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Encourage Yourself

Today, the news broke that former NFL-star Junior Seau died from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/03/sports/football/junior-seau-famed-nfl-linebacker-dies-at-43-in-apparent-suicide.html). Nothing has been confirmed as of yet, but it still makes me wonder what would cause someone attempt to take his/her own life.

The cares of this life can be overwhelming. Illnesses, death of loved ones, broken relationships, etc. If you add the in the struggling economy, a factor that would depress even a happy situation, life can seem pretty  hopeless.

In the most depressing of moments, looking to another person for encouragement might not always be possible.  Sometimes you have to encourage yourself like King David. Psalm 42:5* reads: "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance." Sometimes, we have to grab ourselves by the collar and shake some sense into our own minds...

God's mercy and grace is overwhelming. Daily He showers us with fresh new mercies. If we take the time to think about those things that we take for granted (e.g. the fact that every breath is a measure of the air that God gives us), we would quickly find that the focus is on Him and not us or our problems.

On a day when you feel sad and depressed because of life, take a few moments and start to write down the blessings you've received that very same day. Count your blessings and encourage yourself.


This song by Donald Lawrence will help: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2y6BHfaUUYo

Pray for the Seau family...

*I know I've quoted this scripture before, but some things bear repeating.

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