stress Archives - Summit Wellness Centers, PLLC

by Lori Heagney, MS, LPC

One of our family traditions is to attend the NC Mountain State Fair every fall. My kids love to enter in the various competitions and have done quite well over the years. Despite their enthusiasm to find out their winnings, they always stop at the first booth upon entering the room to practice weaving on the fiber looms.

While watching and waiting on one such occasion, the Lord reminded me that He desires a relationship that is as tight and dependent on Him as one thread is on the other in a tapestry. This lead me to do some research on the weaving process.

In the weaving operation there are two fibers; one is called the warp and the other is referred to as the weft. According to Wikipedia, “The warp is the set of yarns or other elements stretched in place on a loom before the weft is introduced during the weaving process. The warp must be strong to be held under high tension during the weaving process, unlike the weft which carries almost no tension (Wikipedia.org)“.

It occurred to me that without the strength that comes from the “warp,” the “weft” would fall apart. I have found this is also true in our relationship with God. When we are in constant communication regarding our decisions and direction just as the threads are connected with each other at each crossfiber, then we are held together by His strength and the end result is a beautiful symphony of color and creativity that only He could weave together.

Additionally, just as the weft is designed to carry little tension, so we are meant to unburden ourselves of the things in our lives that we alone cannot carry. If we take God out of the equation and attempt to do things on sheer self-reliance what we get is the equivalent of a loose thread striving to do a job that is impossible to accomplish alone.

I love that God gave us visual pictures to help us understand His principles. The next time you put on your favorite shirt or dry the dishes with a sturdy dish towel, I hope you remember that the Lord desires our dependence on Him just as the weft fiber of the material relies on the strength of the warp to hold them together. It is His strength that holds our lives together, yet He invites us in and makes something beautiful when we allow Him to weave as He would, the events and situations that create the beautiful masterpiece of our lives.

Image by Sabine van Erp from Pixabay

by Donna Gibbs

Did you know that April 16 is National Stress Awareness Day? The day after tax day – that’s fitting, don’t you think? April is also National Stress Awareness Month. I know, there is an awareness day or month for everything under the sun, but this really is an important one, so we are going to discuss it in today’s blog!

Though we always hear that stress is terrible for us, it is certainly inevitable this side of eternity. I believe that God created us with the capacity to feel negative emotions like stress in order to fuel a productive response. A little stress keeps us on our toes. A little stress can allow us to show more attention to detail, and to be more focused and efficient. You’ve probably even heard some people say that they work best under pressure.

But, what about a lot of stress? You guessed it – Too much of a good thing….is still too much! Truth is, chronic stress is down-right toxic. Our body releases chemicals and hormones that allow infrequent and low-level stress to have a positive effect, but when we receive too much of these chemicals they begin to build up, and are the culprit for many physical and psychological struggles.

So, today, let’s just take a moment to evaluate your stress levels. Where is a little stress working to your benefit? Are there some unnecessary stressors in your life that must be addressed? What emotional or psychological struggles are you experiencing due to chronic stress? What physical problems are you experiencing that are potentially related to elevated stress in your life?

If you are overwhelmed by the thought of facing your stressors, it’s time to reach out to a trusted friend, pastor or counselor. Other great stress-relief tips? Exercise, healthy nutrition, deep breathing and adequate rest are great physical skills. Prayer and bible-study will allow you to maintain an eternal perspective on stressors. Lastly, there’s laughter, which will connect you with others, and is “good like medicine”.

Praying you have a “stress-free” weekend ahead!

Donna Gibbs, co-owner of Summit Wellness Centers, PLLC, is author of the recent releases, Silencing Insecurity and Becoming Resilient. Donna has authored numerous other books, her blogs are frequently shared in various media outlets, and she is commonly featured on radio broadcasts across America, and occasionally internationally as well. Donna has been providing individuals and families the hope and help they need for more than twenty years as a national certified counselor, board-certified professional Christian counselor, and licensed professional counselor supervisor. A member of the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC), she is a leading professional provider for Focus on the Family, Christian Care Network, r3Continuum, FINDINGbalance, and Samaritan’s Purse.
Follow Donna’s author page at https://www.facebook.com/DonnaGibbsResilience/ for daily encouragement, the weekly blog, and updates regarding events and speaking engagements.

Tag: stress

Warp and Weft

National Stress Awareness Day: When Too Much of a Good Thing is… Still Too Much!