got stress?

If you have problems, you have stress. Maybe yours isn’t the same as mine, but we all face stress. Sometimes more, other times less. It comes in various forms—work, relationships, family. Thankfully there are seasons when there’s less stress. But there are times of every year when it hits new peaks. From kids going back to school, to holidays; from weddings to graduations; from unemployment to retirement; the causes may change, but the pressure remains—and often increases.

Illness, especially catastrophic or chronic, can result in depression. Financial downturns can produce everything from ulcers and headaches to fatigue associated with a host of long-term debilitating illnesses. Stress seems to be a normal part of life. But does it have to be?

If we don’t manage our problems, our problems will manage us. We know we need to relax, but how? And when? Many of us are too busy. We are wired 24/7 with cell phones, laptops, and Palm Pilots. Our planners and calendars are never far from our reach. And we mistakenly think that our lives are like the movie title, As Good As It Gets. But we can change.

We don’t have to stay where we are, do what we do, or be who we’ve been. Our lives can be different, better. Here are three practical tips to help you.

1. Don’t accept defeat. Believe that if you change what you do, you’ll change who you are. You don’t have to let your problems determine your destiny.

2. Be honest with yourself. Take responsibility, but don’t accept blame. Mistakes prove you’re human. Don’t beat yourself up for that, much less for someone else’s errors.

3. Act. Get up and get going. If you stay where you are, you’ll always be where you’ve been.

Change isn’t easy, but the struggle is far better than the pain of living with the pressure that’s crushing your life—and worth the effort.


Want to learn more? Visit http://praisechapelkingman.podblaze.com to hear a sermon by Senior Pastor Howard Pennington or any of our pastors or guest speakers.