HIMPower Magazine HimPower July 2018 | Page 31

astes 9: 11-12 (NLT) I have observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time. People can never predict when hard times might come. Like fish in a net or birds in a trap, people are caught by sudden tragedy. ENCOURAGING ONE ANOTHER No one really knows what is going to happen. No one can predict the future. – Ecclesiastes 10:14 (NLT) Clearly, life from the outside world can cause us to feel broken on the inside. The death of a loved one, loss of a job, unexpected tragedy, prolonged or even short-term illness, broken relationships, and disappointments with our station in life can be sources of emotional or psychological distress. How you cope with it and whether you seek help is a personal decision. However, Christians can make a conscious effort to notice people. Noticing people means more than seeing them, it means taking the time to talk, comfort, understand, and be available. Dr. Frederick Haynes of Friendship West Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas used the game of basket- ball as an example of noticing people. He asserts, “In the game a player might be able to make the basket, but may require an “assist”. Without the assist, the star player might not make the basket. Whether you call it depression or simply the blues, life can hurt so much that you want to anesthetize the pain. The Chris- tian can be a source of comfort and/or be encouraged through the word of God and through mental health support services. “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. – Isaiah 55:8-9  USEFUL RESOURCES National Institute of Mental Health https://www.nimh.nih.gov/index.shtml Mental Health America http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/may American Psychological Association http://www.apa.org Mary Shaw-Ridley, PhD, MCHES is a health education professional with over 25 years of experience. She is the President of Shaw & Asso- ciates, LLC, a health & education consulting group. She is also Chair and Professor of the Department of Behavioral & Environmental Health at a new School of Public Health/Jack- son State University. www.himpowermagazine.com  31