Blog Archives - Page 5 of 9 - Atonement Church

RELEASE FROM YOUR PRISONS: THE TWO KEYS

Posted on April 17, 2023 by Linda Cobourn

From the desk of EW Tryens

Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted shall be uprooted. (MATTHEW 15:13)

MENTAL PRISONS

Jesus Christ is the sweetest name I know. It is with confession of the name that we were born again and received the Holy Spirit . You become Spiritually a son of God with power, but your soul and body remain unchanged, your mind and the way you think is unchanged. If you fear everything, the fear remains. If you suffer from depression, that remains. The worst prisons are the ones in your mind, the mental images of what you think about, or the way you think about a subject.

God –who loves us– has given us a way out.

FORM A CLEAR IMAGE

Mental prisons mean we limit our lives by not changing our thinking. Clearness and concern are two keys to releasing us from prisons. When you are born-again, you receive the Holy Spirit but your mind is still only what you make it. Our thoughts can be powerful! Your mind can become a prison. Suppose you are broke and the rent is due. Pick a verse that speaks to you and memorize that verse. Thank God for your deliverance.

GIVE GOD YOUR CONCERNS

Holding God’s word in your mind gives you a picture of your abundance . Try to increase your time in the Word. Your mind is a Holy Spirit computer: garbage in, garbage out. Put good things into your mind. Take words from the Bible and memorize verse. This takes time but is worth the effort. If in a half an hour you forget and go back to thinking your old way, you will not gain deliverance \. You will have a blurred picture in your mind.

THE FOUR KINGDOMS

For God so loved the world that He sent His only son. Once we are born again, we become sons and daughters of God – actual members of God’s family ! In the world there are four kingdoms:

The plant kingdom,
the animal kingdom,
the kingdom of man,
and the spiritual kingdom of God. With the righteousness of God we stand without any sense of sin, guilt, or condemnation . We belong to the Kingdom of God!

What an amazing promise!

And God is able to make all grace abound, so that in all things, in all times, you will abound in every good work. (II Corinthians 9:8 )

To Obey is Better than Sacrifice

Posted on April 7, 2023 by Linda Cobourn

Musings from a Musician

By: Valerie Pilkington

I just keep doing my best, pray that it’s blessed and Jesus takes care of the rest

To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. (Proverbs 21:3, ESV)

WHEN IT NEEDS TO END

We recently had the disaffiliation vote here at church. The term “Disaffiliation” means to “end a formal relationship with a group” (Oxford Languages Dictionary). In this case, we were voting to end Atonement’s relationship with the United Methodist Church due to differences in Biblical teachings. I was so impressed by Pastor Amy’s sensitivity to the few members who voted no. I saw this as an example of Amy’s obedience to the Holy Spirit to be considerate of others’ feelings. Change and growth seem to go hand in hand, and I know that these people who voted no do not want to change and have reasons why they love being United Methodists. I have had these lyrics to a song stuck in my head for the past few months, about being brave enough to do what is right in God’s eyes, and not just what is easy for us.

To obey is better than sacrifice, I don’t need your money, I want your life

And I hear you say that I’m coming back soon, But you act like I’ll never return

Well you speak of grace and my love so sweet. How you thrive on milk, but reject My meat

And I can’t help weeping of how it will be. If you keep on ignoring My words

Well you pray to prosper and succeed, But your flesh is something I just can’t feed

The Bible speaks of this in 1 Samuel:

And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22 ESV)

CHANGE IS HARD

Change and growing pains, in my opinion, go hand in hand. It hurts to admit we need to grow in knowledge and experience of loving our Lord. Now we realize we need to change and grow, and with growth comes the growing pains we ALL experience. As we look to you, Lord Jesus, remember us, and lead us in the ways you WANT us all to go in.

Here’s the rest of the lyrics from Keith Green’s song:

To obey is better than sacrifice, I want more than Sunday and Wednesday nights

Cause if you can’t come to Me every day, Then don’t bother coming at all La, la, la

To obey is better than sacrifice, I want hearts of fire, Not your prayers of ice

And I’m coming quickly, To give back to you, According to what you have done

MERCY AND SACRIFICE

The Book of Matthew also talks about mercy and sacrifice:

And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. (Matthew 12:7)

Thank you, Jesus, for your gifts of Mercy and Grace, we need them everyday. Remember Mercy is “not receiving something you deserve” while Grace is “receiving something you don’t deserve.” We all deserve to be separated from God, but Grace says everything that Jesus has, is OURS, and we are God’s precious children. Growth hurts. The ache and discomfort of pain can be agonizing, but it is necessary and always beneficial. God created us, not to stay stagnant, but to always be growing in him and becoming more like Jesus. But it’s not easy, and we can certainly stunt it.

Know that in the midst of heartache and pain, God is molding and growing you. Be confident in the promise from God that he is making you more like Jesus as you allow him to do the work he desires to do in you.

Stubbornness makes us do things we shouldn’t do, and cuts us off from others (even those who want to help us) — simply because we insist on our own way and won’t admit we might be wrong. But stubbornness also cuts us off from God, because it makes us refuse to seek His will or listen to His Word.

Until next time, please keep our leadership in prayer, as we make this transition. And YES GOD, you can have ALL of US.

God Bless You.

In case you want to hear the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS7vml271Ts

Ya Got to Know

Posted on March 25, 2023 by Linda Cobourn

By Marian Humphrey

“Good News from a Leaky Pen”

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. (Psalm 23: 4-5, KJV)

It’s not news that starting with Covid 19, strange and not so pleasant things have been popping up right and left in our world and in our families. There are more illnesses and money problems and killings, just to name a few. Though our church is highly blessed, we ,too, have had unusual challenges. I wanted to glean from Pastor Amy in hopes of borrowing some of her continued vim and vigor and sense of joy, as she lovingly pastors us during these times.

So, I asked her, “How do you juggle it all with such consistency”?

Looking over her shoulder as she flitted past me, she boldly stated, “Ya’ gota know when to hold ‘em, and when to fold ‘em”!

That quip filled my brain as I pondered, “how do I do that”. I was led to visit Kenny Roger’s song, “The Gambler”, which prompted me to write the following parody:

Ya Got to Know ~

In the dark of a clubhouse

You keep on ending at a table

Seems dependent on the luck of the draw.

So, you got to know when to hold ‘em;

And know when to fold ‘em;

Know when to walk away,

And know when to run.

But you been dealt all the aces,

cause your dealer ain’t no card shark.

You know he’s never done you wrong,

He’s always done you right.

So, take a swig from his fountain;

Be fortified for the challenge,

Though you’re still at this table,

He will always steer you right.

Take time to count your blessings.

While you’re sittin’ at this table,

He’s put you in the winner’s seat,

Dealt you the winner’s hand.

He’ll let you know when to hold ‘em;

And also when to fold ‘em;

You’ll know when to walk away,

And there’s partners by your side.

As I re -read what I wrote, I was amazed at how much God was truly partnering with me in the creating. It was now clear to me that it was also a parody right out of His book.

Ah, that we all take time to count our blessings while filling up on God’s spiritual fountain so we, too, will be clear about what cards to hold and which to fold, as we with joy walk on through unusual challenges.

It seems so natural to hold onto thoughts and feelings I ought to be readily throwing into God’s hands and pitching or by passing the great loving advice God wants me to grasp and hold onto. Surely this season of Lent is indeed a fine time to thank God for the hand we’ve been dealt and ask him how to play our cards.

RELEASE FROM YOUR PRISONS

Posted on March 18, 2023 by Linda Cobourn

EDITOR’S NOTE: This week’s post is by Liz Tryens.

Elizabeth Tryens

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. Romans 10:9-10 (NIV)

NEW PARENTS

When I was a small child, the thought of a new birth fascinated me! I thought a new mother or a new father would be a personal liberator, someone like Jesus Christ whose love is never ending. But a child cannot choose his own parents, and neither could I.

Without new and improved parents, I had to find a different path towards the love I desired. And in doing that, I needed to face some of the worst things about myself: the prison of my defeats, my unbelief, my lack of trust. While John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son..”, the love of God was not always something that I saw in my house or in the church, God’s house. For a long time, my own prisons kept me in bondage. I needed to realize the second part of the verse: “whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”

THE BONDAGE OF PRISONS

Freeing myself from my own prisons was not an easy task. I needed a spiritual rescue! Just as athletes need to train before they can swim, ski, or box, I needed to train my spiritual muscles. The power of evil that has surrounded mankind since the fall in the Garden of Eden needs to be fought off! In was in that Garden that God’s words established the covenant of spiritual death to those who ignored God’s words.

Freeing yourself from spiritual prisons is a difficult task. We may not be able to choose a new mother or father to take the place of the ones who failed us, but we CAN choose to take God as our Father, and his son as our brother.

We can step out of the prisons we have created and have new life in Him. We can be “born again” into a new and loving family.

Psalm 23: A Meditation

Posted on March 11, 2023 by Linda Cobourn

Musings from a Musician

By: Valerie Pilkington

I just keep doing my best, pray that it’s blessed and Jesus takes care of the rest

I was listening to Joseph Prince about a week ago and was struck by how often he goes back to the original texts, Hebrew or Greek, and expounds on meanings. I thought I would do the same. It was not as easy as I thought, and I found help on a website called Hebrews4christians.com. Here is another version of Psalm 23. I am quoting from the Complete Jewish Bible:

The Lord is my Shepherd

Psalm 23:1 A psalm of David: Adonai is my shepherd; I lack nothing.

Mizmor le-David. Adonai Ro’i, lo echsar

Adonai Ro’i “The LORD my shepherd,” hearkens to Gen 49:24, where God is described as “The Shepherd, the Rock of Israel.” If God is Israel’s Shepherd, then His followers are (tzon mar’ito) – the sheep of His pasture (Psalm 100:3).

Lo echsar – “I shall not lack,” hearkens to Gen 22:14, where God is called (Adonai Yireh), “The LORD will Provide (or will see).” Since the LORD is our Shepherd, we will not lack His provision. God will see and fully understand our needs.

Green Pastures

Psalm 23:2 He has me lie down in grassy pastures, he leads me by quiet water,

Bin’ot deshe yarbitzeini, ‘al-mei menuchot yenahaleini

Menuchah means rest, quietness, and derives from (nachat), from which the name (noach, meaning “rest”) comes. The phrase ‘al-mei menuchot refers to “still” or “comforting” waters. (elohei khol-nechamah), the “God of all comfort” is the term the Apostle Paul uses in 2 Cor 1:3. This image reminds us that God is (Adonai Shalom), the “God of peace” (Judges 6:24).

On the Right Paths

Psalm 23:3 he restores my inner person. He guides me in right paths for the sake of his own name.

Nafshi yeshoveiv, yancheini ve-ma’gelei-tzedek le-ma’an shemo.

The word yeshoveiv (“He restoreth”) comes from (shuv), which means “to turn or return,” and is the root of the word (teshuvah), meaning turning back to God through repentance. As the Good Shepherd, (ha-ro’eh ha-tov), the LORD gives calls His sheep back to the right path.
The phrase ve-ma’gelei-tzedek uses the construct form of (ma’gal), a sort of track or entrenchment created by cattle being driven by a shepherd. Ma’gelei tzedek suggests that the Good Shepherd leads His sheep to tracks or pathways for His Name sake.

Death Dark Ravens

Psalm 23:4 Even if I pass through death-dark ravines, I will fear no disaster; for you are with me; your rod and staff reassure me.

Gam ki-eilekh be-gei tzalmavet lo-‘ira ra,
ki-attah immadi, shivtekha u-mish’antekha heimmah yenachamuni.

Even though we might walk within be-gei tzalmavet, a death-like valley of shrouded darkness, God’s sheep can say, lo-‘ira ra, “I will fear no evil,” since the LORD is (Adonai Tzeva’ot), the LORD of the armies of heaven, who is always present as (Adonai Shammah), the “God who is there” (Ezekiel 48:35).

A Table Before Enemies

Psalm 23:5 You prepare a table for me, even as my enemies watch; you anoint my head with oil from an overflowing cup.

Ta’arokh lefanai shulchan neged tzorerai,
dishanta va-shemen roshi, kosi revayah

The LORD honors His followers by setting a shulchan – or table in front of their enemies (i.e., those who cause the followers of the LORD tzuris, or grief). This image suggests the idea of (Adonai nissi), the LORD my banner (or the LORD my miracle. The phrase (dashanti va-shemen roshi) means “you fatten my head with oil.” Since fat animals were considered the healthiest, and fat was regarded as the best part of the sacrifice (Psalm 20:3), the head of the follower of the LORD is said to be “anointed with oil” as a poetic description of the blessing of God. The overflowing cup also suggests the image of (Adonai Yireh), “The LORD will Provide.

Goodness and Mercy

Psalm 23:6 Goodness and grace will pursue me every day of my life; and I will live in the house of Adonai for years and years to come.

Akh tov va-chesed yirdefuni kol-yemei chaiyai,
ve-shavti be-veit-Adonai le-orekh yamim.

Goodness (tov) and unfailing love (chesed) are said to “pursue me” (yirdefuni) all the days of my life. The verb used here, (radaf), means to run after, to track (as a hunter might track his prey), to pursue and take captive, suggesting that the Good Shepherd is relentless in His care and love for His sheep. God will haunt His followers with the truth of His goodness and unfailing love all the days of their lives. Yielding to the love of God causes you to return to the “house of the LORD” (the verb ve-shavti comes from (shuv), which means “to turn or return,” and is the root of the word (teshuvah).

What wonderful pictures of ALL that our Lord does for the US his sheep. Reminds me of words from a song, the goodness of God.

I love Your voice You have led me through the fire In the darkest night You are close like no other
I’ve known You as a Father I’ve known You as a Friend And I have lived in the goodness of God

And all my life You have been faithful And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able I will sing of the goodness of God

‘Cause Your goodness is running after It’s running after me Your goodness is running after
It’s running after me With my life laid down I’m surrendered now I give You everything
‘Cause Your goodness is running after It’s running after me

In case you are interested, here is a link to the song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3WDGpZjV4U

Waiting Rooms

Posted on February 22, 2023 by Linda Cobourn

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31, KJV)

THE HARD PART

“I’ll be waiting for you,” the woman said into her cell phone. “Yes, the ambulance should be here soon.” She heaved a sigh. “I know, honey. I pray Daddy will be okay as well.” Her body collapsed into the molded plastic chair of the waiting room with the weariness I knew only too well.

I hadn’t been eavesdropping, but the waiting room outside the ER at Crozer Medical Center echoed and was unusually empty on this Saturday night. From my own molded plastic chair across the aisle, I had made a similar phone call to my daughter just moments before. In the meantime, I waited and picked up my knitting project from what Bonnie and I called our “go-bags”. We’d been doing hospital runs for years. Waiting was always the hardest part.

LIKE AN EAGLE

The prophet Isaiah knew something about waiting. Isaiah 40:31 says “they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength”. These words were meant to comfort the people of Israel who had been displaced from their homes and exiled from the Temple. Waiting was not a time to wring hands and moan, but a time to exercise faith that God would, in the right time, act.

That’s not to say that waiting is easy. Anyone who’s ever sat in a hospital waiting room knows the challenge of the task! But let’s think of the next part of the verse: “They shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” Eagles know a thing or two about storms. Have you ever seen an eagle soaring up into the sky and wondered why? God has provided eagles with the ability to know that a storm is coming on; the eagle will allow the winds of the storm to lift it up to a higher spot. It doesn’t ESCAPE the storm but uses the tempest of the storm to lift it higher.

And higher.

SOARING ABOVE

We’d been through many storms in the years since my husband had been so seriously injured. By keeping our hearts and minds on God, my family had kept from being overcome by the many challenges of a chronically ill family member.

I thought about that now as I put down my knitting needles. I had no idea how long it would be until my daughter arrived to wait with me or until the ambulance brought my husband in. I had no idea what this latest health crisis would entail or how long he night remain in the hospital.

But I did know how to wait.

I put my knitting back in my bag, gathered up my possessions, and crossed the aisle to the woman sitting across from me.

WAITING OUT THE WINDS

“Hello,” I said. “I don’t mean to interrupt you. But I couldn’t help but hear your phone conversation. I feel that we might be on a similar journey tonight.” I smiled. “My husband is being brought in by ambulance. I just called my daughter to come.”

The woman looked up at me, worry etched across her face. “My husband, too,” she said. “And I just called my daughter.”

I nodded. “Waiting is hard. I thought that perhaps, until our daughters come, we could wait together.”

“That would be wonderful,” she said and, moving her handbag, motioned me to sit next to her.

We exchanged a few words, but we didn’t really talk. We didn’t trade names, or phone numbers, or information about our husbands. We just waited.

But we didn’t wait alone.

In due course, our daughters both arrived and the woman and I parted. After a while, a nurse came and called the woman and her daughter back to the patient rooms.

“Thank you,” she said quietly as she passed my chair. “God bless you.”

I didn’t see her again but I knew that we had been there for each other at a time when no one should be alone.

During the two decades of Ron’s illnesses, Bonnie and I often found ourselves wedged into the molded plastic chairs of the typical hospital waiting room. We took comfort in being with each other and, whenever possible, we passed along our faith in God to others we met on our long journey.

Waiting is hard. But we never wait alone.

It Ends with an E

Posted on February 18, 2023 by Linda Cobourn

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

John 13:34-35

A PHONE CALL

July 20, 2019

The phone rings at 6:00 PM Sunday evening, the display flashing the number of the medical examiner’s office. The two older kids have gone home with their partners, Allen has taken over the computer in my office, and I am sitting in the living room, sipping from a cup of tea and trying not to look at Ron’s empty chair. I pick up the phone.

“Hello.”

“This is Jenny,” says the voice on the line. “From last night.” I inhale sharply, the images and sounds replaying in my brain. EMT’s. Flashing lights. Ambulance. Police. Hurried phone calls. Panicked offspring.

“I wanted to tell you that we’ve ruled your husband’s death as natural causes, due to cardiac arrest. He simply fell asleep and his heart stopped. He would have felt no pain, had no warning.”

I let my breath out slowly. “Thank you,” I say. “It helps us to know that.”

There is a pause on the other end of the line. I take a sip of my tepid tea. My relationship with this young woman will be brief, based only upon this heart rending loss. I know nothing of her faith, but I say it anyway. “It helps us to know that Ron fell asleep and, when he woke up, he saw God.”

Jenny does not respond. I wait, years of practice in hospital ER’s and trauma

wards teaching me patience. “You know,” she says quietly, “this job is pretty sad. I see a lot of the same thing, day after day. And the families I meet sort of blend together. But,” and I think I hear her voice crack a bit, “I’m going to remember your family.”

I manage a weak laugh. “Well, we’re pretty memorable,” I say, thinking of how my tall children–most over 6 feet–towered over the petite young lady who came to examine Ron.

“You are.” I can imagine a smile. “Because your family showed me something I seldom see in this job. Love.”

SOMETHING OFTEN UNSEEN

Love. It hasn’t always been easy. There have been too many surgeries, too many hospitalizations, too many chunks of Ron torn away from us in the last 19 years. Things that should have been his responsibilities fell onto me. And the last two years, when Ron needed help with everything, were particularly grueling. To the outside world, it would appear that Ron’s later life held little worth.

But the world would be wrong. Every time he was hospitalized, we were given a chance to demonstrate our faith. Not a surgery or an infection or a treatment happened without prayers for doctors and nurses, without hymns and Bible verses filling his room. Without cards from my students, holiday decorations, visits from our children, and as much love as we could pack into a ten by ten foot space.

Matthew 28:19-20 tells us to “ go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

“When I was examining your husband,” Jenny continues, “I could see he had been well cared for. He was clean, no bruises, no sores. It was evident to me that he’d had excellent care. But even more than that was what I heard from you and your children in the kitchen.” She sighs. “Too often I hear people arguing when someone dies, blaming each other, fighting over possessions. But you and your children were telling stories about your husband, crying some and laughing some, sharing good memories.” Her voice gentles. “He was someone I wish I had known.”

I am touched by her words and I choose my own carefully. “We know Ron is Heaven,” I say. “We have faith that his struggle is over and he is with God.”

PLANTED SEEDS

“It was nice to see that faith,” she says. “And I just wanted to tell you that, well, your husband and your family shared something special with me. Gave me some things to think about.”

Jenny and I talk a few more minutes. She says I should feel free to call her if I have any questions about Ron’s death. I know I will not. Jenny’s entrance into our lives has been brief, but I cannot help but believe she is richer for it.

As I hang up the phone, I see in my mind flashes of the many hospital rooms Ron has inhabited. We planted seeds there. It had not been our choice, but we went into the world we had been thrust into and preached the gospel the best way we could (Mark 16:15).

I get up from my seat and head to the kitchen to warm my tea and as I do, I pause at the chair where Ron so recently sat, the chair where he died. I give it a pat and smile.

Even at the end of his life, Ron was an example to other people.

AM I UP TODAY, AM I DOWN TODAY, OR SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE? (Living with Bipolar Disorder)

Posted on February 10, 2023 by Linda Cobourn

By: Valerie Pilkington

Musings from a Musician

I just keep doing my best, pray that it’s blessed, and Jesus takes care of the rest

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NIV

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18 NIV

CHANGES

Somewhere between the age of 21 and 30, I began to change, and change noticeably. One day I would have such a good attitude, get SO Much accomplished, and talk like I could not get the words out fast enough. I would change subjects too fast because I had SO much to say to anyone who would listen. The next day, I would be the complete opposite, having a little trouble with concentration and accomplishing tasks. It was a real effort to communicate, and I really had to bear down to get my thoughts out. My mother would tell me I was having spells like my grandmother Pennypacker, but all I wanted was to get back to “normal”. Whatever that was.

I got a specific diagnosis when I was in my 50’s and wanted to talk to someone about being depressed.

Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic depression, is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings that include emotional highs (mania or hypo-mania) and lows (depression).

BEING BIPOLAR

Being bipolar for me is like being on a roller coaster and bumper cars at the same time. There are constant emotional ups and downs, with bumps along the way. Sometimes, the bumps are minor and not a big deal, but then a Major BUMP happens, and coping is twice as hard as just the emotional ups and downs. But with bipolar disorder, I cannot get off the roller coaster / bumping car, and the cycle keeps repeating itself.

The exact cause of bipolar disorder isn’t known, but a combination of genetics, environment, and altered brain structure, diet and chemistry may play a role. Manic episodes may include symptoms such as high energy, fast talking, changing subjects frequently, loss of concentration for a project and moving on to another project, reduced need for sleep, and sometimes a loss of touch with reality. This highly energized level of physical and mental activity and behavior is a change from your usual self and is noticeable by others. The hypo-manic episodes are less intense than the manic, and still noticeable by others. The average age of onset of bipolar disorder is around 20 to 40 years of age.

Depressive episodes may include symptoms such as low energy, low motivation, and loss of interest in daily activities. Mood episodes last days to months at a time and may also be associated with suicidal thoughts. Treatment is usually lifelong and often involves a combination of medications and psychotherapy.

Bipolar 1 disorder: People with bipolar I disorder have experienced one or more episodes of mania. Most people with bipolar 1 will have episodes of both mania and depression, but an episode of depression isn’t necessary for a diagnosis. The depressive episodes usually last at least two weeks. To be diagnosed with bipolar 1, your manic episodes must last at least seven days or be so severe that you need hospitalization. People with bipolar 1 can also experience mixed states (episodes of both manic and depressive symptoms).

Bipolar 2 disorder: People with bipolar 2 experience depressive episodes and hypo-manic episodes. But they never experience a full manic episode that’s characteristic of bipolar 1 disorder. While hypo-mania is less impairing than mania, bipolar 2 disorder is often more debilitating than bipolar 1 disorder due to chronic depression being more common in bipolar 2.

COPING WITH BIPOLAR

Most of my coping mechanisms include music. I sing to help bring me out of depression. I have also learned it is okay to be sad, and when I realize I am sad, I figure out what caused the sadness, look at my watch and decide I am only going to be sad for a set amount of time. Then I pull myself up by the bootstraps, by putting on praise and worship music, I sing to myself and God. I will watch some Joseph Prince videos, (one of my favorite Bible teachers) and it is done. And God is SO GOOD; this works. In case you have not figured it out, I fall under bipolar 2 disorder. I know, that I know, that I know God will HEAL ME, whether, here or when I get to my heavenly home, until then I stick to my meds, and therapy sessions.

When I started my psychotherapy, I would think about this song by Keith Green, HE’LL TAKE CARE OF THE REST (1977) and one line from the song became my tag line on all my emails, and I put it as a tag line here in the blogs.

You know, it ain’t no use banging your head Up against that cold stone wall ‘Cause nobody’s perfect except for the Lord And even the best’s bound to fall Remember He is the vine and you are the branch
He loves to get you through it if you give Him a chance Just keep doing your best and pray that it’s blessed Jesus takes care of the rest

Chorus:

Yes, the Lord said He’ll take care of the rest He’s gonna do it He’ll take care of the rest He’ll see you through it, yeah Well, He’ll take care of the rest The devil blew it Well, He’ll take care of, He’ll take care of the rest.

Here is a link if you would like to hear the song sung by Keith Green. Be blessed … until next time.

MOUSE EARS

Posted on February 4, 2023 by Linda Cobourn

No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does, he will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old.(Luke 5:3)

A NEEDED PATCH

“Can you fix him?” Four year old Dennis asked, holding out to me his Mickey Mouse doll, minus one ear.

I inspected it carefully. “The seam is ripped,” I told him. “And some of the stuffing has come out. I can sew the old ear back on and mend the rip.”

“I don’t know where it is,” murmured Dennis. “I looked all over. I can’t find it!” Tears started forming in the corners of his eyes.

Seated next to me, my sister-in-law eyed it. “You could ask for a new one for your birthday,” she suggested cheerfully. “That’s just two weeks away.”

Dennis pulled the well-loved stuffy into his arms. “No!” he said. “I don’t want a NEW Mickey. I want Mom to fix THIS one!” He buried his head in the Mickey doll and started to sob.

“It’s alright,” I said and pulled my son onto my lap. “I can make a new ear. But it won’t look the same as the old one. It won’t match.”

“That’s okay,” said Dennis. “It’ll still be MY Mickey!”

OLD FOR NEW

My son’s reluctance to consider trading his well-loved toy for a new one is not very different from the attitude of the Pharisees that confronted Jesus when He brought changes to the customary forms of worship Judaism required. “But we’ve always done it THIS way!” I can imagine them whining as they stood in the doorway of Matthew’s home, watching Jesus dine with other tax collectors and those considered to be sinners.

While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

Jesus answered them, “It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:31-32).

To further illustrate the need to “cast off the old and embrace the new”, Jesus used the parable of the patched clothing:

No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does, he will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old.(Luke 5:3)

FINDING A PATCH

I thought about this parable the next day as I sorted through my sewing basket, hunting for a piece of fabric that would most nearly match the missing Mickey ear. I had black fabric, but it wasn’t the same soft velour as the original. It would have to do. I laid the fabric out and started to cut around it, thinking about the many times I had patched rips and tears in clothing.

Putting new patches on old clothing extended the use of my kids’ clothes. But was I doing it in other areas of my life?

Raised in a church that valued tradition and over-complicated the message of salvation, I had sometimes tried to keep the old with the new, praying the standard prayers I had learned to tick off with beads instead of allowing my spirit to guide my words. I told myself I honored my mother–whose church had meant a lot to her–in this way. I realized that I was doing exactly what Jesus had said NOT to do; I was trying to combine two things that did not belong together.

A NEW PIECE

I studied Dennis’ doll carefully. One ear was still in place, so I could simply fashion another ear from the black scrap cloth. But perhaps it would be better, I mused, to make the new ear entirely different. A piece of yellow corduroy soon replaced the missing piece. And while my son was happy with the result, the presence of that yellow ear reminded me to stop trying to infuse my old church practices with what I knew as a born-again Christian.

Mickey Mouse remained Dennis’ companion for a few more years, but eventually–as with all old and worn-out things–it, too, took a backseat to the new world of paintbrushes, oils and canvases. Mickey sat on his bed for a while, then found its way into a closet. The last time I saw the doll, it was shoved into a WaWa crate the day Dennis moved out.

Like my son, I needed to move on from the old to the new, embracing the sacrifice of Jesus for my salvation without any further complications.

And while Mickey Mouse is no longer a focal point of my son’s life, Dennis is always the one at his art studio called upon to draw the Disney character for company events.

We replace old ideas as we grow, but we can still learn from where we’ve been.

Fresh Words: A Pause Between the Old and New

Posted on January 21, 2023 by Linda Cobourn

Editor’s note: This week’s post is from our “Good News From a Leaky Pen” writer.

By Marian Humphrey

Psalm 126:2 ….The Lord has done great things….

A New Vision

The new Atonement Church vision for 2023 will be revealed soon. I am so excited, yet compelled to ponder where I ended this year in my spiritual growth from the view of 2022’s scripture, Psalm 126: 2. It seems that remembering that will aid in starting on an upward path when handed the next goal.

I immediately think of the huge burst of sensing the gift of perpetual joy I received this year. It seems like suddenly, what once was a tiny, almost hidden, sprout of joy has burst into a full-grown tree. That has led to a closer, trusting relationship with God than ever before. The minute I don’t feel that deep abiding joy, it’s a “no brainer” now to run first to my compassionate God for His love and guidance and get a jolt of joy that is my strength in both tough situations and the good. That’s one great thing God has done! In the past I may have spent more time trying to figure stuff out before leaning on my Lord. Thank you, Atonement Church, for being a huge catalyst of that Great God thing in my life!

The Tiny Details

It’s also amazing that God bothers, even loves, to help in the tiny details of my life, like unveiling my hidden keys. The Almighty God created the whole universe; stretched out the stars, directed the seas and the winds and the spin of our earth. He also peeks down to count every hair on each of our heads we have already shed or will shed during each of our lives. This powerful God, who sets kings over the nations and bounces them off their thrones, cares not only for daisies and pigeons, but chooses to look through a microscope in order to tend to that tiny hangnail or paper cut that besets us.

I think the Huge tiny things He does strikes me more than ever this year because I am bolder at asking folks in and out of the church body if they want me to pray for a problem or a hurt they mention. Some say yes, yet many say things like, “it’s OK, I’m still alive” or, “He has more important things to worry about.” That makes me more aware of how easy it is for me to even unknowingly do the same thing.

A Beacon of Light

It’s so easy to try to put God in a box. The truth is He is well able and longs to bring us into wholeness. That’s because He dearly loves us and wants us to express more of His nature and perform more acts, even miracles, than He did when on earth. He even said so in John 14:12. It goes way beyond our capability of understanding or perhaps desire to tremble and “lose ourselves” to be changed in His powerful presence.

Now know more than ever before, whatever God has in mind for each of us is for our good. I so look forward to His fresh Word for 2023 as a beacon of light on the path for this church in order to come closer to Him than ever! I anticipate continuing to celebrate with all of you throughout our struggles and testimonies; all our new adventures because of our awareness of the Great things He has already done.

So, Happy New 2023 Beginnings, everyone!

Category: Blog

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