So, i just make certain to work 40 hours a week. That’s how i manage. I also practice anxiety reducing techniques such as prayer and things taught to me in counseling. Honestly, if you struggle with this, the book Letting Go of Worry by doctor Linda Mintle can really help provide a biblical framework for balancing concerns in all areas of life and not letting them become anxiety and worry. But yeah, I manage my hourly time spent. I also simply put work stuff out of mind when I’m not working. Christ centered meditation helps a lot too. God bless you all!
So what I’m about to talk about I’m not proud of. I had to sacrifice the depth of my relationship with my dad for the sake of my mental health. It’s about as much as it is me and my stepmom. More so because I don’t have a high stress tolerance unless I’m really into whatever is stressing me out, like ministry and video games. Perhaps I should be more into family? Ok, that’s a no brainer. I should be. It’s just that my dad has narcissistic traits and my stepmom is equally as manipulative and crass. Maybe some borderline traits with her? No idea on that one. I never dived deep enough on borderline or her past (or what parts of her past she’s told me that she’s stood by and didn’t gaslight me about). So I’m in the hospital, my dad tells me he’s working on a certificate in school. I’m out of the hospital for a year and that apparently never happened even though I have a clear memory about it and the staff even talked with me about it cause he told it to me on the phone. Likewise, he can’t even recognize me in a photograph from when I was a kid. He thinks I’m my brother in the photograph which also tells me he can’t recognize my brother either. My dad and stepmom frustrate me tremendously due to their insanity and my lack of ability to handle it. But don’t worry, I’m the only one with a problem. Not them. They just make excuses for their behavior. There’s a whole other story about how my family got broken up that varies depending on who’s telling it. I believe my mom’s side of the story cause of how much she has a head on her shoulders, but that’s a story for another day. The sacrifices I’ve made is spending time with my dad less, and having less deep conversations with him, to ensure I can keep the peace of The holy Spirit present in my life. I’m prone to fits of rage when i spend too much time with him. I really don’t like this fact since scripture also says to honor my father and mother, but how else am i going to avoid fits of rage when spending time with him when all the counseling in the past 20 years, including pastoral counseling, hasn’t helped our relationship? He’s stubborn as a mule and never needs to adjust himself. At least that’s how he used to be. I’m sure he’s done small stuff here and there, but the wounds that keeps us apart are very strong. While God’s intention is for families to stay together and prosper together, that can be very hard to realize. It’s not all doom and gloom though. He and I are going to work on my e-bike soon, so we will be able to bond over that. I don’t know sometimes. It’s hard. God bless and take care!
Yeah, so today the oldest things I’m wearing are my two socks. Today, metaphorically speaking as in the current era of my life, the oldest thing I’m wearing is my running shoes. So it’s not simply because I spend money on clothes (i really like clothes) that all my clothes are only a maximum of two years old. When my schizoaffective disorder flared up for the first time in my early twenties I had to be hospitalized for a year (yes a whole year). During that year I got on a medicine that makes it very hard to be as skinny as I was before I was hospitalized for my disability. So I had to get all new clothes because my old ones no longer fit. It’s really a tragic story of how far i fell into insanity before I got better, but that’s a story i hope to take to my grave to its fullest. I’ve shared it with my counselor to it’s fullest, but not with other people outside of my closest friends. But yeah, that’s the oldest clothing i wear. My socks
So I’m a leader by most people’s standards. That being said, I also recognize when I’m not in a position to command people, like at work when I’m not a manager. That being said, I’m more of a servant/laze fair leader so it’s sometimes hard to see that in me. I’m no happier than when I’m leading people though. I’ve led a small group for around 3-5 years as well. I know there are people I need to follow at the same time though. My church leaders, my denominational leaders, my government, etc. So basically, a good leader is a servant leader. Someone who leads through serving others needs. Likewise, any good leader is also subject to some higher authority as well, even if that authority is God Himself. So all in all, I’m a leader not a follower
What’s one small improvement you can make in your life?
When I notice the work at my job getting too much, begin looking for another job before putting my two week notice in and get a job lined up before I leave. Most of you do this already, but I generally need time off to recoup before going through the motions again. But having continuous money would be nice. Praying God leads me to a job I’m capable of doing, like a self-employed ministry like I’m trying to build. That way I can take the breaks I need to live with a mental disability. Praying for all of you who don’t have a job that God would provide you with the means to financially support yourself!
Share a story about someone who had a positive impact on your life.
So I’m in my teens, struggling with gender identity, and I talk with my former pastor about it. He doesn’t make me feel judged, hated, or anything. He assured me God’s love through Jesus Christ can apply to people with gender dysphoria as well. That it’s not part of God’s will for someone to transition, but that some people really struggle with gender dysphoria and that by accepting Jesus Christ as savior, I’m still saved. He also mentioned the reality of intersex and that the whole conversation is more complicated than people make it. Today I still struggle with my inner sense of gender but trust that time with Christ as well as a Christian education from Christian Leader’s College will help resolve my gender dysphoria. If it doesn’t, counseling will. I don’t want to transition as I believe it is not part of God’s plan, but I also think gender identity being mismatched is a result of the fall and don’t know if you’re born with a gender identity as part of your soul (mind, will, emotions) or if it develops, or how to address this very real issue. You can check my statement of faith if you simply think I’m a liberal theologian, heads up I’m not. All in all, God really blessed my life with Pastor Keith. Prayers that my gender dysphoria would be healed would be greatly appreciated! That’s just one of my mental health issues I wrestle with and need prayers for. More on that later on. Yes, my name is still Stephen Call
I just want to give you all a heads up this is merely a daily prompt and not one I chose. I apologize ahead of time for the political aspect, but I want to be truthful and go with the public figure I disagree most with. It’s a toss up between Dylan mulvaney (mostly his style of videos and the childhood stuff, nothing against him personally. Trans people do need love and in order to get that they need to not simply be dismissed.) Or Joe Biden. I mean, the man seems senile even if he’s not, he’s 80 years old, can barely walk, probably can’t climb steps, promotes and endorses horrendous sins like abortion. Of which if you’re Catholic like him and get an abortion you could be excommunicated as it is a mortal sin to abort a baby within catholicism (that means it’s either unforgivable or very difficult to forgive). Like, the man because of his politics is simply a religious hypocrite who somehow is still permitted to take communion in his church even though he goes against the very fabric of what it believes. If I were catholic and did that, I’d be excommunicated like ML was. End rant. Have a blessed day! May the peace of Jesus Christ go with you!
So my career plan is to continue school while doing ministry stuff until I get my PhD (hopefully) and eventually found my ministry. I’m going to work off and on in regular job settings and take time off here and there as needed for my mental disability to go back into remission (not sure yet what ministry will look like having a disability that flares up under stress). In the times I take off from a traditional job I’m going to work more on this ministry God’s given me to found to ensure it’s up off the ground. Thankfully I have the help of my mom who is a very spiritually mature believer who can help keep me rooted in Christ as well as can post content when I’m too sick too. All in all, that’s my goal! I’m doing well in school right now with a GPA above 3.5. Ultimately stress management is something I really have to watch cause I’m a workaholic with a disability. God bless! Stay tuned, take care, keep on praying, and keep on fighting the good fight of faith!
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