God is our refuge and strength an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea; Psalm 46:1,2
SUN VALLEY COMMUNITY CHURCH
http://www.sunvalleycc.com
Insight Breakfast - Insight Breakfast is on June 13th from 9:00 am-11:30am. This is a great opportunity for those who are unemployed, business owners who need a little encouragement or for those who are indecisive about what to do with their personal home. This is a time to gather some good information and network with others in the same season of life. We will have some professionals on site to be able to answer your questions. Free to attend. For more information email Chris Robilotto at crobilotto@sunvalleycc.com.
Celebrate Recovery - Celebrate Recovery is a time of fellowship and celebration of God’s healing power in our lives. We utilize the 8 recovery principles found in the Beatitudes and Christ. Join us every Friday night at 6:00pm for dinner and 7:00pm for worship and teaching. For more information about Celebrate Recovery call 480-632-8920.
MESA BAPTIST CHURCH
http://mesabaptistchurch.working4christ.org/
Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University - Financial Peace University is a biblically-based video-driven small group study that teaches families to beat debt, build wealth and give like never before! This course begins Wednesday, June 3rd. Call Mesa Baptist Church for more details at 480-897-2036.
Is your church or organization looking to advertise upcoming events free of charge to our clients and their families? Please contact Pam at arizonapca@gmail.com for more information.
This is a stressful if not scary time for many of us. While the economy has shown some recent glimmers of hope, the negative financial impact on many of us is far from over. Having less money tightens the budget for so many aspects of our lives, and the accumulation of those financial pinches can be the tipping point for intolerable feelings of stress, anxiety, frustration, and discouragement. The good news is that there are some smart and practical ways to cope with stress and other negative feelings that will help turn this current crisis into an opportunity to cope, to grow, and to deepen trust in God.
What is stress? Stress occurs when expected or unexpected events that happen to us strain or exceed our capacity to cope. Our bodies are highly adaptable and were designed to “mobilize” in the face of stressors for our survival. This mobilization response is often termed the “fight or flight response,” which protects us from immediate and short-term danger. However, our bodies can only be on alert for so long before they become exhausted; when we are exposed to chronic or long-term stressors we begin to “burn out” and, among other consequences, we are more susceptible to infections because of a weakened immune system. Other symptoms of stress-related exhaustion include muscle tension, headaches, stomach aches, restlessness, tiredness, crying, edginess or agitation, procrastination, difficulty focusing or unclear thinking, frequent worrying, indecisiveness, diminished sex drive, social isolation, feeling “burned out,” decreased motivation, and increased use of unhealthy substances like caffeine, sugar or alcohol.
How might we manage stress and prevent its detrimental impact on our functioning? To start, eliminate factors that maintain stress. For example, do not suspend unfinished tasks for very long; rather, work to finish them quickly or break them into smaller tasks that are easier to complete. The short-term gain of procrastination is relief, but the long term consequence is a burgeoning to-do list that generates increasing anxiety and even more procrastination. The poet and novelist Johann Wolfgang von Goethe eloquently said: “Each indecision brings its own delays and days are lost lamenting over lost days…What you can do or think you can do, begin it. For boldness has magic, power, and genius in it.”
Other factors that exacerbate stress are inadequate sleep, poor diet and nutrition, little or no exercise, and decreasing social support. So, increase all of those! Not only will they contribute to diminishing stress, they will likely help in preventing it. Of course, for some, this is easier said than done. If worry is increasing restless sleep, practice meditation on positive thoughts or a favorite scripture verse a half-an-hour before going to bed. If there seems to be no time or money to eat healthy, schedule a half-an-hour (in advance) and use that time to plan healthier meals and snacks. Also, part of a healthy diet is the diminished use of unhealthy substances like caffeine, sugar, alcohol, and drugs. Finally, consider combining suggestions like doing a favorite recreational activity with a friend or family member which then increases social support.
A final note. If you are in a stressful situation you can do little to nothing about, or if you implement strategies to combat stress but notice no change in symptoms, professional counseling is suggested. It can help you look at the sources of stress, give you perspective, determine whether a more serious condition might be present, and help you establish goals to promote healthier management of life-stressors.
By Jeffrey J. Rea, Psy, D.
