapist. I'm a big advocate for healthy touch. Studies show this touch signals safety trust and it soothes basic warm touch calms the cardiovascular stress, it activates the body's vagus nerve, which are intimately involved with our compassionate response. And a simple touch can trigger release of the oxytocin, also known as the love hormone. So a single massage or touch can have a positive influence on our psychological health. And research findings show that it can improve anxiety, negative mood, and experience of physical pain. So get out and hug someone, it's for your good health. I don't think God intended that we would never experience anxiety or sadness. He created the emotion. What I do believe he desires for us is that we are not consumed by it. Instead, he wants us to depend on him for our peace. A certain amount of anxiety can actually be a good thing. It can fuel us and give us the energy we need to accomplish certain tasks and goals. And anxiety becomes a negative when we're overwhelmed by it. And it causes distress affecting our psychological and physical well being Philippians four, six and seven read. Do not be anxious for anything, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving. present your requests to God and the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. You are loved. You are cherished my beautiful sisters. Until next time, stay thankful, grateful and be blessed. Dear Lord, we come before your throne of grace to say thank you for uniting us women, so we can serve you and accomplish your plans in this world. Let's eat slavery listening today. Feel the anointing of the Holy Spirit in and on their lives, heal the emotions and mental well being of anyone that is suffering. I asked for complete healing in the name of Jesus. Lord, we love you. We honor you In Jesus name we pray. Amen.