EVOLVE: Transformative Biblical Counseling Center

Q. Does getting a divorce mean that I have no faith in God?

A. No, absolutely not! Getting a divorce does not diminish your faith or your love for the lord. A divorce could be life saving and the action need for your overall wellness. Your sanity, physical, emotional health could be in jeopardy by staying in a toxic relationship— and your children’s wellness.

Actually, it takes mammoth FAITH to say, “I love myself and my children and actually understand how God loves us and cares about us." It takes mammoth faith to say, "I am removing myself from this toxic relationship. Faith causes you to make difficult decision that others may not approve of but it is best for your situation. Your journey is your journey, and does not require for others to understand your process. Your FAITH in the Lord requires you to take care of yourself mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually and relationally and divorce is the right course of action. Using your FAITH to make tough decisions requires mammoth FAITH to take action.

Dr. Delores Lakes, MMFT

Marriage and Family Therapy

FREE talk sessions available. Contact Evolve at 931-905-2200 or email [email protected]

National Suicide Prevention 1-800-273-8255

Question: What are some ways to keep your mind focused on positives of life with so many world changing negatives?

Answer: There are so many distractions(good and bad) in our daily lives that it is easy to become overwhelmed and negative in our thinking. But Gods word in Philippians 4:8 instructs us to ‘think on these things’- things that are lovely and of good report.

How do we do this:

1. set the intention to find the beauty, the positive in your encounters.

2. Have a routine that includes self care moments( deep breathing, visualization, stretching, exercise).

3. Identify a positivity partner, who can support and help you develop insight.

4. And of course pray, cause prayer really does change things.

Dr. Elizabeth Pritchett,

Board Certified Psychiatrist

Free Talk Therapy sessions are available. Call 931-905-2200 to schedule an appointment.

Monthly Momentum

May 2022

“Her children arise and call her blessed”

Proverbs 31:28

It has been said that “to the World you are just a mother, but to your family you are the WORLD!”

It is the month in which we celebrate motherhood. God’s Word in Psalm 127.3 says that “children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him”. In other words, children are a blessing from the Lord and it is a blessing to be a mother. But if the truth be told, some days mothering feels more like a burden than a blessing.

Mothering is not easy, especially in this present day. Mothering involves all-consuming responsibility for helpless new life; years of sacrifice for growing life and never ending support of continued life. Though it is a joy to see your children grow and develop, it can be exhausting. Mother’s must balance caretaking with self care. While we may be the world to our children, they must not become our world, our idol.

How doe we find balance in mothering?

Prioritize time for self renewal

Have a sacred date with God daily. It may be 5 minutes or an hour, but be consistent in

sitting in His presence, talking to and listening to God’s Word for you.

Read Mark 1:35

Read 1 Chronicles 16:11

Practice thought control

God says that as a man thinks in his heart , so is he. Our bodies react to our thoughts. If we

dwell on gossip, negativity and fear, our lives will manifest more of the same.

Read Philippians 4:8

Place your Boundaries

God’s word says let your yes be yes and your no be no. Boundaries help us to define expectations, set limits , show respect so that we can reach our goals. We cannot give our all to everyone and everything, and have some of us leftover for ourselves. Boundaries allow others to grow through their own choices.

Read Matthew 5:37

Read Galatians 6:2-5

May Every Mother Have a Happy Mother’s day

Ques. My child has recently been diagnosed with ADHD and medication was recommended/suggested. Are there any alternative treatments that have shown positive results?

Ans.

Alternative Treatments for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD) is one of the most common disorders that affects children. The signs include difficulty staying on task and following age appropriate directions(distractibility), as well as doing things without thinking (impulsivity), and overactivity (hyperactivity).

All kids may have times when they are unfocused, very active, squirmy or fidgety, or not following directions but those with ADHD have these struggles all the time. They affect school performance, behavior and even making and keeping friends.

ADHD IS NOT ‘JUST BAD BEHAVIOR!’ It is a disorder affecting brain chemicals. There is no cure for ADHD.

There are treatments that can decrease the symptoms and help the child focus and learn. Medication is one of those treatments and is often used with positive results. However, many people are uncomfortable with the idea of medication. In my practice, we often start with other treatments including, therapy, behavior therapy, nutritional supports used with medications or separately.

Behavior Therapy is a broad term that generally provides support, strategies and techniques of helping the child take ownership of their behavior. It might include parent and child making a structured daily schedule with a system of rewards to reinforce the desired behavior; teaching self-monitoring(am I doing what the class is doing or what t he teacher has said?) and social skills (waiting turns, asking for help, dealing with losing).

Educational Interventions include classroom behavioral management, organizational skills, workload and testing management.

The National Institute of Mental Health offers the following suggestions:

Establish and Keep a daily routine

Organize everyday items (a place for everything)

Orgnaize school and homework folders

Write down assignments

Have clear and consistent rules

Look for and praise/reward positive behavior

The EVOLVE TBCC Team Adds:

Pray for your child, teachers and surrounding everday!

“Train Up a Child in the Way He Should Go and When He is Old He will Not Depart From it

Proverbs 22:6

Dr. Elizabeth Pritchett,

Board Certified Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist

Ordained Minister, Christ The Healer Church

Evolve Monthly Momentum for April 2022

“Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” Matthew 6:34, ESV.

What Is Stressing You Out?

April is recognized as Stress Awareness Month, and so we want to take this moment to highlight the effects of stress on mental health and share some biblical and practical applications so that you and I can stress less.

So, what is stress? Though there are many different meanings of stress, however, most people would agree that stress is how our body and mind respond to the pressures of life. Truth be told, most of us are even stressed out right now. You are stressed from being at work, stressed from being at church, stressed from being in school, and even stressed out from all of the other things and you are wondering what to do!

Stress takes an emotional toll on the entire person. Moreover, stress disrupts our connection with God, distracting us from His Provision, Providence, and Promise. So, here are some biblical and practical applications that will help us redirect and reconnect our body, mind, and soul with the Lord and away from the stressors of life.

Worship: Stress frequently comes from the uncertainty and pressures of life and sometimes we tend to blame God because things are not working out like they should. Read Hebrews 12:28; Psalm 95 and Psalm 100.

Pray: Praying through stress demands that we focus our attention on the Lord. Read Philippians 4:6-7; I Thessalonians 5:17; Jeremiah 29:11-14 and 1 John 5:14-15.

Ask for help: Stress can be an indicator that we are overwhelmed with juggling too many tasks. If you are dealing with a lot of stress, please ask for help! Read Romans 12:4-5; Proverbs 11:2 and Exodus 18:14-15.

Exercise: Exercise prepares us to handle the events of the day. Exercise will cause us to be a positive example to children, help us to be physically able to do God’s will, helps us to sleep much better, and help us reduce stress and fatigue. Read 1 Corinthians 10:31; 1 Tim 4:8; and 3 John 1:2.

These biblical and practical applications will help realign our spiritual and natural response to stressors that interrupt balance in our lives. To avoid stressing out, remember, we serve a loving God who reigns over our lives, and He promise “…to work all things together for our good…” (Romans 8:28) and give us His peace (Isaiah 26:3)!

If you or someone you know is struggling facing life challenges an Evolve Soulcare member is available to talk. Call 931-905-2200 or email [email protected]

Emergency Numbers

⚠️ 911- Immediate danger to self or someone else

TN Crisis line- 1-855-crisis1

National Suicide Prevention Line- 1-800-273-8255

Veterans Crisis Line- 1-800-273-8255

Evolve Soulcare Monthly Momentum

February 2022

What’s Love Got To Do With It?

1 Corinthians 13:13…But the greatest of these is love.

By Shalonda Maxie

There is no greater love than the love of God! Some researchers say love is a basic human emotion, while others suggest that it is a cultural phenomenon. For us who are in Christ, we believe that love is the greatest fruit of the Spirit and are commanded to love our neighbors as ourselves. That is the second commandment of Jesus. The first is to “love God with all your heart, mind and soul.” But what does it really mean to love your neighbor as yourself? Below are a few bible scriptures that will help us better understand what that means.

1 Corinthians 10:24- No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.

Galatians 5:14- For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Hebrews 13:1-2- Keep loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing so some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.

Philippians 2:3- Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.

John 13:34- A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

Let’s take time meditating on these scriptures and applying them to our everyday life, so that we can truly live the life we were destined for.

Love is the most powerful force of life, igniting our emotions, guiding us in a positive light and bringing meaning to our lives. As we take time this month to celebrate Black History, let’s remember the words spoken by the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “Hate cannot drive out Hate, only Love can do that”.

If you or someone you know needs to talk, contact

Evolve Soulcare 931-905-2200(o) [email protected]

TN Crisis line1-855-Crisis-1

National Suicide Prevention Line 1-800-273- TALK (8255)

“Wherefore my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” Philippians 2:12

Salvation is freely given when we believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord. Our scripture says we must work out our Salvation. This statement can be confusing as it is often taken to mean we must do something; we must work to receive or keep our salvation. Not so! Work out does not mean work for.

We do not work for salvation, but we must engage in a process to allow the gift of salvation that is IN us to be manifested OUTside of us in our living, our being, our doing, and our loving. We must work out what God has put in us so that it shows in our character.

This process is a renewing of our minds, our thoughts, our feelings- our souls.

It is a process of evolving to look like our father.

In this new year, let’s evolve together. Let’s embrace our new creature. Let’s let old hurts, attitudes, perceptions, fears, unclean habits pass away and work on letting all things inside become new.

Evolve Soulcare Ministry and associated ministries are here to help. Divorce Care support, Griefshare support, Free talk therapy and monthly group sessions are available to you.

For more information call 931-905-2200 email [email protected] or visit our website at www.evolvetbcc.com

Work it out!

Dr. Elizabeth Pritchett

Evolve Soul Care Ministry