hope

Hi every one !
When you are battling chronic anxiety, stress, or a heavy depression, your mind can feel like a non-stop storm. Traditional coping skills are highly important, but sometimes there is a deeper emotional and soul tiredness that medicine alone struggles to heal.
Through my research in spiritual psychology, I’ve found that true tranquility begins when we build a daily emotional barrier—what I call The 3-Step Faith Shield.
Instead of exhausting yourself by fighting or arguing with every negative and obsessive thought, this method focuses on:
1. Withdrawing the fuel: Recognizing the thought without feeding it with your attention.
2. Spiritual Grounding: Shifting your focus away from the chaotic mind and anchoring your heart in divine remembrance.
3. Practicing Sakina: Cultivating deep, intentional inner peace by trusting that your present and future are held by a higher wisdom.
This shifting of awareness helps silence the mental loops and gives your nervous system a chance to rest.
I’ve mapped out this exact step-by-step framework in my guide, The Ultimate Solution to Depression. Out of respect for our community space, I won't drop direct links here, but I have uploaded a free chapter preview on my personal website. You can find the link directly in my profile bio.
I’d love to hear from you: What daily habits help you shield your mind when anxiety starts getting too loud? #MightyTogether #Depression #Hope #innerpeace

Sometimes we might find ourselves struggling to believe some promises in the Bible. However I have no trouble believing the words of Jesus when He said we will have many tribulations.

7 weeks ago I started giving myself daily injections of Teriparatide. It’s designed to rebuild bone density. It is the last option for me to reverse my tendency to shatter bones so easily. Unfortunately the side effects have been quite disappointing. I am having high incidence of nerve pain and headaches. My doctors have never heard of nerve pain being a side effect before. They said “I am special”.

A few years ago when I came perilously close to losing a leg due to spontaneous acute compartment syndrome the doctors said I was special. The incidence of this type happening was one in 1.5 million people.

Jesus, I don’t want to be special anymore.

This just serves to remind me that this life on earth is nothing like heaven. We have hope of much better days!

I finally got my official June ER lab records today, and seeing the raw machine data on the screen completely rewrote my understanding of my own body.
For months, I thought my acute collapse this past summer was bad. But the actual numbers show a level of systemic failure that leaves me stunned I was even awake. My Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) didn’t just spike—it reached an astronomical 478 uIU/mL (with a normal range being 0.4 to 4.0). My Free T4 was critically low at 0.11 ng/dL, meaning my bloodstream was carrying virtually zero circulating thyroid hormone.
To have your metabolic engine completely bottom out like that is terrifying. It means my cells were operating in a state of severe hibernation. It completely validates every single scary physical breakdown I’ve endured since then.
Without thyroid hormone, my peripheral nerves lost their signaling power, causing debilitating left-arm numbness that mimicked a stroke. My gastrointestinal smooth muscles were literally paralyzed, causing profound slow-transit constipation that alternated with sudden, high-volume overflow leaks. My autonomic nervous system completely lost control of my bladder and bowel sphincter lines.
Because adult incontinence carries such intense societal shame, it’s a relief to have the hard machine data prove it wasn't a personal failure or a lack of willpower—it was a literal, mechanical consequence of a near-coma level endocrine emergency.
My primary care clinic appointment today was a mixed bag. The doctor was busy, distracted, and nonchalantly asked if my symptoms were "all in my head" before slapping a generic "depression" label on my chart and dipping out. She had no idea my system was surviving on zero hormone just three months ago because the hospital records never forwarded.
But I pushed back, I spoke up, and I held my ground. My current TSH is down near 4.5. We are adjusting my Levothyroxine, adding a twice-daily active T3 medication (Liothyronine) to jumpstart my cells, and trying a non-stimulant ADHD med (Qelbree) to help anchor my severe brain fog and executive dysfunction.
The best news is I successfully unlocked an affordable $10-per-visit care pipeline to Nashville General Hospital, bypassing the clinic gatekeepers to get direct access to the experts who can actually help me build my state adult disability case: an Endocrinologist, a Psychologist, a Neurologist, and a Physical Therapist.
This recovery process is going to move at a much slower, more glacial pace than I originally anticipated. My chronic fatigue, joint pain, migraines, and interoception gaps still decimate my daily spoons, and my independent living landscape is incredibly high-friction. But today, I hold the absolute laboratory truth of my condition in my hands. My symptoms are real, my history is verified, and I am moving forward one mechanical step at a time.
#IdiopathicHypersomnia #HashimotosThyroiditis #NeurogenicBladder #adultautism #ADHD #AutismSpectrumDisorder #ChronicFatigue #Incontinence #selfadvocacy #ChronicPain
#MightyTogether #Nashville #Migraine #Hope

Sometimes we are our own worst critics. Sometimes the kindest thing we can do for ourselves is to adjust, lower, our expectations. Last night I was talking with a friend who is newly retired. He said he might start learning how to play the piano.

I told him many years ago I started having piano lessons. One day the teacher said to me, “I cannot in good conscience take your money anymore”. You see I have weird little fingers on both hands. I was born with them that way. The tendons are too short so they can’t move at all.

However, when no one is at home, I have started learning some piano technique through YouTube. I know I will never be proficient, but, it’s still a bit of fun.

What do you need to let go? What reality do you have to accept? Don’t beat yourself up so easily. Sometimes “having a go” is the best we can do. Self love is a great investment!!!

We all need reminding sometimes.

You can trust God, even when it seems scary.

This is going to be one of the hardest posts I’ve ever made. I have been absent for quite a few weeks. The reason for this is for many reasons but mainly because I have been having a multitude of medical tests.

My Wife has expressed concern about my driving for awhile now. I have been on occasions misjudging distance of other cars, waiting too long at traffic lights after they turn green etc. There have been times when trying to process all the traffic movements around me has flooded my mind. Living in a city of 5 million people means this is a challenge. I have also been on occasions struggling to remember names of people I have known as acquaintances.

After many neurological tests early onset dementia has been ruled out, in fact any physiological condition has been ruled out. The conclusion the doctors have come it’s a psychological issue.

Some of you may recall that about 5 years ago a brother and sister went to the police and accused me of assault dating back to 1983. That allegation resulted in a very close suicide event and extended stay in a psych hospital.

After an 18 month investigation the matter was withdrawn before it went to court as we were able to provide irrefutable evidence I was overseas and interstate that whole year. I was a professional actor in 82 and 83 and spend 12 months overseas on tour. There were also major holes in their account and in the end they stopped responding to the police. My lawyers said from the start it was always about money as in the state where they live there is substantial automatic compensation just for making the allegation. There was also bitterness with them because they falsely believed that when I finished acting I would return and marry her. Instead I returned and proposed to my now wife who I had a long distance relationship the whole 2 years I was away.

We thought the matter was closed when the charge was dropped. 18 months ago I was advised they had brought a lawsuit against the church. I thought it had no hope as I attended the church for 3 months in 1981 and was away 82,83.

Well the church not wanting adverse publicity and knowing the courts in that state had a demonstrable bias against churches, settled the matter with a payout. I was very disappointed. What a waste of money and I saw it as rewarding lies. 12 months after the settlement I was advised that the insurance company that covers Pastors would no longer cover me because of the settlement and my credentials were withdrawn. My supervisor was in tears when he told me. He knows I am innocent but the matter was out of his hands.

I was instructed to have a 6 month hiatus from speaking in case the liars saw me on our livestream. For awhile now everything is back to normal and the only restriction is I can’t legally conduct weddings which doesn’t bother me at all.

What really upsets me is how the system in that state is biased to the extent that even making an allegation leads to compensation even if it’s not tested in court. And there will be people aware of the case who believe where there is smoke there is fire.

So now I have to re engage with a therapist. I have been suggested to see one who specialises in helping Pastors and who is a Pastors Wife and understands the unique nature of the ministry.

Interestingly since I decided to pursue therapy again my driving has significantly improved. I really didn’t want to end up here again but ignoring it would be extremely irresponsible. The journey continues.