Monthly Archives: January 2019

Light in the Darkness – Light Series Part 3

A little while ago I talked about my struggle with Seasonal Affective Disorder and the role of light therapy in helping to overcome that. Well, for the past few weeks I have been able to take advantage of the Ultimate Light Therapy—the sun. I’ve been in Florida, and am due to go back to Wisconsin shortly. It is amazing how being in the bright sunshine day after day has changed me. I actually feel more like myself than I have in a long time. And I actually feel tanked up, and ready to return to below 0 temperatures and piles of snow. I have had such a good dose of sunshine that I think it will see me through until the return of the long and beautiful days that make up a Wisconsin summer.

Isaiah 60:19 says “No longer will you need the sun to shine by day, nor the moon to give its light by night, for the LORD your God will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.”

The more time we spend in God’s presence, the less our circumstances affect us. He helps us to see things, even hard things, from His point of view. And His light shines brighter and brighter in our hearts. So bright that in carries over into our darkest days.

Have you been spending time in the bright light of God’s presence?

This is the third post in my series on light. Click below to read the previous posts in this series:

The Power of Light

Light to See

Light to See – Light Series Part 2

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One time at my sister’s house Andrew and I were sleeping in their guest room, and I woke up about 3am to get up to go to the bathroom. Still half asleep, I stumbled through the bathroom door……and found myself tumbling down the stairs. It was dark, and (obviously) I wasn’t terribly familiar with the floor plan of the house. I thought I was going one way, but I was really going quite another.

If I had left the light on in the hall, I wouldn’t have made that mistake.

Isaiah 42:16 says “I will lead the blind by a way they do not know, in paths they do not know I will guide them. I will make darkness into light before them and rugged places into plains.”

It is always good to seek God’s light, but it is especially important if we are in an unfamiliar place. Maybe we have just moved to a new town, or taken a new job. We find ourselves in new surroundings, or with people we don’t know. Or it could be we are facing a fresh challenge, such as a health issue or a financial situation. Or maybe God is leading us to give Him an area of our lives that we haven’t yielded to Him before.

Whatever this change is, extra light will make it easier to navigate. Spend extra time each morning in God’s presence. Listen for His kind voice, reassuring you of His love for you. and directing your next steps.

And then embrace the day and move forward. Confident that God is with you in this unfamiliar territory and will be there to guide you through any rough spots.

Where are you in your journey of living life with God? Are you in unfamiliar territory right now?

The Power of Light – Light Series Part 1

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Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a common malady, especially in a place like Wisconsin, where I live and practice medicine. In Wisconsin wintertime the days are short and often overcast. This lack of light can change a person’s brain chemistry and cause them to feel depressed.

What helps?

One of the most effective treatments for SAD is light. Believe it or not, just sitting under a special light for 30 minutes every morning can help balance out that altered brain chemistry.

While only some people experience SAD, all of us are prone to Spiritual Seasonal Affective Disorder. The darkness of pain or loss—or just the stress of everyday life–can gradually pull us down into a pit of despair or hopelessness that drains us of energy and suffocates our joy.

One of the best ways to prevent this SSAD, and to treat it when you have it, is to spend time with God at the beginning of each day. 1 John 1:5 says “God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.” When we spend time with Him, we are sitting under the brightest light in the world.

Are you suffering from SSAD? Or do you want to prevent it? Make a plan. And then follow the plan. Spend at least 30 minutes every morning sitting in the God’s bright presence. When you do this consistently, you will find that gradually your perspective– and your joy– is restored.

What is your favorite way to experience God’s presence in the morning?

New Year, New Plans

Last year I laid out my “Four Steps to Planning the Year.” This is a great place to start if you don’t already have a process for yourself.

I wrote a series of three posts on Goals – starting with “Taking Aim”. If you need to review and revisit your goals, this would be a great place for you to start.

Over mountain scene, "For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope. Jef. 29:11

This four-part planning series, beginning with “God’s Plan A,” deals with God’s plans for us, how we can know if we need to re-evaluate, different ways of planning, and praying through planning.

2:5:16 Pray Plan Pray

If praying through your plans is the area you want to focus on, read “Pray Plan Pray” for my framework for praying at the beginning of the year.

3:9:16 Prepping for success

“Prepping for Success” is a post I wrote about how I stay focused on my daily meeting with God. If you are looking to start a new habit this year, and particularly if that habit is staying focused in your daily meetings with God, read this post for my best tips.