A chance to defeat stress?

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Hey Readers,

Today I'm dishing out a dose of reality that we all experience, and that my dear readers, is stress.
I don't know about you guys, but whenever i get stressed, i feel unbelievably guilty...do you?
why that is? easy! because i get told it is wrong to worry.
I mean, whenever i talk to anyone about my premature grey hair (just kidding). They always say that we are to trust! often times that's not exactly what i want to hear.

I want a pity- fest for crying out loud, is that too much to ask!?

the answer is yes, it is too much to ask. Sorry. 

 Now, now, don't go closing this page with an eyes rolling saying "here we go again, no one understands!"
because i do, seriously.

I am a teen girl in university studying youth work, which is like social work only focused on teenagers who have issues like abuse, mental, physical or spiritual, depression and suicide, and anything from alcohol to drugs, well, anything really.
Now tell me that's not stressful! Not only that, but as I'm sure most of you are experiencing that family life is.not.easy! It's enough to make you lose hair like crazy, and add in other factors,volunteer jobs, responsibilities, lack of sleep, work and sometimes, church could be a pressure you face.
We have now a recipe to reduce the toughest body builder to tears.

Sheesh, sometimes (most times) I like to imagine myself hopping on a plane and moving as far from life as possible! Canada became one of my favourite words when i think of running away.
However, like what my Pastor's wife tells me when i speak of my Canada fantasy, she'll say something wise like:

"No matter how far you run, your trouble will always catch up to you, so why not face them now?"
Yep she's wise and sometimes it's not what i want to hear, hands up people who huff when the truth is told?
i must say, i am positively guilty of pouting at such words.

praise the Lord for patient church leaders!

So what does the Bible say about the evil that is stress? Let's see, wow there's actually boat loads!

"Cast your burden on the LORD, and He shall sustain you' he shall never permit the righteous to be moved." -Psalm 55:22

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” - Matthew 11: 28 - 30

"Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.- Isaiah 40:30-31

AND SOOO MANY MORE VERSES! So Amen anyone? The Lord knows i'm young and weary! This week has been trialing for me, I'm facing things at the moment that are not fun, stress is making me sick (literally).
 You know those people who overeat when they get stressed? well, for me it's the opposite. When i get this badly stressed, i don't eat at all and when i do i feel horrible stomach pain, and feel like the food will come back up!
 So this results in me not having enough nutrition and having university friends ask me why I look like I'm about to faint.
Not good stuff! one meal a day is not enough to function at university...i'm learning that now!

So what's the right thing to do? I guess i may as well sing a bit of frozen "let it go, let it go, can't hold it back anymore! let it go, let it go, turn away and slam the dooorr etc..."

  okay, here is a few tips to let things go:

 1. acknowledge that you're stressed or you have a problem! (this may seem obvious, but majority of people don't know they are stressed until a meltdown happens!)

2. If you start crying, that's okay! (tears often help, i find when I'm bawling my eyes out, tears are the beginning of healing and prayer sessions get more intense!)

 3. Find a GODLY (and i stress the Godly) someone you trust that has a no judgement policy! (This helps! You need a Godly someone to open your heart to, how else will you get good and sensible advice? i have two people in my life and church, my pastor's wife and a youth leader! If you do not have these, maybe find a christian counselor or christian youth worker?)

 5. Be honest with yourself (any anger and resentment bubbling inside of you?)

 6. Remember, God loves you, he doesn't condemn you because you worry, he wants to give you rest and take your heavy load! (remember Matthew 11: 28-30?)

 7. Smile, and take time to go on long walks or start working out!

8. Nothing worries you less than taking the Bible and reading God's promises and his acts of love (I will never leave nor forsake you- Deuteronomy 31:6)

 9. Pray!

10. Think of the good things in your life and not just the nasty!

 11. Things will get better, Hope is the enemy of stress, anxiety and depression. Hope in God and he WILL see you through the storms of life!

12. You can't run away, face the issues now and the stress will one day be a distant albeit unpleasant memory, but you'll remember how the Lord came alongside to help you, because you asked him to be there with you :)  Hope that helps!