An “A-C-T-S” Prayer(*) For A Loved One Dealing With Mental Illness

Dearest Almighty God, Father of our Lord and Savior and Keeper of Promises…namely, The Holy Spirit:

“A” – ADORATION…

We come humbly before Your throne of grace to first and foremost to thank You for Who You are…for loving us in spite of our transgressions and for providing a sinless Surrogate to pay the ultimate price that all mankind should have endured. You and You alone are so worthy to be praised.

As you know, many of Your people, friends, pleasure seekers and, yes, back-sliders gather from time to time to fellowship with one another and to often give You thanks, reverence and to partition Your throne of grace for mercy. It is no different today. For today, just before we begin our day, a few of your humble servants have been asked to call upon Your precious Name on behalf of several subjects troubling our hearts and our commitment to the faith.

“C” – CONFESSION…

So, here we are, Lord, standing in the need of answered prayer.

It’s no secret to You, Holy Spirit, that down here on earth there is an ingrained stigma against all those who suffer from mental illnesses, especially attributed to help-seeking adolescence, and young people. They are the ones who bear the brunt of the negative name-calling and criticism associated with mental illness. Suicide is the leading cause of death within this group.

“T” – THANKSGIVING…

Lord Jesus, it is this urgent matter that we are sending up this fervent prayer on their behalf today. We beseech You and give You all the glory for your infinite power to bring hope, comfort, professional help, protection and most of all deliverance from this debilitating illness. To praise You and give You thanks for taking the shackles off their feet, so they, too, can dance.

Mary Mary – Shackles (Praise You) LyricsYouTube · Lyrics 90’s3 minutes, 15 secondsSep 2, 2023

“S” – SUPPLICATION…

We earnestly plead that You, My Lord, give the mentally challenged an understanding that their loved ones will do everything in their power to make the journey to recovery a successful one. That everyone involved in their health caregiving will seek the best professional resources for them. Treat them with respect, nurture and attend to their persona with dignity and pray for their recovery, in the precious Name of Jesus we ask it all, Amen and Amen.

This prayer is being offered up on behalf of all those under the sound of my voice who stand in the need of prayer. For it is written in James 1:5, to seek the Holy Spirit’s wisdom when asking the difficult decisions needed to help our loved ones who suffer in their infirmities of troubled minds. In the matchless Name of Christ Jesus I pray, Blessed be the Name of the Lord.

(*) NOTE:  “So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness …(Google)

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Today, you are encouraged to come and go with me to a place where we can talk. Where we can learn about how to have perfect peace and be in good health at the same time, even when our bodies are racked with pain; and troubled with disturbing thoughts; and our spirit is questioning our faith. Christ’s perfect peace is enough for me!

With the help of the Comforter (the Holy Spirit), I will attempt, by using Scripture, to apply a certain reasoning to why Jesus Christ used so many examples of life’s emotions to teach on how to be blessed and content when all hell is breaking loose all around you.

Our Scriptures comes out of two chapters from the Book of Matthew 4:23 to 5:12, so let’s establish our foundation and get an understanding.

While living down here on earth we ought always to be salt and light to the world regardless of what physical, mental or material state we find ourselves in. If we are to be disciples of Jesus Christ, our ways and demeanor should bring illumination and savor (preservation) to our fellow man. Living in a manner befitting the atmosphere of the Kingdom of God!

So, Jesus is referring to the broader meaning of “blessed” when He says blessed are those who are poor in spirit, who mourn and who are meek. Why? Because they are dependent on God and not the world. They are sensitive to their spiritual fault and seek God’s help and comfort. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness…why? They have a deep longing for both personal righteousness and justice for the oppressed. Blessed are the merciful…why? They both forgive and have compassion for others. When you are sensitive to God’s forgiveness it frees you from feeling guilty and brings comfort. Blessed are the pure in heart…why? They have no guilt trip as they engage in their devotion to God and therefore are spiritually able to feel God’s presence.

All of these qualities or emotions allow us to bring peace to others. But it is also a catch 22 situation, because it can also make us vulnerable to persecution. Jesus goes on to teach, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the Children of God. Here on earth, our only reward may be to be called “Sons and Daughters of God”. And we may have to experience God’s kingdom rule while here on earth by becoming a peacemaker thus proving our fitness for the eternal kingdom by suffering.

NOTE: (*) Sickness and infirmities can come about through bad habits, weak constitutions, exposure to danger, crimes, accidents, birth defects, etc., but while experiencing sickness it can also reveal attitudes, values and motives which must be transformed if human beings are to be truly in harmony with God. Matt. 5:19-48

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It’s all in a day’s work. Yes, all we have to do as ambassadors of Christ Jesus is look for an opportunity to serve Him. Believe it or not, I found that perfect opportunity to share the love of the Almighty while attending and participating in my physical therapy sessions to strengthen my bones and muscles.

During the past month I have been extremely active in various exercise classes here at my apartment complex where there is an on sight physical therapist trainer employed seven days a week. She schedules a variety of physical routines, instructions on how to operate various equipment and also schedules outside exercises such as swimming and walking the neighborhood.

In addition, my doctors have also scheduled professional medical physical therapy sessions for low impact injuries I sustained during an accidental fall. It was while participating with these sessions that I found a way to ‘witness’ to several of the therapy employees at the facility. After each session, towards the end, each patient is instructed for 15 minuets to cool down while sitting in a chair with a hot towel around their neck along with 4 electric heated disc placed across the back of the shoulder near the neck area.

During this cool down time, I normally past the time by reading an inspirational book. And sure enough, different staff members check on me from time to time and ask me what I am reading. Now, I’ve learned during my visits that a couple of the trainers are Sunday School teachers at their churches. Also, the husband and wife team owners are devoted Christians and their establishment reflects their sentiments exactly. So I feel encouraged to share the contents of any book I am reading at that time.

A perfect example presented itself as I was reading how to engage children to learn more about the teachings of Jesus and how they should and could retain and respond to hand signals. Below is how I informed (through suggestions) those persons who inquired as what I was reading.

A HANDY TEACHING AID FOR CHILDREN WHEN REMEMBERING GOD’S PROMISES (BIBLE VERSES FOUND IN HEBREWS:

• Find a quiet place and unplug your I-pad or tablet.
• Raise your right hand. Use your left hand and point to your little finger on your right hand.
• Begin sharing God’s promises by saying: “I” (God); point to the next finger, say “WILL”; point to the next finger and say “NEVER“; point to the next finger and say, “LEAVE“; when you get to the thumb, substitute the word you for the child’s name and use the thumb to point to himself and say his or her name. (Hebrews 13:5) (You can also use Hebrews 13:6 “The Lord is my helper”.

Just for fun, the teacher can also teach the children how to ‘sign’ the alphabet letters for the deaf. What a difference it will make in a child’s life to learn about Jesus in so many different ways. And how He cares and loves everybody. Since attending my therapy classes with this religious company of employees, I have experienced God in a new and invigorating way. I feel more alive and a contributor to the human race. WHY…because…

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Hello, again to my faithful readers of this week’s blog. So, thank you for your faithfulness and interest in Dorothy’s saga when she was a child. Don’t forget, Dorothy is my (deceased) mother and she told me this story of her life on November 25, 2001. If you missed reading Part 1 of this heart-wrenching story, please look on the right side of this blog page and click (Archive March 2024) and catch up with the events so far.

Is It Cracklin’ Yet?….

Up until this point, Dorothy was not allowed to pour off the hot grease. But on the sixth evening of this cooking ordeal, the smell of the cracklin’ and her curiosity got the best of her. It was evening time and the wooden logs were ashes and the oven had cooled down.

Dorothy screamed to high heaven! Momma Kate, who was a large woman, came running to her rescue. Dorothy was in such pain that when she saw her mother she ran to meet her and thrust her burned hand under the fat arm pit of her mother and proceeded to rub her hand in a back and forth motion. Before Momma Kate could calm Dorothy and stop her, all the top skin had been removed from the back of her hand from the wrist to the knuckles. Dorothy’s hand was white as snow. Momma Kate yelled for her husband, Buckwheat, my grandfather, to run to the drugstore which was about 15 blocks away to buy some sulfur powder which was sold by the pound. Today, you need a prescription to buy sulfur, but back then Buckwheat bought 15 cents worth and hurried back home.

Buckwheat’s big foot leaped upon the front porch, barely clearing two steps as his massive hand swung opened the front door. “Get the sorghum (*) molasses and make a paste with the sulfur, quick,” cried Momma Kate. Granddad hurriedly mixed the concoction and spread a thick portion on the back of Dorothy’s hand while she danced a slow motion quick step. (Today, a tetanus shot would be required to prevent infection. But no such precaution was taken for poor little ole Dorothy.)

The next day Dorothy went to school and because of her dilemma became an instant celebrity with her classmates and teacher, Mrs Shackelford. Everyone not only wanted to hear the story, but also wanted to help make Dorothy’s life easier while at school. Surprisingly, the teacher allowed Dorothy to sit at her big desk until the bandages came off. For more than a month, Momma Kate replaced the dressings each night with fresh linens. But best of all, Dorothy’s cousin , Paul, had to do all of her chores until she was 100 percent well.

When I visited my mother in Minnesota on that memorial day, she was 84 years old, and the back of her right hand bares only faint scares of her childhood burns. AIN’T GOD GOOD!!!! It is because of the home remedies and the wise thinking of my Grandmother, Momma Kate, that my mother’s hand is not grossly discolored. You see, after two weeks of Dorothy’s hand being bandaged, Momma Kate took red onion husks and boiled them until, the water turned red. Then she made Dorothy soak her hand in this solution for many days. This process was thought to be a natural dye and after several applications, Dorothy’s pale burnt skin color returned back to its normal brown. Boiled onion juice was also used to dye eggs at Easter time, too.

Post Script…After being raised by a praying mother and grandmother, and being constantly fed by cherished memories of just how the Lord Jesus provided when professional relief was unavailable, has been a guiding light in my upbringing and has caused me to trust the God of our Salvation!

THE END

NOTES:

(*) Sorghum – Rich in vitamins B2 and C, sorghum helps to promote and maintain healthy skin. It can increase the secretion of mucus, which has been proven to help rosacea sufferers and sufferers of other skin conditions such as dermatitis and eczema. (Information reported on Google search.)

(**) Sad Iron:

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Did you know that God can and will use anything or anybody to further the gospel of his Son, Jesus Christ. To name a few verses recorded in the Holy Scriptures that testifies to this, how about Genesis 6:10. That verse tells how a dove brought a message to Noah that the flood waters had receded and land was in view. So Noah and his cargo could now dock and come out of the Ark. There are also many other verses about inanimate objects bearing messages from God to his people, as well as numerous animals, humans and celestial beings.

In my case, as I look back over my life, the Lord has engaged all Three Persons of the Trinity to foster me in spiritual learning, faith building and how to obtain a deeper understanding about sacred things. Hallelujah!! Thus, portrayed in the story below that I am about to reveal to you (in a two-part blog post), says it all. My grandmother’s prayers on behalf of her child (my mom) are felt even today, fifty years later! (For the record, I was blessed to have a praying mother and grandmother.) So thank You, Holy Spirit, for your grace and mercy and for positively growing my faith in You. YOUR GUIDING HAND HAS BEEN AN ANCHOR IN THE LINEAGE OF MY FAMILY FOR GENERATIONS…TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

It was bitter cold that day in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.  I was standing at the window peering out from my mom's eleventh floor apartment.  I could see snow drifts on the streets below that appeared to be four or five feet high; cars were sliding in slow motion across white lines, yellow lines and cross walks.  It was a cold and windy day around Thanksgiving time in November 2001, and also my birthday.  I had traveled to Minnesota to celebrate my 62nd  year of life with my mom, who was lovingly referred to as  Momma T.

That particular morning, mom was on the telephone with one of her many girlfriends and she was laughing and interjecting bits and pieces of an amusing childhood story while at the same time discussing current events.  She was in such good spirits that day, and I could overhear her relate portions of an incident that had happened to her as a child.  Mom was sitting at her kitchen table and was fingering her personal telephone book, completely oblivious  of my presence in the room.  Her conversation so intrigued me that I turned from the window and deliberately eavesdropped on her.

After finishing her conversation, and hanging up the phone, I asked her what she had been talking about and implored her to tell me the whole childhood story.  It went like this:

The date was 1931 or 32. My mom was about 12 years old when the incident happened. It was in the winter time. Her adopted mother, Kate, (who was also her biological aunt) made delicious fried skins from the rind of bacon slabs. At that time skins (or cracklin’) were not sold in stores. Today these curled crispy morsels sell for about one dollar per bag. Momma Kate would slice the rind off bacon, put it in a large loaf pan and place it in the hot oven. It was not an electric or gas oven but a wood burning stove which turned fire-engine red when hot. Now this stove held its heat all day, but during the night the fire went out and the stove cooled.

The next morning the fire was rekindled by Paul, mom’s older cousin who lived with them. Now, the half-baked bacon rinds stayed in the oven for another day of cooking. This went on for about a week: Cooking, cooling and re-cooking until all the fat grease was extracted from the rind. Once the rind curled, it was done. The hot grease was drained from the pan each day by Momma Kate. As a child, baked bacon cracklin’ was one of my momma’s favorite treats. So, naturally, every day she asked Momma Kate gleefully, “Is it cracklin’ yet? May I peer into the oven to see if it is done?” Momma Kate said yes, but she cautioned my mom to be careful so as not to get burned.

(TO BE CONTINUED NEXT FRIDAY. STAY TUNED. COME BACK FOR PART 2.)

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