ThirstySouls
A workgroup celebrating healing and well being of the mind and soul; learning to listen,... View more
Organizers:
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TS Outline
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TS Outline
Introduction:
Feelings of worthlessness. Low self-esteem. Illegitimate guilt. The inability to forgive. Bitterness and
resentment. Dependency. Unhealthy relationship patterns. These battles rage within the minds of millions
of people, including Christians. Although these may be mistaken as private battles, they are part of a much larger
battle—the battle between Christ and Satan, the battle for our hearts and minds.
(Taken from the book introduction for Could It Be This Simple by Timothy R. Jennings, M. D. on
Amazon.com)
A. The mind as a computer
1. Hardware
a. Actual physical components of a store bought computer – (i.e., the hard drive, the video
card, the network card, etc.)
b. Physical components of our mental computer – Brain tissue with all of its billions of
neurons (never cells)
2. Software
a. Operating system for a store bought computer – (i.e., Libra Office, Microsoft Office, etc.)
1. Updated periodically
b. Operating system for our mental computer – (the language we speak, the God we worship,
our beliefs, values, moral, how we play and interact with others.
1. Modified throughout our lives
3. Energy source
a. For a store bought computer – Electricity
1. A faulty energy source can cause glitches and short circuits.
b. For our mental computer – Blood
1. Delivers nutrients and takes away wast.
2. If the blood flow in inconsistent or contaminated the function of the brain suffers.
B. How we think makes a difference
1. “Your thoughts, if you think them over and over, and assign truth to them, become beliefs.
Beliefs create a cognitive lens through which you interpret the events of your world and this
lens serves as a selective filter through which you sift the environment for evidence that
matches up with what you believe to be true.” (Psychology Today; Jennice Vilhauer Ph.D.)
2. “Have you ever wondered if you could train your brain to think more positively? It’s not just
wishful thinking; it’s neuroscience. The brain’s ability to adapt and form new connections
provides a pathway for rewiring our thought patterns and cultivating optimism.” (Psychology
Today; Justin James Kennedy, D.Prof)
3. Neuroplasticity is the brain’s remarkable ability to change and adapt throughout life. It allows
us to learn new skills, and reshape how we think. (Psychology Today; Justin James Kennedy,
D.Prof)
C. The Prefrontal Cortex and the Amygdala
1. The Prefrontal Cortex is the part of the brain which separates us from the animal kingdom.
a. Called the Higher or Spiritual Nature
b. The place where we reason.
1. Reason considers facts, context, etc.
c. The place of conscience.
1. Based on morals or ethics
d. The place of judgment.
1. Based on reason and conscience
e. The place of worship.
1. We all worship something.
2. The Amygdala is the part of the brain where emotions and feeling rule.
a. Fear
b. Anxiety
c. Grief
d. Trauma
e. Rejection
f. Guilt
g. Lust
h. Feeling Overwhelmed
3. The amount of time we spend in each part can affect or mental health.
a. The amygdala is where our fight-or-flight reaction is formed (Healthy)
b. Too much time spent in the amygdala inhibits our ability to reason.
1. Emotions and feelings take over. (Unhealthy)
2. Emotions can overrule conscience. (Unhealthy)
3. Emotions can cause poor judgment. (Unhealthy)
c. Any time that our emotions override our judgment, unhealthy action will be the outcome.
1. “If it feels good, do it.” is not a healthy approach to decision-making.
d. The Prefrontal Cortex area is where “higher thinking” takes place
1. This is the area where we consider facts. Am I really useless?
2. Truth can override emotions. Some fear may be called for but too much fear may be unfounded and cause greater anxiety.
3. This is the area where we can look reasonably at the entire situation. Not to deny feelings or
emotions but to be able to look beyond them.
e. As we look at the relationship between mental health and the way we think, these will be
the two areas of main concern.
1. How do each of these areas affect what we think?
2. How does what we think affect each of these areas?
4. Physical health and Mental health.
a. Our physical health has an effect on our mental health
1. Physical damage to the brain. (i.e. Accidents, birth defects, etc.)
2. Use of alcohol and illicit drugs.
3. Eating habits. (i.e. fast foods, highly processed foods, sugar, starch, etc.)
Can cause obesity, diabetes, etc. Eating disorders. Our brain relies on proper nutrition.
4. Lack of exercise.
5. Change your mind change your life.
a. “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new
person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you,
which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:2; NLT; Emphasis mine)
b. Believe that things can change.
1. What you believe will make a difference.
c. Our feelings and emotions are real but may not be based on truth or reason.
d. Get rid of the stigma associated with mental health.
1. It’s okay not to be okay. This can be hard for Christians.
2. It’s okay to seek mental help.
e. Find a place where you can talk openly about your problems.
1. We hope this can be one of those places.
f. Know that you are not alone.
1. God is with you and loves you.
2. We will stand with you.
3. Others suffer with the same feelings and emotions.
6. Some areas to talk about (there will be others).
a. Anxiety – Considered to be the number one mental health issue in America.
b. Guilt – Tells you you’ve done something wrong. We all make mistakes.
c. Shame – Tells you there is something wrong with you. It makes you feel that you are
unworthy of love, forgiveness or help.
d. No joy – How long since you laughed like a child? Something too your joy.
e. Lust – To lust is to crave what does not belong to you.
f. Feeling overwhelmed – The battle is too great to deal with.
g. Pain – There is no pain free option.
h. Rejection – Whether by others or by God Himself.
D. Tools for improving mental health. Get rid of “stinking thinking”
1. Trust God!!!
2. Scripture
a. “4 The weapons we use in our fight are not the world’s weapons but God’s powerful
weapons, which we use to destroy strongholds. We destroy false arguments; 5 we pull
down every proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God; we take every
thought captive and make it obey Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (Good News Translation;
emphasis mine)
3. UFO
a. Max Lucado offers this acrostic:
1. U – Untruth (It may be a lie or an inaccurate assumption.)
F – False Narrative (I’m such a loser. I screwed up again. It’s me against the world.)
O – Overreaction (Overreactions have their reasons. They also have their consequences.)
2. Taken from his book; Tame Your Thoughts; Thomas Nelson Publishers
4. Search for truth
a. “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” Jesus; John 17:17; NIV (emphasis mine)
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This discussion was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by
bopbop.
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This discussion was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by
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2 Replies
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This is an awesome summary of months of research you’ve been working on! I can’t wait to sit down with it for a few minutes. Thanks for posting.
I really see this evolving into a content journey where people can get the main ideas of a lot of research to understand their own pathway. This outline is the highway, but each topic is kind of an exit ramp to a stop with deeper work and services for the journey.
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This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by Ben.
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This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by
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Terry, thank you for investing in the well-being of others by doing the tough work required. I agree with Ben, this outline has the blueprint for a map addressing the whole person. Addressing the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of the person, while understanding that each one affects the other is foundational to mental health. Thank you for sharing your work and journey as this work continues to unfold to the glory of God!
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