Treasures in the darkness: God, me and depression - CFN Newsletter Week 112

CHRISTIAN FAMILY NETWORK NEWSLETTER 112

> Evangelist Roger Carswell gives his moving account of his struggles with depression, and how God has helped him
> News:
> Prodigals tour proves a sell-out
> Youthwork conference makes connections
> Young activists' prayer warfare in a trench
> Sites:
> Christian Christmas sites
> Football and God - Mark Roques' passions
> Marriage MOT: In sickness and in health
> You've got to laugh: The railway track and the horse
> Members' Zone latest

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Dear All

As well as our usual strong dose of humour, internet tips, marriage advice and more this update, we're taking an in-depth look at two serious topics in depression and smacking.

They're subjects that Christians would have quite a range of views on, so be prepared to listen and think through your own views as Roger Carswell's honestly tells the story of his own battle with depression and its effect on his life and ministry, and as CCPAS examine the whole issue of smacking and disciplining children.

We'd love to hear your views - so mail us and please use the Bulletin Board.

May God bless you as we move into Advent, looking forward to celebrating once again the amazing news of the coming of Jesus. There'll be one more update just before Christmas, then the CFN team takes a break until the first week of January.

God bless

Russ Bravo
Christian Family Network
info@cfnetwork.co.uk
http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk

PS Christian Family Network is here to direct you to the best in parenting, marriage and family resources; to link you up with other Christian families up and down the UK; and to help you make the most of life as a follower of Christ - at home, at work, at school and college, at play and online.

Your feedback, positive and negative, enables us to develop CFN in the way that is most useful for you - so please tell us if we're off the rails or on the button!

And don't forget - if we can pass on material (sample copies of Families Together, leaflets) which will help you tell your friends and your church about CFN, just mail Lyn Bedford at marketing@christianmedia.org.uk and she'll be glad to help you out.

INSIGHT

For the rest of this article in our Advice section at http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk/members/advice.asp

> THIS WEEK'S NEWS

> Prodigals tour proves a sell-out

This autumn, more than 7,000 people around the UK attended Care for the Family event, Bringing Home the Prodigals, led by Rob and Dianne Parsons.

Go to http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk/members/news.asp for the full story

> Youthwork conference makes connections

An estimated 1,200 full-time and volunteer youth workers took part in what was billed as the “first-ever” Youthwork the Conference in Southport. The event was organised in partnership between Oasis Youth Action, Salvation Army, Spring Harvest, Youth for Christ and Youthwork Magazine.

Go to http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk/members/resources.asp for the full story

> Young activists' prayer warfare in a trench

Over 600 young Christians will come together in a makeshift war trench in London, on 23 February 2004, to pray against the UK Government’s support of the arms trade.

Go to http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk/members/news.asp for the full story

> MARRIAGE MOT

> Check out our archived marriage tips in the Members' Zone, plus stacks more marriage resources at http://www.2-in-2-1.co.uk

In sickness and in health

How do you see illness? Is it just something that happens, fate, or is it something that you can avoid by healthy living?

Some friends of mine have really struggled with this one. The wife gets very anxious when the husband isn't eating well or getting enough exercise. She fears he will become ill, because her mother developed high blood pressure due to being overweight. He always felt defensive about discussing these things. His father died of cancer with no obvious cause. He see her comments as putting him down, and it was a long time before they were able to understand their different opinions and beliefs and to realise what was going on.

We all have different views and attitudes to health and illness. They may affect the way we respond to each other and how open we are to talk about health matters. yet we are bombarded by the media about healthy living, keeping fit and having a beautiful body.

My friends were eventually able to open up these issues. The wife was able to understand why her husband became defensive and to reassure him that she loved him and still found him attractive - in fact she loved him so much she was afraid to lose him. He was able to accept her fears and chose to take some steps to take more care of his health. A previous "no go" area was opened up and became a place where they could affirm their love for each other.

Are you able to talk to each other about health issues? What are the barriers that hold you back? Are you open enough to believe that you can break through those barriers for the sake of the one you love?

My husband thinks that some illnesses can't be avoided.
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> EVENTS

> YOU'VE GOT TO LAUGH ...

Why railway tracks are the width they are

The US standard railroad gauge (distance between the rails) is 4 feet, 8.5 inches. Why was that gauge used? Because that's the way they built them in England, and English expatriates built the US Railroads.

Why did the English build them like that? Because the first rail lines were built by the same people who built the pre-railroad tramways, and that's the gauge they used.

Why did "they" use that gauge then? Because the people who built the tramways used the same jigs and tools that they used for building wagons, which used that wheel spacing.

Why did the wagons have that particular odd wheel spacing? Well, if they tried to use any other spacing, the wagon wheels would break on some of the old, long distance roads in England, because that's the spacing of the wheel ruts.

So who built those old rutted roads? Imperial Rome built the first long distance roads in Europe (and England) for their legions. The roads have been used ever since. And the ruts in the roads? Roman war chariots formed the initial ruts, which everyone else had to match for fear of destroying their wagon wheels. And Imperial Roman war chariots were made just wide enough to accommodate the back ends of two war horses.

Now the Space Shuttle had two solid rocket boosters, or SRBs, attached to its side. These SRBs had to be shipped by train from the factory to the launch site, and so had to fit through that railway tunnels on the track. The tunnel is slightly wider than the railroad track.

So, a major design feature of what is arguably the world's most advanced transportation system was determined over two thousand years ago by the width of a horse's backside.

> CHRISTIAN FAMILY NETWORK THIS WEEK
(MEMBERS' ZONE) - http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk/members/default.asp

> Advice

> Roger Carswell on his struggles with depression and how God has helped him through
> Our internet savvy column from Eric Spellman looks at the most popular instant messaging software
> Is smacking biblical? Specialists from the Churches Child Protection Advisory Service take an in-depth look

> Resources

> Alison Farnell asks what you'll be giving your child this Christmas

> Reviews

> Peter Dilley on the new albums from Delirious? and Mal Pope, plus Christmas worship releases

> News

> Prodigals tour proves a sell-out
> Youthwork conference makes connections
> Young activists' prayer warfare in a trench

> News Extra

> Engaged couples to take HIV test?

> Top sites this week

> Stacks of Christian Christmas sites
> PLUS fieldsofgod - Mark Roques' twin passions: God and football

> Events: More of what's on near you

> Webwatch Index: more than 600 sites at your fingertips

> Site Search Engine: the easy way to trawl our 1,000-page plus archives

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