Keep Your Eyes On Jesus Christ And Experience The Supernatural Power Of God:A Victorious Journey Living With Mental Disorders

By Carolyn Smith

this book is about the supernatural power of god our heavenly father. In this book are suggestions for dealing with life situations especially, mental illnesses (major depression). the author offers jesus christ as another alternative for life pains, failures, trials, and tribulations. there is hope in jesus christ. the focus is jesus christ and our relationship with god.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Carolyn Smith
• Release date: Sep 8, 2014
• ISBN: 9780990714118

Carolyn Smith

Dr. Carolyn Sue Smith (formerly Carolyn Sue Haney) holds two Masters and a doctoral in Philosophy. Dr. Smith is the author of The Impact of Religion and Spiritualty in the Lives of African American Women: A Generic Qualitative Study published by ProQuest LLC (2013) which can be read on Google Website.Carolyn’s book is a first-hand account of God Supernatural Power alone with first-hand experiences of living with mental disorders in today’s society. She is the wife of Kenneth D. Smith; together the couple has five children and seven grandchildren. Carolyn has been a volunteer at Baptist Memorial Hospital- Golden Triangle for the last seven-teen years. She has an intense passion and love for God, the Word, prayer, and, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Currently residing in Columbus, MS, Carolyn is also a member of Southside Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor Rayfield Evins, Jr.

Book preview

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus Christ and Experience the Supernatural Power Of God:

A Victorious Journey Living with Mental Disorders

by

Carolyn Smith

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2014 Carolyn Smith

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in in form without permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of Scriptures and quotations embodied in critical articles, books, sermons, or online quotes.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes:

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of the author.

Scriptures marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Holy Bible, public domain.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV.. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.

Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Scriptures marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation

(NLT): Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation.

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.

All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Scriptures marked NKJV are taken from The New King James Version®.

Copyright© 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

I dedicate this book to my Lord and Savior.

I wrote this book for two reasons. First, I owe my heavenly Father so much, and there is no way I can repay Him for all He has done and is still doing for me. I hope to inspire others to draw closer to Him, but there is only one way, and that is through Jesus Christ.

Acknowledging my personal battles with mental disorders is not an easy task, but it’s a task I feel is greatly needed today. There is much pain and suffering in this world and little love, patience, compassion, and concern for each other. From firsthand experience, I have learned there is no way to meet Jesus Christ and not take on the attributes that He, through the Holy Spirit, shows us every day of our lives. God’s Spirit dwells inside us, motivating us to love even our enemies. Because of Jesus Christ, we can. Through Him we can find the strength and courage to live. Because of Jesus Christ we can choose life over death.

Second, I have a burning desire to speak openly about the supernatural power of God. All things are possible for those who believe in Jesus Christ.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter One: The Supernatural Power of God

Defining the Dysfunctional Family

Personal Examples of Dysfunction

What Is the Supernatural Power of God?

Chapter Two: What Is Poverty?

The Price of Poverty

My Childhood and Experience with Discrimination

Chapter Three: Life Experiences and Discrimination

Discrimination and Self-Blame

A Determination to Change the Picture

Chapter Four: Ending of One Life, Beginning of Another

My Grandmother’s Influence on Me

Chapter Five: Mental Illness and Major Depression

Definition of Mental Illness

The Bible’s Many Instances of Mental Disorders

Not Only Caused by Sin

Life’s Stressful Events Can Trigger Mental Illness

My Downfall from Society

Chapter Six: Carolyn and Diagnoses

God’s Work in Me

Supernatural Power of God

Chapter Seven: Methods God Used For Recovery

First Steps toward Healing

Reading God’s Word

Lesson Learned

Another Assignment

The Examples of Moses and Jeremiah

My Work at the Hospital

God Expects Us to Be Faithful

God Rewards Faithfulness

Learning to Trust

What We Must Have Faith In

God Teaches Me Every Step of the Way

Walking in Faith Results in Happiness

Chapter Eight: Recovery

Facing New Challenges and Moving Forward

No Room for Self-Pity

Help from My Brother

Transferring to a New College

Only with God’s Help

Moving in Faith

Dealing with My Lack of Memory

Chapter Nine: Unbelievers and Believers

My Slip into Pride

God Got My Attention

Another Direction, Another Degree

Help from Another Brother

Chapter Ten: The Beginning of My Research Study

I Finally Began the Research I Had Longing to Do

Tests I Had to Face

Giving It to God

Going through Fire to Get Where We’re Going

Chapter Eleven: What My College Experience Taught Me

Getting Others to Understand My Limitations

The Many Pressures I Faced

Failing in My First Attempt to Get a Master’s Degree

The Right to Speak

How We Should React to Obstacles

Blessings That Followed

God Opened the Door to Other Blessings

I Believe God

A Needed Perspective Adjustment

Bible Stories Can Give Us Comfort

Don’t Give Up Hope

Chapter Twelve: Living My Life

Lessons I’ve Learned

Chapter Thirteen: Depression among African American Women

Conclusion

References

Introduction

I became fascinated with mental disorders, religion, and spirituality through my own life experiences with stigmatized conditions and society’s attitudes. I followed my fascination by studying, researching, and getting a master’s degree in special education and my doctorate in human service, specializing in counseling. Searching through scholarly journals and books, I uncovered the historical connections between African American women, religion, spirituality, and mental disorders. Religion and spirituality are common factors in many African American communities.

The importance of religion and spirituality to the psychological well-being of older African Americans has been well documented. An increasing amount of research and writing focuses on the connection between religion, spirituality, life satisfaction, and happiness, especially for many older African Americans. Especially, African American women used religion and spirituality as survival and coping mechanisms for overcoming racism, adversity, loss, and major depression.

Many definitions of religion and spirituality contradict themselves and therefore continue to evolve. As a result, scholars have long debated the meaning of these two terms. Among many in the African American communities, there are key distinctions between religious and spiritual beliefs or practices. For example, researchers found that many African American women employ religion as a tool for survival.

On the other hand, some social scientists have found that spirituality refers to their belief in God, the Creator or Higher Power, and the power that provides meaning and purpose for one’s life. This may include religion. We’ll explore this topic in more detail later.

There is also a historical connection between religion, spirituality, and mental health. Religion and spiritual involvement in human life dates back 500,000 years to a time when ritual treatment of skills took place during China’s Paleolithic period. During the eighteenth century, Amariah Brigham, one of the founders of the American Psychiatric Association, documented this fact in her book Observation of the Influence of Religion upon the Health and Physical Welfare of Mankind. Brigham and others created the foundation that became known for instigating the religion, spirituality, and health movement.

Patients in religious institutions were treated with more compassion during this time, and the first form of psychiatric care in the United States included moral treatments. Religion was used as positive reinforcement: patients who had good conduct were allowed to attend church services.

Still, because of my own experience, I had to study stigmatizing attitudes. I discovered that mental disorders are highly stigmatized in the United States. Individuals suffering with any form of mental disorder usually experience all the key features of the stigma process. They are officially tagged and labeled, set apart, assumed to have undesirable characteristics, and broadly discriminated against as a result. One major aspect of stigma for people with mental disorders is that others think they are dangerous and unpredictable. The media teaches the public that individuals suffering from mental illness should be avoided.

On the other hand, researchers consistently found that when individuals had contact with people with mental disorders, they developed less-stigmatizing attitudes. In other words, encounters resulted in some people learning that not all individuals with mental disorders are dangerous; therefore, they feel less compelled to seek social distance.

I wrote this book to honor my Lord and Savior, with the hope that some other person who struggles with any form of mental disorders may seek Him for help. God’s purpose for you and me is not based on genetics, gender, or environment but on genuine faith and obedience. It is why our beliefs and practices are so important to our survival and success in this life. I want to thank God publicly for providing strength, knowledge, resources (including money, people, and equipment), time, energy, health, willpower, a fighting and determined spirit, and abilities and skills. Last, but so important, I thank Him for an understanding, supportive spouse who helped me to achieve many of the things written in this book.

Nonchurchgoers

What about those individuals who were not raised by godly, loving parents in great religious and spiritual communities? I can personally talk about at least some of these people, such as myself. Where was this God who many in the African American culture spoke of, prayed to, and preached about? Where was He when my sibling and I went without food day after day? Where was He when a Christian African American teacher whipped a seven-year-old child in front of her whole class because she stole a peanut butter biscuit from a classmate’s lunch bag? Yes, she knew stealing was wrong, but she hadn’t eaten in days, and she took only one of the classmate’s three biscuits.

Did this teacher know about the hungry child’s situation? Yes. Everyone in her community knew of her and her no-good family. Yet this did not stop the humiliating act, one in which this child was made to stand in front of her whole class, confess what she had done, and take her beating. Believe me, back in those days it was a beating, not a whipping. As the teacher took out her anger and disgrace on the seven-year-old for having the nerve to steal from someone in her classroom, the little girl never shed a tear. She could hear her classmates laughing as the teacher counted each time she raised her hand to hit this child’s bottom. Those classmates may not have known that this little girl was no stranger to beating. Religion and spirituality may not have been a major part of her home environment, but mental and physical abuses were