Tag Archive | mental health

Weighted Blanket Therapy

“Weighted Blanket Therapy is a type of therapy that reduces transitional anxiety, and other induced anxieties. It is also used to treat those with sensory processing disorder, preventing emotional meltdowns.

This is a, if not the, reason that babies are wrapped or swaddled when entering this side of living from the womb side of living. Their thoughts, unknown to us, are already processing something is different, unfamiliar. Their neurological system starts to alter at the onset of their transition, thus the reaction of crying. Although, some babies reaction is whimpering while some others is nothing and they have to BE resuscitated to this terrestrial realm. SELAH!

The swaddling. SELAH! Have you ever pondered why the LORD Yeshua was wrapped in swaddling clothes? Preservation and Prevention. Swaddling relaxes not just the body, but also the mind. It eases the adaption process; improves focus by hearing, seeing, and by touch. And, it also helps you to sleep better with a sense – key word – of safety.

These therapy blankets are instrumental for those of us who experience a lack of harmony with our sensory processing. This neurological deficit cannot BE properly recalibrated, restored back to normal, by medicinal practices. The right touch is so important! And, woe unto those who abuses it by the lack thereof or by the inappropriate use of.

So then, who are you IN touch with today? What are you wrapped up, tied up, tangled up in? Personally, I’ve touched hope today. I’ve swaddled myself with my measure of faith, and I AM comforted, safe, and at ease. SELAH. Without these healing touches, that will reintegrate us back to our “in the beginning” state, we create cavities in the soul. SELAH! Oh to BE swaddled, once again” (Smith, Angela M. 2016).

Doer of the Declaration

Jan14

Today, I attended another case conference to review and update the goals and plans of a teenager. In these case conferences, we work on three things: (1) we review past goals and successes/failures of those goals, as well as ask the teen questions about how they view their progress, (2) then, we update/establish new goals based upon the progress/regression of the child, as well as listen to and hear their objective on what they desire to achieve next, and last (3) we develop a plan to succeed the afresh established goals.

After the conference, I sat in my car and recapped all that was discussed and the words advocacy, declaration, and helper were paddling in my soul.

Goals and declarations, to me, are tantamount. Embodied in both words, a person is composing a confident statement by giving specific details of a plan. They are expressing something that they desire to have. In my area of expertise, and otherwise, I’ve watched many people inscribe declarations (goals) and that’s it. All they’ve done was state something over and over again. However, saying something without doing something will retard the emerging of the declaration. Thus, the never-ending saying, stating, talking, writing, and likewise the never-ending not doing.

By way of example: let’s say that one of my declarations (goals) is that Nataph Consulting will work with a retired NFL/MLB sportsperson providing executive director services for his foundation. My ideal work space is my home office, and I will travel, on occasion, as required to the site location. This is one of my declarations (goals). What is the most likely result of this declaration (goal) if I do not submit my required credentials? Will the person even know that I exist, that I’m qualified, that my KSA’s and work ethics are exemplary, and that I will represent his name with integrity? No. They will not know. I have to do something that will bring awareness to them to propel my declaration (goal) to live. SELAH! I must BE a doer!

To witness the “BE fruitful and multiply” results of our declaration (goal), we have to BE doers. Doers are people who “always” progress, improve, increase, get better, etc. They attract helpers (someone who works with them and their plan of action) who are dedicated to advocacy (actively supporting them; speaking in favor of them). These helpers read, they understand, and they implement the forthright declarations (goals) so that they (the declarations/goals) surely come. And, a team of helpers is a team of doers…and givers.

Remember, doers are people who “always” progress, improve, increase, get better, etc. Thus, helpers will “always” progress, improve, increase, get better, etc. SELAH! So then, if you don’t have a plan, an idea, a chart, a sketch, something for helpers to help you with, you can’t justly expect them to help you unto acquiring your declaration (goal).

What are you doing, not saying, that requires the help of a helper?

From this case conference, I, once more, realized that articulating a declaration and penning a goal is priority. For that reason, taking action to propel the declaration into existence cannot BE skirted. The teen in this case saw his declaration (goal) face-to-face today. It was a 3-month plan and he achieved exactly what he desired to achieve, and the reward was exactly what his team of helpers said it was.

He progressed to another level; a level that he declared to succeed. Now, although he has a team of helpers (a team of doers) advocating for him, he was encouraged to take part in his advocacy and BE his own helper; to BE a doer. Again, doers of the declaration (goal) “always” progress, improve, increase, and get better.

In such manner as this teenager, so it is with us parents, relatives, entrepreneurs, educators, athletes, business owners, etc. We must not only say and write or expound and exclaim, we must BE a doer of the declaration (goal). We must escape the sinful nature of chicanery to manipulate doers and givers into advocating for us because we have failed to advocate for ourselves. With great compassion, I compel us all to BEcome diligent doers of our own declarations (goals).

I dedicate this blog to my son, Jordan G. “TheArtistic” Hicks. We developed a plan, you worked the plan, your team of helpers advocated for you on the journey, and today you received exactly what you told me you wanted. Well done son! I love you!

It is the 40th Day

Sep17

For a few days now, I’ve been attempting to choose a song to minister at a service and no thing was coming to mind for the cause. When I was asked about what I would be rendering, I had no other answer than, “I don’t know.”

On this morning’s drive, I succinctly heard the phrase, “SAY YES TO ME.” Instantly, the lyrics to one of my favorites rose to awareness: “God wants a YES! YES to His will! YES to His way!” Soon thereafter, a medley of “YES” songs began to flow as I made my declaration of YES to the voice of the LORD my YAH! YES to do right in His sight! YES to give ear to His commandments and keep ALL His statues!

Sitting at my desk, with the intent to meditate and soak in the scriptures, that I BElieve in, Exodus 15:25-27 was the very first scripture that enlightened me:

“And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there He made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there He proved them, and said, IF thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God,and wilt do that which is right in His sight, and wilt give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statues, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee. And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.”

While meditating, at 9:52 a.m. (16, means love) the enemy started to pressure me with false advertisements (deceptions) of love. Just 10 days ago, September 7, 2015, I wrote about how my oil level is at 100%, and I will LET no man deceive me. Today, there was evidence that my oil level is maintained. At 10:24 a.m. (7, means perfection or completeness) the Holy Spirit, in a few perfect words, whispered to my soul, “It is the 40^th day!”

I quickly jumped up and BEgin to worship the LORD with my voice. I looked at the date and did the calculation, not because I wasn’t sure, but because I was sure that I had heard accurately. Sure enough, today is the 40^th day (I had started a journey of potentials on August 8, 2015), and my conscious self came alive to what was opened up in my spirit.

The Spirit of the Truth has been speaking to me with numbers for a long time now. So, I started studying the number 40. Forty, from a biblical perspective, means a period of testing, trials, or probation. During my 40-day encounters, I didn’t even realize that I was being tested. Nonetheless, at the moment of revealed knowledge I couldn’t resist the lifting of my hands, the walking and rejoicing, and the tears of thanksgiving BEcause I had passed this period of persuasion.

The enemy said,

“I will pursue her; I will overtake her; and my lust shall BE satisfied upon her.”

Even so, there was yet a predetermined plan for this will. The enemy and my days of old behavioral configuration (giving in to enticements) were defeated BEcause I recognized the wile spirit and rebuked it. Through it all, Marah (meaning a drop of bitterness or heaviness) could have been my disposition. I could have chosen to pitch a fit. However, I choose to pitch a tent and LET peace and gladness abide. SELAH!

There is this one thing I’ve desired for my household, and twice in the last 40-days the prospect of having my desire was at my pleasure. Yet and still, the Spirit alive was guiding me in that the presence that I’ve heard for 40-days was not the suitable presence for us. Thus, the invariable nature of my position, as an unmarried mother, is this: it is not due diligence for me to (and I cannot) make swift decisions concerning my hope. I must continue to rely on, and put my trust in, YAH as I work my faith.

I’m unequivocally certain that there will BE many more 40-days. As for this one though, I acclaim, “My YES is to the righteousness of YAH and the guidance of His Spirit!” In such, there is no failure.

The Law of Giving

Aug5

Today, once again, I was considering the truth regarding The Law of Giving. Admittedly, I can’t live without this principle as I fully love and enjoy giving. Why? Because I know the multiplied effects of unspeakable joy that it produces in the form of receiving. And, tis receiving isn’t a one-way reception. To mention, I fully love and enjoy receiving as well. Second Corinthians 9, amongst many other holy directives, is an excellent teacher on the law of giving. It directs us in a very methodical manner on how to give:

Verse 6: Soweth sparingly reap also sparingly; soweth bountifully reap also bountifully

Verse 7: Every man according as he purposeth in his heart; so LET him give; NOT grudgingly; Or of necessity; For God loveth a cheerful giver

A week ago, I reviewed the power of the Archaic suffix, and Greek tense word, ‘eth. Here we see it again in soweth, purposeth, and loveth; this meaning continual action of sowing and continual action of purpose. SELAH! Now, if for any reason (doubt, fear, skepticism, etc.) you think, believe, and feel that through your giving you are losing or that you might not receive, you are losing indeed. As it is true, according to this law, those reasons (and others like them) will not ever bring a positive increase. You can, of the sorts, become similar to the expression of Haggai 1:6 in that your giving was put into a bag with holes. There is no return. You are losing and have lost your ability to receive because you didn’t properly give.

The condition of the heart is very important when giving. This is why Paul said we are to LET every man give according as he purposeth in his heart. That meaning, LET him do it. We shouldn’t coerce man to give. The scriptures calls of us to LET him do it (give) according to the intent of his heart. I’ve witnessed many people give their time, their resources, their expertise, their financial support, etc. all so grudgingly. Why to you supposed people give in such manner? I offer a few reasons why:

1.) They’ve been repeatedly forced to give.

2.) They’ve been told if they don’t sow a seed (monetary) they will not BE blessed.

3.) They’ve been tricked and abused.

4.) They’ve been giving to “takers” and not other givers (who are actually receivers), expecting a return from takers and that will never happen.

5.) They’re selfish.

6.) They’re hurting and often feel justified by not giving, willingly or forced

Although these are legitimate reasons for one reason or another, we should always BE compelled to give by compassion and courtesy, hugs and flowers, or prayers and considerations; by paying a bill for someone, filling up their gas tank, or buying their groceries. If you see they need shoes, buy them. If you see they need a place to live, help them get it; or a warm hug and encouragement, give it to them. Although non-materialistic systems of giving are the most powerful, giving from a monetary perspective is also exceptionally helpful.

In some of our teachings of times past, it’s been implied that grudgingly only means reluctantly or unwilling. However, in 2 Corinthians 9:7 this word means lupe loo’-pay ; sadness, grievous, heaviness, sorrow. We are directed NOT to give under these conditions. In that same verse, we are told not to give OF necessity. This word (necessity) broke my attention because in the days not long ago, we were told to give out of our needs (something like that). In my mind, I would think that they were saying to me, e.g., if you need your rent paid give out of that (take from that since you don’t have it all anyways).

Then, I thought they were saying if you want to get out of a situation, a bind, a ditch, unclean tendencies and propensities, we should give (sow) our way out because sowing has a law of reciprocity that will not fail. And again, at times I don’t think people really understand what was meant. Necessity, means anagke an-ang-kay’; constraint; implication, distress:–distress, must needs, (of) necessity(-sary), needeth, needful. We are guided to NOT to give under these conditions or give out of your needs.

Nevertheless, by a measure of faith, faithful people would faithfully give a portion of their allocated food money, mortgage money, car maintenance money, or insurance money, etc. They’d double up on tithes and give 20%, and above that with their offerings. They wouldn’t hold back sowing bountifully into the lives of others, their households, their businesses, their product, their education, their gifts and their talents. By faith, they gave BEcause they BElieved they’d reap in the same way.

Then there is a cheerful giver. Cheerful, as used in the scripture, is the opposite of grudgingly and of necessity. It means hilaros hil-ar-os’; propitious or merry (“hilarious”), i.e. prompt or willing:–cheerful. Propitious is a very powerful word for a cheerful giver. SELAH! Cheerful givers are lively givers they are not sad, heavy, and full of sorrow. Thy don’t give for any other reason, to any person, organization, foundation, charity, event, project, or school, etc. other than the reason that God loveth a cheerful giver. They know that giving, in the right manner, produces increased results of God’s favour. And, they don’t give to be seen, noticed, applauded. Their liveliness is not about their outward display of hyperactivity and acceptance. Again, it is the condition (liveliness) of their heart purpose.

So then, knowing this truth and seeing how it effectively works in my life, I decree that: I and my household will continue to cuddle with giving day-in and day-out. We will continue to soweth bountifully and reap also bountifully. We will continue to give according as we have purposeth in our heart. We will BE cheerful givers, and will not give grudgingly OR of necessity. As I have decreed, so it is.

Now, while I was sitting here making my decree, a lady walks up to me and asks if I wanted to go to the baseball game tonight because she had extra tickets. Before I said yes, I begin to tell her about my evening last night. It was 8:35 p.m. (16 love) and I was on my way home from picking up the lads that we (my sons and I) watch over at night. When we got near the baseball park, I slowed downed and asked them if they had been to a baseball game yet. Gazing at the park through the window, they said no! I told them, “Well, we will have to make sure you get to go to one soon. You will love it!” Soon came in less than 24 hours later. At 11:24 a.m. (8 new beginning) this morning, I received 6 tickets to the game.

The Law of Giving works. We gave; we received. We soweth bountifully; we reap bountifully. I encourage you all to discover and grasp this nonstop free flowing action and response. It will change everything concerning the lack in your life. SELAH!

Compassion, I AM!

May28

Today, life events from my youth woke up as I was meditating. I remember in my days of youth how I used to be tormented by princedoms, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places (the soul). Even though my parents were praying parents, I, in my own assessment, didn’t know how to respond to this torment other than self-harm. As a child, I didn’t even know this word or what it meant. However, the tormenter that seeks to kill, steal, and destroy knew that word and had no respect of me being a child.

The most common practice of self-harming is a cutter, which is strongly suited with poisoning. I, on the other hand, wasn’t a cutter. I was a self-beater, both mentally and physically, with suicidal tendencies. My communication with myself was destructive! Consequently, my right knee tells a story of years of abuse. The abuse was first compulsive (driven by this inner force to do something), and then intentional (premediated, well thought out) because I saw the results of compassion that it yielded. Compassion!

In former times, my thinking lifestyle and life’s happenings led me to obsessive and compulsive behaviors. These behaviors stifled my life! My thoughts were hacked as I attempted to secure things from people who didn’t have what I needed. Behaviors that made me want to demand this, that, or the other from bankrupt resources and individuals who were not gifted to meet the demand. These thoughts were my responsibility. Even so, after gelling with how I had evolved considering my ways wasn’t a stress-free undertaking. Nonetheless, the onus was still on my shoulder to consider my ways. What did I do, or was not doing, that caused my life to BE what it was? My self-harming actions were, in reality, harming others

As I now breathe, before I BEcame whom I AM I had to BE healed of who I was. SELAH! Wisdom was a ray of light, schooling me in that I wasn’t created with these self-harming deficiencies. Yet, they were born. These shortcomings had to die! An abortion was requisite in order for me to cuddle with salvation, healing, and miracles. And die…they did! Not in one wave, but in many tides over the past 30 years. On this journey, I’ve discovered that confessing my faults concerning my thoughts dismantles the pallets of pride. .

Essentially, I had to break up with injury and cunning persuasions to collect compassion and learn how to BEcome the compassion (the Ruhamah) that I longed for. SELAH! In the here and now, for the past 2 years, I’ve been praying for that Ruhamah. My prayers were consistent in this manner, “LORD! I want to BE compassion and more compassionate. I yearn to BE that for and towards my children; for and towards the fortunate and fateful. LORD, LET me BE compassion!” As I set out to study what I wanted to BEcome, I learned that compassion doesn’t seek a return from others; it simply enjoys being what it is and doing what it does. Also, I’ve learned that it is an intensely powerful word that brings life. It has elements of mercy that runs deep to spring up like a rushing well of water. My study revealed to me that the word Ruhamah, which is Hebrew in origin, derives from the root-verb raham, meaning to love deeply/to have mercy. This kind of compassion is expressed in Exodus 33:19 and 2 Kings 13:23.

In order to BEcome the image of my Creator, I had to consider my ways and change my reasoning. To live, in the likeness of my YAH, I must continuously have the mind of Christ. My spirit self, meaning the real me, has to abound at all times lest I return to the foolishness of my natural self, i.e., the self-harming. Of this lot in life, I have fully BEcome whom I desired to BE and I covet no longer. I have long disowned self-harm, and I cleave to Pure Divine Love. I AM now, compassion!

Parents! REPENT!

Apr28

PARENTS! REPENT! – As a mother, and a parent, it makes me cheerful to hear others acknowledge that I have trained my sons well in the LORD, and that they are maturing and will be successful in this life God has given them. However, and even better, my soul rejoices when my DNA says, “MOM! Thank you for teaching me and raising me like you have. I don’t need to change to please people because I am RIGHT just like I AM!” I enjoyed my one-on-one time with my Jordan. However, it seems like when it is just him and I, I end up shopping and he ends up missing his brother.

Nonetheless, just as we did in ages past, some of us 30, 40, 50 years ago, our children and their peers are experiencing budding life changes; changes that will either bring death or life more abundantly. I’m reminded how the LORD prayed for Simon – Peter – because Satan desired to HAVE him for the purpose of sifting him as wheat. He prayed that his FAITH fail not. In this day, Satan still has that desire toward our Simon’s!

PARENTS! To those of you who believe in God, His Way, and His Truth I plead with you to teach your sons and daughters according to such. As it is in this very hour, we are 12 letters away from becoming like the WORLD when we forsake the WORD of the YAH! SELAH! Study so that you can impart revelatory wisdom and knowledge into their minds! Study to shew yourself approved unto God; RIGHTLY dividing the Word of TRUTH! I implore you…don’t put you and your family to shame status!

I beg of you, PARENTS, REPENT for your lack of understanding and your miscarriage of effectively communicating with the fruit of your womb. I request of you, PARENTS, to seek forgiveness from your sons and daughters whom you’ve injured with your wrongful conduct and your threatening language. I urge you, PARENTS, to turn from the world’s way of speaking and acting. Unlearn the world’s language and put the language of God in your mouth!

MOTHERS and FATHERS! I demand of you to STOP confusing the sinner child by living one way in public and yet another way in private. CEASE from admiring them in society and vilifying them at home. PARENTS! Terminate your two-timing double-minded canons! Rid yourself of that intimidation spirit! I say to you again, REPENT! Apologize to your sons and daughters for betraying them; for not justly fathering them; and for not selflessly mothering them! REPENT and commend your offspring for doing well; and chastise them with love!

PARENTS ARISE! BE blameless with your sons and daughters! Give them honor when honor is due them! PRAY for them and hug them with ongoing embraces of comfort and compassion! DRAW them to uprightness with Pure Divine Love! And, LET lovingkindness BE the lodestone unto salvation! ALLELUIA!

nataphwriter

Writings Inspired by YAH