Life Challenges Do you find yourself in a life challenge or trial - not sure which way to turn? Has an event or illness suddenly changed the whole pattern of your life and your plan for the future? Life Challenges can shake you at your very core. It is our desire that through the articles below, you will find comfort for your past, practical help for today, and lasting hope for your future. Emotional Challenges   Dealing With Death Video   Dealing with Difficult People     Decision Making   Discouragement     Feeling Alone   Guilt     Healing A Broken Heart   How to Die*     Late Term Abortion   Life Challenges     Meaning in Tragedy   Obsessive Compulsive Disorder     Self Worth   Anger Management Techniques     Borderline Personality Disorder   Coping With Anxiety     Coping With Depression   Coping With Miscarriage     Dealing With Death   Dealing With Depression     Grief Process   Manic Depression     Miscarriage Statistics   Overcome Fear     Overcoming Jealousy   Panic Attacks     Post Abortion Syndrome   Separation Anxiety     Signs Of Depression   Stress Relief         Marriage and Family   Adult Children of Alcoholics   Caring For The Elderly     Empty Nest   Family Conflicts     Military Wife*   Retirement Planning     Single Parent   Single Woman     Stillbirth   Teenage Pregnancy     Television Addiction   Verbal Abuse     Adopting A Child   Blended Families     Christian Family Counseling   Christian Marriage Counseling     Coping With Divorce   Coping With Separation     Divorce Questions   Forgiving Infidelity     Manage Attention Deficit Disorder   Marital Infidelity     Marriage Conflict   Spouse Abuse     Suicide Of A Child           Physical Challenges   Cancer Treatment   Gastric Bypass Surgery     Hair Loss   Menopause     Obesity Help   Reverse Aging     Traumatic Brain Injury*   Alzheimers Support     Cancer Patients   Chronic Fatigue     Chronic Pain   Chronic Pain Relief     Coping With Loneliness   Hepatitis C     Managing Diabetes   Metastatic Breast Cancer     Pancreatitis   Trying to Conceive         Recovery   Alcohol Addiction   Alcohol Addiction Video     Christian Drug Addiction*   Drug Addiction     Drug Addiction Video   Food Addiction     Hypnosis Therapy   Rape Survivors     Workaholic   Anorexia & Bulimia     Child Abuse Help   Codependency     Codependency Recovery   Coping With Job Loss     How To Commit Suicide   I Hate My Life     Masturbation Addiction   Porn Addiction     Sex Addict Treatment   Sexual Abuse Survivor     Sexual Addiction   Smoking Addiction     Why Me God Decision Making – Taking Risks Ben struggles with decision making. The make of his next car, a potential career change, or a commitment to a long-term relationship, only compound Ben’s anxiety. If only our decisions were risk-free, guaranteeing us the best desired outcome! Decision making forces us to: accept responsibility for the success or failure of our choice experience first-hand how that decision helps or harms others identify the most reliable source of wisdom that equips us for making those decisions. Decision Making – Out of Your Mind! Decision making based only on human nature frequently produces serious consequences. When our selfish impulses influence choices, disaster soon follows. In the Bible, Abram (Abraham) offered his nephew, Lot, the choice of the whole land that rightfully belonged to Abram (Genesis 13:8-11). Lot made his decision without concern for Abram. Lot’s selfish desire for the most fertile, well-water plains caused him to settle near the wicked and sinful Sodom and Gomorrah. Abram, on the other hand, trusted in the promise of God (Genesis 12:1-3, 7) regardless of what Lot decided. Decision making based on God’s promises and commands always provides us with peace. When we exclude God from our decision making, we intentionally ignore God’s instructions. “I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word. But those who choose their own ways, delighting in their sins, are cursed . . . I will send great troubles against them—all the things they feared . . . When I spoke, they did not listen. They deliberately sinned—before my very eyes—and chose to do what they know I despise” (Isaiah 66:2-4, NLT). Our pride and selfishness suggests, “I’ll take this course of action. If God doesn’t stop me, it must be okay.” Instead, God’s direction and wisdom must be sought before we make any decision. Your Mind – Results in impetuous choices (1 Corinthians 3:18-19). Peer Pressure – Produces confusion and failure (Jeremiah 7:24). God’s Mind – Gives supernatural wisdom to you (Proverbs 2:3-8). Decision Making – A Humbling Experience One of the most difficult factors in decision making is humbling oneself, admitting that you don’t know it all or that you’ve failed. King David experienced first hand how his decision resulted in Israel being punished. Following David’s disobedience, God gave him three choices of punishment -- famine, destruction by his enemies, or plague (1 Chronicles 21:7–15). David based his next decision on God’s mercy. David understood that submitting to God’s commands was the right choice, even when it was painful. We all make costly mistakes, decisions that we wish we never made. Moses ignored God’s instructions (Numbers 20:8-12), Samson surrendered his strength (Judges 16:17-21), and Peter repeatedly denied knowing Jesus Christ (John 18:25-27). Each of these mighty men humbled themselves by asking for God’s forgiveness. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). The journey in any decision making may be a difficult and lengthy one. By trusting in God’s plans for our lives, we experience peace in the storms of life. Any decision that draws us closer in our relationship with God assures success (Jeremiah 29:11-13). When we surrender our will (pride and selfish motives) to God’s will, He gives us the desires of our heart (Psalm 27:3-5).