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Goodbye 2022 – Hello 2023

My baby sister went missing. She is indeed not a baby anymore but she is previous to me all the same. She didn’t know who she was and every time we found her she would disappear again. Finally, she was found and taken in for observation and they diagnosed her with Alcohol-Induced Psychosis. https://www.banyanmentalhealth.com/2019/06/03/what-is-alcohol-induced-psychosis/

She had quite a challenging adventure from July till the end of December. When she came home right before Christmas. Talk about a Christmas miracle! Alcohol is not something people should take for granted. I know not everyone is alcoholics, but it is still a mind-altering substance. It was scary how much it changed her personality and she didn’t know who or where she was for most of those months among other things. If you drink alcohol you need to be careful this doesn’t happen to you especially if you are on other meds. I can not go deeper into the story it is not mine to tell but I needed to tell that part, not just for your sake if you drink, but also because it was such a miracle how God took care of her. He was with her everywhere she went, getting her the help she needed and restoring her to not her former self but better than she was before. I am still in awe of how God did it.

Let this be an example for you. Don’t wait till you are in trouble to change how you do things you should start taking care of yourself now. If you are depressed or addicted to something you shouldn’t be because of depression I am praying for you…. Depression is real and not everyone can recognize the signs. You may not even recognize you are depressed. The battles of life are real even if they don’t seem as valid to some as they do to you. A problem is a problem an issue is an issue…. How we deal with them is up to us.

This is good advice …..

You are a fighter a warrior a survivor! Even if you can not see it. Look at all you have accomplished so far. It may not seem a lot to you but it is a lot more than you would have done if you didn’t do anything. I used to be very hard on myself comparing myself to others asking God why them and not me? But I am not them nor are they me. We all have unique gifts and talents even if you do not see them others do and God does. If you realize it or not you impact other people’s lives by your actions or lack of actions, choices, and words. You leave lasting impressions you may never realize you do. As I say often we are windows. Constantly watched examples if we want to be or not. I am not saying this to add more pressure to you but it’s the truth. Another truth is you are loved! You may not feel loved or be around people who seem to appreciate you but you are loved. You are appreciated you are special! If you see it or not it is a fact! I strongly believe that! John 10 :10 says The devil comes only to steal kill and to destroy but I ( Jesus) Comes to bring life and to bring it abundantly! God / Jesus / The Holy Spirit want you to be happy they want you you be healthy and whole. They want you to succeed. They want your life to be full of blessings and well full of goodness. There is a real enemy out there who wants to see you fail fall down and even die……. If you believe that or not- I believe it to be true.

Anything you do to better your life that you can do; do it! Be it as simple as getting out of bed, (if you can I know not everyone has that option) calling a friend, making dinner, going to the store and buying supplies, or maybe sneaking five dollars into someone’s hand. Giving a sincere compliment to give someone a smile… Anything you do- do it knowing you are taking steps to improve others’ lives as well as your own life. I have seen how bad it can be for some who can not do anything physically, I have been there too. Every day I live I am grateful to have life even when it is hard. I try to do something to better my future every day even if it is just reaching out to someone I care about and encouraging them. Your life is your life and it is what you make of it. I know some things can not be changed or moved at the time but you can prepare for when they can be and work on bettering yourself and who you want to be. So when you can go where you want or be who you want to be with etc you will be ready. When you are faced with a bad situation you have a choice on how to react. We are human and we have emotions but we should do our best to react or respond the best we can. If we fail then we should fix it to the best of our abilities. Otherwise, we aren’t only hurting the other person we are also hurting ourselves. Resentment, hurt feelings, and unforgiveness is poison to our body and souls. That is why I strive to always end things well or resolve not leaving room for doubt. Sometimes there is no other option but to let it go and walk away….. But I find those situations to be the worst to have… I am not just talking about ghosting which is the worst thing you can do to someone! It is cowardly and it speaks volumes of your character. It is better to agree to disagree or to just listen and not share your. It is ok to say I do not agree with you but I still care about you as a person. We are all made uniquely so we all have unique opinions. No one thinks exactly the same as you, anything you do to better your life that you can do; do it! Be it as simple as getting out of bed, (if you can I know not everyone has that option) calling a friend, making dinner, going to the store and buying supplies, maybe sneaking five dollars into someone’s hand anything you do- do it knowing you are taking steps to improve your life. I have seen how bad it can be for some who can not do anything physically, I have been there too. Every day I live I am grateful to have life even when it is hard. I try to do something to better my future every day even if it is just reaching out to someone I care about and encouraging them. Your life is your life and it is what you make of it. I know some things can not be changed or moved at the time but you can prepare for when they can be and work on bettering yourself and who you want to be. So when you can go where you want or be who you want to be with etc you will be ready. When you are faced with a bad situation you have a choice on how to react. We are human and we have emotions but we should do our best to react or respond to them the best we can. If we fail then we fix the misunderstanding or situation to the best of our abilities. We may be similar in many ways but we all process and think uniquely.- yes but even if you agree on something you have your own mind and reasons why you like or dislike something… All relationships, family, friendships, and marriages, are worth fighting for especially if you love them. Remember Love is a feeling its a choice we make to fight to keep those we care about in our lives even when we are mad at them because our lives would lack substance without that person. Trust me I know. Sometimes the people we care about leave our lives on earth for good via their choice or worse yet by death leaving a giant hole/void only God can fill. I don’t want you to choose to abandon people over silly disputes that are temporary or can be resolved….. You will one day probably greatly regret it… Sometimes you can not repair those……… So be wise…… If it is not your doing give it to God. look what he did for us and my sister!

I started so many posts this and last year but I didn’t finish or post any😕. When I went to edit and upload them I found, that they had apparently been deleted and unrecoverable. This happened several times. 💔 Probably due to the poor network from traveling and snow. It is quite frustrating when that happens. Especially when I know what I write can not be published right away. Usually, because I was on my phone or in a hurry. WordPress used to be the best app for writing, editing, and posting from my phone… Now not so much…. I hope I will find a way to do this better soon. They are still my favorite site to work with and great to write on. All the editing and fun tools I need are still on the PC. Without edits like this one was before I edited it today, they would all look like they were drunk posts or in my case sleep gagble. Speaking from years of experience editing. I usually edit my posts three times at least before posing but since I haven’t been able to do it from my phone it has been harder for me to do the job I should. I have posted a few from my phone before but then I almost always have to re-edit them. I wasn’t near a pc for quite some time. This is odd since anyone who knows me knows I love computers and enjoy gaming and writing on them. Sometimes life likes to get in the way of your plans and if you have not experienced this then you are truly blessed. We had a couple of family emergencies starting in July lasting till now. I really appreciate you sticking by me through this lull. I hope to get a PC in the future and a more regular posting schedule.

One thing I have learned the most these past few years is no matter how much we plan things happen that are out of our control. Yes, we need to do what we can to fix or help but where we can’t do things like force someone to take care of themselves, we have to give it to God. It is not up to us to fix everything and honestly it is impossible. I found when I stopped trying to handle everything by myself and started asking God to take over things started moving and I started changing for the better. Just some food for thought. Prayer works and you are loved. Jesus is your friend as much as he is mine, he was born, lived, died, and lived again for us. For you! If you do not know Jesus Christ as your friend I suggest you read the book of John in the Bible along with Ephesians, and 1 John. Here is a great online bible with a app you can use for free https://www.biblegateway.com/

Goodbye 2022 and Hello 2023!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!

💕 I really appreciate you all. Your encouragement means a lot! God Bless You Today and Always! 💕

ღ╮❤╭ღ╯ Amy Jane Sandberg ╰ღ╮❤╭ღ╯

Posted in Faith, News + Updates

Hey There World…

Feb 28

Posted by Amy Jane Sandberg

Hello friends,

It has been a bit since I said hello👋.

Hard question to answer? It can be huh… You matter! Honestly you should be asked how you are more often. Sadly that isn’t always the case or possible. So here I am asking you.

-I am also here to say to you and I –

Getting back on topic, I thought I would stop by to say Hi. While giving an small update. I’ve thought other then just talking about what is going on around me and in the world, I’d talk to you about myself and some thoughts that I’ve had.

Where do I start… Hmmm. I am not in depression, tho I’ve been there before. Although sometimes I feel like I’m dancing on the edges of it constantly. Yet, I am always having to be on guard, staying strong looking for those silver – linings…

Which reminds me of a passage in the Bible. Stay with me please even if you don’t belive. I’m not trying to sway you. I am a beliver in Christ, yes. Even if you are not, I wanna ask you to have an open mind. I wish share something that has helped me. Maybe it will help you. Maybe not… Please at least read the blog post in its entirety. Thanks.

Psalms 23 <KJV>

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

I’m not gonna dissect the whole thing. However, I feel it’s important to share the full character. What I want to talk about is this part- “Walk in the shadows of death, I will fear no evil.” I didn’t fully understand what the shadows of death meant for many years but now I feel like I do. I remember it like yesterday. I almost ten years ago, I was driving through a canyon. It was a sunny day out but the canyon cast a complete shadow over the long road that I was driving. Then suddenly it clicked for me. To me, that verse meant constantly surrounded by death, yet not dead. Not to be morbid, but true…

My life kinda drives that point home. I’ve had so many near death and serious life threatening situations; due to heath as well as just living.

Do you want a current example being surrounded by the threat of death. Many people would say covid (whatever you want to call it.) is right now the major death threat. Many would also say that it is everywhere and its breathing down our necks constantly… It is a threat in so many ways. A perfect example for my topic. We try to live on but everywhere and everybody effective, affected, and talking about it. Why… Due to covid our lives have been turned upside – down and inside – out. Why? Because the threat of death is scary!

This post isn’t about covid tho. I am just trying to make a point the fear of death is truly scary. You never bern afraid of death before, never had it thrown inbyour face so dramatically. Lets be real death is scary point blank! No matter where your faith lies. And- if – when your always afraid of it – then you’re not fully living…. That verse Psalms 23:4 points out the true fact Death is everywhere constantly threatening. To me that suns up depression pretty well too. Depression is a sickness based on fear, self worth ect… Always there hiding in the shadows waiting and wanting to attack! That sums up a lot actually.

With that said, It has not been easy for me to open up, let alone write for quite awhile now.

I haven’t been depressed, but I’ve been in the shadows of depression. For over a year now honestly. Not just because of Dad, but other things as well. I haven’t even touched my books in months. If you know me and follow me, you know how important they are to me. It has taken me weeks just to write this post. I have been emotionally and a bit physically feeling like I am running on fumes- out of gas.

Depression, fear, anxiety, and emotions, seems to been running rampant. Fear, especially of the unknown, is really trying to take center stage. For a while it was successful at it. Not just for me, for so many otheres, I know and some I love, as well peopleI have briefly crossed paths with. Fear is a powerful enemy. Just as depression, loneliness and self-worth. All the above is more powerful now then ever… These stresses’ can really wipe you out, and severely damage your life. Not just mentally and emotionally, but also they can be physically crippling. I do not say that lightly. 😒

Usually its best to go talk to someone. I’ve got God, Jesus, and The HolySpirit. For that. This is my go to verse, the one I live by. “The Devil comes to steal, kill and destroy; but I come to bring Life and to bring it Abundantly! –John 10:10 Along with “I am the good Shepherd; the good shepherd sacrifices his life for his sheep” –John 10:11

= Jesus. Jesus is my Shepard. So I will fear no evil, like Psalms 23 says. Even when it gets gets hard.

Personally I am just trying to adjust to a new lifestyle and re-figure out my place and goals. While I get through the grieving process of loosing my dad, my dog and our cat last year. I do not like to mention or talk about the rough hardships nor how negative it gets and feels at times. I don’t like to be weak or show weakness. But God showed me it is apart of the growth process and I needed to write about it.

That way I can help others like me maybe, you. I bet I am not the only one who feels down, and stressed too. But keep fighting for yourself, keep looking for the silver linings in life. They may be small but they can have huge impacts, if not now possibly later. Either way they’ll encourage you to smile even if its just for a moment. Trust me. I know. That one smile is a small step towards more smiles.

For my fellow belivers in Christ -Not my art but appropriate.

I remind myself everyday of all the accomplished and stuff I have been through.. which is a lot… Also that I have a purpose and I owe it to God, myself and my loved ones to stay positive and to keep smiling through it all. Especially when I don’t feel like it. I suggest that you also remind yourself of your own accomplishments big or small. Along with your survivals as well… I highly recommend you build yourself up especially when you don’t feel like it.

Here’s a few pictures to briefly recap some of the hardships that I have lived through.

I broke my foot and was in a boot for almost 9 months.

These images are proof if I can survive this I can get through the current and forthcoming temporary challenge too.

Its hard for me to be vulnerable. I truly try to stay tough and cheerful. But when I don’t express myself I end you ferling worse then before or have an emotional moment. I tried to keep all the moments captured in images correctly ordered. It is a little hard to do via my cellphone. Sadly lost a lot of pictures due to computer and phone issues. Including the involuntary removals from social media sites. Thus, I don’t have many online anymore. I’ve learned that you just have to make the best of what you have. Easier said then done, I know… A lot of theses pictures are from previous blogs I’ve written. Some I may not have covered here but in preson, but will in my books. Don’t forget thatI and my mothe. Have some Video blogs on www.deeplyrootedinhim.net

Now here are some more positive memorable achievements and moments from my life so far…

I was asked to wite a short story for this book. What a great opportunity!

This is not all I’ve survivied or accomplished. I don’t have the time or space to go over each event. I have years worth of posts here from instagram and Facebook as well. For you to read if you really want to know more. I promise to keep working on my books; those which I pray will change and help your life in a positive way. Not every day is promised so all I can do is give you the best I can and trust God with it.

I realized in doing this post just how much I’ve gone through and how little I’ve opened up about. Repression always cones out in some form. Sometimes not in the best complimenting ways. Thus it is better to talk about what goes on and what you neded. You matted. Don’t take the people in your life for granted, and open up to someone.

We are not alone. I have friends, family, and a wonderful man. Even if i was by myself I have my faith in God. I see Jesus as my bestfriend. With the Father, Son, Holy Spirit, in my life. As you do too if you so desire. That gives me and you a reason to keep moving forward.

I wake up and thank God for a new day. One full of possibilities and chances to spread love -joy, be productive, and spend time with the ones we care about. Its not always easy for sure, but its better to try then give up. My passion is to spread love and joy. To encourage you that you are treasure. That you are loved and mattered especially to God.

Here are some places you can reach out to if you don’t know who to talk to or don’t want to discuss anything about it with people close to you…

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The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, The National Alliance on Mental Illness have a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264

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https://www.nami.org/help

〰️What-does-NAMI-stand-for-and-what-is-its-mission

NAMI offers support and education programs for families and individuals living with mental health conditions. NAMI recognizes that the key concepts of recovery, resiliency and support are essential to improving the wellness and quality of life of all persons affected by mental illness.

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❤💛💚💙💜

〰️Lifeline
We can all help prevent suicide. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals.

https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org

ღ╮❤╭ღ╯ Amy Jane Sandberg ╰ღ╮❤╭ღ╯